September 29th rally against pork barrel a huge success; group offered potential alternatives

Press Release
September 30, 2013

CEBU CITY – Convenors of the Cebu Coalition Against the Pork Barrel System congratulate the estimated 10,000 participants of the September 29, 2013 march-rally against the pork barrel system.

The official estimate of 10,000 participants was at least 25% higher than the Coalition’s internal objectives.

It was very evident from the start when the sun shone brightly at the start and everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief that the weather was going to cooperate. At exactly 1:30 PM as planned, the parade started down Osmeña Blvd. on its way to the Plaza Independencia. Police reported no incidents and CITOM succeeded in implementing their “open/close” system thereby not disrupting traffic too much in every direction.

Students from the University of Cebu, Cebu Doctors University, University of San Carlos, University of the Visayas, University of San Jose Recoletos, Southwestern University, University of Southern Philippines, University of the Philippines-Cebu, St. Theresa’s College, and other Catholic schools joined the multitude of groups from the religious, civil society and business sectors, three bugle and drum corps, a dance troupe and a tribal progressive band. The participants abided by the guidelines the group had written for itself and thereby succeeded in having a peaceful rally.

The Convenors based its assessment of success from the following:

First of all, the anti-pork message and potential solutions that the people wanted to express was said and heard by the public and media loud and clear.

Second, the whole event was flawlessly executed in military-like fashion such that the Mass started five minutes earlier than planned and the whole rally ended exactly as planned.

Third, the law abiding group was successful in expressing its great indignation against corrupt practices without breaking any local laws and ordinances themselves. The parades marshals were made up of leftist and rightist groups working in harmony and efficiency together, fighting a common cause.

Fourth, although each group of the over 50-organization coalition were allowed to carry their own organization’s banners and flags, they all worked together in their united front against the pork barrel system and showed mutual respect with one another.

Fifth, and probably unheard of from any other rally, the group cleaned up after themselves leaving the march route, the Fuente Osmeña circle and Plaza Independencia cleaner than when the group first arrived!

Finally, the Coalition’s official estimate of the crowd at 10,000 was at least 25% higher than its internal objectives. The group’s official estimate was based on estimates using the August 26th official estimate by the city authorities. Then, the crowd estimate was 3,200 and the parade extended from Fuente Osmeña until Sanciangko St., a length of around 800 meters. Yesterday, the parade extended from Plaza Independencia all the way to the Fuente circle, a length of 2.45 kilometers or 3 times the length of the August 26th rally. Therefore, logically, the number of people yesterday was estimated to be at least 3 X 3,200 or close to 10,000. However, the most important number that the group is counting is the number of signatures already submitted.