Sorsogon diocese supports Poe, Chiz
The diocese of Sorsogon on Saturday launched Project Serendipity to push the candidacy of Sen. Grace Poe and her runningmate Sen. Francis Escudero in the May elections.
Poe and Escudero signed a covenant of support for the project in a ceremony held at the parish of Bacon district in Bacon town.
Led by Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes, the event was witnessed by more than 3,000 people and youth leaders who gathered for the annual Basic Ecclesial Communities (BEC) assembly.
The BEC members and youth leaders expressed support for the institutionalization of a sovereign fund that would be used to uplift the lives of the people.
The fund will be sourced from the 20R8 to exclusively address local security and the needs of the Filipinos.
Bastes said the government sources composing the 20R8 include revenues, receipts, receivables, royalties, reserves, resources, recoveries, returns and all that refer to money, funds, incomes assets, properties and resources of the government and all its offices, branches and corporations.
The allocation of 20 percent from these resources is to be determined by the 20R8 Serendipity Amendment of the Constitution.
In supporting Project Serendipity, Poe and Escudero said the Gobyernong May Puso’s first order would be to take care of every Filipino, as any government must first invest in its own people.
The 20 percent of the funds will be used exclusively for the social security and welfare of the people.
“We don’t only promise but we commit to you a caring and compassionate administration, no one will be left out under the Gobyernong May Puso,” said the two senators.
The signing of the covenant strengthens the aim to gather as many petitioners as possible to be able to meet the number needed for the filing of a petition with the Supreme Court for the establishment of the Philippine sovereign fund or the proposed Serendipity Fund.
Meanwhile, Escudero said the Liberal Party (LP) has been preventing its allies from freely choosing which presidential candidate to support on May 9.
In a campaign sortie in Laguna yesterday, Escudero said incumbent local government officials have felt the strong hand of the ruling party whenever they welcome the opposition who visit their areas.
“What this government is doing with some officials is not only unusual, but also contrary to its tuwid na daan (straight path) advocacy. If you show a different color or even just welcome Senator Grace and I or any other candidate, the chief of police will be replaced immediately,” he said in Filipino.
Escudero criticized the administration for using this tactic in rallying their allies, which he said is based on fear and not respect.
He said the administration has resorted to using its power to promote the interest of the LP candidates led by standardbearer Manuel Roxas II.
He cited a report about the four generals of the Philippine National Police who met with a staff of Roxas at a hotel in Cubao, Quezon City.
Escudero said he would file charges of electioneering and engaging in partisan politics against the four generals – Generoso Cerbo Jr., Renier Idio, Bernardo Diaz and Ronald Santos – and other officers who were part of that meeting.
During last Sunday’s vice presidential debate, Escudero reiterated his call for his rivals to shun mudslinging and focus on their platforms of governance that would improve the lives of the people.
The senator issued the statement after his rivals traded barbs during the VP debates sponsored by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and CNN Philippines at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.
Citing his track record and achievements, he urged voters to choose him on May 9.
He said he has done his part in defending the victims of martial law through the proposals he authored in the Senate.
Escudero echoed Poe’s call for Transportation Secretary Joseph Emilio Abaya to resign over his failure to address problems regarding the country’s train systems.
He said the Aquino administration has done nothing but justify the shortcomings of its officials.