CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella commended the fifth State of the Nation Address of President Benigno Aquino III yesterday just as militant groups slammed the President for policies that reportedly exacerbate social inequality.
“It was imbued with sportsmanship kay wala man kaayo to siyay pangaway. You don’t hear any family names of any opponents,” Rama said in a statement.
The mayor is current in the United States for a personal appointment.
He said he is particularly happy that Aquino mentioned the approval of the National Economic Development Authority of the Bus Rapid Transit system here.
“I am very happy that the BRT Cebu has been a part of his SONA. I have been waiting (for it) because in the last SONA, it has not been mentioned. Now, this time, official na gyud,” Rama said.
Labella on the other hand, said the speech was very well prepared.
“There is no dispute that he has accomplished much. It is hoped that the concerned agencies and departments can respond well in the two remaining years of his term,” Labella said.
“It was good that it did not dwell much on the DAP (Disbursement Acceleration Program) issue as he has already filed a motion for reconsideration (after the Supreme Court declared it as unconstitutional)” he added.
Praise was far from the agenda of militant and progressive groups, however, as they staged “counter-SONA” protests.
Workers led by the militant Partido ng Manggagawa (PM), the Philippine Airlines Employees Association, and labor coalition Nagkaisa mobilized simultaneous rallies in Cebu City, Quezon City, Bacolod, Davao, and General Santos City.
“PNoy’s inclusive growth is rhetoric without results, just like ‘daang matuwid’ that has been exposed as a myth by the persistence of pork barrel and the controversial DAP,” said PM-Cebu spokesperson Dennis Derige.
Derige pointed out the undiminished number of jobless Filipinos in contrast to the inflation in wealth of the rich during Aquino’s five years as president.
He said that in January 2010, unemployment and underemployment rates were at 7.3 percent and 19.7 percent, respectively, and the numbers practically remained the same this year with 7.5 percent unemployment and 19.5 percent underemployment rates as of January 2014.
“How can there be inclusive growth when PNoy allows contractualization to run rampant and the prices of basic commodities and services like rice and electricity to rise unregulated?” Derige said in a statement.
PM is also calling for a citizens’ audit of the DAP to investigate possible anomalies and patronage in the disbursement of the funds.
The slogans raised by PM include: “Ika-5 taong SONA ni PNoy: Busabos pa rin ang Boss!” and “Sa 5 SONA ni PNoy: Walang naituwid na patakaran, Walang naitawid mula sa kahirapan!”
Jose Tomongha, chairman of the Alliance of Progressive Labor-Central Visayas and other groups such as Sanlakas, PM-Cebu , Akbayan Partylist, National Confederation of Transport workers Union, called for the immediate resignation of budget secretary Butch Abad and for Aquino to waive immunity as proof of good faith.
The group is also calling for the immediate passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill.
Militant group Bayan together with Anak Pawis Partylist, PISTON Partylist, Student Christians Movement of the Philippines-Central Visyas, AMA-Sugbo and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas also called for the abolition of the DAP.
“Bisan giwagtang na ang pork barrel, pero sa tinud-anay lang, naglihok lang gihapon na ang pork barrel,” said Bayan-Central Visayas chairman Jaime Paglinawan.
In line with this, a multi-sectoral gathering will take place on August 23 wherein 73 bishops and an anticipated crowd of 10,000 are expected to attend to call for the total abolition of the pork barrel.
“Ang SONA ni Pnoy, katunga tinuod, katunga bakak. Kay tinuod nitubo ang atong ekonomiya pero para ra sa mga adunahan. Ang pag-asenso sa ekonomiya sa nasud wala na maabot sa mga marginalized sector,” Paglinawan said.
He further said ordinary people continue to suffer because of lack of jobs and lack of opportunities, a reason why more and more Filipinos are getting hungry.
The militant groups are also calling for an investigation and prosecution of all those involved in the PDAF scam.
“Sa kadaghan ang nalambigit sa PDAF scam nganong kani ra mang tulo ka senadors. Asa na man diay ang uban?. Wala ni sila giimbistigar, tungod kay kaalyado sila sa presidente,” Paglinawan asked. — /JMO (FREEMAN)