Aquino III after one year in office: Failing marks in governance, economy, foreign policy and human rights, June 20, 2011

Aquino III after one year in office:

Failing marks in governance, economy, foreign policy and human rights

Mendiola

June 30, 2011

Photos courtesy of Roy Velez and Tudla Productions as indicated by thilenames


News Release June 30, 2011 Groups hold protest, “people’s assessment” to mark Aquino’s first year Various groups today marched to the Mendiola Bridge to mark the first year of the Aquino government. Carrying big letters forming the word “FAIL”, members of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan went around communities in the Sampaloc area before proceeding to the Mendiola, near Malacanang Palace. The groups expressed indignation over the failure of President Benigno Aquino III to address the urgent issues of the people. Bayan recently gave Aquino a grade of “4”, with 5 being the lowest, for his performance in the economy, human rights, foreign policy and governance. Among the issues raised by Bayan were: 1. Aquino’s failure to file charges against former president Arroyo 2. Rising unemployment, inflation, hunger 3. 48 victims of extrajudicial killings in one year and still no accountability for rights abuses of the past regime 4. Failure to bring about genuine land reform and national industrialization 5. Problems in governance involving Aquino’s “kakampi, kabarkada, kaklase, kabarilan” appointees 6. No results of the review of the RP-US VFA despite an earlier campaign promise Aquino has issued a call for national unity in an event today called Pilipinas Natin. Bayan said it is skeptical about the call. “It is strange that the regime is celebrating its first year when the nation’s situation hardly calls for any celebration. It’s all self-serving,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr. “National unity and solidarity is commendable, but this has to serve genuine change and not just what is politically expedient. There can be no ‘Pilipinas Natin’ when majority of the people are poor, when 11 million are jobless and when millions experience hunger. There can be no ‘Pilipinas Natin’ if vast tracks of land are owned by a few families like the Cojuangco-Aquino’s,” Reyes said. Bayan said that it was not closed to the idea of “national unity” if the platform involved would truly benefit the people. “There should be national unity to bring about genuine land reform, national and pro-Filipino industrial development, respect for human rights and a just and lasting peace. The question is, is the Aquino government capable of fostering such unity? Or will “Pilipinas Natin”, like its predecessor ‘daang matuwid’, turn out to be another empty one-liner? Is it Pilipinas Natin or Pilipinas Namin?” Reyes said. ### ================================================================= Groups give Aquino failing marks in economy, governance, foreign policy and human rights President Benigno Aquino III today got failing marks from different sectors who say that the president has done little to uplift the conditions of the people. The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan gave Aquino a grade of “4” or “quatro” for his performance in the economy, governance, foreign policy and human rights. A protest march is planned tomorrow in Mendiola to coincide with the first year in office of the president. Groups will press the Aquino government to provide immediate and long-term measures to help the people amid the worsening crisis. “In his first year as president, Benigno Aquino III miserably failed to live up to his own hype and “change” rhetoric. Aquino can’t claim to be the complete opposite of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo since he merely continued many of Arroyo’s policies. Aquino’s so-called “daang matuwid” has turned out to be one full of roadblocks, expensive toll gates, potholes, and wrong directions,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr. “Despite his rhetoric of good governance, the Aquino government has not brought any charge against Arroyo for the crimes of plunder, election fraud and gross human rights violations. Meanwhile, the economy remains in bad shape as the present government has failed to implement long-term programs for employment, higher wages, land reform and national industrialization,” he added. The grade of “4” is the second lowest grade before the outright failing mark of “5”. Bayan said that Aquino did not pass in the economy because of increasing unemployment, rising inflation, depressed wages, and hollow economic growth overall. The group also said that pantawid or “stopgap” programs were the most the government could offer amid the worsening economic situation of the people. The “pantawid” program or Conditional Cash Transfer was a program started during the Arroyo administration. In the field of human rights, Bayan lamented that Aquino has done very little to make rights violators accountable. While Bayan acknowledged Aquino’s withdrawal of charges against the Morong 43 last year, mainly because of strong local and international pressure, the group said that government has not filed charges against any military official involved in extrajudicial killings, abductions and torture. The group said that lack of accountability has emboldened the AFP to continue with the violations, as there are now 45 cases of extrajudicial killings under Aquino. “We don’t see any zeal on the part of government to go after the likes of Gen. Palparan. Where is Aquino’s inauguration promise of ‘true and complete justice for all’? Is the filing of charges against past officials also a matter of convenience? Is there no urgency to give the victims a measure of justice?” Reyes asked. Bayan also said that the slide in Aquino’s approval ratings has been as fast as his newly-acquired Porsche. “Aquino and his spokesmen should show more humility towards criticism. Their can-do-no-wrong attitude will do them no good. What we’re seeing now is that Aquino can be just as callous as Arroyo. The regime also refuses to take responsibility for its own actions and failures,” Reyes said. "The Aquino regime thinks it can blame everything on Arroyo. The ridiculous part is that Aquino has not really gone after Arroyo during the past year. It all been one PR after another, along with the occasional Twitter barbs, but no cases have been filed," he added. ###
		▲ At Mendiola ▼












	June 29, 2010 7 dahilan kung bakit EPIC FAIL si Aquino para sa kabataan Taksil si Aquino sa mga binitiwan niyang pangako sa mga kabataan at mamamayan. Ang kanyang campaign promise: “Kung walang korap, walang mahirap.” Ang kinahinatnan: Sa isang kurap, dumami ang mahirap. Ang “tuwid na daan” ay para pala makapag-top speed ang Porsche. Ang nagbago lang ay ang hairstyle ni Gloria Arroyo na nagagawa pa ring magpasalon. Matapos ang isang taon, tila mas marami pa ang buhok sa bunbunan ni Noynoy kaysa nagawa niya para sa kapakanan ng kabataan at mamamayan. Pwede na ulit mangarap? Tinanggalan ni Aquino ng pangarap ang maraming kabataan, walang edukasyon, walang disenteng trabaho, nilalabag ang karapatan, lubog sa kahirapan. Epic fail, bagsak, bugok na penoy ang iskor ni Aquino para sa mga kabataan. Narito ang ilang mga dahilan. 1. Budget cut sa SUCs at kawalan ng prayoridad sa edukasyon Kinaltasan ni Noynoy ng pondo ng mga state universities and colleges (SUCs) ng mahigit P1 billion para sa taong ito. Pero dinagdagan ng bilyon-bilyon ang pondo para sa pork barrel, militar, dole-outs at utang panlabas. Dahil dito, lalong tumindi ang krisis sa mga SUCs, nagtaasan ang mga matrikula at mga bayarin, marami ang nahirapan na makaenroll. Kahit sa mga nakapasa sa UP, halos kalahati ang hindi nakapasok dahil walang pambayad. Tipid na tipid naman ang basic education, na nasa P6 kada kabataan sa isang araw lamang ang ginagasta ng gubyerno. Imbis na dagdagan ang badyet, dagdag na taon sa K12 na programa ang plano ni Noynoy. Sa unang taon ng pagpapatupad nito, dumami pa ang kakulangan sa pasilidad, gastos at sakit ng ulo ng mga kabataan at magulang. 2. Tuloy-tuloy na tuition increase Idagdag pa, walang ginagawa ang gubyerno para pigilin ang pagtaas ng matrikula at iba pang mga bayarin sa pamantasan. Nasa 340 na paaralan ang nagtaas na naman ng matrikula ngayong taon na aabot na sa P30,000 pataas ang bayarin. Habang dumarami ang hindi makabayad, tinatayang nasa P15.43 billion ang kabuuang kita ng top 5 schools pa lamang sa nakaraang 6 na taon. Kaya naman dumadami pa ang hindi nakakapag-aral. Aabot sa 80% ng mga nasa edad high school ang tinanggalan na ng gubyerno ng pangarap at out of school sa kasalukuyan. Sa 10 na makakapasok sa paaralan 1 lamang ang makakatapos ng kolehiyo. 3. Pagpapatindi ng kahirapan Sa isang kurap, dumami lalo ang mahirap. Sa kasalukuyan, aabot sa 80% ng populasyon ang lubog sa kahirapan at nabubuhay sa mas mababa sa P104 sa kada araw. Kalahati nito ay nabubuhay sa P18-54. Dumami ang bilang ng nagugutom sa ilalim ni Aquino, na aabot sa 20.5% o 4.1 milyong pamilya nitong unang kwarto ng 2011, mas mataas kaysa 3.4 milyon noong huling kwarto ng 2010. Dumami ang walang trabaho na aabot sa 11.3 milyon, mas mataas kaysa 9.9 milyon noong 2010. 4,000 Pilipino araw-araw umaalis ng bansa para magtrabaho. Mabilis na bumababa ang halaga ng sahod sa gitna ng patuloy na pagpapataas ng mga bilihin. Kulang na kulang ang P404 minimum wage kumpara sa higit P900 na kailangan para mabuhay ang isang pamilya. Ayaw ibigay ni Aquino ang P125 na umento sa sahod ng mga manggagawa at pagtatanggol nito ng bilyon-bilyong kita ng mga kapitalista. Insulto ang sagot nitong P22 na emergency cost of living allowance (ECOLA) para sa Metro Manila. Inutil si Aquino na itigil ang pagtaas ng presyo ng langis, kuryente at mga bilihin, at nagpapabigat pa sa pamamagitan ng pagtutulak ng pagtataas ng presyo ng MRT at LRT at mga serbisyo. Tuloy-tuloy ang demolisyon sa mga komunidad na aabot sa 500,000 ang maaapektuhan, samantalang 30,000 lamang ang pabahay ng gubyerno. Hindi pa rin pinamamahagi ng Haciendero Republic ang lupa para sa Hacienda Luisita at walang tunay na land reform para sa 70% ng mga magsasakang sa kasalukuyan ay walang lupa. 4. Paglabag sa karapatang pantao Tuloy-tuloy ang pamamaslang, pagdukot at paglabag sa karapatang pantao sa ilalim ni Aquino. Wala pa ring hustisya para sa higit 1,000 na biktima ng pamamaslang at pagdukot sa ilalim ni Arroyo. Aabot sa 45 ang mga kaso ng extra-judicial killings at 5 kaso ng sapilitang pagkawala sa unang taon ni Aquino, hindi nalalayo sa record ng dating rehimeng Arroyo. Walang anumang proklamasyon si Aquino hinggil sa panawagan na paglaya ng mahigit 300 ang mga political prisoners, at least 59 dito ay mga kabataan. Kabilang dito sina Maricon Montajes, Romiel Canete at Ronilo Baes. Hindi pa rin inililitaw sina Karen Empeno at Sherlyn Cadapan. Hinuli kamakailan lamang at kinasuhan ang 7 mga nagpoprotestang kabataan sa Calamba, kabilang ang limang mag-aaral ng UPLB. Nagpapanggap si Aquino na para sa usapang pangkapayapaan ngunit ito mismo ang hindi tumupad sa mga kasunduan na palayain ang mga konsultant at kasapi ng NDFP na nakasaad sa Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG). 5. Hindi pagpapanagot kay Arroyo Si Erap noon, nakulong tatlong buwan matapos mapatalsik sa pamamagitan ng EDSA 2. Ngayon, sa kabila ng malawak na galit ng mamamayan kay Arroyo, ni hindi pa nasasampahan ng kaso ng gubyernong Aquino ang nagdaang rehimen. Malinaw na hindi ito seryoso na panagutin si GMA at ginagawa lamang na palusot ang nagdaang gubyerno para may masisi sa mga kapalpakan nito. Samantala, marami sa mga nasa posisyon sa kasalukuyan ay mga dati din namang kasabwat ni Arroyo. Hindi kataka-taka na mabilis na dumausdos ang popularidad ni Aquino. Ipinostura nito ang sarili na kabaliktaran at magpapanagot sa rehimeng Arroyo noong halalan; isang taon matapos, wala pa ring ni isang kaso na naisampa ang rehimen laban kay Arroyo at sa kanyang mga kasapakat. Ang “truth commission” na binuo nito ay pakitang-tao na, palpak pa. Ang mga kasong isinasampa laban kay Arroyo ay isinampa ng mga nasa labas ng administrasyon at inuupuan pa ng kasalukuyang gubyerno. 6. PPP at KKK sa kapangyarihan Lantad na din ang parehong bulok na pamamahala ng bagong rehimen. Habang naghihirap ang mamamayan, walang kahihiyan na bumili ng mamahaling Porsche na sportscar si Noynoy dahil may karapatan naman daw siya mag-aliw. Laganap din ang imahe ng pangulo na tanghali gumising, panay ang paglalaro ng playstation, Porsche at pakikipagdate (PPP). Malawak din ang galit ng mamamayan sa pagtatalaga ng rehimen sa “KKK” o kakampi, kaklase, kabarilan sa mga posisyon sa gubyerno bilang kabayaran sa pagsuporta sa kanya. Mismong sa hanay ng mga nasa paksyon ng gubyerno ni Aquino, tumitindi ang bangayan at nag-aagawan sa kapangyarihan. 7. Pagkatuta sa dayuhan, pagpapatuloy sa VFA Todo-todo ang pagkatuta ni Aquino sa Estados Unidos at itinutulak ang pagpapatindi ng panghihimasok nito sa bayan. Sa kabila ng mga panawagan na ibasura ang Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), makitid na pagrerebyu ang ginagawa nito na magsusuhay pa sa pagpapatuloy sa pagbabase ng US sa bansa. Mahirap na nga ang bayan, nagawa pang bumili ng baril para lamang paboran ang US. Tila proxy ngayon si Aquino ng interes ng US sa Spratlys. Protesta at paglaban ang isasalubong ng mga kabataan sa unang taon at ikalawang SONA ng gubyernong inutil, pahirap at papet. Tama na ang kasinungalingan, tama na ang pambobola, tama na ang mga kasalanan sa kabataan at mamamayan. Panahon na para sa pagtindig para sa kabuhayan, karapatan at tunay na pagbabago. June 30 – Youth Action Day, Students Walkout 10 AM – UP Diliman, UP Manila, PUP and community walk-outs/programs/noise barrage 12 NN – Assembly along Espana July 12 -19 – Natoinwide Weeklong Youth Protests July 19 – Nationwide Strike for Education and Social Change July 25 – Youth March: SONA ng Bayan Reference: Vencer Crisostomo, Anakbayan National Chairperson 09224290258, 0917441673 vencercrisostomo@gmail.com http://twitter.com/venzie -- John Francis C. Losaria ANAKBAYAN National Treasurer National Office Staff for Campaign & Propaganda, and Cultural Work johnfrancislosaria@gmail.com anakbayanphils@gmail.com www.anakbayan.org ========================== LFS Negros statement: 1YEAR NI NOYNOY, WALA PINAGABAG-O! by Lfs Negros on Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 5:45pm LFS - Negros 1 YEAR OF AQUINO: NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE, the Crises Worsen The day Noynoy Aquino was inaugurated as president; he promised the Filipino people that we are his boss and vowed to lead us in his “daang matuwid”. Today, June 30, 2011 his regime will mark its 1st year. Based on the promises he made, we vigilantly watch and analyzed his governance. In all social, political and economic fields, we can attest along with the broad masses that he has FAILED in making significant and genuine change for the Filipino people. THE WORSENING CRISIS IN EDUCATION Millions of people still cannot afford to go to school, 7.93 million youth have no access to education, Tuition fees in private schools doubled since 2000 – 2011 (National average: from P5, 406/sem to P10, 526/sem), The total collection of the top 5 schools in 6 years: P15.43 billion, and The primary program of Noynoy for education: - K12 Additional year, additional payment Did not fill the shortages Designed a curriculum that will create graduates who will be semi-skilled workers No program for the out of school youth to be able to go to school The crisis in the Philippine education is indeed worsening. Despite the fact that Aquino regime knows the real and perennial problems of the education sector; his government decided to remain loyal not to his so-called “kayo ang boss ko” but to his Imperialist boss, the United States. Along with protecting the interests of the private capitalist educators through the continual deregulation of tuition fees in private schools and universities; also by cutting the budget in State universities and colleges and ultimately, being DEAF to the sentiments of the masses on the Right to Education. These are all age old problems that will be further aggravated by Noynoy through K12. REGIONAL EDUCATION SITUATION University of St. La Salle – Bacolod increased 5% to tuition and another 5% to miscellaneous fees A.Y. 2011-2012 (P812.64/unit to P848.46/unit) University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos increased 8% to tuition and another 8% to miscellaneous fees A.Y. 2011-2012 (P753.05/unit to P813.3/unit) La Consolacion College – Bacolod increased 3% to tuition and other fees A.Y. 2011-2012 (P532.18/unit to P548.15/unit) Kabankalan Catholic College – increased 8% to tuition and other fees A.Y. 2011-2012 (P308/unit to P332/unit) Southland College – increased a staggering 10% this A.Y. 2011-2012 (P252.78/unit to P278/unit) VMA Global College – increased also 10% to tuition and other fees this A.Y. 2011-2012 (P352.24/unit to P389.66/unit) Mt. Carmel College – increased 10% to tuition and other fees this A.Y. 2011-2012 (P348/unit to P382.8/unit) John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation – Bacolod – increase their tuition to 10% this A.Y. 2011-2012 (P498.24/unit to P548.07/unit) RELENTLESS PUPPETRY TO U.S. AND ALLOWING THEIR CONTINUED INTERFERANCE Promised to re-pass the Visiting Forces Agreement but it never happened. Allowed the Joint Special Operations Task Force – Philippines (JSOPTF-P), 700 US troops to station permanently in Zamboanga City. The continuing entry of US troops and taking advantage the controversy of Spratlys Islands. There is no freedom and no sovereignty under Aquino. In one year, the illusion that Noynoy Aquino will bring change to the Philippine society has been broken. It is seen continuously that he will remain a puppet to the US Imperialists, the big land lords and capitalists and will protect their interests rather than the Filipinos masses’. It has been the historic cry of the youth along with the other sectors in society to fight for national democracy and we are determined to do so. Tama na! Sobra na! Labanan ang inutil, pahirap, papet at pasistang rehimeng US-Aquino! Kabataan, manindigan para sa pambansa-demokratikong pagbabago! Reference: Kabataan Partylist – Visayas League of Filipino Students – National Office















KABATAAN PARTY-LIST Office of Rep. Raymond V. Palatino North Wing Room 419, House of Representatives, Batasan Complex, Quezon City Email: cong.mongpalatino@gmail.com Telefax: (+632) 931-5504 Trunkline: (+632) 9315001 loc 7378 Headquarters: 118-B Scout Rallos Extn, Brgy. Sacred Heart, Quezon City Telefax #: 352-10544 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 30, 2011 Reference: Athena Gardon, Kabataan Party-list Secretary General, 0905-6470797 Bugsy Nolasco, Media Officer, 0922.824.0740 Youths protest vs. PNoy “the decepticon” on his first year in office Kabataan Partylist and hundreds of youths today in a mass demonstration called President Benigno Aquino III “the decepticon” for being a deceitful copycat of former President Macapagal-Arroyo and for failing to fulfill his promise of change on his first year in office. “One year into President Aquino’s term, it becomes clear to the youth and people that he is no different from his predecessor Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Where is the change he promised? His deceitful tack to cover up his inutility makes him a rightful bearer of the tag “the decepticon”. He tried but failed to deceive us with all his empty talk on change,” Kabataan Party-list secretary general Athena Gardon said. “The decepticon” is a reference to the shape-shifting villains in the latest Transformers movie franchise. Gardon said that Aquino still continues in different forms the policies of the Arroyo administration that generate poverty, lack of social services, corruption and foreign domination. “President Aquino merely repackaged the same policies of past administrations especially that of former President Macapagal-Arroyo. Privatization is now public-private partnership. Corruption and bad governance now come in the form of KKK (Kaibigan, Kaklase, Kamag-anak). Social ills like poverty and lack of social services also remain in place. With the rate things are going, President Aquino could turn out to be even worse than Arroyo,” Gardon said. Gardon said that the youth are now gearing up for more protests and other actions which shall culminate on the State of the Nation Address of President Aquino on July 25. ### -- Office of Rep. Raymond ‘Mong’ Palatino Room 419, North Wing, House of Representatives, Batasan Complex, Quezon City Tel: 931-55-04, 931-5001 (loc. 7378) Reference: Kabataan Party-list Rep. Mong Palatino Mobile: 0908-5927099 Bugsy Nolasco, Media Officer Mobile: 0922-8240740








	League Filipino Students PRESS RELEASE July 1, 2011 Despite SUC cuts and runaway school fees Youth used as window dressing in PNoy Year Report “There is nothing that makes the youth's blood boil more than being patronized by an incompetent President that failed to deliver on his promises to the youth.” This was the impassioned statement of Terry Ridon, chairperson of the League of Filipino Students, as the militant student organization criticized the Pilipinas Natin launch which showcased young people to prop up the one-year report of President Benigno Aquino III. Ridon said that it is but hypocritical for Mr. Aquino to invite young people over when it was he that severely cut the budget of state universities and colleges and allowed runaway tuition and other fee increases this June. “Many students failed to enroll this year because Mr. Aquino merely continued the education policies of Mrs. Arroyo. There is nothing to celebrate today, really. In fact, the youth have so much to be miserable about in the manner the country has been run the past year.” Ridon said that the hundreds of thousands of new graduates last March have no adequate and functional employment to this day. “Mr. Aquino just can't ram our new engineers, scientists and artists all into call centers.” Ridon said that all the Mr. Aquino offered the new graduates are job placements in mostly call centers and overseas employment. "To offer us this little is a testament that no significant economic development has been achieved the last year. We feel nothing of the rosy economic data being boasted by Mr. Aquino." Ridon said that economic data is nothing if "the gut has nothing." "P-Noy should instead have used as window dressing the 'bespoke suited' foreign investors his government has protected all this time. It is they that had benefited this past year anyway." Ridon said that the only ones that are bullish about the remaining years of Aquino's term are the foreign investors. "The only ones rejoicing now are his KKK (Kamag-anak, Kapamilya, Kabarilan) and foreign investors looking to make superprofits from our natural resources." Surveys recently reported that there had been sharp decreases of support for Aquino in the lower income brackets. "With Aquino's survey numbers spiraling rapidly, he has nowhere else to go but down." Reference: Terry Ridon, 09155310725, LFS Chairperson



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Press Statement 30 June 2011 Noynoy’s June 30 speech shows he has nothing to be proud of Pres. Aquino's June 30 speech shows that he has nothing to be proud of after one year in office. Nothing new: he again focused on his anti-corruption campaign and blamed the country's problems on the previous administration, despite the fact that he has done nothing significant to bring Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to justice. Amidst intensifying poverty and hunger, Pres. Aquino took the easy route and resorted to vague generalizations whenever talking about the economy. Because it is easier to make promises than to report achievements, the speech is packed with promises, bringing to mind Gloria's SONAs. This preview of his SONA tells us that we have nothing to listen to on that day and many things to protest. Reference: Elmer “Bong Labog, KMU chairperson, 0908-1636597 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Press Release 29 June 2011 Aquino’s “daang matuwid” only benefited his KKK (kaibigan, kaklase, kasosyo) – Anakpawis “After a year, Aquino’s straight path of futility for the working people and puppetry to the United States led the masses nowhere but greater poverty and hunger.” This was the statement of Anakpawis Partylist a day before the Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III marks his 1st year in office. “Aquino’s KKK (Kaibigan, Kaklase, Kasosyo) enjoy the spoils of his daang matuwid while the people suffer from worsening living conditions due to landlessness, homelessness, joblessness, low wages, and skyrocketing prices of oil and other commodities,” said Anakpawis executive vice-president Joel Maglunsod. According to a survey, the number of impoverished and hungry families increased under the Aquino administration. Also in his 1st year, a Cojuangco and Aquino’s campaign funders made it to the list of top billionaires in the country. “We do not expect him to instantly end poverty but he must at least do something to ease our burdens. We already made it easy for him by laying out concrete proposals like the immediate scrapping of the VAT on oil products and the legislation of the P125 Wage Hike Bill, yet he has chosen to ignore, if not reject, our proposals,” Maglunsod said. “He even aggravated poverty and hunger through his anti-people policies. He deprived workers of a substantial wage hike and favored the oil cartel, saying he could not do anything about oil price hikes. Aquino’s programs also paved the way for the demolition of urban poor communities. His relatives and fellow landlords also enjoye widespread land grabbing in the countryside,” added Maglunsod. Anakpawis Partylist also said that being president for only a year does not make a good excuse for Aquino’s failure to address the people’s needs. The recent drop in his popularity and trust ratings are not because his government is still young but because of his anti-people stances and policies. “Failed promises of change, inability to address the people’s needs, worsening poverty, anti-people policies and his puppetry to the US are what made his ratings drop. It is not because he has just been in office for one year. Actually it is even alarming that for just a short period of time, Aquino has already added heavy burdens on the backs of the people, The next years are bleak under the Aquino government,” said Maglunsod. “If his puppetry to the US remains, we have no choice but to kick him out before we die of hunger. We already suffered nine years of agony under the Arroyo regime that is why it is unacceptable for Aquino to further burden the people for the benefit of his real ‘bosses’, the United States and his fellow hacienderos and big businessmen,” Maglunsod ended.# Reference: Joel Maglunsod, Anakpawis Executive Vice President 985-5382, 0922-830-7275 ______________________________________________________________________________ Partylist ng masa... ANAKPAWIS 56 K-9 Street, West Kamias, Quezon City 1102 email: anakpawis2003@yahoo.com visit our website http://anakpawis.net/













			Press Statement Hunyo 30, 2011 Reference: Ma. Cristina Guevarra, Hustisya secretary general 0949-1772928 Sa unang taon ni PNoy sa Malacañang Wala pa ring Hustisya para sa mga Biktima ng Paglabag sa Karapatang Pantao Ngayong araw na ito, isang taon na sa Malacañang si Pang. Noynoy Aquino. Sa loob ng 365 araw bilang pangulo, mayroon nang 49 na aktibista at ordinaryong mamamayang pinaslang ayon s Karapatan. Sa isang buong taon ng panunungkulan ni Aquino, isang buwan at kalahati nito ay may mga nagluluksang pamilya at kaanak ng biktima ng extrajudicial killings. Ang 365 araw sa isang taon ay katumbas din ng 8,760 oras. Sa buong panahong ito, ilang minuto lamang ang kinailangan para dukutin at iwala ang limang bagong desaparecidos sa ilalim ni PNOy. Samantala, isang taon na naman ang idinagdag sa paghahanap sa 206 na desaparecidos na idinukot at iwinala sa rehimen ni Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Bawat minuto naman, sa loob ng 525,600 minuto sa loob ng isang taon ni PNOy sa pwesto, inaasam-asam ng may 342 bilanggong pulitikal na makalaya at magawaran ng hustisya mula sa iligal na detensyon, pag-aresto at tortyur. Hanggang sa ngayon, bingi si PNoy sa panawagang palayain ang mga bilanggong pulitikal – malayung-malayo sa kanyang ina na wala pang isang taon matapos ang EDSA People Power ay nagpalaya ng mga bilanggong pulitikal na inaresto sa ilalim ng diktadurang Marcos. Para sa mga kaanak ng mga extrajudicial killings, sapilitang pagkawala at mga bilanggong pulitikal, napakahabang panahon ng isang taon na ito para sa gobyernong Aquino para dumakip ng maysala, hilingin ang hustisya sa korte at isigaw ang katarungan sa lansangan. Gayunman, isang buong taon na naman ang lumipas na patuloy na nakakaupo si Arroyo sa Kongreso. Namuhay nang malaya at walang pananagutan sina Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan at mga utak ng pamamaslang at pagdukot. Ang masahol pa, ginugugol pa rin ng gobyernong Aquino ang panahon nito sa poder para patuloy na supilin ang mamamayan, sa pamamagitan ng bagong kontra-insurhensyang programa ng Oplan Bayanihan. Wala nang ibang aasahan ang mamamayan kundi ang kanilang sariling lakas para igiit ang hustisya. Sapat na ang isang taon para makita naming ang pagpapahirap ni PNoy sa mamamayan. Hindi na kami maghihintay ng anim na taon pa. Wala kaming sasayanging panahon para kamtin ang hustisya. ### PNoy: Bingi sa sigaw ng hustisya, pahirap sa mamamayan! Hustisya sa mga biktima ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao! Panagutin ang mga maysala! Ibasura ang oplan bayanihan!







PRESS STATEMENT Communist Party of the Philippines 29 June 2011 The rapid fall in Aquino's popularity shows that the stark realities of poverty, mass unemployment and hunger have exposed Aquino's chicanery and illusions of reform to the Filipino people. Benigno Aquino III bound to be swept away by the Filipino people in coming years As the Aquino regime marks its first year in power, the Filipino people notch another year of continuing hardship, worsening poverty and intensifying oppression under an increasingly repressive regime. They are confronted by a deepening crisis brought about by the Aquino regime's pursuit of the same antipeople and pro-imperialist policies of the past puppet regimes. The Aquino regime has thoroughly dashed the hopes of those who expected a break from the past Arroyo regime's corruption, puppetry and repression. They are dismayed at Aquino's failure to take decisive measures to prosecute and punish Arroyo and her retinue of plunderous officials. With the rise of the "Kamag-anak, Kaklase, Kaibigan at Kalaro Inc." (Relatives, Classmates, Friends and Playmates, Inc.) -- his herd of favored friends and relatives who are increasingly involved in questionable appointments and anomalous transactions -- Aquino is now proving himself to be not much different in terms of his Marcos-type cronyism. The Filipino people broadly perceive the Aquino regime to be incompetent. They are disillusioned by Aquino's uninspiring leadership style and his complete lack of propriety over the purchase of his multi-million peso sportscar and preoccupation with personal and familial concerns. On more fundamental issues, the broad masses are outraged over the Aquino government's failure to undertake measures to lift them from the quagmire of poverty, hunger, disease and homelessness. He has allowed foreign oil monopolies to incessantly raise local retail prices of petroleum products. He has allowed hikes in the toll rates of the North and South Luzon expressways which have burdened commuters and public transport operators. Increases in train fares are impending. In stark contrast, he has refused to raise wages despite the spiralling costs of basic commodities and increasing inaccesibility of health care and other services. Closer to home, not only has Aquino failed to address the decades-long clamor to subject Hacienda Luisita to genuine land reform, he has allowed his family corporation to carry out one scheme after another to deceive the peasants as well as plantation and mill workers into dropping their claim over the hacienda lands with false "compensation packages". He has refused to put up the faintest opposition to the Supreme Court decision granting his uncle Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco full control over the "coco levy funds" exacted from the coconut farmers under the Marcos martial law regime. The Aquino regime insists on the completely discredited policies of imperialist "globalization" by pushing for the further liberalization of trade and investment, the privatization of the remaining public assets and increasing role of private and foreign capitalist interests in public infrastructure building. His regime has carried out the forcible and often violent demolition of urban poor shanties in favor of big comprador companies. It has significantly cut budgetary allocations to health and educational services resulting in the further deterioration of public schools and medical facilities. Road-building and other infrastructure projects are granted to favored private interests. Aquino continues to faithfully abide by the IMF policy of automatic debt allocation. More than half of the government's tax collection is wasted on servicing the Philippine foreign debt, the majority of which has been pocketed by corrupt bureaucrats and crony businessmen. As with the previous regimes, the Aquino regime continues to toe the export-oriented and debt-dependent economic line. It relies on foreign investments to oil the local economy. The gargantuan problem of unemployment is addressed only by sending Filipino labor abroad or through short-term foreign investments in such areas as call centers. It is determined to allow foreign mining companies to plunder the country's natural resources and despoil the environment. It refuses to forge a strategic economic blueprint that would build local industries and achieve self-sufficiency in food and other basic necessities. Aquino feeds the people with nothing but lies. Among the biggest illusions being peddled by Aquino is that the people will be uplifted from poverty through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4P), a World Bank-designed multi-billion peso corruption-ridden doleout scheme initiated by the Arroyo regime. Aquino wants the "poorest of the poor" to believe that their poverty could be addressed by dealing them with a few thousand pesos a year without addressing their basic socio-economic problems such as landlessness, unemployment and subhuman wages. The Aquino regime's "poverty alleviation" program is nothing but a cog in the counter-insurgency scheme designed by his US military advisers along the lines of the US State Department's Counter-insurgency Guide of 2009. The simple and ultimate aim is to draw the people away from the path of revolutionary resistance by feeding them illusions and infusing them with hopes of reform. These schemes are being carried out in combination with the military psywar machinery's "peace and development" hype which camouflages the brutal military operations being carried out by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the countryside. The militarist aim becomes clear when AFP soldiers take over the so-called "delivery" of government services. Aquino has abused human rights rhetoric but has failed to undertake any significant measures to uphold the people's human rights. Not a single fascist criminal responsible for the more than one thousand cases of extrajudicial killing under the Arroyo regime has been brought to justice. Gen. Jovito Palparan remains scot-free despite being responsible for some of the most heinous fascist crimes of the past decade, including the abduction, rape, torture and disappearance of UP students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan and peasant activist Manuel Merino; the abduction, torture and enslavement of the Manalo brothers and the campaign of suppression that terrorized hundreds of thousands of people in Mindoro, Samar, Central Luzon and Southern Mindanao. In failing to even castigate the AFP for the countless crimes committed under the 2001-2010 Oplan Bantay Laya, Aquino has virtually licensed the military to continue its terror campaign. Under Oplan Bayanihan, the AFP continues with its brutal triad of simultaneous psywar, intelligence and combat operations. These operations have victimized civilians, including women, children and senior citizens. So-called "community organizing and peace and development" or COPD operations are conducted in remote barrios (villages) where the military imposes curfews, population control and food blockades. The AFP uses hard and soft approaches in its military operations which invariably violate the people's rights and freedoms. Human rights continue to be trampled upon by the AFP on a daily basis. The AFP refuses to abide by the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL). Furthermore, over the past few months, it has arrested key representatives and consultants of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in violation of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG). This has put into question the sincerity and determination of the Aquino government to pursue the path of peace negotiations with the NDFP. The Aquino regime has refused to release 17 illegally arrested and detained NDFP peace consultants despite its January 2011 commitment to do so. More than 300 political prisoners continue to languish in prison. In contrast to its failure to undertake positive measures to pursue peace negotiations with the NDFP, the Aquino regime has been cultivating ever friendlier relations with the Marcoses and rehabilitating the dictatorship from its well-deserved place in the dustbins of history. Its plan to grant a "heroe's burial" to the dictator Marcos is a grave insult to the Filipino people, a reversal of their historic judgment and a defilement of the 1986 EDSA People's Uprising. Just like the Marcos dictatorship and the succeeding regimes, the Aquino government is exhibiting shameless puppetry to US economic, political and military interests. It defends the Visiting Forces Agreement, the Mutual Defense Treaty and all other unequal treaties with the US. It continues to allow the permanent stationing of the 700-strong Joint US Special Operations Task Force-Philippines in Camp Navarro in Zamboanga City which serves as its base for its interventionist military operations in the country. It has allowed one nuclear-powered US carrier ship after another to enter Philippine waters and unload thousands of American servicemen. In hyping up anti-China sentiments over the Spratlys issue, the Aquino regime is playing its role in the US-designed script to whip up diplomatic and military tensions in the South China Sea. Aquino's role in the current brouhaha over the Spratlys was assigned to him when he boarded the USS Carl Vinson in May. The US imperialists' aim is to deploy its reconnaissance and naval hardware in the South China Sea in the guise of "supporting the defense the Philippines" and "modernizing" the AFP as a foil against what it perceives as the growing strategic threat posed by China to US global hegemony. There is no bright future for the Filipino people under the Aquino regime. Under the current reactionary caretaker of the ruling semicolonial and semifeudal system, the broad masses of workers and peasants, as well as the middle- and petty bourgeoisie will continue to suffer from one grave crisis to another. The rapid fall in Aquino's popularity shows that the stark realities of poverty, mass unemployment and hunger have exposed Aquino's chicanery and illusions of reform to the Filipino people. Aquino and his regime are being increasingly isolated from the people. Aquino sits on top of the Philippine social volcano that is threatening to explode with intense revolutionary fury. It is only a matter of time before the Filipino people rise up in their millions against the puppet and reactionary Aquino regime. There is no other recourse for the Filipino people to advance their national and democratic aspirations other than waging mass struggles and armed revolution. The people's mass struggles are steadily gaining ground in both urban and rural areas. The Filipino youth's revolutionary fervor is bound to be reawakened as they seek fundamental solutions to the pervasive social problems. The CPP central leadership has directed the New People's Army (NPA) to continue intensifying guerrilla warfare nationwide in order to overcome the setbacks, surpass past victories and fulfill the requirements of advancing the people's war to the next strategic stage. The revolutionary armed struggle is bound to absorb thousands of Red fighters as the people's mass struggles intensify in the coming years. On the other hand, the victories of the armed revolution in scores of guerrilla fronts will continue to inspire the people to further intensify their mass resistance. Because of his antipeople, pro-imperialist and repressive policies, Aquino's hold on power has become increasingly tenuous, even after only a year in power. He is bound to be consumed by the raging fires of the Filipino people's resistance.




















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