Kalbaryo
(Photo by Janess Ann J. Ellao / bulatlat.com)
“God’s sufferings before are not a far cry from what the people are going through at this time: extreme poverty, rampant extra-judicial killings and other human rights violations,” Sabino said.
Danilo Ramos, secretary general of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, for his part, said that peasants are also going through a kalbaryo, citing the case of Pascual Guevarra and Ricky Manrique, two farmer activists from Nueva Ecija and Compostella Valley, respectively, who, together with several others, became victims of extrajudicial killings since Aquino became president.
(Photo by Janess Ann J. Ellao / bulatlat.com)
Aside from the killings, Ramos said, land monopoly, increasing farming expenses and the lack of basic social services from government add up to the peasants’ plight.
Carmen Deunida, chair emeritus of Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap, an urban poor group, said that the people have long been “carrying the cross of their burdens.””While Jesus Christ’s sufferings had ended, we are still suffering from joblessness and budget cuts, among others,” Deunida said.
Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of Anakbayan, said, budget cuts in education have also been a burden for the youth sector. It resulted in the lack of additional facilities in schools and would most probably also result in tuition hikes.
Crisostomo also said oil price hikes add to the people’s kalbaryo. He advised big oil companies and President Benigno Aquino III to reflect on their decisions that directly affects and impoverishes the people.
However, Crisostomo said, the kalbaryo that the people are undergoing now is not permanent.
“To put an end to people’s hardships, we should educate and engage them in collective action to fight for national democracy with socialist perspective,” Crisostomo added. 
