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The Sanctuary Fund for Whistleblowers

sanctuary fund driveSo many confusing messages circulate these days to manipulate the opinion of the people . There is the YouTube video on Lozada, Crying Babies then today, I receive a text message with Jun Lozada‘s cellphone number so I can text him and ask about the truth on the so-called Patriotic Fund that Sen. Jamby Madrigal allegedly paid so he could lie.

One thing is certain, I also seek the truth.

I just attended the press conference for the launch of the Ika-100 Taon ng Pamantasan, Isang daan Piso sa katotohanan organized by the UP SAMASA Alumni in support of the Sanctuary Fund Drive, (Protect [tag]Jun Lozada[/tag], Protect the Truth). Miej de Dios, a reader of my previous post, Modern Day Moms and Truth, Accountability and Reform suggested the press con as one action I could participate in. Aware of the diverse comments from readers as gleaned by the Jun Lozada Testimony entry, I wonder if Filipinos will support this drive. Some of these sentiments are:

It is easy to believe Lozada considering the zero credibility of the administration. But should we take everything he says hook, line and sinker? Shouldn’t we think and analyze for ourselves and go beyond the surface? It is fashionable to go with the crowd, but it is not always the right way to go.

Then there is the other side of the spectrum:

whether we try to hide things,time will speak the truth!i believe the ‘hero’ speaks the truth and that we should support him.We,as filipino have been branded as corrupt simply because of what the people sitting in the government is doing.i dont know if corruption will really vanish but i hope it would for the sake of our fellowmen and country…for the future of our children.

Where am I now? I support the truth, of course! I am convinced Jun Lozada is telling the truth. I choose not to turn a blind eye or a deaf ear, but to be active, vigilant and responsible in demanding accountability from our institutions.

But pray tell me, how will truth come out if we are unable to protect the witnesses or whistle blowers? Sure, Jun Lozada had his share of corruption. Just because he is a sinner does not mean he is not capable of telling the truth. How do we know what is inside his heart. What if he really wanted to repent his sins and change?

I believe we should all be given second chances to be a better person. To change. How will our country change for the better if the change does not start in ourselves. The change starts in us. Let’s give the benefit of the doubt whether Jun Lozada is sincere or not.

With those thoughts in check, I support the Sanctuary Fund Drive for more witnesses to summon the courage to come out. Here is the Press Statement of the UP SAMASA “Ika-100 Taon ng Pamantasan, Isang daan Piso sa katotohanan” held at Trinoma Lamesa Grill at 12 noon today.

Sometimes courage manifests itself in the strangest quarters, and integrity springs suddenly from the hearts of the most timid of souls. Thus are heroes made, not to answer to some grand destiny, but to fulfill the simplest of obligations : to do what is right.

But while all of us subscribe to this belief, very few live by this basic tenet. And few still dare to put a risk jobs and careers, and much more, life and limb, to do whawt is right.

In a public service culture steeped in patronage and plunder, where the higher you go, the greater the greed, whistleblowers are as rare as oases in a desert. It therefore simply boggles the mind how someone like Jun Lozada, who could have become as filthy rich as his bosses and contemporaries in government just by shutting his mouth, could not only turn his back on a bribe amounting to millions of pesos but could be brave enough to out the truth in public.

Monuments are raised for those heroes that fall on the battlefield or are victorious in war. But for the whistleblower, after all the grandstanding of politicians is done and after media has squeezed from him all the mileage they can get, and well-wishers have patted his back raw, he will find himself ignored and forgotten, jobless and penniless, unable to feed his family. It simply is not right.

So as members of the University of the Philippines SAMASA alumni, we call on our friends, colleagues and community to do something right, that is, to contribute a small amount of money to what we have dubbed “Ika-100 Taon ng Pamantasan, Isang daan Piso sa katotohanan”, as our small way of giving to the Sanctuary Fund set up by the church people for the benefit not just of this one whistleblower but of other people who we know will have the courage to do what is right in the future.

It is a simple, no fanfare activity; walang pataasan ng ere, walang papogian. We give and that’s it. However, should circumstances call on us to greater and immediate action, rest assured that the members of the SAMASA alumni will not shirk from the unfolding drama that might end up remaking this nation once again. We will do what is proper. We will do what is right.

Mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino.

UP SAMASA ALUMNI
22 February 2008, Quezon City.

sanctuary fund drive

The Sanctuary Fund Drive has now reached PHP P997,547.75, pesos (as of 2:30 pm) in just 8 days since Senator Kiko Pangilinan called the setting up of the fund during the first NBN hearing that Lozada attended. (where the former head of the Philippine Forest Corp. accused ex-elections chief Benjamin Abalos Sr. and First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo of putting pressure on the government to approve the overpriced contract with China’s ZTE Corp. in order to collect P130 million in kickbacks). The fund is mainly for legal expenses and is not meant solely for Jun Lozada. It will be used as a sanctuary fund for the other whistle blowers to come forth and speak the truth.

The question that might pop your mind is why should there be a sanctuary fund drive for Jun Lozada? I addressed this question to Sister Estrella Castalone of the Association of the Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP).

Sister’s reply is this:

We are not helping only Jun Lozada. The fund is to support witnesses like Jun Lozada. We hope and pray that the people will come out and have their share of this crusade of the Truth . It is our mission to help them.

If you believe that truth should prevail, please contribute to this fund. You can donate any amount to:

Metrobank
MBTC Account No- 3259-07445-3
Accout Name: AMRSP Special Funds

Please contact

Association of the Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP) Secretariat
28 Acacia Street, New Manila, Quezon City
Tel. Nos. +632-724-4434 or 632-448-5644
Telefax- _632-725-3478
e-mail: [email protected]

Related Blog Entries From Moms

1. Annamanila on Taking Responsibility
2. Dine on Truth and Accountability Mass at Ateneo
3. Jane on Our Youth are the Hope of this Land
4. Dine on In Search for the Truth–The D Spot Opens its doors to your opinions, suggestions, reactions, atbp
5. Cathy on What is 130 Million to you?

21 thoughts on “The Sanctuary Fund for Whistleblowers”

  1. It’s a cliche, but true–the truth will set us free. that is why we have to protect the truth. haaaayyyy Noems, I just hope the Filipino wakes up again–i don’t mind another of the real EDSA. of course, it is not the solution to our country’s woes, but it is the start. the Filipino can be great again. I am a Filipino, and proud to be one!

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  5. pgma’s admin is too unpopular and, not to mention, evil so i think most pinoys would make a default decision to choose whoever is opposing the government. sad reality.

    p.s.
    thanks for visiting my blog the other day! i’ll check up po on your cooking/baking blog as well. feeling chef e haha. 😉

  6. Hi Noemi, I’m just going around the blogosphere saying hi and I’m back. AFter 5 months. Anyway, thanks for the post on crying babies regarding Jun Lozada, I was trying to figure out what they were saying.

    I’m glad, you are writing about this. In any case, let’s just think about weighing the two sides. And where public opinion should be.

    Is it for Arroyo Administration and the numerous allegations of corruption, extra judicial killings, electoral fraud, media intimidation, and so on.

    Or Jun Lozada, the imperfect man, who yearns for redemption. And like the rest of us, have blurted profanities from our very own mouth.

    Crying baby or not, the trust is still with Lozada.

    Anyway, great stopping by here again. I’ll be back more often =)

  7. Everything gets more confusing each day.

    I don’t know, but my reaction now to all these is que sera sera… whatever will be, will be. Not very good attitude, I suppose… but then again, this is coming from an exasperated mother who only wants a bright future for her children.

  8. I think we should give our support to the Filipinos, not only to Jun Lozada. The truth is now undecipherable. He was also involved in the scandals, certainly a bad individual can lie to save himself.

    He might be saying the truth about the corruptions in our government but he should not be tolerated. Some statement can be truth but some could also be lies, certainly we don’t know.

    Yday, an announcement came in our class. It said, UST will have a mass vigil concerning our country and Jun Lozada is coming. Our class president told us that the faculty’s like obliging us to go because Lozada’s coming. I was like, if I were to go to the mass vigil, twud be not for Lozada but to pray for our country…

    This simple line’s the explanation:

    There are 3 truths in life: Lies, damn lies, and statistics.

  9. Hi Noemi, months ago when I started writing posts in my blog, I’ve long wanted to expose so many corruptions in govt. as I’ve witnessed. But I was hesitant to do so bec. as my blog title implies sweet things in life (posts on parenthood, food, fashion, etc.), parang di bagay to posts my experiences in gov’t. service…Baka dumami kaaway ko, he he. And I still believe there’s hope in our system… Anyway, I’ve done my part, I have written Neal Cruz (PDI), Armand Nocum (PDI) and Jarius Bondoc (Phil Star) and all my letters were published. As Mr. Bondoc texted me and told me he will continue with the crusade to stop or at least minimize corruption in our govt., I too will continue to be observant and vigilant for our country’s sake and for our children’s future…

  10. @Rowena- I too thought that politics didn’t fit my blog. But the current events play an important role in the future of our children. Life isn’t all sweet but it’s good you did your share and made a stand.

  11. I am glad to see that there is another Baby-Boomer on here blogging. I can learn from you. I am 61 and just started my blog last month. I am really a novice but hope to help others in their journey through life. Salamat po! Rick

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  13. It’s delusional to believe that we can eradicate corruption simply through good intentions.

    Kapag tinanggal si Gloria, nandyan pa din ang sistema. Hindi natin kailangan gawing bayani ang isang magnanakaw na tulad ni Lozada. Alam na nating ang nakawan so gobyerno.

    Ang tanong, kaya niyo bang mag-Ninoy Aquino? Mag-Lean Alejandro? O hanggang dito na lang kayo sa cyberspace. Itaya niyo buhay niyo. Hindi nababago ang sistema sa pagbibigay ng proteksyon sa magnanakaw na naudlot ang pagnanakaw.

    Bigyan naman nating nga respeto ang sarili natin. Huwag gawing bayani ang isa pang magnanakaw.

  14. Bakit ayaw niyong gawing bayani si Joey de Venecia na ka-tandem ni Lozada sa naudlot na suhulan? Siya naman ang unang pumiyok nung hindi siya nakakubra di ba?

    Kung gagawin niyo din lang bayani si Lozada, aba naman, isama niyo na si Joey de Venecia.

    Kung mayroong taong makakpagsabi ng mga naganap, yan si Sec. Neri. yan ang bantayn niyo at baka mawala.

    Sabi nga ni Neri kay Jun. “Moderate the greed, Jun.”

  15. Hindi namin binoto si Noli de Castro bilang presidente. Bakit niyo pinagpipilitang ipalit yan kay Gloria. Ginawa niyo na yan kay Erap, ngayon naman ipapakain niyo kami kay de Castro?

    Aba naman. Mag-isip naman kayo.

  16. Ngayon , pati si Erap sasawsaw. Pwede pa din daw siyang bumalik sa pagka-presidente.

    Talasan naman ang pag-iisip at huwag padadala sa ngiti at pambobola ni Mr. Suave (Jun Lozada).

    Pare pareho lang silan nga mga dating niyang amo. Mga magnanakaw sa gobyerno.

  17. you’re wrong in saying that people did not vote for Noli as President. During a presidential election, people vote for 2 presidents. One who will immediately sit and another who will be on standby. Like a spare tire. So Noli is a legitmate president already right now but not a sitting one.

    The Sanctuary Fund Drive is, to me, abbhorent. Andaming pera kaya ni Lozada!

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