Militant groups today marched in Manila to commemorate the 112th declaration of Philippine Independence. The protest marches came on the same day President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo presided over a grand parade showcasing her achievements for the last nine years, with the theme “Kalayaan: Tagumpay ng Bayan”.
“Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has undermined and reduced the meaning of Independence Day to a mere national holiday with that can be moved around because of holiday economics. Today she will use Independence Day for self-serving ends to promote her so-called legacy. It’s an utmost form of disrespect to our forefathers who fought for freedom from foreign rule,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.
According to Bayan, Arroyo undermined Philippine sovereignty by implementing the Visiting Forces Agreement and allowing US troops to establish permanent bases in the southern part of the Philippines.
“The permanent and continuing presence of foreign troops on Philippine soil is one of the legacies of this puppet regime,” Reyes said.
Bayan also denounced Mrs. Arroyo’s last attempt to “publicly lie to and steal from the Filipino people” via a P10 million Luneta extravaganza. Floats that will be used reportedly cost some P300,000 to P500,000. At total of 11 floats will be paraded this afternoon.
Bayan’s “counter-parade” had makeshift floats that featured corruption, massive unemployment, human rights, the environment, poverty, oll prices and other issues that they say formed Arroyo’s “legacy of failure.
“We believe that she has nothing to be proud of as she has accomplished little, if at all, in terms of employment, rural development, education, automated of elections, budget reform, and electricity and water for all. We have the biggest budget deficit, the worst unemployment, the most corrupt government and the most number of human rights abuses. These are Arroyo’s true legacy. The money for the parade could be better spent for building classrooms, which we sorely lack this June,” Reyes said.
“The money spent for the parade is ridiculous taken in the context of the biggest budget deficit in history last year, P293 billion, set by the outgoing government,” the Bayan leader added.
Challenge to Aquino: Uphold national interest
Bayan said that the responsibility to correct the denigration of national independence and sovereignty done by his predecessor now falls on President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.
“Mr. Aquino will be expected to assert national sovereignty, push for a nationalist foreign policy, and resist unequal impositions from foreign powers,” Reyes said. .
Leaders of economic giants with which the Philippines have ties have already recognized the new president, among them the United States, Japan and China. “These countries will eventually seek gains and make impositions on the new government, thus it is a challenge for the Aquino administration to put the nation’s interest above the interests of these foreign powers. His duty and loyalty to the people should always come first,” Reyes added.
“Genuine independence and sovereignty can only be achieved through freedom from the dictates of foreign political and economic powers. Only until this freedom is gained will the people be liberated from the crippling economic conditions they have been bound to for the last nine years. It’s not just Mr. Aquino, but the Filipino people who should fight for genuine independence. ###
