Akbayan's 'X'-campaign for Arroyo's ouster begins

Militant groups yesterday held a fashion show at an uptown restaurant to launch the "X" campaign, their new movement for the ouster of President Gloria Arroyo.

The fashion show, participated in by young members of Akbayan-Cebu group, presented various bags, T-shirts, jeans, notebooks and other items that were either printed with the letter "X" or emblazoned with "X" stickers. They also painted their faces with the "X" sign.

Akbayan-Cebu vice president Tony Conahap said the "X" sign is a symbol of protest against the Arroyo administration, and the fashion show fired off a campaign urging the public to use the sign to show they are joining the anti-Arroyo drive.

The "X"-campaign urges the people to wear or use items, as strutted in the fashion show, and to mark or put the "X" sign on their respective houses, gates, cars, and other things, as a way of conveying the message-"Ayoko na sa'yo!"-to Arroyo.

Conahap said the launching of the use of the "X" symbol in Cebu was done simultaneously with a similar activity in Quezon City, Davao City and General Santos City. He said Akbayan will be distributing also "X" stickers and posters to the public.

The "X"-campaign will show the people's collective exasperation and rejection against the Arroyo regime, said Conahap, citing a survey that showed more people now want Arroyo to step down from office.

"Things are already too much to bear," said an Akbayan statement, assailing the legitimacy of the Arroyo regime, made worse with the imposition of the 12-percent Value Added Tax and the drop in employment opportunities.

"Tama na, ayoko na sa 'yo," is the battlecry of the campaign, Akbayan said, adding that the recent fertilizer fund mess showed that "the bankruptcy of the Arroyo administration has gone to the gutter level."

Arroyo's act of staying in power as "a sign of callousness," over a graft-ridden government that already "destroyed the people's lives and the nation's future," said Akbayan. - Wenna A. Berondo