This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 22, July 10-16, 2005
Peasants
Caravan to Metro Set
Two important mass actions in July will happen in Manila and the
Southern Tagalog-based protesters are expected to make their voices heard.
BY DENNIS ESPADA
CALAMBA CITY – Protesters from the Southern Tagalog (ST) region
are expected to lend their voices to the growing clamor for President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo's removal from office.
Around 2,000 people, mostly farmers and workers, will journey
on-board vehicles from this city to Ayala Avenue in Makati on July 13 and 25,
according to Bani Cambronero, Bayan Muna partylist regional coordinator and
convenor of Southern Tagalog for the Ouster of Gloria (Stop Gloria).
A big rally in Metro Manila is set on July 13. The President, on
the other hand, will deliver her State of the Nation Address on July 25.
As a broad multi-sectoral coalition, Stop Gloria coordinates with
the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Southern Tagalog (New Patriotic Alliance),
Workers Alliance for the Immediate Stepdown of GMA (Walis GMA, or Sweep GMA),
Kanayunan Laban Sa Magnanakaw at Pekeng si GMA (Kalampag, or Countryside Against
Thieves and Fake GMA) and other local alliances.
Even before the disclosure of the jueteng-Gloriagate twin scandal
involving the Arroyo administration, the country's socio-economic crisis has
tremendously aggravated due to soaring prices of oil, commodities and services,
as well as high taxes, low wages, landlessness and corruption.
These critical moments demand significant change. Cambronero
said, "As we dream of a better tomorrow for the sake of our children, it is our
solemn duty to insure that, in the process of making our own history, the
genuine interests and welfare of the majority will not be ignored or relegated
to the background by the leaders in government."
Never again
Militant farmers’ groups stressed that there is a “martial
law-like” condition in the countryside.
In just five years, human rights organizations stressed that
there are 109 peasants and activists in Southern Tagalog killed by suspected
agents of the military's “death squad.”
"True justice remains elusive for all victims of human rights
violations," said veteran activist and Kalampag spokesperson Pedro Gonzales, who
himself survived an assassination plot after he was riddled with bullets by
unknown assailants shortly after the May 2004 elections.
Guillermo Bautista, chairperson of the Katipunan ng mga Samahang
Magbubukid sa Timog Katagalugan (Kasama-TK, or Association of Peasant
Organizations in Southern Tagalog) condemned the Arroyo regime for the depressed
prices of agricultural products and the additional taxes brought about by the
Expanded Value Added Tax (E-VAT) Law. The Arroyo administration is currently
trying to reverse a temporary restraining order imposed by the Supreme Court on
the E-VAT’s implementation.
"We will not allow martial law to happen again all over the
country. We do not want to experience state brutality once again just like
during the Marcos era. Even without a formal declaration, the Arroyo
administration has perpetrated excessive violence and fascist suppression
against the people," Bautista emphasized, adding that things will surely become
worse if martial law would be declared.
Walis GMA spokesperson Rodrigo Perez, on the other hand, slammed
the Arroyo government for ignoring the labor sector's demand for a P125 ($2.23,
based on an exchange rate of P56.10 per U.S. dollar) increase in the daily wage
of private sector workers nationwide, and P3,000 ($53.48) monthly increase for
government employees.
"Walang dudang naging numero unong tagasunod sa mga dikta ng
dayuhan sa programang globalisasyon si GMA. Maging ang soberenya at patrimonya
ng ating bansa ay pinahintulutang lukuban ng mga dayuhan (There is no doubt
that GMA is number one in heeding the dictates of foreigners with regard to
globalization. Even the sovereignty and patrimony of the country is allowed to
be compromised by the foreigners.)," Perez said.
Viable alternatives
Meanwhile, the education sector suffered the brunt of government
neglect with the P357-million ($6.36 billion) budget cut this year. From 17
percent in 2002, the allocation for education was further reduced to the current
14.9 percent of the total budget.
In a statement, the University of the Philippines-Los Baños
Alliance Working for Arroyo's Removal (UPLB AWARE) said that the people's
consciousness is no longer anchored on mere regime change.
"They (people) have learned from our experience in Edsa I and II
that a single leader no longer holds the key in addressing their economic
plight...with this, UPLB AWARE joins the rest of the nation in pushing for more
viable alternatives than subscribing to constitutional succession of leaders
coming from the same political fold."
The campus-based coalition supports the creation of a transition
or interim council, which will work for authentic reforms to "ensure that the
pursuit of genuine democracy and governance will not be dashed by trapos
(traditional politicians) who have no intent but their own self-serving
interests." Bulatlat © 2004 Bulatlat
■
Alipato Publications Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.
Bulatlat