Anti-pork groups set major protest on August 25

Anti-pork groups will hold another rally in Luneta on August 25 to gather enough signatures for a " People's Initiative to abolish pork."

Anti-pork groups will hold another rally in Luneta on August 25 to gather enough signatures for a " People's Initiative to abolish pork."
Inday Varona, a member of the People's Initiative Against Pork preparations committee, said organizers will arrive at Rizal Park as early as 4 a.m. for the event titled "Stand Up, Sign Up Against All Pork."
August 25 is also National Heroes' Day.
[READ: Anti-pork protest will have Zumba, fun run]
Meanwhile, the Abolish Pork Movement said the Supreme Court (SC) rulings against lawmakers' Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) and the Aquino administration's Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) are not enough.
In fact, the group has drafted a bill making the said acts illegal.
Monet Silvestre, spokesperson of the group, told ANC only supplemental budgets for disaster relief and intelligence are allowed under the bill.
"It's a set of handcuffs that we will apply to any government official so that their hands will be tied when it comes to lump sum appropriations," Silvestre said in an interview on Mornings@ANC.
"The law will definitely put a stamp on the definition of savings. Basically put, savings is any money left over at the end of the fiscal year, which is December, not June or July," he added.
They need to gather 5.4 million signatures or 3 percent of every legislative district, equivalent to 10 percent of the total voting population, to back the bill.
Upon verification, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will then be mandated to hold a referendum.
Former Chief Justice Renato Puno and members of the civil sector initiated the move last year.