Press Release

Thursday, February 29, 2008

 

Youth Strike versus GMA: Kalampag sa Kabatan-onan sa Kadalanan VS Corruption and for Gloria's Resignation

 

Davao City—Members of youth organizations League of Filipino Students (LFS) and Anakbayan stormed the streets of Davao Thursday afternoon in time for the national day of action initiated by the Youth Act Now!.

 

Rachel Pomar, spokesperson of the Anakbayan-Southern Mindanao, said it was in continuation of the youth's strong condemnation on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's corrupt government as nailed down by the recent NBN-ZTE scandal that dragged the first family and some of her officials.

 

With the strings of offenses committed by Ms Arroyo against the people, Pomar said, they have all the reasons to call and demand for her immediate resignation.

 

The protesters said that the Arroyo government has been very busy cheating on the hapless and poor people, especially the youth, who expected a delivery of basic services from the government. Instead the government, Pomar said, has been very unstoppable in its delivery of anti-people and anti-youth policies.  

 

"The NBN-ZTE Deal is said to be a concrete manifestation of how the present government would want to steal people's wealth to stay on power," Pomar said.

 

She said that the youth is greatly disappointment in the Arroyo administration.

 

"In as much as the youth's primary concern is education, they said that it has long been neglected by the government, instead, focuses on other projects that are not actually demanded by the people," she said.

 

"Here is our call for our right to education which we believe is more important to be largely allocated by government budget than an overpriced broadband network deal, among others. Majority of the Filipinos is in dire need of free and affordable education while GMA and her corrupt officials continue to harbor projects as sources of corruption," Pomar said.

 

Karlos Manlupig, LFS-Southern Mindanao spokesperson, also said that the disgust of the youth over GMA is that she's never been the legitimate president.

 

"We cannot wait for her to retire on 2010 as she had a bad record of telling the truth in the past, she would only perpetuate her stay in power. The Filipino people deserve a better leader that would genuinely serve the interest of the people," Manlupig said.

 

The youth leaders said that the constitution provides that "public office is a public trust and therefore government leaders, especially the chief executive, should be made accountable to crimes attributed to them."

 

"We declare our solidarity with other sectors of the society who demand the immediate resignation of GMA.  We also urge everyone take part in the movement against a corrupt and power-obsessed leader," Manlupig said as he vowed for more protests actions against the government of GMA.

 

"The streets will serve as our den in defending our democratic interest slowly stolen and deprived by a corrupt government", Manlupig added.

 

 

For Reference:

 

KARLOS MANLUPIG

Spokesperson, League of Filipino Students Davao City

(0910-812-4204)

 

Rachel Pomar

Spokesperson

Anakbayan Southern Mindanao

(anakbayan.smr@gmail.com)