People’s Initiatives

Former Chief Justice Renato Puno has suggested a legal way to abolish the infamous Presidential Development Assistant Fund (PDAF). According to him the present Philippine Constitution provides that a million signatures of a certain percent of registered voters can effect the abolition of the pork barrel fund. I don’t know much of this constitutional provision and how it can be realized.

I know personally Justice Puno. I trust his legal wisdom and I admire his dedication to the moral transformation of the present society based on the rule law in a genuine democracy.

For this reason I wish to invite my fellow bishops and brother ulama as well all our brother priests and pastors together with all our lay organization and movements to join the emerging nationwide movement in support of the People’s Initiative. The million signatures will not difficult to obtain if all religious groups in the country join the movement.

If realized, this movement could be a significant and historic event. The combined groups of faith-based communities constitute a formidable force to effect the much-awaited change of the system of government.