News at a Glance

Left Rejects Gov’t of National Unity Proposal

Jose Maria Sison, chief political consultant of the National Democratic Front (NDF), this week described President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s announcement of withdrawal from the presidential derby in 2004, a “remarkable victory” for the people.

Sison, whom the President tagged as “terrorist,” said that Macapagal-Arroyo was fearful of continuing isolation as evident in the sinking poll rating and growing protest movement.  He also said the announcement is tantamount to admission of defeat.

Still, Sison warned that Ms. Macapagal-Arroyo is still up for some desperate tricks.  He said that Ms. Macapagal-Arroyo wishes to generate intense competition among her rivals within and outside the ruling coalition and could thus fabricate a public clamor for her presidential candidacy.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) meanwhile rejected House Speaker Jose de Venecia’s proposal for a government of national unity that would include the Left.

“Without any clear principled basis of unity, this so-called government of national unity will only lend credence to and prolong the life of the isolated and tottering regime,” CPP spokesman Gregorio ‘Ka Roger’ Rosal said in a statement.

Rosal said the Macapagal-Aroyo government must show it is prepared to make a 180-degree turnaround from its current policies to make any sense of inviting the Left to the government of national unity.  Rosal said the resumption of formal peace talks would be an initial step.

“Can you imagine us participating in a ‘unity government’ when Malacanang and the Armed Forces insist on treating revolutionaries as terrorists and carry out their all-out war?” Rosal said.

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‘Council of Doom’

The militant alliance of people’s organizations Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) this week urged the Macapagal-Arroyo government to take seriously its version of platform for a government of national unity.

Renato Reyes Jr., BAYAN spokesperson, named the Four People’s Principles that the Arroyo administration must heed: fight graft and corruption; provide immediate economic relief to the people; resume formal peace talks with the NDF and MILF based on prior agreements; assert national interest in the realms of the economy, security and foreign relations.

Reyes also dubbed Arroyo’s Council of State a ‘council of doom’ because it lacks any clear platform.

Meanwhile, the political party Bayan Muna remains unconvinced that the recent cabinet revamp would result in significant reforms.

Robert de Castro, Bayan Muna deputy secretary general, said that a mere facelift will not cure the deep- seated crisis besetting the administration and the economy’s abject condition.  “Only a radical departure from the administration’s policies can remedy the country’s woes,” de Castro said. 

Moreover, human rights group Karapatan claimed that there can be no unity without an atmosphere of peace. 

Karapatan cited immediate concrete steps that Ms. Arroyo must take: stop militarization; junk the anti-terrorism bills and other repressive laws; free all political prisoners; resume peace talks and stop political persecution against NDF chief political consultant Jose Maria Sison.

Bayan Muna representative Satur Ocampo also enumerated positive actions that GMA must take including the withdrawal of the policy of “unequivocal support” for the so-called US war on terror that has made the Philippines as “second front.”

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POWER: Scrap PPA

The consumer group People Opposed to Warrantless Electricity Rates (POWER) disclosed its plan to push for the scrapping of the Purchased Power Adjustment (PPA) and a stop to the impending power rate hikes.

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) recently approved the recovery of Meralco’s deferred PPA and the National Power Corporation’s P484 million deferred Purchased Power Cost Adjustment (PPCA).

Rachel Pastores of the Public Interest Law Center (PILC) criticized the ERC for allowing Meralco to collect its deferred PPA amounting to P5.7 billion.

Agham chairperson Giovanni Tapang warned that the deferred PPA, if recovered during one year, can amount to as much as 10 percent increase in PPA rates.  Tapang said electric rates will also increase if the ERC allows Meralco to recover from consumers P1.5 billion in transmission fees.

POWER estimates an average over-all rate increase of 30 centavos up to P1.12 per kilowatt hour if Meralco’s rate hike petition will be approved.

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Band-Aid Measures

Migrante International, a global alliance of overseas Filipino workers, scored the government’s contingency plan for OFWs saying it is limited to words of caution and relocation to nearby areas.

Poe Gratela, Migrante International chairperson, was referring to the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Middle East Preparedness Team headed by retired General Roy Cimatu.   

“These are band-aid measures that offer no long-term solutions to the predicament of OFWs in Israel or other Middle East countries.  It doesn’t give them a viable alternative to working in a possible war zone,” said Gratela who himself was an OFW during the 1991 Gulf war.

Gratela warned the number of OFWs hurt may rise given the escalating tensions in the region due to the U.S. war on Iraq and the ongoing Israeli-Palestine conflict.  At least four OFWs were injured in the recent suicide bomb attack in Tel Aviv.

“The lack of jobs in the Philippines means Filipinos will always be forced to work abroad, even if this means working in strife-torn areas,” said Gratela. 

Bulatlat.com

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