Government Employees to the Aquino Administration: Do Not Do An Arroyo

News Release
May 31, 2010

The militant group COURAGE, the national center of government employees representing some 300,000 members, today dares presumed President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to go beyond his rhetoric and make good on his campaign promise of change.

At a Press Conference in Quezon City, leaders of COURAGE from various government offices said at the onset, Aquino should assure the people that his administration would prosecute Representative-elect Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her various crimes which include electoral fraud, corruption and human rights violations.

“His election to the Presidency came mainly from the people’s protest vote to finally end nine years of poverty and trepidation under the Arroyo Regime. We are concerned however that Aquino’s latest pronouncements could be a portent of things to come and definitely one that is not certain of a deviation from his predecessor”, Ferdinand Gaite, COURAGE National President stated.

Gaite is referring to the initial list of Aquino appointees which he claimed as nothing but a RECYCLED Arroyo Cabinet. “The likes of Dinky Soliman, Ging Deles, Butch Abad, Avelino Cruz etc…have already proven themselves to be unfit to genuinely serve the people. Their stint in their respective cabinet portfolios during the Arroyo Regime speaks lowly of how they can go beyond patronage politics and stood up to defend the people’s interests. They are partly accountable of the crimes of the Arroyo regime. Government employees who have been witnesses to their dismal performance do not welcome the resurrection of their career in public service”.

The leader further stressed that employees are also alarmed of Aquino’s statement that he will review all existing government offices and would abolish or dissolve a majority of them he thinks unnecessary. “While raring to fill-up more than 1,000 appointees, Aquino should think twice of jeopardizing the only source of living of the 1.4 million public employees. He should realize that the problem is the top-heavy bureaucracy and wrong priorities of the government and not the rank and file who delivers frontline public services”.

Instead, COURAGE said they are challenging the incoming administration to undo and reverse Arroyo’s executive actions which are inimical to the government workers such as EO 366 or the bureaucracy-wide reorganization program, the appointment of the GSIS President and General Manager Winston Garcia, Executive Order 620 or the Quezon City Business District project which would displace employees and urban poor residents, and the lopsided priorities in the yearly national budget.

Mahigit Dalawang Dekada ng Militante, Progresibo at Makabayang Unyonismo sa Sektor Publiko

Reference: Ferdinand Gaite
COURAGE National President