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Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Anti-GMA groups to hold big rally, vigil
IT'S not over yet.
Various anti-GMA groups in Negros Occidental will hold what they call "the biggest prayer vigil and rally" in Bacolod City which begins tonight and will go on until Wednesday afternoon.
At exactly 7 p.m. Tuesday, militant groups with Bangon Pilipinas National Renewal Movement-Negros will host a prayer assembly entitled "Maniniwala Ka! A Rally of Hope for a Nation in Crisis" at the Bacolod Public Plaza.
But prior on this, there will be torch parade from Rizal Elementary School to the plaza to be participated in by multi-sectoral groups.
Their main agenda is for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to resign from her post.
The event will be organized by Bayan-Negros, Negros Movement for Moral Regeneration and other sectoral organizations.
"These are precarious times in our nation where one must take a stand for truth, justice and righteousness but at the same time know how to bend our knees and ask God to convict GMA to resign if ever her conscience is too stubborn to hear the people's clamor for her resignation," said Stanley Flores, BPNRM-N coordinator.
'Lechon GMA'
On the other hand, at 2 p.m. Tuesday, women under WomenRage group, an affiliate of Laban ng Masa will also converge at the Bacolod Rotunda to also dramatize their protest action against PGMA and their call for the formation of a transition revolutionary government.
Priscilla Naig-Goco, provincial coordinator of WomenRage, said their protest will be highlighted by the roasting of an effigy of GMA's head stuffed in a bamboo called "Lechon GMA."
"The mothers and their daughters will also bring cauldrons and eating utensils to show how miserable life is under GMA whereby three-square meals a day is now impossible for the urban poor," stressed Naig-Goco.
Bayan-Muna is also expecting about 10,000 to 15,000 individuals to join their main big protest rally on the 13th.
Lawyer Rodolfo Parreño, chairman of Fernando Poe Jr. Movement (FPJM)-Negros Occidental Chapter, however, clarified that United Opposition spokesman Representative Francis Escudero cannot attend their rally Wednesday for conflict of schedule.
No pay, just voluntary
Parreño, however, stressed their movement will be joined by people, purely mass-based from San Carlos City in the north and Sipalay City in the south.
He also clarified that people joining in Wednesday's rally will not be paid.
"No pay, just voluntary," stressed the FPJM chairman.
He said this will only be a joint undertaking by various groups who believes that it is high time to oust President Arroyo.
"In case the President won't heed our call for her to resign, we will continue holding rallies," Parreño also added.
Sobriety, patience
Transportation and Communication Assistant Secretary Ricardo "Cano" Tan, meanwhile, asked Negrenses and Bacoleños to observe sobriety and patience amid political turmoil, particularly in Metro Manila.
Tan said he believes everything will be back to normal after the CBCP issued their statement.
As to the rally and vigil in Bacolod, he said he respects the decision of the people who are against GMA.
However, he stressed that their voice are not the real sentiment of the majority of the Filipinos.
Expected
Parreño, on the other hand, called the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines' (CBCP) decision of not calling for the President's resignation as "expected."
The CBCP, said Parreño, was definitely not in favor of any extra-Constitutional dealings in the country.
He, however, stressed that putting Vice President Noli de Castro as the next president of the country would only add another insult to the Filipino people.
"Noli is also a dummy for President Arroyo. There will be no change in case he also takes over the presidency," said Parreño.
But in spite of these rallies and vigils to be staged in Bacolod, still Parreño asked Negrenses to continue praying for the sake of peace in the entire country.
"Let's also pray for our country to ultimately recover from an economic debacle caused by political divisiveness," he added.
Reach out to everybody
Governor Joseph Marañon, meanwhile, said President Arroyo has almost survived the "critical" moment in her leadership, referring to last Friday's event when former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino, Senate President Franklin Drilon, the Makati Business Club, and 10 cabinet officials joined in one voice in calling for Arroyo to resign.
The governor said after surviving all trials it is proper for PGMA to start reaching out to everybody to ensure delivery of basic services and promote unity among the people.
"It's not good that we are fragmented," said Marañon, adding that resignation would not be the tangible solution at the present crisis.
Marañon, however, refused to comment on the CBCP's stand.
He said it's the bishops opinion and we have to respect it.(EASD)
(July 12, 2005 issue)
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