Bagong Pilipinas rally not a push for Cha-cha, PCO says

Officials of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Saturday belied claims that the Bagong Pilipinas campaign kick-off rally tomorrow will be used to push for Charter change (Cha-cha).

“Definitely not. This is an activity by the Executive Department for the covenant of Bagong Pilipinas. This is the Executive Department’s way of showing its commitment that it will do its job… There are no other reasons,” PCO Undersecretary Gerard Baria said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.

“[Charter change] is within the territory of Congress; it is not part of the responsibilities of the Executive. The focus tomorrow will be specifically for Bagong Pilipinas… to communicate the government’s commitments to level up services,” added Baria.

For her part, PCO Director Cris Villonco said that “as part of the event and the one overseeing the event, I can assure that is not the case.“

“We are talking about empowering the Filipino at its very core,” she said.

PCO officials were asked to comment on Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares’ claim that the rally is also a guise to push for Charter change.

Baria, however, said such claims are only aimed to “muddle ideas.”

Colmenares also said that such an event is a waste of public funds.

Baria however said the total amount of expenses for the kick-off rally is still unclear.

“Currently walang specific number (there’s no specific number)," he said, adding that expenses for attendees from various government agencies will be provided by their respective department secretaries.

Baria also said that the significance of Bagong Pilipinas deserves to be publicized.

“An idea as big as this deserves an event as big as this,” he said.

Villonco added that “we need to make this big, we need to make this loud… we need to spread as fast as possible because we deserve this, we need this and we need everybody’s help.”

She said that organizers are expecting some 200,000 attendees at the event.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) recently announced road closures and alternative routes that will be implemented during the Bagong Pilipinas kickoff rally.

In July last year, the Marcos administration unveiled Bagong Pilipinas as "the overarching theme" of the Marcos administration's "brand of governance and leadership, which calls for deep and fundamental transformation in all sectors of society and government." —VAL/KG, GMA Integrated News