Students call for economic relief, not charter change

Press Release
November 21, 2008

“The people wants economic relief, and not charter change.”

This was the reaction made by Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson
of the League of Filipino Students (LFS) over reports of
administration led moves to push charter change in Congress.

“An economic recession is looming in the country but instead of
talking about measures to ease its impact on the people, Arroyo’s
cohorts in Congress, led by no less than her son, would rather want
the Congress to spend its time discussing charter change,” said
Crisostomo.

The youth leader explained that in light of the global financial
crisis, it is the responsibility of the government to ease the
people’s burden by imposing ‘economic relief measures’ such as the
repeal of the ‘anti-people’ policies such as the Expanded Value Added
Tax and the Oil Deregulation Law, and by legislating the P125 wage
hike.

Crisostomo also belied Pampanga Representative Juan Miguel Arroyo’s
claim that the moves for charter change is not intended to extend
Arroyo’s term beyond 2010.

“Who are they kidding? We all know that the moves to change the
charter is intended to serve the administration’s bid to stay in power
beyond 2010. They even pray for it in their meetings,” said
Crisostomo, referring to Press Secretary Jesus Dureza’s cabinet
meeting prayer last Tuesday.

The LFS, along with other youth groups vowed that they shall exert all
efforts to stop Arroyo’s charter change.

“Arroyo has already made the lives of many Filipinos miserable for
almost a decade. We shall not let her administration and its policies
worsen our lives even more,” said Crisostomo. ###

Reference:
Ron Villegas, Vice Chairperson and Information officer,
ronvil@gmail.com, 09239130516

Vencer Crisostomo, National Chairperson, venzie@gmail.com, 09228262606

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