25 Years after EDSA 1: Jobs, Homes and Justice Remains Elusive Under Aquino (PR)

News Release
24 February 2011

Militant umbrella organization, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-National Capital Region (Bayan-NCR) today said that issues of joblessness, homelessness and social injustices in the country will remain unresolved unless President Benigno Simeon Aquino III will overhaul the framework policies of his administration, particularly on its staunch relation with the US government and further implementation of neo-liberal policies and globalization.

The statement has been made in the eve of the silver anniversary of the People Power 1 today. Bayan-NCR said that the long-drawn demands of the Filipino people for jobs, homes and justice already existed even before the historic EDSA 1 happened twenty-five years ago. They said that all administrations after Marcos just continued State economic policies that only served interests of big businesses and foreign corporations.

Obviously, the 1986 uprising gives no significant and meaningful change for the majority of our people for same issues of poverty remains and had even becomes worse today. Poor Filipinos remain poor while rich families became richer,’ says Paulo Quiza, NCR spokesperson of Bayan.

Quiza added, ‘The economic status of the majority of our people keeps on eroding under this new government who promised to bring the country on an upright road to economic progress. Where is the promised change if issues of unemployment, meager wages and security of work tenure were still unresolved? Where is change if housing problems were unsettled? Where is change if social justice remains to be vague and elusive?’

Quiza stresses, ‘With this condition, it is in high time for us to once again wage another “people power for change” for us to attain our basic economic demands for jobs, homes and justice. Like what EDSA 1 taught us, unities among the broadest number of people will be our best and effective tool to pressure the government to heed our demands and alternatives calling to implement national industrialization and genuine land reform.’

Members of Bayan-NCR started their day of protest today in a march with the Sandigan ng Maralitang Nagkakaisa (SAMANA), the organization of demolished residents of Barangay Corazon de Jesus in San Juan City exactly one month today after the violent demolition of their community last January 25.

Before joining the bigger bulk of protesters in Cubao, San Juan residents trooped the San Juan City Hall to further give warning to the local government of Mayor Guia Gomez and Representative JV Ejercito not to continue its evil plans of holding new rounds of demolition. It is said that on the days to come, the San Juan government will demolish their community again just to pave the way for the construction of a new city hall and the government center project of the city.

Reference:
Paulo Quiza
Bayan-NCR Spokesperson

Posted by