The Cebu Declaration was a document produced by delegates from the Visayas and Mindanao regions of the Philippines on October 1, 2014. It supported the call of the Lipa Declaration for President Aquino to step down due to his failure to address issues of corruption, economic problems, and tensions in Mindanao. The Cebu Declaration called on the National Transformation Council to pursue lawful means to remove Aquino from office, organize an interim government, and file criminal charges against politicians involved in misusing public funds. It also supported reforms to the electoral system and energy sector to address problems and restore integrity and public trust.

1. THE CEBU DECLARATION: DEFINING THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
1 OCTOBER A.D. 2014 / 7 DHU AL-HIJJAH A.H. 1453
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THE CEBU DECLARATION:
DEFINING THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
ENCOURAGED BY THE SUCCESS OF THE FIRST OPEN ASSEMBLY CONVENED IN LIPA CITY, BATANGAS BY THE NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION COUNCIL ON AUGUST 27, A.D. 2014 / DHU AL-QA’DA 2, A.H. 1453, WE WHO BROADLY REPRESENT THE CITIZENRY, UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF DELEGATES FROM THE VISAYAS AND MINDANAO, HAVE GATHERED IN CEBU CITY ON OCTOBER 1, A.D. 2014 / DHU AL-HIJJAH 7, A.H. 1453 TO PROCLAIM OUR SUPPORT FOR THE LIPA DECLARATION AND TO PROPOSE CONCRETE AND IMMEDIATE STEPS TO TRANSLATE THE DESIRED OBJECTIVE OF NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION INTO A VIABLE PROGRAM OF ACTION.
WE NOTED WITH GREAT PAIN THAT WHILE THE MORAL AND SPIRITUAL CRISIS AND ITS POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC EFFECTS CONTINUED TO DEEPEN, THE NATIONAL POLITICAL LEADERSHIP CONSISTENTLY FAILED TO SHOW THE WILL OR THE CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO THESE ILLS IN ANY APPRECIABLE MEASURE.
ASIDE FROM THE GRAVE PROBLEMS WHICH PROMPTED THE LIPA ASSEMBLY TO CALL ON THE PRESIDENT TO IMMEDIATELY STEP DOWN, VARIOUS NEW ISSUES HAVE SINCE EMERGED, TO WHICH THE INCUMBENT ADMINISTRATION HAS FAILED TO ADEQUATELY RESPOND. THESE INCLUDE:
1) THE EXACERBATED TENSIONS AMONG THE COMMUNITIES OF MINDANAO AND THE SULU ARCHIPELAGO CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE AQUINO ADMINISTRATION TO ADEQUATELY CONSULT ALL THE CONSTITUENCIES AND STAKEHOLDERS IN THE PEACEBUILDING EFFORT, THUS REVIVING THE ATTRACTION OF ISLAMIST EXTREMISM;
2) THE TOTAL FAILURE, IF NOT DOWNRIGHT REFUSAL, OF THE AQUINO REGIME TO COMPLY WITH A DIRECT ORDER OF THE SUPREME COURT TO FILE CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST ALL THE LAWMAKERS AND MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT AND THE COMMISSION ON AUDIT WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE GRAVE MISUSE OF THE PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE FUND (PDAF) AND THE DISBURSEMENT ACCELERATION PROGRAM (DAP), BOTH OF WHICH THE COURT HAD UNANIMOUSLY DECLARED UNCONSTITUTIONAL;

2. THE CEBU DECLARATION: DEFINING THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
1 OCTOBER A.D. 2014 / 7 DHU AL-HIJJAH A.H. 1453
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3) THE TOTAL ABSENCE OF ANY OFFICIAL EFFORT TO REFORM THE AUTOMATED ELECTION SYSTEM, WHICH WAS THOROUGHLY CORRUPTED AND DEBASED BY THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS (COMELEC) IN ITS EFFORT TO PRODUCE “MACHINE-MADE” AND “DE FACTO” HIGH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS DURING THE 2010 PRESIDENTIAL AND THE 2013 SENATORIAL ELECTIONS, BUT WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION IS ONCE AGAIN PREPARING TO USE IN THE PROJECTED 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, WITHOUT RESTORING THE SAFETY FEATURES AND ACCURACY MECHANISMS WHICH THE COMELEC HAD ILLEGALLY REMOVED IN THE PREVIOUS TWO ELECTIONS;
4) THE UNPRECEDENTED YET UNPROSECUTED AND UNPUNISHED CORRUPTION IN THE TOP LEADERSHIP OF THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE (PNP), WHICH HAS THOROUGHLY DEMORALIZED THE PNP RANK AND FILE AND SUBSTANTIALLY ERODED PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR AND CONFIDENCE IN THE LAW ENFORCERS;
5) THE ARBITRARY IMPOSITION OF UNREASONABLE TAXES ON THE POOR, INCLUDING THE SMALLEST SARI-SARI STORE OWNERS AND SIDEWALK VENDORS, ON THE VARIOUS PROFESSIONS AND ON ALL RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS, WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC HEARING OR ACCOUNTING, OSTENSIBLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF RAISING REVENUE TO SUPPORT GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS, BUT IN EFFECT FEEDING THE ADMINISTRATION AND NOMINAL OPPOSITION POLITICIANS’ INSATIABLE APPETITE FOR CORRUPTION;
6) THE UNRESOLVED ELECTRIC POWER CRISIS WHICH HAS BROUGHT ABOUT THE MOST EXPENSIVE ELECTRICITY RATES IN THE WORLD AMID EXTENDED POWER OUTAGES THAT THREATEN TO THROW BACK THE COUNTRY INTO A LITERALLY DARK AGE, AND FOR WHICH THE ONLY SOLUTION IMAGINED BY THE ADMINISTRATION IS THE GRANT OF EMERGENCY POWERS TO PRESIDENT AQUINO.
IN LIGHT OF ALL THESE, AND RECALLING ALL THE POINTS RAISED IN THE LIPA DECLARATION, WE CALL UPON THE NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION COUNCIL:
1) TO NOW PURSUE ALL NECESSARY AND AVAILABLE LAWFUL MEANS TO COMPEL PRESIDENT AQUINO TO STEP DOWN AT THE SOONEST POSSIBLE TIME;
2) TO IMMEDIATELY ORGANIZE AN ALTERNATIVE GOVERNMENT, CONSISTING OF MEN AND WOMEN OF INTEGRITY AND PROVEN

3. THE CEBU DECLARATION: DEFINING THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
1 OCTOBER A.D. 2014 / 7 DHU AL-HIJJAH A.H. 1453
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WORTH, IN ORDER TO ASSURE THE NATION AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY THAT PRESIDENT AQUINO’S REMOVAL AND THE PROSECUTION AND IMPRISONMENT OF EVERY CULPABLE MEMBER OF THE GOVERNMENT FOR CORRUPTION WILL NOT CREATE A POLITICAL VACUUM;
3) TO INITIATE SUFFICIENTLY EXTENSIVE CONSULTATIONS WITH THE ISLAMIC COMMUNITY AND OTHER CONSTITUENCIES IN SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES IN ORDER TO ARRIVE AT AN AUTHENTIC CONSENSUS ON HOW TO SOLVE THE LONG- FESTERING INTERCULTURAL PROBLEM IN THE AREA, FREE FROM UNWARRANTED INTERVENTION BY ANY FOREIGN INTERESTED PARTY;
4) TO ACTIVELY SUPPORT THE CALL AND EFFORT OF CONCERNED CITIZENS TO ESTABLISH A PEOPLE'S TRUTH COMMISSION TO DISCOVER AND REVEAL THE ACCOUNTABILITY AND ANY CONSEQUENT LIABILITY OF HIGH OFFICIALS OF THE AQUINO ADMINISTRATION, ARISING FROM ITS MASSIVE MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS THROUGH THE DISBURSEMENT ACCELERATION PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL BY UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE SUPREME COURT;
5) TO CAUSE THE IMMEDIATE FILING OF CRIMINAL CASES AGAINST ALL THE SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN, MEMBERS OF THE CABINET, THE COMMISSION ON AUDIT AND THE VARIOUS GOVERNMENT AGENCIES INVOLVED IN THE MISUSE OF THE PDAF AND THE DAP FROM 2010 TO DATE, AND TO USE WHATEVER PUBLIC PRESSURE IS NECESSARY TO MAKE ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN THESE CASES TO IMMEDIATELY VACATE THEIR RESPECTIVE POSITIONS;
6) TO VIGOROUSLY SUPPORT THE EFFORTS OF CONCERNED CITIZENS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC THAT AS LONG AS THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM REMAINS AN INSTRUMENT OF ELECTORAL SABOTAGE PERPETRATED BY CORRUPT OFFICIALS OF THE COMELEC IN COLLUSION WITH DISHONEST POLITICIANS, ELECTIONS ARE HARMFUL TO DEMOCRACY AND TO THE PEOPLE;
7) TO AMPLIFY THE CALL OF THESE CONCERNED CITIZENS FOR SYSTEMS CHANGE TOWARD NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION AS THE ONLY REALISTIC MEANS TO ABOLISH THE UTTERLY CORRUPT COMELEC, ESTABLISH AN HONEST AND CREDIBLE ELECTORAL BODY, AND CARRY OUT OTHER REFORMS NEEDED

4. THE CEBU DECLARATION: DEFINING THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
1 OCTOBER A.D. 2014 / 7 DHU AL-HIJJAH A.H. 1453
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TO RESTORE THE INTEGRITY AND CREDIBILITY OF THE ELECTORAL PROCESS;
8) TO ORGANIZE PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE PNP RANK AND FILE IN THEIR CALL FOR A THOROUGH CLEANUP OF THE PNP AND AN IMMEDIATE CHANGE IN ITS TOP LEADERSHIP;
9) TO STRONGLY SUPPORT THE CITIZENS’ RESISTANCE TO THE IMPOSITION OF UNREASONABLE TAXES AND THEIR CALL FOR ACCOUNTABILITY OF GOVERNMENT TAX COLLECTION AGENCIES AND OTHER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, IN THE COLLECTION OF TAXES AND THE APPROPRIATION AND SPENDING OF GOVERNMENT REVENUES FROM TAXATION
10) TO ORGANIZE A PANEL OF EXPERTS WHO WILL CRAFT A COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE COUNTRY’S ENERGY REQUIREMENTS IN A MANNER FREE OF BIAS FOR ANY PARTICULAR ENERGY SOURCE AND TAKING INTO PRIMARY CONSIDERATION THE INTERESTS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THE CONSUMERS RATHER THAN THOSE OF THE VARIOUS ACTORS IN THE POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION CHAIN.
INVOKING THE AID OF ALMIGHTY GOD THE MOST GRACIOUS AND MOST MERCIFUL, AND REPOSING OUR TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN THE FILIPINO PEOPLE, WE PRAY THAT ALL THESE MAY COME TO PASS SOON.
DONE IN CEBU CITY, THIS 1ST DAY OF OCTOBER A.D. 2014 / 7TH DAY OF DHU AL-HIJJAH A.H. 1453.

5. THE CEBU DECLARATION: DEFINING THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
1 OCTOBER A.D. 2014 / 7 DHU AL-HIJJAH A.H. 1453
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6. THE CEBU DECLARATION: DEFINING THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
1 OCTOBER A.D. 2014 / 7 DHU AL-HIJJAH A.H. 1453
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7. THE CEBU DECLARATION: DEFINING THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD NATIONAL TRANSFORMATION
1 OCTOBER A.D. 2014 / 7 DHU AL-HIJJAH A.H. 1453
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