GMA's  “Strong Republic” a Rehash of Marcos' “Bagong Lipunan”

President Arroyo, a fisherfolk leader said during last week’s People’s Summit II, “is reversing the history’s verdict on Marcos and ex-President Joseph Estrada by reviving the brutal regime of Marcos and the corrupt administration of Estrada through the ‘Strong Republic.’”

By GERRY ALBERT-CORPUZ
Bulatlat.com

The militant fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) last week said the president's chosen "Strong  Republic" theme for Her second State of the Nation Address (SONA) is a rehash of Marcos' concept of “New Society.”

According to Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap, the theme implies three significant thrusts of the regime: 1) the grand comeback of U.S. colonial forces under Balikatan exercises and Mutual Logistics and Support Agreement (MLSA); 2) the open use of repressive measures against critics and perceived foes; 3) the all-out implementation of neo-liberal policies at the expense of domestic industries.

"Ms. Arroyo is reversing the history's verdict on Marcos and ex-President Joseph Estrada by reviving the brutal regime of Marcos and the corrupt administration of Estrada (through the) Strong Republic,” Hicap stressed.

President Macapagal said  her SONA will delve on her targets and prospects for the next year, saying ' “milestone reports” about her administration's performance will be presented during the SONA.

Eight cabinet secretaries yesterday presented their departments' accomplishments against the targets set by Arroyo in 2001.  The president said her speech would open with how she gets inspiration from the past presidents, especially her father, the late president Diosdado Macapagal.

But Pamalakaya secretary general Manolito Serrano belittled the president’s “milestone reports,” describing them as products of doctored economics and falsified statistics.”  "Definitely, the people will resist Ms. Arroyo’s living theater,” he said.

Serrano said Ms. Arroyo’ adherence to globalization forced down farmgate prices of locally produced agricultural products by an average of 7.4 percent. Prices of palay, sugar cane and coconut fell to 5%, 6% and 32%, respectively, as a result of massive dumping of foreign agricultural products.

People's Summit II

Billed as a conference on the true State of the Nation, militant groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), party list Bayan Muna and Kilusang Mayo Uno held People’s Summit II to consolidate the people's collective assessment and judgment on the Macapagal-Arroyo administration. 

“Bayan is calling for Ms Macapagal's ouster… this is the beginning of Gloria's end,” Bayan secretary general Teddy Casiño told Bulatlat.com.

Casiño said the People's Summit is a prelude to the mobilization on July 22. According to the Bayan leader, the alliance hopes to gather around 30,000 to 40,000 activists at the Batasan Complex in time for Ms. Arroyo’s second SONA. 

Bayan's Casiño said the militants' alternative SONA is a nationally coordinated activity with mass actions in Cebu City, Davao City, Iloilo City, Legaspi,  Bacolod, Baguio and other key cities nationwide.

More than 400 people from trade unions, rural groups, urban poor associations, consumer organizations and networks of professionals attended the People Summit II.

The participants were divided into three workshop groups which are: the current economic situation; the resurgence of intervention and imminent aggression US colonial forces under Balikatan; and the rising political repression under the Macapagal-Arroyo government.

Resource persons for the People Summit II included Bayan Muna representatives Crispin Beltran and Satur Ocampo, labor leader Joel Maglunsod, Lolita Donato of People Opposed to Warrantless Electricity Rates (Power), former Navy captain Danilo Vizmanos and student leader Apolinario Alvarez of Anakbayan.

Bayan Muna's Ocampo said “the Arroyo government cannot win…support.” In fact, Ocampo said, the regime has only earned the people's ire.

The party list congressman said the steep plunge in the president's ratings is an indicator of government's failure to reach out the masses. Ocampo also expressed concern about the president’s move to intensify political repression against groups which are exposing and opposing her anti-national and anti-people policies.

“We must find effective ways to expose and thwart armed attacks against progressive elements,” he added.

Maglunsod of KMU held Ms. Arroyo responsible for the massacre of jobs in the last 17 months. He said 409,000 people joined the ranks of jobless Filipinos from 4.46 million in 2001 to 4.87 million this year.  He said unemployment rate shot up to 13.9% as compared to 13.3 percent last year, while almost six million Filipinos are currently underemployed.

For his part, KMU chair and Bayan Muna representative Crispin Beltran said Arroyo has not done any meaningful reforms for Filipino workers. He said the president refused to heed calls for a P 125 across-the-board daily wage increase for private sector workers and P 3,000 monthly pay hike for government employees.

“Some people close to the president asked our workers to give Ms. Arroyo a chance. Yes, we did, but she blew all her chances to institute meaningful reforms for the people. Definitely, we cannot tolerate her pro-imperialist program, her political opportunism and avant-garde corruption and her policy of state repression and campaign of terror against ordinary people", Beltran said. Bulatlat.com

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