“It has been 100 days and we don’t see any major achievement or results as far as genuine change is concerned. There is plenty of rhetoric but too few accomplishments that could be felt by the poor.”– Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com [1]
MANILA – Contrary to the passing grade Aquino has received from a survey, farmers, workers, urban poor, students, migrants and other sectors gave Aquino a failing grade in his first 100 days of governance.
Members of progressive groups led by the umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) marched to Chino Roces (formerly Mendiola) bridge Oct. 8, to mark the 100 days of Aquino in office. The groups protested what they call as a continuing absence of any meaningful reform under Aquino, and his failure to address issues such as human rights, the prosecution of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, land reform and pro-people economic development.
Leaders carried a banner that read: “100 araw: Nasaan ang pagbabago? (100 days: Where is change?)
“It has been 100 days and we don’t see any major achievement or results as far as genuine change is concerned. There is plenty of rhetoric but too few accomplishments that could be felt by the poor,” Renato Reyes, Jr. secretary general of Bayan, said.
Human Rights and Arroyo’s Accountability
Reform advocacy group Pagbabago! People’s Movement for Change said the current administration shows no determination in prosecuting former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her accumulated corruption charges and electoral fraud.
Reyes said so far, there has been no development in the investigation of the Truth Commission of Arroyo’s crimes.
“The investigation and prosecution for corruption of Arroyo is not only Aquino’s campaign promise but is also one of the pressing political issues that he needs to address,” Pagbabago said.
Within the 100 days of the Aquino administration, Karapatan has already documented 16 victims of extrajudicial killings, two victims of enforced disappearances missing, 19 victim of frustrated murder, 28 victims of illegal arrests, 28 victims of illegal detention, ten victims of torture and 754 victims of forced evacuation. There have been 844 victims of human rights violations. The number surpasses the record of rights abuses in the last six months of the Arroyo regime.
“He said in his inaugural speech that there can be no reconciliation without justice and yet he extended the counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya,” Roneo Clamor, Karapatan acting secretary general, said .
“All he talked about is money and government. We’re worried about people’s lives,” Clamor said.
The groups also slammed Aquino’s inaction on the clamor to release political prisoners. “There has been a recommendation to review the case of the Morong 43 in the Department of Justice and yet, they are still languishing in prison for eight months already,” Geneve Rivera, secretary general of the Health Alliance for Democracy (Head) said during the rally.
Failure to Deliver Basic Social Services and Economic Reform
In his assessment of Aquino’s 100 days, Lito Bais, chairman of the United Luisita Workers Union (Ulwu) said there had been no change.
“During his State of the Nation Address he told those who are listening that ‘You are my boss’…but maybe he meant congressmen who are also landlords and capitalists because he is promoting only their interests,” Bais said.
The land dispute at the Hacienda Luisita remains pending at the Supreme Court. The mediation panel formed by the high court failed to provide a solution to the land problem at the sugar estate owned by Aquino and his family.
Bais said the Aquino government must implement fundamental reforms such as genuine land reform, justice for victims of rights abuses and the prosecution of Arroyo.
Meanwhile, women’s group Gabriela said the Aquino administration failed miserably to address the women’s 10 point demands.
“He complains that because he is a bachelor he was not given a chance to have a honeymoon period. As far as women are concerned, even as Aquino is still at the courtship stage, he is already being rejected, “ said Lana Linaban, secretary general of Gabriela.
Linaban said instead of having a comprehensive plan to alleviate poverty, the Aquino administration is implementing a ‘misleading anti-poverty program’ such as conditional cash transfers (CCT). The program would cost P29.2 billion and is targeted to reach 2.3 million families by 2011. “He said the CCT is like a life vest that would take the poor to decent living. But this life vest would only take the poor into the quick sand of poverty.” She added that the CCT program would give P1,400 ($32) a month to select poor families but a family needs a minimum of P900 plus ( $20.75) a day to afford a decent meal.
“The Aquino government made a deep slash in the funds for state colleges and universities, health and housing while the budget for foreign debt paymenst and national defense increased. This shows where the real concern of the government lies,” Gabriela also noted.
Vanessa Faye Bolibol, secretary general of National Union of Students in the Philippines (NUSP) responded to Aquino’s statement that the education budget would be increased. “The president claims that he is prioritizing education but his budget proposal aims to reduce subsidy to State Universities and Colleges. It took a lightning rally for the President to say something about the education budget. The report would have been an irrelevant piece of gimmickry and lies had it not been for the student protest that exposes the real issues of the Filipino people,” the NUSP said in a statement.
During Aquino’s Ulat sa bayan on his first 100 days held at the La Consolation College in Manila, four student leaders from the University of the Philippines-Manila stood up to protest the cut in the budget of SUCs.
Instead of answering directly the concern of the students, Aquino said the budget for the DepEd increased.
“Why don’t you try to be a student and enroll at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and see for yourself how dilapidated the facilities are,” Bolibol challenged Aquino.
Continuation of the Policies of the Arroyo government
Aquino’s first 100 days signifies the continuation of the same anti-people policies of the previous administration, the groups said.
Dr. Ramon P. Paterno, member of Pagbabago and All UP Academic Employees Union said Aquino’s 100 days was more of a continuation of the Arroyo administration. “There were policies favoring foreign investors, the budget for defense was increased and privatization programs were implemented during the Arroyo government. Essentially, there has been no change under this new government.”
Gabriela added, “He puts a lot of hype in criticizing Arroyo but his administration’s neoliberal economic policy framework does not at all depart from the policies adhered to by his predecessor.” (Bulatlat.com) [1]
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
Bulatlat.com [1]
MANILA – Contrary to the passing grade Aquino has received from a survey, farmers, workers, urban poor, students, migrants and other sectors gave Aquino a failing grade in his first 100 days of governance.
Members of progressive groups led by the umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) marched to Chino Roces (formerly Mendiola) bridge Oct. 8, to mark the 100 days of Aquino in office. The groups protested what they call as a continuing absence of any meaningful reform under Aquino, and his failure to address issues such as human rights, the prosecution of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, land reform and pro-people economic development.
Leaders carried a banner that read: “100 araw: Nasaan ang pagbabago? (100 days: Where is change?)
“It has been 100 days and we don’t see any major achievement or results as far as genuine change is concerned. There is plenty of rhetoric but too few accomplishments that could be felt by the poor,” Renato Reyes, Jr. secretary general of Bayan, said.
Human Rights and Arroyo’s Accountability
Reform advocacy group Pagbabago! People’s Movement for Change said the current administration shows no determination in prosecuting former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her accumulated corruption charges and electoral fraud.
Reyes said so far, there has been no development in the investigation of the Truth Commission of Arroyo’s crimes.
“The investigation and prosecution for corruption of Arroyo is not only Aquino’s campaign promise but is also one of the pressing political issues that he needs to address,” Pagbabago said.
Within the 100 days of the Aquino administration, Karapatan has already documented 16 victims of extrajudicial killings, two victims of enforced disappearances missing, 19 victim of frustrated murder, 28 victims of illegal arrests, 28 victims of illegal detention, ten victims of torture and 754 victims of forced evacuation. There have been 844 victims of human rights violations. The number surpasses the record of rights abuses in the last six months of the Arroyo regime.
“He said in his inaugural speech that there can be no reconciliation without justice and yet he extended the counter-insurgency program Oplan Bantay Laya,” Roneo Clamor, Karapatan acting secretary general, said .
“All he talked about is money and government. We’re worried about people’s lives,” Clamor said.
The groups also slammed Aquino’s inaction on the clamor to release political prisoners. “There has been a recommendation to review the case of the Morong 43 in the Department of Justice and yet, they are still languishing in prison for eight months already,” Geneve Rivera, secretary general of the Health Alliance for Democracy (Head) said during the rally.
Failure to Deliver Basic Social Services and Economic Reform
In his assessment of Aquino’s 100 days, Lito Bais, chairman of the United Luisita Workers Union (Ulwu) said there had been no change.
“During his State of the Nation Address he told those who are listening that ‘You are my boss’…but maybe he meant congressmen who are also landlords and capitalists because he is promoting only their interests,” Bais said.
The land dispute at the Hacienda Luisita remains pending at the Supreme Court. The mediation panel formed by the high court failed to provide a solution to the land problem at the sugar estate owned by Aquino and his family.
Bais said the Aquino government must implement fundamental reforms such as genuine land reform, justice for victims of rights abuses and the prosecution of Arroyo.
Meanwhile, women’s group Gabriela said the Aquino administration failed miserably to address the women’s 10 point demands.
“He complains that because he is a bachelor he was not given a chance to have a honeymoon period. As far as women are concerned, even as Aquino is still at the courtship stage, he is already being rejected, “ said Lana Linaban, secretary general of Gabriela.
Linaban said instead of having a comprehensive plan to alleviate poverty, the Aquino administration is implementing a ‘misleading anti-poverty program’ such as conditional cash transfers (CCT). The program would cost P29.2 billion and is targeted to reach 2.3 million families by 2011. “He said the CCT is like a life vest that would take the poor to decent living. But this life vest would only take the poor into the quick sand of poverty.” She added that the CCT program would give P1,400 ($32) a month to select poor families but a family needs a minimum of P900 plus ( $20.75) a day to afford a decent meal.
“The Aquino government made a deep slash in the funds for state colleges and universities, health and housing while the budget for foreign debt paymenst and national defense increased. This shows where the real concern of the government lies,” Gabriela also noted.
Vanessa Faye Bolibol, secretary general of National Union of Students in the Philippines (NUSP) responded to Aquino’s statement that the education budget would be increased. “The president claims that he is prioritizing education but his budget proposal aims to reduce subsidy to State Universities and Colleges. It took a lightning rally for the President to say something about the education budget. The report would have been an irrelevant piece of gimmickry and lies had it not been for the student protest that exposes the real issues of the Filipino people,” the NUSP said in a statement.
During Aquino’s Ulat sa bayan on his first 100 days held at the La Consolation College in Manila, four student leaders from the University of the Philippines-Manila stood up to protest the cut in the budget of SUCs.
Instead of answering directly the concern of the students, Aquino said the budget for the DepEd increased.
“Why don’t you try to be a student and enroll at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and see for yourself how dilapidated the facilities are,” Bolibol challenged Aquino.
Continuation of the Policies of the Arroyo government
Aquino’s first 100 days signifies the continuation of the same anti-people policies of the previous administration, the groups said.
Dr. Ramon P. Paterno, member of Pagbabago and All UP Academic Employees Union said Aquino’s 100 days was more of a continuation of the Arroyo administration. “There were policies favoring foreign investors, the budget for defense was increased and privatization programs were implemented during the Arroyo government. Essentially, there has been no change under this new government.”
Gabriela added, “He puts a lot of hype in criticizing Arroyo but his administration’s neoliberal economic policy framework does not at all depart from the policies adhered to by his predecessor.” (Bulatlat.com) [1]
Article printed from Bulatlat: http://www.bulatlat.com/main
URL to article: http://www.bulatlat.com/main/2010/10/09/groups-say-aquino%e2%80%99s-first-100-days-a-failure/
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