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- EDD K. USMAN | Twitter: @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 | Facebook: SDN — SciTech and Digital News
CLUB FILIPINO, San Juan City (SDN) — In the fight against evil in government, in society, a new kid on the anti-corruption block arrived on Friday, August 23, by way of a launch here in Greenhills, San Juan City, Metro Manila.
The ‘kid” is actually a group dubbed ANIM, which means Alyansa ng Nagkaka-Isang Mamamayan, with its core members signing “A Manifesto by ANIM”. In English, it means Coalition of United Citizens.
By declaration, the group is sworn to fight graft and corruption, political dynasties, and electoral fraud, the three heads of a political Hydra consuming the Filipino nation.
ANIM aims to push for the realization of the long-dormant anti-dynasty reform in Congress, as0 the group blames families entrenched in governance power for the Filipino nation’s myriad ills.
“We believe that our nation’s lack of economic and social progress is the direct consequence of decades of corruption and self-serving rule by political dynasties in 80% of our provinces and 78% of our congressional districts,” ANIM declares in their manifesto.
“In view of these, we challenge our national leaders to exhibit patriotism, honesty, and personal sacrifice to free our country from the quagmire that we are in,” ANIM says.
To achieve this, the group appealed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to use his power and “take a direct hand” in achieving “meaningful change and do what is good” for the Filipinos.
ANIM said the President can bring this about “by certifying as urgent a bill that will define political dynasty to Congress.”
The broad and non-partisan coalition is comprised of organizations and individuals of the Philippine society’s six major sectors led by retired military officers and uniformed personnel, the religious, the youth, the women, the business and professionals, as well as other civil society organizations (CSOs) that are banded together by their desire for a meaningful and substantial reform in governance and in the political arena.
Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan (Ret.) is ANIM chairman. He described the group’s launch as “historic” and aptly at the historic Club Filipino which celebrates Filipino heroes.
Among other stalwarts of the anti-corruption group include columnist Jarius Bondoc (media), Caritas Manila president Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo (religious), Cyril Litonias, John Lazaro, Tita Flora Santo, Joy Mendoza, Edwin Fernandez, lawyer Alex Lacson, Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, and lawyer Luke Espiritu.
ANIM’s goals is focused on the welfare and well-being of the future of the young generation as they will, hopefully, carry the torch of progress and the banner of honesty, integrity, and fidelity to the nation, if they are not waylaid along the way and surrender to a gauntlet of material temptations like many of today’s political leaders.
After 37 years of the Constitution, prohibition on political dynasties is still illusive dream
At the launch event held at a jam-packed Kalayaan Hall, it was learned that 80 percent of the country’s governors and 50 percent of the mayors belong to various political dynasties.
Obviously, the reference on political dynasties may include the hallowed halls of the Senate where there’s mother and son, brother and brother, and brother and sister tandems.
Latest population figure of the Philippines shows around 119 million Filipinos made up of millions of families. The Senate with only 24 elected members has three families with two senators each, same surnames. Only in the Philippines!
Not the least is the same situation in the House of Representatives where there are close relatives serving simultaneously.
Provinces and municipalities, too, you can find close relatives serving together, of the same family, father and son or daughter, mother and son or daughter, or any combination thereof that displays what observers have described as pure disregard for the citizens’ sensibilities. Which may also mean that, Filipino voters in general, granting elections are clean, fair and honest, are not the intelligent electors they are claimed to be.
Recall that the 1987 Constitution prohibits political dynasties.
Article II, Section 26, of the Philippine Constitution stipulates that “the State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”
Observers noted that one reason political dynasties proliferate in every nook and cranny of the political arena, a phenomenon native only to Filipinos, is that the prohibition in the Constitution has not been fleshed out yet. Has there been anyone in the Senate or in the House of Representatives, who was patriotic and brave enough to file a bill that will flesh out the prohibition on political dynasties?
Or if there is, will it be able to pass through the proverbial needle’s tiny hole, enacted and get to become law? Seems no. For blatantly obvious reason: After 37 years of the Constitution, there’s still no law defining “political dynasties” and put this contentious issue to rest.
ANIM wants to do that, but it can only do so much, obviously, depending on the elected men and women of Congress. Voices against corruption, political dynasties, and electoral fraud will remain, to borrow William Faulkner’s, just sounds signifying nothing, unheeded in the hallowed halls of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives .
Bagaforo assured that the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) stands with ANIM in cutting the head of corruption, which he said is not only illegal but immoral because it takes away the poor’s dignity as money from corruption goes to the pockets of the few.
NARRA in solidarity with ANIM’s call for good governance
The Catholic leader urged every Filipino to join ANIM and go for meaningful changes.
“No to corruption, no to political dynasty, and yes to political reforms,” he declares.
Magalong delivered a much-applauded presentation on how projects funds are being siphoned off by politicians. He clarified he was not planning to run for President, or senator, or congressman. He is all for the welfare of the youth.
“We would like to leave a legacy for our young generation because 10 years from now, 20 years from now, if we will not address the problems, we will be blamed for not doing anything,” the chief executive of the City of Pines warns.
He said that evil succeeds because the good people are not doing anything to stop it. “The choices we make will define our character,” Magalong says.
In his presentation, the mayor walked through the audience that filled to the brim the venue on how politicians earn illegal money from projects through kickbacks, claiming a Project Fund is distributed this way:
- Politician gets 25%-40% (30% average kickback)
- VAT — 7%
- Insurance and Bond — 1%
- Implementing Agency — 10%-15% (12% average)
- BAC — 2%
- Contingency Expenses — 3%
_____________________________________
Total = 55%
ANIM invites and accepts new members (www.animph.org), including individuals, groups and organizations from all sectors of the nation’s society, such as schools and companies, to join the coalition in the fight against political dynasties, corruption, and in the promotion of electoral reforms.
As this developed, the National ROTC Alumni Association (NARAA), Inc. issued a separate Manifesto declaring solidarity to ANIM’s call for good governance, signed by M/Gen. Gilbert S. Llanto, chair of NARRA.
The ROTC alumni group counts on 70 percent of the officers’ corps of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“We, in the NARAA, fully support our government’s efforts to fight corruption, illegal drugs, alleviate poverty, and secure the integrity of our national territory,” the group declares, while emphasizing its fidelity to the Constitution and to the chain of command.
The NARAA group also signified its “demand for more forceful efforts at fighting corruption and illegal drugs to include political dynasty”, at the same time indicating its support for a revision of the Constitution to effect “drastic electoral reforms — election being the root of all evils in our country.”
At the launch, keynote speakers included Magalong, Bagaforo, Namfrel Chair Augusto Lagman (former commissioner of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), and Alexander Lacson (author of patriotic books).
General Renato de Villa (Ret.), former secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND) and AFP chief of staff, issued the call to action. (✓)