Like Rizal who symbolized the First Propaganda movement, Andres Bonifacio's involvement was the catalyst for a new movement that radicalized the Philippine political landscape at the time in a bid for genuine freedom and democracy. He symbolized a people awakened and ready to fight against tyranny, repression and exploitation.
Now, various social movements, people's organizations and sectors are coming together to renew the challenge made by Bonifacio to all those who have love for country or 'pagmamahal sa bayan'.
Led by Solidarity of Unions for a New Government (SULONG), Kilusang Mangingisda (KM), Magkaisa Junk JPEPA, Citizens' Council for Human Rights (CCHR), Stop the New Round Coalition (SNR), Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) and Laban ng Masa (LnM), thousands of workers, peasants, fisherfolks, women, youth and other sectors would troop to Mehan Garden tomorrow, Bonifacio Day, to protest the worsening economic and political repression and call for social change rather than charter change.
The country remains in the hands of a corrupt, fake and rabidly fascist regime who continues to sell the future of every man, woman and child in this country out to imperialist globalization—deregulation, privatization and liberalization.
Her regime has shown no signs of departing from the path of decades of mendicancy and subservience to US interests and policies. Measures like the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Mutual Logistic Support Arrangement undermines our sovereignty and makes a mockery of our national patrimony.
No wonder that justice for the Subic Rape victim, Nicole, is nonexistent if left in the hands of a pro-US lackey like DOJ Secretary Raul Gonzales.
GMA is the epitome of a scourge. Her policies exacerbate poverty resulting in oil hikes, privatized utilities while sources of employment are few and unable to feed one's family. Like previous elite governments, the GMA regime is a traitor, a MAKAPILI.
This regime has no qualms in selling en masse our countrymen to the world, regardless of the risk to life and limb, as long as the Dollars, Yen, Euros, Pounds keep on coming to breathe a semblance of life into a fundamentally flawed economy.
The Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement or JPEPA is classic example. Hastily negotiated under complete secrecy, the treaty, when ratified, will turn the country into Japan's dumping ground for hazardous and toxic wastes in exchange for the entry of a small number of nurses and caregivers, who would be paid lower rates while they are learning the Japanese language. Worst, the Philippines stand to lose its policy space in using trade and investment for development purposes. In short, it will consign the country to underdevelopment.
Keenly aware of the people's discontent, the GMA regime launched a class war to systematically neutralize any form of dissent. Its perceived enemies are harassed, jailed, rendered missing or are killed. Rule of law is no longer the case, but impunity and lawlessness.
This state of affairs can no longer be resolved by reforms or rhetoric perpetuated by the elite such as moves to amend the Charter. What is needed is to completely overhaul the system that is rotten, flawed and spells misery for the majority.
Let us continue the path towards freedom and democracy join us on November 30.
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Solidarity of Unions for a New Government (SULONG), Kilusang Mangingisda (KM), Magkaisa Junk JPEPA, Citizens' Council for Human Rights (CCHR), Stop the New Round Coalition (SNR), Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) and Laban ng Masa (LnM)
Nov 29, 2006
November 30 would mark the hundred and forty-third year of Bonifacio’s birth
Nov 27, 2006
Environmentalist group urge Senate not to concur with JPEPA
Concerned citizens, environmentalists, labor groups, peasants, fisherfolk, nationalist economists, social movements, and political parties who collectively form the MAGKAISA JUNK JPEPA coalition trooped to the Senate today to ask the Senate not to concur with the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA).
"The JPEPA directly assaults our environment, jeopardizes the job security of our workers, and, by eliminating tariffs on almost all goods and services, hampers our ability to pursue national development", said MAGKAISA JUNK JPEPA
"Moreover, the process of negotiating JPEPA is diametrically opposed to basic principles of good governance where the Filipino people, including members of Congress have been denied access to the full text of the agreement during the negotiations thus denying them meaningful participation in crafting this agreement", said the coalition
"By eliminating tariffs on toxic wastes, the JPEPA will make the Filipino people subsidize Japan's export of its waste and garbage to the Philippines, making it cheaper for the Japanese to export their waste to us and make the Japanese environment cleaner, but at the expense of our own environment.", according to the coalition.
MAGKAISA JUNK JPEPA added, "The JPEPA will likewise make the Filipino people subsidize the cost of health care of the Japanese people by allowing them to pay less for the labor of our nurses and caregivers, but not without passing a needle's eye with the strict requirements for language proficiency and licensure exams in addition to the fact that we do not have enough nurses and caregivers to attend to the needs of our own people."
"The JPEPA also compels the Philippines to give equal or better treatment for Japanese investors, Japanese goods, and Japanese services – all contrary to the provisions in the Constitution providing for preference for Filipino capital, labor, goods, and services", maintained the coalition
"Moreover, the JPEPA will ultimately undermine government commitments to reduce poverty as it will effectively prevent the government from providing much-needed support to Filipino micro, small and medium-scale enterprises all pointing out the absence of a sound Filipino economic development policy and environmental policy"
MAGKAISA JUNK JPEPA calls on the Senate to reject the JPEPA. The group likewise calls on all local government units (LGUs) to pass ordinances and resolutions banning the entry and transport of imported toxic and hazardous wastes in their respective jurisdictions, as well as for LGUs, sectors, and civil society organizations to demand prior consultation, as provided in the Constitution and in the Local Government Code, before any national government agency or government-owned and controlled corporation implements any project
that could potentially pollute and harm our environment, and destroy the future of our economy.
"Let us reclaim our dignity as a people, assert our national sovereignty, and claim our right to a future for succeeding generations of Filipinos." said the coalition.
Nov 26, 2006
'ASEAN Peoples' Camp' to push through despite warnings from Gonzalez
Civil society groups strongly condemned today the statement issued by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez that the Philippine government will follow the lead of the Singapore government, prevent international and local groups from holding protests, ban the entry of foreign 'troublemakers' into the country, and make special target of Indians, Pakistanis and Afghans. They vowed to continue their planned activities in time for the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Cebu next month.
"Secretary Gonzales is overreacting, misdirected, without regard for basic civil liberties and guilty of racial discrimination. His statements are an embarrassment not only to the Filipino people, but also to the international community. We will continue with our planned activities despite these pronouncements," said Lidy Nacpil, international coordinator of Jubilee South and vice president of Freedom from Debt Coalition.
"This brazenness of Secretary Gonzalez makes a mockery of the ASEAN theme this summit, which is to foster 'a caring and sharing community,'" stressed FDC president Ana Maria R. Nemenzo, adding that Gonzalez's remark exemplified the perception that the ASEAN is an "elite club of insecure dictators."
Nacpil also revealed that many local and international non-governmental organizations have already signified their intention to participate in "ASEAN Peoples' Camp" on December 12-13 in Cebu as part of their "Week of Action Challenging the ASEAN."
Nacpil said that social movements and NGOs from various Southeast Asian countries would be traveling to Cebu to ensure their voices are heard during the ASEAN Summit. The Summit on December 10 to 14 will be deciding, among other concerns, the framework of the ASEAN Charter.
"Millions of people will be affected by the outcome of this ASEAN Summit and yet this despotic government intimidates us with outrageous threats," said Nemenzo, adding: "Go ahead. We are not intimidated. I dare him (Secretary Gonzalez) to do that." Gonzalez reportedly said that the government would impose an 'iron curtain' during the summit and would "throw them ('troublemakers') into the Mactan Straits and let the sharks eat them there."
He also said the government would emulate what Singapore did in ensuring the security of an international conference of foreign leaders in its territory when it banned all the "trouble makers" from entering the city-state during the International Monetary Fund (IMF) - World Bank Group meetings last September.
Nacpil said at least 54 people representing 17 organizations from 17 nationalities were either banned, interrogated or deported during the IMF-WB meet in Singapore. Their various areas of expertise include development, debt, and trade, among others. Nacpil and Nemenzo were two of those banned activists.
Nov 23, 2006
Women group calls for a just decision
The Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) women trooped to the DOJ this morning to press for a just and favorable resolution to the Subic rape case which is scheduled for promulgation on November 25.
"We hope that Nicole will be served justice, despite the incompetent handling of the DOJ of the case," said Fatima Cabanag, spokesperson of the APL-women.
"But our fear is that the merits of the case has been sold out in exchange for dollars," added Cabanag, as can be seen in the DOJ's less than passionate fervor and handling of the case. "The Subic rape case is a litmus test for US-RP relations and for a beleaguered Arroyo, losing US support in case of a conviction is unthinkable."
"It would mean substantially decreased military aid," added Cabanag, "which the Philippine government desperately needs in its crackdown on militants and activists in the countrysides."
"And yet we believe that the Subic rape case is very solid and hard to repudiate," she said. "Nicole's plight is an inspiration in fact, to other similarly-situated women who have been forced to stay silent because of stigma and shame from society's prejudices."
"Her character has been attacked time and again and yet the story holds," added the labor leader. "It is clear Nicole was taken advantage of, and the guilty parties should pay for it," said Cabanag.
"At the same time it should be taken as a cue to revisit and redefine RP-US relations because clearly the country is on the losing end from this VFA," said Cabanag. "Only then can we really avoid another Nicole form happening."