HOLDING a referendum on whether to scrap the pork barrel system will be a tough process.
Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano cited logistical problems and limited time.
Castillano was referring to Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma’s call for a signature campaign on the proposed law that will scrap the pork barrel system.
The Pork Barrel Abolition Act will be drafted during the National People’s Congress on Aug. 23. The draft will be presented in the afternoon for a signature campaign that will be held at the Plaza Independencia in Cebu City.
Process
The gathered signatures, together with other requirements set by the law, will be submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) national office. Only then will the commission decide if there is sufficient cause to hold a referendum before local election offices will verify each signature.
Castillano said that 10 percent of the total national registered voter signatures is needed to hold a referendum.
“Karun ang Comelec wala gyud miy mga job order... casual nga sama sa election nga mag additional mig taw, ang among mga taw karun kanang normal nga taw sa among opisina... tapos ga registration pa ta nga mao among priority karun (We don’t have the manpower unlike during elections when we hire additional people… plus there’s an ongoing registration for the next election and we’re concentrating on that),” he said.
Finaly say
He also said some voter’s records are with the Congress Electoral Tribunal since these are needed in some pending electoral protests.
If the required number of signatures is achieved, a referendum will be held. A majority vote of “yes” must be cast for the People’s Initiative to become a law.
“I hope nga kung mahimo ni sa proponents, mapaspas nila kay basin maabtan sad mi sa panahon nga maapiki mi sa preparation sa national election this 2016 (I hope the proponents will get to it as soon as possible before we start our preparations for the national elections in 2016),” he said.
Castillo clarified, though, the decision whether to hold a referendum rests on the Comelec national office.
“We will just take orders from Comelec Manila,” he said. (Nheru Bonoan Veraflor, USJ-R Mass Com intern)