Teachers' alliance, human rights defenders back Robredo-Pangilinan in May polls
MANILA, Philippines — The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines on Monday formally endorsed the election bids of Vice President Leni Robredo and Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan, who are running for president and vice president, citing their "exemplary track record" and concrete plans for the education sector.
The endorsement comes on the heels of a similar endorsement by more than 100 human rights defenders, who said the two are candidates who have stood up for human rights.
ACT is represented at the House by the ACT Teachers party-list, which is part of the Makabayan bloc that has already announced support for Robredo and Pangilinan.
"ACT Philippines...chooses to support the candidacy of Vice President Maria Leonor ‘Leni’ Robredo for president and of Sen. Francis ‘Kiko’ Pangilinan for vice president, and work with Team Leni-Kiko in pushing forward a common agenda that will address the grave crisis that currently beset the Philippine education system," the group said in a statement on Monday.
The group said the Leni-Kiko tandem has the "most exemplary track record among all the presidential and vice presidential candidates in responding to the needs of the education sector."
"While the pandemic ravaged the education sector, Team Lani-Kiko’s heart for education has shone. They also present the most substantive, concrete, and viable platform for education, as well as for tackling the current health and economic crisis and upholding peace, democracy, and human rights," the alliance said.
"For the Filipino children and youth and for the future of the nation, ACT Philippines places its support on the candidacy of Team Leni-Kiko and commit to helping in delivering the education sector vote for the victory of pro-education candidates," it added.
The group said a coming change of leadership is an opportunity to address problems in the education sector.
The hard lockdowns implemented to curb the spread of the pandemic resulted in many months of school closures and "ill-planned" blended learning programs which gave rise to "miserable learning outcomes", it noted.
Meanwhile, it said, teachers and education support staff have been suffering low salaries, inadequate benefits and poor working conditions.
The group describes itself as the largest non-traditional alliance of organizations, unions and federations of teachers and teaching support staff in the Philippines.
Human Rights Defenders back Robredo, Pangilinan
In a separate statement of support, the human rights defenders said that the coming elections are a great challenge to the nation.
"Sa loob ng anim na taon sa ilalim ng administrasyong Duterte, malubha ang paglabag nito sa karapatan ng mamamayan, mula sa madugong gyera kontra droga, marahas na pagpapatahimik sa mga kritiko at opposition, hanggang sa militaristang pagtugon sa pandemya," they said.
(In the past six years of the Duterte administration, there have been great abuses of citizen's rights, from the bloody 'war on drugs', repression of critics and the opposition to the militarized pandemic response)
They said that, as human rights defenders, they believe that rights are the foundation for a life with dignity for all. They said that this is the opposite of what the Duterte administration and the Marcos dictatorship have shown.
"Ang pamumunong may lubos na paggalang sa karapatang pantao ang tunay na makakapag angat sa lahat, mula sa kahirapan, karahasan, kagutuman at katiwalian," they said.
(Leadership that fully respects human rights is what will genuinely lift us up from poverty, violence, hunger and corruption)
Among the signatories to the statement support are IP rights advocate Vicky Tauli Corpuz, former Sen. Wigberto "Ka Bobby" Tañada Sr. and former Rep. Lorenzo "Erin" Tañada III, Wigberto "Toby" Tañada Jr. and Fr. Edwin Gariguez. — Angelica Y. Yang
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