Tag Archives: Luneta

[Event] Mass and Procession for TRUTH and JUSTICE on Sep13-AMRSP

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Mass and Procession for TRUTH and JUSTICE

AMRSP Sep 13

amrsp

Dear Fathers, Brothers, Sisters,

Greetings of peace from AMRSP!

Attached you will find our invitation for this coming September 13 activity. We explained in the flier the rationale of the said activity.

We are following with much interest the events that are unfolding now in our beloved country. Issue after issue, problems after problems preoccupied the news. In all that is going on, our prophetic responsibility compel all of us to make our voice be heard by all concerns. We cannot be idle with what are happening around us.

We are aware that as Church we have so many concerns to address too. Yet as an Association we set our priorities for campaign. The issue on Truth and corruption is one of the many concerns that we have to give our attention to. The activity for September 13 is one of the many activities lined up by many sectors including us to pressure the government to heed the call of the people for the total abolition of the Pork Barrel, may it be Congressional or Presidential.

Please come on September 13. Join us as we pray for our country. The mass will be held in San Agustin Church, Intramuros, Manila at exactly 2:00 in the afternoon. After the mass, we shall march in procession to join and interfaith service and program at the Luneta. Our Protestant brothers and sisters will join us in the procession to Luneta.
Be there and be counted!

Sincerely yours,

Fr. Marlon Lacal, O.Carm
AMRSP Co-Executive Secretary

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[Press Release] Solons, top officials asked to lower pay to minimum wage -PM

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Solons, top officials asked to lower pay to minimum wage

pmLogo1

The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) challenged senators, congressional representatives and top executive government officials to lower their pay to the level of a minimum wage earner. “If our peak legislative and executive officials are in position for public service and not to wallow in pork then they should be amenable to a radical pay cut. Besides they can better craft law and policies beneficial to the masses once they experience the life of the ordinary worker,” asserted Renato Magtubo, PM chair.

The labor group issued this call as people mobilized today for the anti-pork barrel protest in Luneta and other key cities in the country. PM’s chapters in Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog are joining the Luneta rally this morning while its members in Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo and Iligan are also participating in similar activities in the provinces.

PM is advocating an “Apat na Dapat” set of demands to address the pork barrel scandal. First, the abolition of all forms of pork barrel, principally the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), the Presidential Social Fund (PSF) and the special purpose funds. Second, the realignment of pork to fund universal social protection from Philhealth coverage to public employment. Third, people’s participation in the budget process from identification of programs and projects to evaluation. And last, the passage of the Freedom of Information bill to enhance transparency and accountability in government spending.

Magtubo said that workers are interested in the protest against pork barrel since through the system of withholding taxes, employed people are taxed on time and pay fully. “Even the informal sector of the working class—the urban and rural poor—pay more than their fair share of taxes since every good and service they buy has value-added tax,” he added.

“But workers do not just want to curb corruption by abolishing the pork barrel. We also want to curtail patronage by removing the discretion of politicians in the delivery of social services. Public services must be accessible to all Filipinos as a right without the need to beg for the indulgence of politicians.” Magtubo explained.

“Just to cite an example, realigning the proposed P25.2 billion PDAF in 2014 can pay Philhealth premiums for a year to 14 million Filipinos, a third of the adult population. The PSF and other presidential pork like the Malampaya funds can cover the Philhealth coverage of the rest of the population to ensure universal health insurance in one stroke,” Magtubo ended.

Press Release
August 26, 2013
Partido ng Manggagawa
Contact Renato Magtubo @ 09178532905

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[Press Release] Workers ask Luneta marchers: Demand realignment of pork to social services -PM

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Workers ask Luneta marchers: Demand realignment of pork to social services

pmLogo1

The workers group Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) called on the people who will be joining tomorrow’s rally at Luneta to demand the realignment of the pork barrel to a fund for universal social services. The group also praised the organizers of the Luneta march in its determination to push through and demand the abolition of the pork barrel.

“Workers salute Luneta protest organizer Peachy Rallonza-Bretana for refusing to be placated by President Benigno Aquino III’s proposed pork barrel reform. We however ask them to also demand a new fund distribution system wherein social services will not be based on the discretion of politicians but will be accessible as a matter of right,” Renato Magtubo, PM chair explained.

PM is joining the rally in Luneta tomorrow that will call for the abolition of pork barrel and the prosecution of those involved in the scam. The group’s chapters in Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo and Iligan are also participating in similar activities in the provinces.

The labor group is advocating the realignment of the pork barrel into a fund for universal social protection. “The Priority Development Assistance Fund, the Presidential Social Fund and other incarnations of the pork barrel must be directly allotted to social services that will be accessible to all Filipinos and not be subject to discretion of political patrons. In this way, the evil of patronage and corruption is removed from the delivery of necessary social services such as Philhealth coverage, socialized housing, scholarships, farmers’ subsidies and public employment” explained Magtubo.

He added that “Only the politically naïve will swallow PNoy’s alibi that pork barrel is necessary to deliver social services to the grassroots. The pork barrel is a political not a development tool. On the part of the national government, the pork barrel is a carrot to buy the support of Congress. While on the part of solons, pork barrel is indispensable to sustain the dependency relations with ward leaders and ordinary voters.”

PM asserted that the reforms declared by the President about the congressional pork barrel are not enough. “At best the reforms may curb rampant corruption but PNoy’s insistence in maintaining the pork barrel means he is strengthening it as an instrument of patronage,” Magtubo averred.

Press Release
August 25, 2013

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[Press Release] Teachers join Luneta protest to leave legacy for children -TDC

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TEACHERS JOIN LUNETA PROTEST TO LEAVE LEGACY FOR CHILDREN

logo TDC

Teachers under the banner of Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) call on their fellow educators to join the massive protest against the pork barrel system and the rampant corruption in government on Monday, August 26 at the Luneta Park in Mnaila. This despite the pronouncement made by President Aquino last Friday that he will soon abolish the PDAF.

“The pronouncement is just a ploy to weaken the growing unity and anger of the people against corruption in government. The crooks in the bureaucracy should be punished, regardless of their party affiliation, whether in Senate, HoR or the executive branch.” Benjo Basas the chairperson of the TDC said in a statement.

Teachers were enraged by the report that the JLN Corporation headed by the alleged pork barrel scam queen Janet Lim-Napoles paid less amount of taxes than the average public school teacher in the years 2009-20011.

“The people who keep the state operating thru their shares of taxes should be the recipients of the services from the government. Public funds should not be used for patronage politics and lavish lifestyle of the elected officials and their cohorts.” Basas explained. “Corruption-free governance would mean a better spending for basic social services like education, health, public transpiration, housing and environmental care among others.” He added.

The group called on the teachers and the people in general to remain vigilant and to denounce the corruption in all branches of the government at all levels.

“By marching on the streets on Monday, we could leave a legacy for our students and our own children that they will grow-up in a country free of corruption and thievery and would make them proud as Filipino people.” Basas ended.

The group’s central slogan is “Scrap the Pork, Jail the Crooks, Fund our Schools!” #
Reference: Benjo Basas, National Chairperson 0920-5740241/3853437

ADVISORY: Teachers’ Preparation for Rally

Tomorrow, Sunday starting 10:00AM, TDC members will prepare the materials needed for the rally on Monday- banners, placards, sound system, printed t-shirts and cultural presentation. Some leaders from Metro Manila are expected to come to their office to bring plain white t-shirts for printing.

White would be their color motif in solidarity with the protest movement in Luneta whose participants are expected to wear white shirts to symbolize purity and political neutrality. In Luneta, the group along with their respective families will share their “baon” for a symbolic picnic. However, TDC will bring their group banners for they will be joining the initial program of various groups in Liwasang Bonifacio at 9:00AM then they will march and join the “colorless” Luneta crowd before noon and will also join the march to Mendiola after the Luneta gathering.

Attached are the poster and the t-shirt design that will be used by the TDC in the protest.

Anti-PDAF tshirtTeachers Honest Taxpayers5 PINK white box

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