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SEEKING THE TRUTH, MOVING FORWARD

Statement of the TOWNS Foundation Members on the Pork Barrel Scam October 4, 2013

We are members of The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS) Foundation, an award-giving organization for women who have dedicated their talent and skills to improve the lives of our people and contribute to nation-building. We work as public servants, social activists, scientists, medical professionals, lawyers, artists, journalists, writers, educators and social entrepreneurs.

We add our collective voice to our people’s disgust over and

condemnation of the pork barrel scam which we view as a manifestation of a system that is fundamentally flawed. We hereby offer our ideas on how we can move forward as a nation on this issue.

First, the investigation and prosecution of those charged to be responsible

for the pork barrel scam must be thorough and relentless. It should spare no one, blind to whether the person is private citizen or public official, and neutral as to party lines and political connections. We commend the Commission on Audit, the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Office of the Ombudsman for starting this critical work. We also urge the Commission on Audit to include in its audit the President’s discretionary fund.

Second, we propose the constitution of a Truth Commission to look into

the pork barrel system, scrutinize how it makes thievery of public funds possible, surface the extent of its abuse, and provide a set of recommendations for the reform of our political governance, budgeting, and fiscal administration systems.

While we have faith in our investigative and prosecutorial agencies’

capacity to perform their duties with fidelity, we recognize that some administration officials and allies have been implicated in the scam, such that the integrity of the institutional processes at work in this matter have been called into question. Thus, we entreat the President to constitute this Truth

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Commission, appoint to it non-government individuals who are known for their unquestionable integrity, probity and independence, and vest it with all powers necessary for it to perform its work effectively. Our people deserve to know the whole truth. Uncovering the truth will guide us towards increased public accountability and thwart the commission of plunder with impunity.

Third, we urge our people to be involved in demanding accountability

from our public officials for the plunder of our nation’s coffers. We must also demand for the abolition of the pork barrel system which makes possible the pilfering of public funds. Educating ourselves, our families, and communities about the pork barrel system and its abuse is a critical step to taking action. Speaking up and joining rallies will break the silence that only emboldens those who steal our money. We can also organize ourselves as watchdogs at the local and national levels to raise government accountability and to ensure that public funds are properly spent for the public good. All these are important processes in building an informed and critical citizenry that engages in public discourse and collective action towards creating a culture of transparency and accountability in our country.

Fourth, we need institutionalized mechanisms that will effectively

promote transparency and accountability in government. We especially need a law that ensures and facilitates public access to government records and data, whereby people can meaningfully exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to information on matters of public concern. We therefore call on the Congress to immediately pass the Freedom of Information Bill, which has been pending for far too long.

Finally, we believe that the exposé of the pork barrel scam presents a rare

opportunity for us as a nation to confront the systemic problems in Philippine governance as well as our failure to elect public officials who truly are motivated by love of country. Let us use this opportunity to move forward by pushing for fundamental changes in the system and continuing the delicate task of nation-building together.

Pagmamahal sa bayan. Paglilingkod sa sambayanan. Pananagutan sa perang

pinaghirapan ng taumbayan. Gawin natin ito, lahat ng Pilipino.

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SIGNATORIES:

Isabel Aleta, Ph.D. Retired Scientist, World Health Organization TOWNS Awardee for Humanitarian Endeavour & Community Development, 1981

Evelyn R. Singson Chairperson, Shareholders Association of the Philippines Past President, Management Association of the Philippines TOWNS Awardee for Business & Finance, 1983

Maria Rosa Nieva Carrion Chair & Publisher, Seagull Philippines, Inc. TOWNS Awardee for Marketing Communications, 1989

Cecilia L. Lazaro Multi-awarded journalist Founding President, Probe Productions, Inc. TOWNS Awardee for Broadcast Journalism, 1989

June Pagaduan Lopez, M.D. Professor of Psychiatry, U.P. College of Medicine TOWNS Awardee for Psychiatry, 1989

Evelyn Mae Tecson-Mendoza, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus, University of the Philippines Los Baños TOWNS Awardee for Science, 1989

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Imelda V.G. Villar, Ph.D. Executive Director, Women’s Crisis Center TOWNS Awardee for Education, 1989

Virginia C. Cuevas, Ph. D. Full Professor, Institute of Biological Sciences CAS, University of the Philippines Los Baños TOWNS Awardee for Agriculture-Environmental Management, 1992

Teresita Ang See Founding President, Kaisa Para sa Kaunlaran Founding Chairperson, Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order TOWNS Awardee for Cultural Integration, 1992

Cristina Lim-Yuson, Ph.D. President & CEO, Museo Pambata Foundation, Inc. TOWNS Awardee for Education, 1992

Yoly Villanueva-Ong TOWNS Awardee for Communications, 1995

Carmina Aquino, M.D. TOWNS Awardee for Medicine, 1998

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Ester B. Ogena, Ph.D. Educator TOWNS Awardee for Education, 1998

Lilian F. Patena Associate Professor & Head, Plant Cell & Tissue Culture Laboratory University of the Philippines Los Baños TOWNS Awardee for Agriculture, 1998

Evalyn G. Ursua, LL.M. Human rights lawyer TOWNS Awardee for Women and Children’s Rights Advocacy, 1998 Ma. Victoria M. Abesamis, M.D. OIC, Medical Center Chief, East Avenue Medical Center TOWNS Awardee for Medicine (Children’s Health), 2001

Maria Josephine “Joi” Barrios-Leblanc, Ph.D. Poet, Author and Lecturer, UC Berkely TOWNS Awardee for Literature, 2004 Raquel R. Fortun, M.D. TOWNS Awardee for Medicine, 2004

Aura Castillo-Matias, Ph.D. Dean, College of Engineering, U.P. Diliman TOWNS Awardee for Industrial Engineering, 2004

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Glecy C. Atienza, Ph.D. Theater Artist/Full Professor, U.P. Diliman TOWNS Awardee for the Arts, 2007 Maria Corazon A. De Ungria, Ph.D. TOWNS Awardee for Science, 2007 Alyssa Peleo-Alampay, Ph.D. TOWNS Awardee for Science, 2007

Gang Tianco Badoy TOWNS Awardee for Alternative Education, 2010 Laura David, Ph.D. TOWNS Awardee for Physical Oceanography, 2010

Jean Enriquez Executive Director, CATW-Asia Pacific TOWNS Awardee for Humanitarian Endeavor, 2010

Regina Hechanova TOWNS Awardee for Organizational Psychology, 2010

Myla C. Villanueva TOWNS Awardee for Science and Technology, 2010