Tuesday, July 29, 2008 All lies: militants on Sona
MILITANT organizations expressed their dismay yesterday over what the said was the Arroyo government’s failure to keep promises that were presented in her 10-point agenda during her state of the nation address (Sona) in 2004.
Members of militant groups took to the streets of Cebu yesterday, waving banners and displaying placards denouncing President Arroyo’s governance and accusing her of lying to the people.
Cebu City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comendador described yesterday’s rallies as peaceful.
Three platoons of policemen who served as crowd dispersal management (CDM) secured the estimated 300 rallyists that converged at the Malacañang sa Sugbo past 11 a.m. yesterday.
After airing their gripes against the government, the rallyists dispersed and went on their respective ways.
“She will once again be talking about lies, complete lies,” said Joe Tomongha of the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL).
None of the projects she presented in 2004, which she promised to complete by 2010, are on track, said Tomongha.
“Nothing has happened. Well, for one thing, she did accomplish one thing. She wanted to get the people unified. And now, they are unified. We are now one against her.” said Tomongha.
Members of APL, the Akbayan party-list, Bukiran sa Ikaunland ug Sosyalistang Isip at Gawa (Bisig), Movement for the Advancement of Student Power-Cebu (Masp) and Makalaya stood before the Malacañang sa Sugbo bringing with them empty white plates and cooked camote (sweet potatoes).
With the cry “Sona ni Gloria, pag-ilad sa masa” ringing continuously, members huddled together on the ground and ate the cooked sweet potatoes.
“These just symbolize the poverty the people are experiencing with the rising cost of living in the country. With one camote per plate, this just shows that we no longer have any money to buy food,” said Felix Rollan of the Bukluran sa Ikauunland ng Sosyalistang Isip at Gawa (Bisig).
If the president were to be given a grade, said the group, she would definitely be getting a failing mark.
“She has to resign. We believe she has failed as a president. She is a failure because of the true state of the nation: the crisis we have in employment, in food, and with the oil,” said Tomongha.
Students, who began their rally right after the president’s Sona, agreed with APL’s judgment and presented a “report card” for the President.
Written on a huge placard, the youth sector had the president enrolled in the “Street University.” Arroyo was given several failing marks for failing to keep her promises and projects during her administration. The president was listed as having “dropped” Health Services and the Education Budget.
“She lost concern towards the youth. She has completely abandoned the state of education,” said Rennil Oliva, regional coordinator of the Kabataan Pinoy Party.
While the president got failing marks from students, party-list groups Bayan Muna and Gabriella labeled the president “the queen of deception” and burned an effigy her.
“This shows the different sector’s anger towards the Gloria administration,” said Jaime Paglinawan, Bayan-Central Visayas chairman.
Paglinawan said the President failed to keep the people in the country and provide them food security.
“People are leaving the country because they cannot keep up with the high cost of living,” said Pagilinawan.
“President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is...the only leader with a degree in economics who brought this country down to the most debilitating kind of crisis,” Partido ng Manggagawa said in a press statement.
In Mandaue City, 50 Barangay Tipolo residents staged a brief rally in front of City Hall not for the Sona but to dramatize their filing of a temporary restraining order on an ejection notice scheduled to be enforced today.
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes told the rallyists to calm down and discuss the issue with him. Cortes was later able to request the lot owner to grant the occupants a
45-day reprieve and stave off today’s scheduled demolition.
Francisco Amit, the mayor’s housing consultant, said City Hall was notified on the demolition but did not act on it because no one came to see the mayor until the 45-day period lapsed in May.
The lot owner’s representative also promised residents who will move out voluntarily that they will be given assistance. (EPB/With JST and OCP)
