Part 5 -SONA NG MAMAMAYAN 2011 (People's State of the Nation Address), July 25, 2011

SONA NG MAMAMAYAN 2011

(People's State of the Nation Address) - 5

Manila Part 1 Manila Part 2 Manila Part 3 Manila Part 4 Manila Part 5

Southern Tagalog Visayas Cagayan de Oro Davao Zamboanga

July 25, 2011

Photos courtesy of Amy Padilla, Charlotte Despuez, Efren Ricalde, Ron de Vera, and Rosana Pariñas as indicated by the filenames

Makabayan Coalition representatives at the People's SONA and at the HOR SONA ▼



x Makabayan calls for reversal of government policies On Aquino’s 2nd State of the Nation Address THE MAKABAYAN Coalition, representing progressive party-lists, leaders and grassroots chapters nationwide, today called called on the Filipino people “to press the pursuance of a nationalist industrialization program, in tandem with genuine agrarian reform, as the proper road to socio-economic development that shall free the economy from foreign control and lift the majority of the Filipino people from endemic poverty.” Makabayan issued the call, through its president, Satur C. Ocampo, who spoke at the people's state-of-the-nation rally along Commonwealth Avenue led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan. Ocampo scored President Benigno S. Aquino III for blindly adhering to the neoliberal economic policies and programs carried on by the previous administrations. "Such policies and programs, dictated by the multilateral agencies -- World Bank, IMF, WTO -- have prevented the development of a Philippine economy effectively controlled by Filipinos and condemned the nation to perpetual indebtedness. Such policies and programs have enriched foreign investors, their Filipino big-business cohorts and the Filipino elite, but have kept the masses in thrall to poverty and hopelessness," he pointed out. "President Aquino must waken up to the fact that prominent economists who used to support the neoliberal economic doctrines (Joseph Stiglitz for one) now point to their disastrous effects on the world economy in deep crisis, especially on the poor nations. At home, he must realize that even his supporters among economists and in the academe are worried that his PPP-cum-CCT approach to boosting the economy and eradicating poverty falls short of what is needed to achieve the goals," Ocampo urged. "Only a definitive departure from the "neoliberal globalization paradigm" towards pursuing nationalist industrialization and genuine agrarian reform can give free rein to the huge potentials of developing Philippine agriculture and industry to the maximum benefit of the Filipino people," Ocampo stressed. Makabayan was joined by its party-lists affiliates Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela Women’s Party, Kabataan, ACT Teachers, Katribu, Migrante and Courage. Ka Satur Ocampo, Makabayan President, addressed the protesters held back by thousands of police troops. The Makabayan contingent wore head ties with the call “Itaas and laban!” (elevate the fight) and held three mock-ups of Aquino representing 3 P’s – “pahirap, papet, pasista”. ### For reference: Satur Ocampo, Makabayan President







			x GABRIELA WOMEN'S PARTY NEWS RELEASE July 26, 2011 Ref: Rep. Emmi De Jesus, 0917-3221203 Rowena Festin, 0915-6349308 Aquino’s Wangwang Clueless of Wengwang Conditions of Women Wallowing in Poverty “It was as if he was talking only to Filipinos belonging to the middle and upper class strata of society. Reference to concerns and issues of poor Filipinos was tokenism at its best. If our poor women were to listen closely to the speech, immediately, they will understand there is no hope for change to be expected in the next few years under Aquino,” was Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Emmi De Jesus’ reaction of the 2011 SONA of President Noynoy Aquino. “Poor women know better than to believe Aquino’s speech because they are fully aware that after a year of P-Noy Administration, their homes are still under threat of demolition, their families remain hungry, they still do not have decent job with living wages, oil price and basic goods and commodities continue to rise, their children still cannot go to school, and their health concerns remain unaddressed,” added GWP Rep. Emmi De Jesus. "His claim that a decrease by 15.1% self-rated hunger is the biggest lie of all because some 4.5 million Filipinos are jobless. IBON also revealed that underemployment rate rose to 19.4% in April 2011 from 17.8% in 2010. It implies an 827,000 increase in the number of Filipinos not earning enough from their jobs and seeking additional work. The mandated minimum wage of PhP426 and the measly PhP22 ECOLA as of May 2011 is far from the PhP1,000 daily need for a family of six in NCR to live decently. His silence on Hacienda Luisita and migrant issues also clearly shows that the Aquino administration failed to consider the Filipino people’s long-term well-being," explained the Gabriela solon. “Clearly, poor women today are “wengwang” and “windang” every day, worrying how to make ends meet for their families. The President's wang-wang rhetorics will not spell out decent jobs with living wages, nor homes free from demolition teams. What Filipinos need are clear policies that will truly uplift conditions of the poor on a long-term basis, without having to hang on to the thin thread of CCT-dependency,” ended De Jesus.### -- Representative EMMI DE JESUS Gabriela Women's Party "Babae, Bata, OFWs at Bayan.... Tuloy ang Laban!" ======================================================================= NEWS RELEASE 26 July 2011 For Reference: REP. LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN 0920-9213221 Jang Monte (Public Information Officer) 0917-4049119 WANG-WANG SONA: LACKING AND OFF-TANGENT –ILAGAN Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan today said President Noynoy Aquino’s “Wang-Wang SONA” was sorely lacking, hollow and without direction. “President Aquino’s war against wang-wang is misdirected and off-tangent. Why not wage a war against the wang-wang of oil companies who make billions in profits out of over-pricing? Why not wage a war against the wang-wang of employers and companies who refuse to regularize employees and give just compensation?” “How about the wang-wang of mining companies that wantonly rampage on our resources and the wang-wang of big landowners who refuse to subject their haciendas to land reform? Why not wage a war against the wang-wang of impunity and human rights violations?” The Gabriela solon likewise expressed her disappointment as the President failed to mention how it would address the plight of Filipino migrant workers. “There is no government action plan to protect, assist and repatriate some 20,000 stranded OFWs and 122 OFWs in jail.” “Yesterday’s SONA also failed to make mention of a Mindanao agenda. Does this administration have any agenda for peace in Mindanao? What now of the so-called Mindanao reforms that PNoy said would be implemented following his endorsement of the postponement of ARMM elections?” asked Ilagan, herself a Mindanaoan. “It was like the President asking us to drive along the so-called ‘daang-matuwid’ without any sort of map or road signs. There were so many promises, without any clear plan on how we could get there,” said Ilagan. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS RELEASE July 25, 2011 Ref: Rep. Emmi De Jesus, 0917-3221203 Rowena Festin, 0915-6349308 Gabriela Solon Emmi De Jesus Counters EVAT via Ruel Rivera Gown There are fashion statements and fashionable political statements. For this year's biggest fashion event, Gabriela representative Emmi De Jesus dons a baby pink panuwelo as her fashion placard, with lilac nouveau art text spelling out her call to "SCRAP EVAT." The panuwelo-as-placard accessorizes a Ruel Rivera gown, Marikina's fashion designer par excellence. "Roel understands very well that my priority is to get a message across, thus the minimalist silver gray Italian gazar-cut gown embroidered with fuschia leaves and flowers, to allow focus on the panuwelo with its political call," explained Rep. Emmi De Jesus. "As a representative for Gabriela Women's Party, it is our utmost duty to bring to today's State of the Nation Address in Congress, the voices and demands of poor women, in all possible ways. It is the women who have to shake their heads endlessly in an effort to make ends meet and solve financial scarcity in the household. EVAT burdens poor women the most as they have the least funds to shell out. It is only just that we bring to Congress their calls to SCRAP EVAT," ended the Gabriela solon. ### -- Representative EMMI DE JESUS Gabriela Women's Party "Babae, Bata, OFWs at Bayan.... Tuloy ang Laban!"













x Press Release 26 July 2011 What about the environment? “PNoy’s SONA failed to address environmental problems,”-Kalikasan PNE The State of the Nation Address given by President Aquino yesterday disappointed green groups lead by Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment. According to them, the issue of environmental protection and solving environmental problems was hardly mentioned in the President’s SONA. “PNoy has already spent one year in office and still, he has neither concrete plans nor achievements on the environment. Instead, he just continued the destructive environmental policies of the previous Arroyo administration that opened our natural resources to foreign plunder,” said Marjorie Pamintuan, spokesperson of Kalikasan PNE. The only environmental agenda mentioned in the SONA was about planting trees and employing communities to guard them. “This is nothing new. It has been already done by the past administrations with little positive effect. In a research done by Kalipunan ng Katutubong mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP) and the Center for Environmental Concerns-Philippines (CEC-Phils), this kind of scheme which is similar to the existing Community Based Forest Management Agreement (CBFMA) and Socialized Industrial Forest Management Act (SIFMA) lead to grabbing of forest lands while the communities became DENR’s poorly paid workers.” The groups say that even the President’s log ban which was implemented through EO 23 is full of loopholes. “The log ban is quite deceptive since it allows cutting of trees in natural and residual forests to give way to plantations which most likely will be owned by corporate loggers. This will pave the way for the proliferation of monoculture plantations that will destroy the Philippine’s biodiversity and will lead to more land grabbing.” According to Kalikasan PNE, the President’s policy on mining and energy are also detrimental to the environment and the people. “He worsened mining plunder by approving 353 new mining applications. At the prodding of mining companies, the government is bent on reversing the mining moratorium declared by 12 local provincial governments in the country such as South Cotabato, Batangas Capiz, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Samar and Western Samar.” “Moreover, the PNoy‘s dirty energy plan which supports coal-fired power plants will not only destroy the livelihood of the people living around them and pollute the air but will also worsen climate change because of the massive carbon dioxide emissions.” Two (2) coal power plants were inaugurated by Aquino: the Panay coal plant in April and the Cebu coal plant in July. There are 12 more proposed coal plants that will be built all over the country. According to the group Advocates of Science and Technology for the People, the “clean coal technology” used by the coal companies is not really clean since it neither eliminates nor reduces the amount the carbon dioxide that the coal plants release. They also said that the Philippines has actually an oversupply of electricity but the people still pay high electricity rates because of the Electric Industry Power Reform Act (EPIRA). Aside from his anti-environment and anti-people policies, the environmental groups also criticized PNoy’s silence on environmental killings. “It is very ironic that he always mouths justice but is silent on the deaths of the seven (7) environmental defenders who were killed under his administration. He has been mum even on the popular cases of botanist Leonard Co and broadcaster and anti-mining advocate Dr. Gerry Ortega. He always blames the past administration’s crimes but has never moved a finger to give justice to the 33 environmentalists killed under Arroyo.” “PNoy did not offer anything new and substantive for the environment and well being of the people. Instead, he worsened environmental plunder by just continuing the rotten environmental policies of Arroyo. If this is the “tuwid na daan” where he wants to take us, then, we are driving straight into massive environmental destruction and widespread poverty,” ended Pamintuan. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- KALIKASAN PEOPLE’S NETWORK FOR THE ENVIRONMENT 26 Matulungin St. Central Dist., Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines, 1100 Tel./Fax; +63 (2) 924-8756; E-mail: kalikasan.pne@gmail.com Website: www.kalikasan.org Press Release 25 July 2011 Environmental performance as rotten as Arroyo’s “PNoy’s environmental policy leads straight towards destruction,”-Kalikasan-PNE On the President’s second State of the Nation Address, environmental groups lead by Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment say Aquino’s performance is as rotten as the previous President Arroyo’s. “The state of the Philippine environment is definitely worse under Pres. Aquino because of his environmental policies that support mining plunder, deforestation and dirty coal,” said Marjorie Pamintuan, spokesperson of Kalikasan PNE. Worsening Mining Plunder On February 2011, the President Aquino and DENR Secretary Ramon Paje announced a moratorium on mining applications to review existing pending applications. After the review, 353 new mining contracts were favorably endorsed and approved. “The review of mining applications was really to pave the way for the entry of more foreign mining giants in the country; not to stop them from plundering our mineral resources. For a country whose 7 out of 10 farmers are landless, the government gives more than 1 million hectares of land concessions to mining companies.” “Aquino remains deaf and indifferent to the clamors of not only environmental groups and but also of the local government units to issue a mining moratorium in their areas. At the prodding of the mining companies, the national government and the DENR is bent on reversing the local mining moratoriums declared by LGUs of 12 provinces such as South Cotabato, Batangas Capiz, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Samar and Western Samar.” “The government and large scale mining companies should stop using small scale miners as escape goats for the environmental damages that foreign-dominated mining did in our country. Mining is destructive to both our environment and economy because it is export-oriented and dominated by foreign corporations whose sole goal is to gain profit from our mineral reserves by exporting them, not to develop Philippine industries. The two worst mine spill cases were caused by Marcopper in Marinduque and Lafayette in Rapu-Rapu, Albay. In these two cases, the erring mining companies conveniently escaped back to their own countries without being punished for their crimes.” Log Ban Full of Loopholes. Biodiversity Under Threat President Aquino signed EO 23 on February 2011 to declare a nation wide log ban in response to the flashfloods and landslides that left 75 dead, 22 missing and displaced almost 2 million families. Along with EO 23, Aquino signed EO 26 to implement the National Greening Program that aims to plant 1.5 billion trees covering 1.5 million hectares by 2016. “Even with the log ban in place, section 2.2 of EO 23 does not prevent cutting of trees in natural and residual forests to give way to plantations. This is ironic and at the same time alarming because this can result to losing our real forests in exchange for monoculture plantations that destroys the biodiversity of Philippine forests. The NGP plus its entry to the REDD+ policy framework on the other hand can actually lead to land grabbing schemes that have victimized indigenous peoples in the past.” In the 1990s, Alson Inc. was granted an IFMA of 45, 000 hectares which covered the ancestral lands of Lumads. The tribes were driven away from their ancestral lands to give way to tree plantations. Support for Dirty Coal “Pres. Aquino’s presence at the inauguration of the country’s two (2) new coal fired power plants shows his support for dirty coal as the main source of energy.” The Panay coal fired power plant was inaugurated on August 1 while the Cebu coal fired power plant was inaugurated on June 27 this year. Both inaugurations were attended by Pres. Aquino. There are 12 new coal plants that will be built in the future in the provinces of Isabela, Zambales, Pangasinan, Quezon, Saranggani, Davao, Batangas and even in Metro Manila. “This is despite the fact that even with the supposed clean coal technology (circulating fluidized bed combustion or CFBC) used by the coal companies, they still emit large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which worsens climate change.” Kalikasan PNE also noted President Aquino’s lenience towards coal companies. “Instead of making polluters pay, polluters are given incentives. PNoy condoned part of the P6 billion tax liabilities of the Pagbilao coal plant owned by Team Energy. Aboitiz on the other hand was given tax perks for the coal plant it will build in Davao.” Silent on Environmental Killings According to the group’s monitoring, there are already seven (7) environmentalists killed under Pres. Aquino including world-renowned botanist Leonard Co and anti-mining advocate and broadcaster Dr. Gerry Ortega. The remaining four (4) victims are also anti-mining advocates. “Up until now, PNoy is silent on their deaths as well as on the deaths of the 33 environmental defenders killed under the Arroyo administration.” GPH’s twisted analysis of the root cause of poverty; blames environmental damage Meanwhile, Kalikasan PNE also hit on the GPH’s supposed “green framework” in the current peace talks with the National Democratic Front. “The GPH’s analysis that improperly blames environmental damage as one of the root causes of conflict is quite misleading. The government tries to remove the blame from imperialist plunder as the main cause of environmental destruction and poverty.” “One year in the office and Pres. Aquino has yet to show the country that he cares for the environment and the people. Instead, he just continues the old and rotten policies of Arroyo. If this is the “tuwid na daan” that Pres. Aquino wants to take the Filipinos, then, we are driving straight towards destruction,” Pamintuan ended.### Reference: Marjorie Pamintuan 09175806990 -- CLEMENTE BAUTISTA National Coordinator Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE) No.26 Matulungin St. Bgy. Central, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines 1100 Tel. No. +63-2-9248756 Fax No. +63-2-9209099 Email: kalikasan.pne@gmail.com Website: www.kalikasan.org














			MAKABAYAN Coalation march to Batasan ▼








			x Media Release 26 July 2011 Wang-wang SONA: Too much noise, too little substance “There’s one thing in common between this year’s SONA and wang-wang, its favorite object: they both send out too much noise.” This was labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno’s reaction to Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s State of the Nation Address this year, saying the speech failed to present the real situation of the Filipino workers and people and to push for much-needed reforms. “Like a wang-wang, the 2011 SONA is a display of the president’s privilege to inflict upon the public a blown-up accomplishment report and too much feel-good but empty rhetoric. We were transported to fantasy-land again,” said Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairperson. “This year’s SONA failed to address the concerns of the country’s farmers and workers, who compose the majority of the population. Pressing demands for a significant wage hike, for an end to contractualization, for lower prices of oil and other basic necessities, and for genuine land reform – all of these were left out of a speech describing the state of the nation,” he added. “What is missing is a strategic vision for development, a plan to develop industries and implement land reform. Without such a vision, the so-called good news which were reported by the president appear isolated and coincidental,” he said. Selective data, hype on employment KMU criticized Aquino for being highly selective in presenting data and being overblown in his rhetoric, citing the SONA’s section on employment as example. Pres. Aquino presented data on the reduction of the unemployed from 8% in April 2010 to 7.2% in April 2011. “Aquino failed to cite data from the same National Statistics Office survey showing an increase from 17.8% last April 2010 to 19.4% this April of the number of underemployed. That means the number of Filipinos who are not earning enough from their jobs and are seeking additional work increased by more than half a million,” Labog said. “These data show that the available jobs in the country remain low-paying and poor-quality ones. It is simply a lie to say, on the basis of these data, that Filipinos now have a choice to not leave the country to find decent work,” he added. “In fact, the number of Filipinos leaving the country to find jobs abroad increased under Pres. Aquino’s first year. We cannot even bring home our OFWs from crisis-torn countries,” Labog said. According to independent NGO Center for Trade Union and Human Rights, the number of Filipinos going abroad to seek employment increased from 3,500 everyday in 2009 to 4,413 in 2010. Reference: Elmer “Bong” Labog, KMU chairperson, 0908-1636597 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For Reference: Daisy Arago, Executive Director, Center for Trade Union and Human Rights, +63910.380.1897 PNoy miserably failed. Life for workers and the poor gone worse – CTUHR President Benigno “PNoy” Aqunio III failed in its many promises in his first year as president. The life and rights of the workers and the poor have worsened as he continued the same old policies espoused by the Arroyo administration. Five trade unionists, and 3 urban poor were killed in his first year. PNoy promised to prosecute human rights violators and put an end to extrajudicial killings. But his first year as president registered higher incidence of extrajudicial killings which totaled to 48. In the labor sector, five workers and unionists, three urban poor were killed, compared to one under Arroyo’s first year in 2001. Worse, no one has been prosecuted and held accountable for even one case of extrajudicial killing or enforced disappearance which is in sharp contrast to his strong statements in his first SONA last year. Documented victims of human rights (HR) violations, both civil and political as well as economic social and cultural, is six times higher during PNoy’s first year compared to GMA’s. From July 2010 to June 2011, Center for Trade Union and Human Rights documented a total of 33178 victims of HR violations compared to only 5363 in 2001. Aquino’s counter insurgency program, Oplan Bayanihan (OB), accounts for most of the reasons. Intensified civil-military operations under Oplan Bayanihan, only perpetuates militarization of communities and workplaces as experienced by workers in Dole Philippines and other plantations in Mindanao. This kind of program has long been identified as causes of numerous violations in the past, but PNoy continued the same. Legal offensives against workers and workers advocates persist. Trumped up murder charges against ST72 which include a renowned labor leader, Atty. Remigio Saladero, was refiled in May this year even though it was already dismissed two years ago. Widening gap between the rich and the poor The rich became richer under PNoy. The richest Filipinos, according to the latest Forbes survey, increased their net worth by 39 percent totaling to US$22.8 B from US$16.4 B in the previous year. On the other hand, the government – in order to boast about the decreased number of poor Filipinos – changed the poverty threshold from P54 a day to only P46 a day. Despite this, the number of poor Filipinos remained high at 23.1 million. The controversial Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) – a program which is more of a remedy than a solution – only lessened the incidence of hunger temporarily but failed to diminish the number of poor. High prices and low wages Increased taxes and fees were imposed in the first year of PNoy government while it is most lenient to imposing taxes on oil companies despite the series of oil price hikes. Since January 2011, oil prices have increased 18 times thus pushing the prices of basic commodities and transportation to soar. Consequently, the real value of wages at a low P245 has further been eroded by P10.50 due to price increases(Ibon). Yet , the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) only granted a meager P22 increase in COLA to private sector employees in the National Capital Region (NCR). Increase in COLA is lower or non-existent in other regions where poverty is more visible. Government employees were given their 3rd tranche of SSL increase a month earlier than expected but the average increase of P1800 a month is still insignificant compared to the sector's demand of P6000 monthly wage hike. No clear employment program Total number of unemployed increased to 11.3 Million (SWS survey) and underemployment rate is not improving despite continual change in definition and categorization of unemployed. SWS survey noted that PNoy now has the distinction of being the first President in recent decades whose first year in office is marked by the steep worsening of unemployment. Six out of 10 employed are part time workers and almost half of the employed are in the informal sector or considered in vulnerable employment: with no security of tenure, no benefits and not allowed to unionize. Yet, the government does not have clear employment program except for creating emergency employment, inviting more investors through public private partnerships( PPP), employment facilitation through provision of technical skills and resolving labor mismatch and exporting Filipino workers abroad. There was nothing fundamental in how employment could be generated locally or how industries could be developed. All programs that PNoy government pursue are programs that have been proven bankrupt and failed to stem unemployment in the last administrations . “Worst year for OFWs” The number of OFWs increased to nearly 15 million, a clear indicator that labour export policy is the Aquino administration’s core employment strategy. Horrendous reality that beset OFWs was not abated. In fact, six to 10 OFWs are brought home dead everyday while the number of OFWs in the death row increased from 108 to 122. And despite the unrest in the Middle East and neighbouring western African countries, the government is still encouraging Filipinos to work in the Arab states. This is not surprising as the government expects to earn US$22 B (Php860 billions) in remittances by the end of the year, up from a $18 billion last year. Despite the gigantic gains from OFWs, the Aquino administration slashed the budget by half for OFW services from $19.5B to $10 B this year. Thus, it was not surprise that the government is unable to repatriate 90% of Filipinos stranded in Libya and is unable to provide legal aid to OFWs facing criminal charges abroad. Favouring capital over workers rights and interests The straight path clearly directs favouring capital over the rights and interests of workers especially on the issue of job security. DOLE for instance approved PAL’s decision to outsource one of its departments at the expense of the livelihood and job security of 2600 employees. The Department of Trade and Industry in the early months of the Aquino administration also expressed the need to relax labor law provisions on constitutionally guaranteed right to security of tenure to encourage more investors. PNoy is also mum in the issue of ABS-CBN workers who were illegally dismissed after forming a union despite DOLE’s decision that the workers were indeed regular employees of ABS-CBN. Worse in a move to legalize contractual labor, Malacañang allies in Congress particularly Akbayan, is now pushing for a so-called security of tenure bill which will legally allow industries to have 20% of their employees hired as contractual, a practice which was actually not codified under the law. Hazardous occupation PNoy’s first year also highlighted the dismal state of occupational health and safety in the country with the death of 11 construction workers in the Lucio Tan-owned Eton Properties who have fallen from a gondola February this year. Aggregate data as documented by CTUHR and Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Development (IOSHAD) totals to 214 deaths since January last year. But PNoy appears to have no plans to change its occupational health and safety policy which exempts companies with 200 above employees from government inspection and instead give them a free hand to self-assess and rate its OHS policies and practices. Monthly demolitions, and diminished social services One urban poor community is destroyed every month, in demolitions that were marred by violence and death. Since July last year, there have been 14 demolitions all over the country affecting 27, 000 families or 103,555 individuals. Just yesterday, two individuals were killed in a demolition in Pangarap Village, Caloocan – a community being claimed by Mar Roxas’s clan, the Aranetas. The way communities are destroyed to pave the way for so-called national projects only suggests that the urban poor have no place in PNoy’s PPP. Informal settlers are forcibly removed from their communities even without relocation and access to livelihood and services. In fact, budget for social services such as higher education, agriculture, transportation, and health were also slashed by 26%, 26%, 5% and 3.5% respectively. Straight path for whom? PNoy has miserably failed. His promised of straight path did not uplift the lives of the majority of people whom he called his BOSS. His boss were sent deeper into destitution, the poor were driven to streets to dwell and its workers to wallow from lower wages whose value keeps diminishing everyday. A year after, if ever there was straight path that PNoy government walked on, it was the path that was not clearly for majority of the Filipinos but for foreign capital and the richest few Filipinos. One year is over, and the direction the country is heading is apparently becoming no difference from the direction that the Arroyo administration took that he promised to change, a promise that catapulted him to Presidency. He failed in his first year. Thus, in his second SONA, he has every chance and power to deliver not just the rhetorics but effect to realize the demands of the basic sectors: legislated substantial wage hike, clear and regular employment programs, genuine agrarian reform, prosecution of human rights violators and social services for majority of the Filipinos. These demands are just and undoubtedly possible if only PNoy will follow the straight path he promised to the people.# To see and download full report, CTUHR Assessment of Pnoy's first year, click here or visit www.ctuhr.org










UP Kilos Na and youth groups march to Batasan ▼












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x PRESS RELEASE July 26, 2011 Reference: Cristina Palabay, Tanggol Bayi Spokesperson (09175003879) Women rights group to Aquino: Hard facts on the bleak human rights situation nowhere in your empty SONA Women’s rights group Tanggol Bayi today scored Pres. Noynoy Aquino, on his State of the Nation Address, on his silence on the human rights situation in the country stating that the “hard facts” on human rights paint the bleak situation in the country. “Aquino has continued the Arroyo legacy of state terror and political repression. His SONA and the implementation of Oplan Bayanihan, which is no different from Arroyo’s Oplan Bantay Laya, is a reaffirmation that he is not only inutile in ending impunity,his regime is likewise responsible for the continuing spate of EJKs, disappearances, arrests, detention, torture and other forms of rights violations,” said Cristina Palabay, convenor of Tanggol Bayi. “There has been zero conviction for all perpetrators of human rights violations during the Arroyo administration, including Gen. Jovito Palparan and Arroyo herself. The Aquino government has not even initiated the filing of countercharges against the perpetrators. There are fifty victims of extrajudicial killings, five cases of disappearances, 45 political prisoners who were arrested and detained and scores of human rights violations under the Aquino administration. These are the hard facts, Mr. President,” she added. Palabay said among the women human rights defenders whose cases remain unresolved under the Aquino administration are: a) the cases of the two UP students, Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan, who were abducted in 2006; b) Karapatan leaders Benjaline Hernandez, a campus journalist, and Eden Marcellana, who were both killed by elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and whose cases received favorable recommendations from the United Nations Human Rights Committee on the accountability of state forces for their deaths; c) Atty. Connie Brizuela and the 26 other women victims in the Ampatuan massacre. Recently, a former leader of Gabriela in La Union, Gloria Floresca, was illegally arrested in her home on charges of rebellion. Palabay said most of the victims of the killings, disappearances, and arrests are human rights defenders who were tagged by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as members of communist fronts. -- Tanggol Bayi is an association of women human rights defenders in the Philippines to advance women’s rights as human rights. Tanggol Bai is formed to further develop the capability of women human rights defenders to protect and advance women’s, human and peoples’ rights while giving special attention to the rights of WHRDs; to provide a venue by which WHRDs can give mutual assistance to one another especially to those who are facing immediate threats; provide information and facilitate HR education to WHRDs to even better sensitize them to violations of political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights; through common effort, enable WHRDs to effectively forward policies and legislations, fight for their rights and generate resources for the needs of their human rights advocacy; and network with other human rights organizations in the country and abroad. Contact us at: 2/F Erythrina Bldg., #1 Maaralin corner Matatag Streets Barangay Central District, Diliman, Quezon City Telephone: (632) 434 2837 Fax: (632) 435 4146 E-mail: tanggolbayi@gmail.com









			x' IBON Media Release / 25 July 2011 IBON Foundation, Inc., IBON Center 114 Timog Avenue, Quezon City Philippines Phone: (632) 927-6986/927-7060 to 62\|Fax: 929-2496\| E-mail: media@ibon.org \|http://www.ibon.org *SONA 2011: LITTLE TO REPORT, LESS TO LOOK FORWARD TO * In just its second state of the nation address (SONA), the Aquino presidency has confirmed that it cannot be upfront about the real state of the nation and is unable to take the difficult reform measures needed to lift tens of millions of poor Filipinos from their poverty. According to independent think-tank IBON, Pres. Aquino's difficulty to report any meaningful economic accomplishment had led the SONA to resort to half-truths such as on jobs and social services, empty claims such as on rice, and exaggerations such as on conditional cash transfers (CCTs). The SONA reported an all-time high in the stock market, improved credit ratings, and investor interest in oil and gas exploration in the country. Yet while Pres. Aquino hailed these as signs of an "improved and improving economy", these are in reality more relevant to investors than the ordinary Filipino, IBON noted. The reality of Filipinos is not as the SONA had portrayed. As expected, Pres. Aquino claimed an improvement in the employment situation with a slightly lower unemployment rate and 1.4 million jobs created. But in failing to mention that the jobs created were more than off-set by the growing labor force (1.2 million more) and increase in number of poor quality work (829,000 more underemployed), it glossed over the reality that the number of jobless and underemployed Filipinos increased by over 600,000 in the past year. There are now 11.6 million unemployed (4.5 million, by IBON's estimate) and underemployed (7/1 million) Filipinos in the country. Also as expected, Pres. Aquino claimed that the CCT program reduced poverty in the country. But he failed to mention that the supposedly 100,000 additional CCT beneficiaries per month would only be eligible for the cash dole-outs for at most five years. Even if these families had been lifted from poverty, which is actually an exaggerated claim because being a beneficiary does not automatically mean no longer being poor, the more important question is their prospect for jobs or livelihood after the program ends. Pres. Aquino also repeated the untruth of improved rice production due to his administration to give the impression of improving the country's food security. However, whatever increase in rice production this year is not due to any effort of the administration but rather just from more favorable weather, with no adverse El Niño this year unlike last year, and an expansion in areas planted to rice. Projected rice productivity of 3.8 MT/ha in 2011 is virtually unchanged from 2009. A more truthful account of the administration's efforts in the agriculture sector would also have mentioned that the budgets for the departments of agriculture and of agrarian reform were each cut by some Php4.4 billion from the year before which can only undermine agricultural productivity. Pres. Aquino also mentioned supposed ghost schools and teachers as burdening rural children. However, it failed to mention that it halved the budget of the education department's school-building program from Php2 billion in 2010 to Php1 billion in 2011. Only 13,147 new classrooms will be built this year against the public school classroom backlog of some 113,000. The SONA also did not mention at all among the most pressing problems faced by tens of millions of Filipinos-- low wages, continuing landlessness, and a burdensome regressive tax system. This omission and the lack of concrete measures to resolve these make the optimism of the SONA contrived and hollow. According to IBON, the only foundations being laid are those for continued social and economic backwardness. (end) IBON Foundation, Inc. is an independent development institution established in 1978 that provides research, education, publications, information work and advocacy support on socioeconomic issues. ---------------------------------------------------- IBON Media Release / 24 July 2011 IBON Foundation, Inc., IBON Center 114 Timog Avenue, Quezon City Philippines Phone: (632) 927-6986/927-7060 to 62\|Fax: 929-2496\| E-mail: media@ibon.org \|http://www.ibon.org *SONA 2010 PROMISES VS PERFORMANCE: FACTS AND FIGURES* The public deserves better than a selective presentation of facts and figures in the president's first year, and is hoping to be given a whole picture of the state of the nation. According to research group IBON, Pres. Benigno Aquino III's first state of the nation address (SONA) in July 2010 was as it is short on meaningful promises on the economy. This reflected the lack of a meaningful vision for developing the country and its populist but narrow anti-corruption/anti-Arroyo platform. Looking back on his first SONA, the group said that promises on jobs and social services are undone as well as promises, such as on privatization, better left undone. Jobs situation. Pres. Aquino declared in his first SONA: "Paalala lang po:una sa ating plataporma ang paglikha ng mga trabaho (A reminder to all: creating jobs is foremost on our agenda)." It is possible that the SONA will cite 1.4 million jobs created, some 228,000 less unemployed (to 2.9 million), and a 0.8 percentage point reduction in unemployment (to 7.2%), between April 2010 and April 2011. However this is not the whole situation and joblessness actually remains high while the quality of work has even worsened. The real number of jobless Filipinos is actually some 4.5 million, correcting for an Arroyo-era change in definition of unemployment continued by Pres. Aquino that statistically reduces unemployment by not counting 1.6 million jobless Filipinos. The reported job creation of 1.4 million was also off-set by the 1.2-million growth in the labor force and the drastically large 829,000 increase in the number of underemployed or those with work but still seeking additional work because they are still not earning enough. The real jobs situation is that the number of unemployed and underemployed Filipinos increased by over 600,000 in the first year of the Aquino administration-- by IBON's estimates now numbering 11.6 million Filipinos. In terms of wages the administration has also given even less to workers than the previous Arroyo government. Its Php22 wage hike for the National Capital Region (NCR) in May 2011 was less than the Php25 hike that former president Arroyo gave on two occasions and, because of inflation, the real value of the mandated minimum wage is even Php13 lower than reached during the previous administration. The poor jobs performance is not surprising given how Pres. Aquino shallowly reduced the jobs problem to cumbersome bureaucratic processes: "Lalago lamang ang industriya kung gagawin nating mas malinis, mas mabilis, at mas maginhawa ang proseso para sa mga gustong magnegosyo (Growth will only be possible if we streamline processes to make them predictable, reliable and efficient for those who want to invest).” Whereas the problem rather is poor land distribution and the lack of support for Filipino-owned industries. Social services. Pres. Aquino also declared: "Oras na maipatupad ang public-private partnerships... mapopondohan ang mga serbisyong panlipunan (Once we implement public-private partnerships we will be able to fund social services)." The first year of the administration has exposed the dangers of relying on private profit-seeking capital for vital social services, as well as shown the administration's intent to stop taking responsibility for these. The budget for state universities and colleges was cut by P367.2 million to Php22 billion in 2011 from Php22.4 billion in 2010. The Department of Education's (DepED) school-building program was meanwhile halved from Php2 billion in 2010 to Php1 billion in 2011. The administration said that it would build 13,147 new classrooms this year -- yet the backlog of public school classrooms is some 113,000. The administration may boast of some Php5.7 billion in Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) scholarships but in seeking to transfer public school students to private schools, these are billions of pesos down the road of education privatization and diminishing the public school system. The government is in effect using private school scholarships as an excuse to not build public school classrooms or hire public school teachers. Likewise, the administration may boast of additional billions of pesos for PhilHealth and supposed universal health care. Yet much of these funds will eventually be going to private hospitals even as the Aquino government cut the budget for 67 public hospitals nationwide used mainly by the poor by Php368 million, for five specialty hospitals by Php970.6 million, and for subsidies to indigent patients by Php20 million. Public-private partnership. In his first SONA, Pres. Aquino boasted to have found the magic bullet to the country's fiscal, infrastructure, jobs and food security problems: "Ito ang magiging solusyon: mga Public-Private Partnerships (Our solution: public-private partnerships)." He also declared: "Makukuha natin ang kailangan natin, hindi tatayo gagastos, kikita pa tayo.. lalago ang ating ekonomiya, at bawat Pilipino makikinabang. (We will meet our needs without spending, and we will also earn.. our economy will grow and will benefit every Filipino)." A year later, not one of the administration's 10 flagship PPPs has taken off and only one (Daang Hari-SLEX road) is even at the start of the bidding stage upon the apparent cancellation of the MRT/LRT bidding process. Not only is it unclear how the 10 targeted capital-intensive and centralized PPPs for 2010 roll-out can conceivably "benefit every Filipino", the administration does not even appear able to get these rolling. The administration meanwhile drastically cut the budget for economic services. Among others this included slashing the budget of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) from Php20.8 billion in 2010 to Php16.4 billion in 2011 and of the Department of Agriculture (DA) from Php39.2 billion (2010) to Php34.8 billion (2011). There is little evidence that the private sector has filled in for the vacuum in critical rural and food chain infrastructure left by the Aquino administration. Pres. Aquino then ends his first year in office with a long list of unfulfilled promises and poor foundations for progress in the country. The public expects to hear an acknowlegment of these weaknesses in his SONA tomorrow as well as a list of concrete steps, and not just intangible promises, to address these problems. (end) IBON Foundation, Inc. is an independent development institution established in 1978 that provides research, education, publications, information work and advocacy support on socioeconomic issues.












x 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 July 27, 2011 References: Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raymond "Mong" Palatino, 0908.592.7099 Bugsy Nolasco, Media Officer, 0922.824.0740 Youth solon to PNoy: what about “utak haciendero”? (Published as “Utak wang-wang, utak haciendero” at www.mongpalatino.com) Mentioning the term wang-wang 28 times in the State of the Nation Address is understandable and expected since the banning of that loud and annoying siren in the streets is one of the few visible and concrete achievements of President Noynoy Aquino. But Pnoy surprised many people when he expanded wang-wang’s meaning by using it as the keyword in the fight against corruption. Today, aside from being a forbidden object, it has become a symbol of corruption and abuse of power. In his speech, Pnoy launched a war against utak wang-wang: “Imbes na maglingkod-bayan, para bang sila ang naging hari ng bayan. Kung makaasta ang kanilang mga padrino’t alipores, akala mo’y kung sinong maharlika kung humawi ng kalsada; walang pakialam sa mga napipilitang tumabi at napag-iiwanan. Ang mga dapat naglilingkod ang siya pang nang-aapi. Ang panlalamang matapos mangakong maglingkod—iyan po ang utak wang-wang. “Habang nananatili sa puwesto ang mga utak wang-wang na opisyal, naiiwan namang nakalubog sa kumunoy ng kawalang-pagasa ang taumbayan.” Pnoy’s definition of utak wang-wang sharply reflects the unequal relations of power in Philippine society. We are one with him in the crusade to end the reign of this brutal kind of mindset. But unlike him, we aren’t convinced that utak wang-wang represents all evils in society. There are other demons to slay like, for instance, utak haciendero. This evil is responsible for the continuing feudal bondage of millions of small farmers in the countryside. It’s similar to utak wang-wang but it could be worse since the despotic landlord doesn’t realize nor comprehend how his refusal to distribute his vast landholdings to poor tenants is already a legal, moral, and political crime. In fact, he doesn’t even accept the charge that he’s exploiting other people since he clings to the arrogant belief that his family is actually doing the farmers a favor by allowing them to work in the family-owned estate. Those with utak haciendero are insensitive to the poverty experienced by others, including the loyal peasants who work for them. What matters to them is their rising share from the profits of the hacienda and not the grim statistics about the suffering of their tenants. Pnoy is guilty of utak haciendero when he chose to highlight the positive grades given by credit rating agencies than speak about the deplorable conditions of workers in the country. There was no substantial reference to the plight of workers even in the Sona technical report because Pnoy preferred the abstract and essentially meaningless numbers of credit rating agencies – which by the way should be distrusted because of their obvious culpability in the 2008 global financial crisis. The decision to hide the workers in the Sona should provoke us to resist this criminal non-counting of the workers. Philosopher Alain Badiou warned that “To count workers for nothing means that we count nothing but capital. What is counted is the level of the stock market, the Euro, financial investment, competition and so on; the figure of the worker, on the other hand, counts for nothing.” Noy as Nationalist The most applauded statement of Pnoy referred to his strong assertion of the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (I prefer Southeast Asia Sea). He said: “Ang sa Pilipinas ay sa Pilipinas; kapag tumapak ka sa Recto Bank, para ka na ring tumapak sa Recto Avenue.” Suddenly, Pnoy has become a staunch defender of our territorial integrity. It was made more symbolic when he cited Recto Avenue which was named after Senator Claro M. Recto, a nationalist intellectual and statesman. But to be faithful to Recto’s legacy means that Pnoy should also make a stand against visiting United States troops, warships, and meddling American diplomats and lobbyists. He should also draft a masterplan on how to develop the Spratlys. Otherwise, it would be absurd for the Philippines to aggressively claim the Spratlys but allow foreigners to explore and exploit the energy and mineral resources there. Pnoy’s emotional but sensible appeal that rice should be planted here and consumed here by Filipinos should be more vigorously applied to other aspects of the economy. (Maybe he didn’t mean it but Pnoy indirectly reaffirmed his pro-American bias when his Sona presentation included a photo of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.) Negativism and Utak alimango Pnoy’s rant against excessive negativism in the country is unreasonable but hardly surprising. After all, ruling parties and politicians are always suspicious against critics and the opposition. They can’t tolerate dissenting opinion. Even the freedom-loving President Cory once accused the media of ‘bad news syndrome’ while President Gloria called her enemies ‘self-indulgent political theatrics that send the wrong message to the world.’ Like Pnoy, Gloria wanted reports that deal only with the government’s positive agenda: “We must invest, not just investigate. It is time for action, not political wrangling. The people deserve that we focus on a positive agenda, not get wrapped up in a political jockeying.” But negativism is needed in a democracy since it alerts the people to probe the actions or inactions of leaders. Pnoy should not forget that if not for the negativism of his parents, Marcos would have survived longer in Malacanang. Pnoy was in fact among the negativists in the previous administration. Pnoy’s rejection of Utak Alimango is logical since he’s now in power and he certainly doesn’t want disruptions in the status quo but he shouldn’t quickly dismiss all complaints against his administration. His attitude towards those who disagree with his enchanted view of the world is a perfect display of Utak Kapit Tuko which is anathema in a democracy. Politics is personal Pnoy’s decision to be ‘personal’ against corrupt public servants probably stems from his superficial analysis of corruption in the bureaucracy. His war against what he names as the culture of corruption is doomed to fail since it doesn’t address the roots of the problem. Corruption is tied to the rotten political-economic system (read: semi-feudal and semi-colonial) which can’t be easily corrected through behavior modification. To solve corruption requires the radical and even violent dismantling of the oppressive political order dominated by oligarchs, bureaucrat capitalists, and Pnoy’s haciendero friends. It’s quite disturbing that Pnoy’s sense of history is limited to the Arroyo years. He can’t untangle the old and stubborn knots, so to speak, if he focuses too much on Arroyo. Despite her recidivism, Arroyo is merely a symptom of the bankrupt social order. Pnoy’s advice to the public to perform little acts of kindness everyday is very inspiring but it isn’t a function of politics. It may enhance our spirituality but not necessarily the political empowerment of the grassroots. Politics, after all, is not about charity. It isn’t even about being friendly to our neighbors. Politics, more than anything else, should involve the creative invention of new possibilities and the struggle for new political truths. Politics requires the total destruction of the oppressive old to allow the birthing of a completely new order. But if the president chooses to act like a preacher rather than practice emancipatory politics, then our task as serious students of politics will necessarily involve two things: First, expose Pnoy as an insincere political reformist who only wants to spread Santa Claus messages in the world; and second, carry out the radical political project until the politically impossible has become a reality. ### -- 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










			x League Filipino Students SONA PRESS RELEASE July 25, 2011 SONA all rhetorical 'wangwang-enomics' Insufficient to move country forward “Bumenta na yan. There is nothing new in Aquino's SONA, but dated and hollow rhetoric.” This was the statement of Terry Ridon, chairperson of the League of Filipino Students, as the militant student organization scoffed at the second State of the Nation address of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III for harping on his 'merely populist' inaugural policy on the banning of wang-wangs as a supposed framework to move the country forward. Ridon said that Aquino's anti-coruption drive rings hollow in the face of his failure to rein in his KKK (kapamilya, kaibigan, kabarilan) from controversies. “Sending Arroyo and her cohorts to jail is obviously an imperative, but Aquino shouldn't foist a 'presidential shield' on his allies engaged in alleged misdeeds.” Ridon said a mere anti-corruption 'wang-wang' framework cannot solve the country's complex problems. He also said that much of the speech sounded more a rehash of his dated 'please help me' rhetoric' instead of a serious report on the real state of the nation. “Such rhetoric certainly cannot prevent the cutting of education subsidies, as Aquino had done the past year.” Ridon said also said that his 'nice, kind words' cannot stop the merely suspended MRT-LRT fare hikes. He also lashed against 'dole-out measures' like the CCT which Aquino reshaped as genuine development. "Cash distribution to the poor has been proven the world over as ineffective. Besides, the funds used for the the CCT is no mere disbursement from government revenue, but a 25-year loan from the World Bank." "Certainly mere 'wangwang-enomics' might make '(bu)wangwangs' (fools) out of our people in the face of our economic troubles." Reference: Terry Ridon, 09155310725, LFS Chairperson



Aquino’s Sona: All for show, no substance – Bayan By MARYA SALAMAT There were many important things to the Filipino people that were missing in Aquino’s Sona, most speakers in the Sona rally said. Sidebar: Aquino hit for embracing paramilitary group in Cordillera “Wang-wang Sona: too much noise, too little substance” – KMU Sona 2011 has little to report, less to look forward to – Ibon			Worst year for OFWs By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO “OFWs are still forced to go abroad because the government has offered them nothing substantive and sustainable to address their families’s economic needs. Instead, what it has offered are mere dole-outs and band-aid solutions that does not do anything to address widespread unemployment and landlessness the root cause of forced migration.” – Migrante International

Political prisoners start fasting up to Aquino’s Sona By RONALYN V. OLEA “It appears that the Arroyo policy of witch-hunting, arrest, criminalization of political offenses and/or the slapping of fabricated criminal charges to silence and put behind bars human rights defenders continues to be implemented under Aquino,” Angelina Ipong, Selda spokeswoman, said.			Progressive groups gear up for Sona protest action By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL “Aquino should prioritize the needs of the majority of the people and not the interest of the big corporations, foreign investors and the imperialist countries like the US.” – Piya Malayao spokesperson of Kalipunan ng mga Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (Kamp). Sidebar: From magician to rotten egg: Aquino’s effigy

Women slam Aquino for deepening poverty and marginalization By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL “Aquino promised change, but the conditions of women and our families have worsened. Just a little over a year into his presidency, Aquino’s ‘daang matuwid’ (straight path) has proven to be a ‘killer highway’ for many Filipinos,” Gabriela secretary-general Lana Linaban said.			Worsening conditions for the Filipino worker By MARYA SALAMAT Majority of those employed today in the Philippines are in vulnerable or part-time work, hampering many workers’ desire to demand for a living wage. Even those in full-time work are reportedly under pressure to comply with various flexible work arrangements.
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