Aquino 'burns' in SONA protests
Militants burned President Benigno Aquino III in effigy Monday, as they
protested against government policies that they said only benefit big
businesses and foreign interests.
Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casino
said the Aquino administration may boast of economic growth and lending
money to the International Monetary Fund, but that this has nothing to
do with the ordinary Filipino family.
"Umangat ba ang inyong
kabuhayan?," he asked the crowd that occupied half of Commonwealth
Avenue, a few kilometers from where Aquino is scheduled to deliver his
SONA.
He said Aquino is no different from his predecessor Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo. "Kung numero sa numero lang, mas maganda pa ang
statistics ni GMA," he said, "naramdaman ba?"
Despite the supposed economic gains, Casino said prices continue to rise.
Legislation that would have curbed corruption and poverty, has yet to be passed, he said.
Among the legislation still pending are the Freedom of Information and Whistleblowers' Protection bills, Casino said.
Although
cases have been filed against Arroyo, she has not been convicted yet,
prompting the militant lawmaker to remark that it's easy to file cases.
He
added the removal of ex-Chief Justice Renato Corona from office might
also be used to make the judiciary more subservient, a sentiment other
leaders who spoke at the SONA ng Bayan echoed.
Ferdie Gaite,
chair of government-employee group Courage, also slammed Aquino for
privatizing government services and offices through public-private
partnerships (PPPs).
Urban poor group Kadamay also slammed PPPs
on housing and development, saying these will drive 1.4 million urban
poor families in Metro Manila from their homes. Among the projects
mentioned were proposed railway stations in San Juan del Monte, Bulacan
and housing in Quezon City's North Triangle.
The group said the
projects will make money for big corporations but will have no benefit
for the urban poor living in areas where PPPs are to be implemented.
Enteng
Bautista of Kalikasan People's Network also criticized the government's
new mining policy, saying it will encourage more mining by foreign
firms.
"Lalong pagpipiyestahan, lalong uubusin ang likas na yaman ng Pilipinas," he said.
He
said mining has already destroyed the environment in places like
Surigao del Norte, where the sea has turned red and toxic because of
waste from mining.
Bautista warned, however, that if the
government insists on allowing more mining, it will be met with
"pagkilos, paglaban, at paglaban."
Courtesy of: Yahoo.com
No comments:
Post a Comment