A group of women is spearheading a petition and a fundraising campaign to help VP Leni Robredo in her election counter-protest.
The women are asking the Supreme Court (SC) to allow them to pay a portion of the remaining PhP7.44-million that Leni is required to pay. They also initiated a fundraising campaign that as of press time has collected over 3 million pesos.
June 27, 2017 at the Supreme court to file the petition. L-R: Mel Alonzo, International Pro Bono Alliance President Atty. Pingki Bartolome-Bernabe, Nina L. Yuson
The women are all awardees of the The Outstanding Women in the Nation’s Service (TOWNS). They are: Museo Pambata founder Nina Lim-Yuson; former Human Rights Commissioner & columnist Paulynn Paredes Sicam; singer Celeste Legaspi-Gallardo; former BCDA Board member Mel Alonzo; former DSWD Secretary Dinky Soliman; and Ateneo de Manila University Press Director Karina Bolasco.
According the group, now being hailed as the “Formidable 6” on social media, the purpose of their petition is not just to help Leni but to also  protect their votes.
June 22, 2017, the women behind the Piso campaign meet to formalize the PET petition. L-R: (standing) Paulynn Sicam, Celeste Legaspi-Gallardo, a friend; (seated) Nina Yuson, Atty. Pingki Bartolome-Bernabe, Dinky Soliman, Karina Bolasco, and Mel Alonzo
Should the SC grant their petition all funds will be paid directly to the Presidential Electoral Tribunal. Absolutely none of the funds raised will pass thru VP Leni’s hands–as a government official, she is prohibited from accepting donations, says the group.
Should their petition be denied the funds will be donated to Angat Buhay, the OVP’s program that works with partner organizations to fight poverty. This privately funded program has helped over 36,000 indigents since October 2016, when it was first launched.
According to the campaign page, Piso Para sa Laban ni Leni started out with a few containers with coins from friends who wanted to help VP Leni in the SC recount of ballots. Since then, people from all walks of life across the nation and from abroad have donated, in a true example of community support.
To view their one-peso drive, click here.
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Photos and captions are from the fundraising campaign site.
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