MANILA, Philippines – Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares on Thursday, September 4, pushed for funds for a nationwide referendum in connection with a people’s initiative against the pork barrel system.

During the House appropriations committee hearing on the proposed 2015 budget of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Colmenares asked Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr for the estimated cost of holding a people’s initiative referendum.

Brillantes replied that the whole process – from the verification of signatures to the election proper – would cost around P7 billion ($160.66 million*), the same amount that Comelec requested to conduct a charter change plebiscite but was removed from the poll body’s 2015 budget by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

Talks of amendments to the 1987 Constitution surfaced when President Benigno Aquino III admitted in August that he is open to charter change.

Colmenares, who is among those behind the people’s initiative, then moved that the P7-billion amount be used to fund the people’s initiative referendum instead.

“We could get the funds from Malacañang’s Risk Management Fund or from the budgetary support to government corporations,” suggested Colmenares.

On August 25, anti-pork barrel advocates launched the “People’s Initiative Against Pork.” They aim to gather signatures to pass a law that would abolish “all forms of pork barrel,” including the presidential and congressional pork barrel. (READ: Will 6 million sign up to scrap pork?)

Colmenares also chided Malacañang for seemingly “not supporting at all” the referendum for the people’s initiative against the pork barrel.

“Malacañang until now wants to maintain the presidential pork barrel,” Colmenares said.

The Aquino administration came under fire for implementing the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), where funds for slow-moving projects were realigned to fast-moving ones. Aquino claims that it helped boost the country’s economy. (VIEW: Where did DAP funds go?)

It was met with criticism that funds used under the program effectively became the President’s “pork barrel.” The Supreme Court declared as unconstitutional certain executive acts under the DAP (SC) in July.

Likewise, the SC also  junked as unconstitutional the  Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) – also known as the congressional pork barrel – months after an exposé that revealed an elaborate scheme involving the misuse of these funds by lawmakers in connivance with private individuals. (READ: The pork barrel trail)

Representative Isidro Ungab, House appropriations committee chairman, said that Colmenares’ proposal will be taken into consideration in their committee report that would be taken up in the House’s plenary session.

The Comelec’s proposed budget for 2015 amounts to P16.9 billion ($387.6 million). It includes funds for preparatory activities for the 2016 national elections, as well as for the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK or youth council) registration and elections.

Brillantes said that it initially asked for a P36-billion ($826.2 million) budget, but the DBM slashed proposed allocations for possible plebiscites on charter change and the Bangsamoro political entity, as well as for recall elections, among others. – Rappler.com

*$1 = P43.6