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Sherrie Ann Torres

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<div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3066795"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script></div><p>Retired military officers and personnel, religious leaders and laity, businessmen and professionals, youth, women and different civil society organizations have banded together with the common goal of pushing for reforms towards a better and cleaner government.</p><p>Alliance leaders call the new group the “Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan” or ANIM, which seeks to fight and curb corruption, and put an end to political dynasties in the country.</p><p>“ANIM is non-participant. We will not campaign for any candidate, or any political party, or will be a party-list group.... ANIM will not allow itself to be used to advance partisan interests. Kailangan tayong mga pilpino, muling makapagtaas noo, kahit kanino,” said retired Armed Forces major general Edilberto Adan, who is chairperson of Advocates of National Interest (ANI).</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/25/us-welcomes-de-lima-acquittal-calls-for-resolution-of-other-politically-motivated-cases-927" id="isPasted">US welcomes De Lima acquittal, calls for resolution of other &#x27;politically motivated&#x27; cases </a></div><p>(We, Filipinos, should be able to be able raise our head to and be proud of our race again to anyone.)</p><p>Former Defense secretary Renato de Villa who was also an erstwhile Armed Forces Chief of Staff, said he decided to break his retirement and join the advocacy of his fellow retirees towards the return of a better Philippines.</p><p>“Alam na po ninyo ang nangyayari. Ito po ba ay papabayaan na lang natin na tuluy-tuloy na lamang na tayo ay mamamahinga na lang sa ating lugar?” De Villa asked.</p><p>(You know what’s happening. Are we going to allow this to continue from happening? Are we just going to continue to remain in our comfort zone?)</p><p>“Ako po ay lumabas galing sa napakasarap na buhay na retirado sapagkat yung mga kasamahan ko ay nagu-udyok na kumilos na tayo. Tayong retired military, kumilos na tayo at yayain natin ang ating mga kapwa pilipino na kumilos na tayo para sa magandang Pilipinas,” De Villa added.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/22/24/retired-military-generals-say-no-destabilization-plot-vs-marcos-admin" id="isPasted">Retired military generals say no destabilization plot vs Marcos admin</a></div><p>(I got out from my very convenient retirement life because my comrades are urging me to do to something. We, the retired military men should take action and urge our fellow Filipinos to move towards achieving a better Philippines.)</p><p>FIGHTING POLITICAL DYNASTIES VIA PEOPLE’S INITIATIVE</p><p>ANIM stalwarts said Filipinos’ fight against the proliferation of political dynasties will be carried through a People’s Initiative that they will spearhead.</p><p>“ANIM will spearhead a people’s initiative to push for the enactment of a law against political dynasty... we need to act. The time for change is now. No to corruption. No to political dynasties and yes to political reforms,” Caritas Philippines President, Bishop Colin Bagaforo declared during Friday’s formal launching of the group.</p><p>Quoting a study by the Ateneo Policy Center, lawyer and academic professor Alexander Lacson said that 63 of the 82 provinces in the country today, are being led by elected officials coming from political families.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/17/religious-groups-sign-position-paper-vs-divorce-bill-1753" id="isPasted">Religious groups sign position paper vs divorce bill</a></div><p>Meantime, 99 of the 255 congressional districts today, are also being controlled by political dynasties, Lacson said, who also blames the latter on the country’s widening poverty ratio.</p><p>Aside from gathering the required 12 percent signatures of the overall number of registered voters in the country, the group is also considering to file a petition before the Supreme Court, with a prayer to mandate Congress to enact an enabling law about the political dynasty.</p><p>The move will be coupled by ANIM leader’s active lobbying to legislators to pass a law against political dynasties.</p><p>Come October, once the Certificate of Candidacy filing period is over, they will file a complaint against aspirants who belong to political families, citing the anti-dynasty provision in the 1987 Constitution.</p><p>“There is nothing wrong in doing these things simultaneously. We will have a legal team to file petition for mandamus before the Supreme Court. We will also have a team to talk to the congressmen,” Lacson said.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/8/19/political-dynasties-banned-in-barmm-polls-2008" id="isPasted">Political dynasties banned in BARMM parliament polls </a></div><p>He added: “Kahit hindi natin sya ma-achieve this election, after the election the work will continue. Ang importante, if we want to put an urgency to this, simulan na natin ngayon.”</p><p>San Carlos Bishop Gerry Alimanza is hopeful that their plans will bear fruit.</p><p>“Very optimistic kasi failure to do it is worse. Thirty-eight years na hinayaan natin. So, why don’t we start something now? Even if we fail, we fail again and again. We’ll keep starting all over again,” Alimanza stressed.</p><p>EXTENT OF CORRUPTION </p><p>According to Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, his own investigation and series of meetings with private contractors have underlined the fact that previous years’ 10 percent “kickback” or that so-called “SOP” on government projects, is now pegged between “30 to 40 percent.”</p><p>The result, he said, is substandard projects and more impoverished Filipinos.</p><p>Magalong, chairperson of Mayors for Good Governance, assured his support for the advocacies of ANIM.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/2/2/ph-ranks-115th-out-of-180-in-2023-corruption-perceptions-index-2044">PH ranks 115th out of 180 in 2023 Corruption Perceptions Index</a></div><p>“Ang Baguio, hindi talaga naniniwala sa political dynasty. Very strong ang kanilang sentiment against political dynasty,” Magalong told journalists.</p><p>(Baguio people do not really believe in a political dynasty. They have a very strong sentiment against political dynasty.)</p><p>Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia, when sought for his reaction about the ANIM’s advocacy said: “﻿We are supportive of any legislation against political dynasties.”</p><p>ANIM leaders said their group is willing to accept additional allies and members, but with a condition that they will not use the alliance for one’s personal political gain.</p><p>Members who will opt to support certain candidates come 2025 elections, will be “on their own,” de Villa said.</p>

<p>Retired military officers and personnel, religious leaders and laity, businessmen and professionals, youth, women and different civil society organizations have banded together with the common goal of pushing for reforms towards a better and cleaner government.</p>

Retired military officers and personnel, religious leaders and laity, businessmen and professionals, youth, women and different civil society organizations have banded together with the common goal of pushing for reforms towards a better and cleaner government.

Groups seeking cleaner gov't band together as 'ANIM'

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Groups seeking cleaner gov't band together as 'ANIM'

Sherrie Ann Torres,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 23, 2024 11:17 PM PHT

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