The Presidential Communications Office on Saturday denied allegations that the “Bagong Pilipinas” campaign kick-off rally today will be utilized as a platform to promote the Charter change agenda.

PCO Undersecretary Gerard Baria, in a news forum, said the Malacañang-led event was solely dedicated to bringing the government’s social services closer to the people. 

“Definitely not. This is an activity by the Executive Department for the covenant of Bagong Pilipinas. This is the Executive Department’s way of showing its commitment that it will do its job. There are no other reasons," Baria said in a media interview. 

Baria said only Congress can push for any constitutional amendments.

“It is within the territory of Congress; it is not part of the responsibilities of the Executive,” he said, responding to Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares' claims that the rally’s hidden agenda was to push Chacha. 

Baria dismissed Colmenares claims saying it was part of efforts to “muddle ideas.”

He said the Bagong Pilipinas event primarily focused on efforts to “communicate the government’s commitments to level up public services” for the people.

PCO Director Cris Villonco backed Baria’s clarification.

“As part of the event and the one overseeing the event, I can assure you that is not the case. We are talking about empowering the Filipino at its very core,” said Vilonco. 

The Marcos administration officially introduced the “Bagong Pilipinas” campaign in July of last year. The PCO earlier said the campaign will serve as the “overarching theme for administration’s brand of governance and leadership.”

In the same forum, Baria stressed that Bagong Pilipinas “goes beyond just branding.”

“Ito iyong parang declaration ng commitment ng Philippine bureaucracy, ng gobyerno para mag-level up ng government services para marating ang Bagong Pilipinas (This is akin to a declaration of commitment from the Philippine bureaucracy and the government, aiming to enhance government services to achieve the vision of a new Philippines),” he said. 

Asked to comment on Colmenares’ labeling the rally as a misuse of public funds, Baria replied:  “An idea as big as this deserves an event as big as this.”

Villonco, on the other hand, said: “We need to make this big, we need to make this loud… we need to spread as fast as possible because we deserve this, we need this and we need everybody’s help.”

The PCO said the Bagong Pilipinas kick-off rally will be conducted Sunday afternoon at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, featuring various major government services. 

Organizers are expecting around 200,000 individuals to attend the Bagong Pilipinas rally.