Monique Wilson (left) at the Million People March 2 in Makati, Friday. PHOTO BY NOY MORCOSO III / INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines—The government should not ignore the voice of the people calling for the abolition of the pork barrel system, theatre actress Monique Wilson said at the “Million People March” on Ayala in Makati City on Friday.
“Like all Filipinos, I’m very angry about the pork barrel situation,” Wilson told reporters.
“We’ve been protesting already for a long time and what we really want is to pressure the government to listen to the voice of the people, they are angry and [the government] cannot ignore the voice of the people,” she said.
Thousands of people marched to the statue of Ninoy Aquino at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas to call for the scrapping of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and all other discretionary funds being given by the executive department.
The protesters called for the millions of pesos being given to lawmakers to be reallocated to social services that they say will not be at risk of corruption.
Wilson, a long time advocate of womens’ rights, said that women are among the most affected by the recent pork barrel scam because they belong to the most vulnerable sectors.
“They are the most vulnerable sector because they dont have access to healthcare, cannot bring their children to school and are forced to sell their bodies just so they could have something to eat for the day,” Wilson said.
Women are also forced to become overseas workers, she added, referring to the large number of domestic helpers abroad.
“So I really think that this is a depolarable issue which is why the pork barrel should be abolished because our women are becoming more sacrificed than anyone else because of poverty,” she said.
Farmers, fisherfolk, migrants, teachers, and workers should also join in the call for the abolition of the pork barrel because they are the ones that are already mired in poverty.
“We have to think about the marginalized and the grassroots because they are the ones who cannot wait and it is a life or death issue for them already,” she said.