MILITANT groups Bayan, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Kabataan Party-list, Negros Federation of Sugar Workers and their allied organizations staged a protest rally Monday in the Bacolod City Fountain of Justice.
President Benigno Aquino III delivered his first State of the Nation Address (Sona) at the Batasan Complex, Manila.
The militants groups marched down the main Streets of Bacolod while holding placards stating their demands for the Aquino administration.
NFSW regional chairman Isidro Castillo declared that, aside from fighting corruption, President Aquino should also make former President Gloria Arroyo and her family accountable for graft and corruption.
Castillo stated that the peasant workers of Negros Occidental are hoping for the abolition of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program with extended reforms and that their group is pushing for genuine land reform program.
He demanded for a job security program from Aquino, citing that about 40 percent of workers in public and private sectors in the country are experiencing job security problems.
Julius Dagatan of Kabataan party-list also said that, 25 days after Aquino assumed office, the President still seems to be blind, deaf and mute to the legitimate demands of the youth sectors in the country.
Dagatan challenged the Aquino administration to heed the call of millions of youth and students for genuine change in the country and to implement more meaningful measures than mere prop gimmicks like his "anti-wang-wang" campaign.
During the rally, Kabataan also held their State of the Youth Address, pushing for free education, higher state subsidy for education, moratorium increase on tuition and other fees, and higher appropriations for social services.
Furthermore, Kilusang Mayo Uno Spokesperson Ronald Ian Evidente stated that his group calls on Aquino to put a stop to the extra judicial killings and resolve the murders of progressive organization members.
Evidente further stressed their demand for the implementation of the P125 across-the-board salary wage increase, claiming that Aquino should fulfill his promises of change regarding this matter. (Merlinda A. Pedrosa)