SC ruling on HLI proves CARPER no-good; fight not over—LFS

“The fact that it would take an SC ruling for farmworkers and farmers to have what’s rightfully theirs is a testament on how worthless and inutile CARPER is.”

This was the statement of the League of Filipino Students as the Supreme Court ruled 14-0 in favor of land distribution of the ‘Aquino-owned’ Hacienda Luisita.

“Land distribution is way overdue, but still the Supreme Court ruling is commendable. The sad picture in this situation is that farmers would need the Supreme Court to rule in favor of them just to get what’s rightfully theirs, proving that the land reform program CARPER is nothing but a piece of garbage aimed at maintaining the monopolized ownership of land in the Philippines and not at all at distributing the land to the tillers as it so untruthfully promises.”, said Aki Merced, LFS Spokesperson.

“It has come to this moment where many have been killed and a lot have suffered from hunger and poverty from the hacienda system that is well and alive throughout the country. It is high time to rethink and expose the CARPER that has allowed the bogus Stock Distribution Option to be an instrument of the landed elite in depriving the farmers of what is rightfully theirs.”, said Merced.

Merced said that now more than ever, junking CARPER is significant in the struggle for genuine land reform.

Fight not over

“On the other hand, we cannot be so sure that this SC ruling would be swiftly implemented given that the landlord clan that it dodges is the President’s family. The Aquino camp has proved itself a staunch defender of the Hacienda Luisita Incorporated. It has 2 massacres, the Mendiola and Hacienda Luisita massacres, in its track record to prove it.”, Merced said.

Merced recounts both massacres, first of which happened in the Cory Cojuangco-Aquino’s time. “Every supporter of the farmworkers of Hacienda Luisita and the campaign for genuine land reform should be on the guard should the Aquino camp make moves in overturning the clear decision.”, Merced said.

“Definitely, the fight is not over. The hacienda system is alive and well, thanks to CARPER and our Haciendero President. It would take more than an SC ruling to free the monopolized lands, and we can only count on the mass movement of the Filipino people to ensure that our tillers get what’s rightfully theirs.”, Merced said. #

 Share now!

What Mr Tucay did is a landmark moment in history where the youth and the people are called to go beyond neutrality and media objectivity, instead, these are turbulent times where we are obliged to be biased for the bastardized democratic rights of the students, the Filipino people and the citizens abused by profit-driven interests all around the world.

Together with the progressive militant students, LFS celebrated with the youth from different parts of the globe with the 70th anniversary of the International Students Day with a symbolic burning of the US flag.

The short program condemned US Secretary State Hillary Clinton’s visit to the country which is very timely to ensure the implementation of more intensive trade liberalization policies mandated by the recently concluded Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation in Hawaii. This will definitely translate to massive commercialization policies on education. The Imperialist U.S. is growing desperate by the day with its dying economy. More than ever, the US needs to milk its coffers from all possible resources legitimized by economic and political policies implemented by puppet governments such as Aquino’s.

For the following days and before the year ends, the connivance of the Aquino regime and Imperialist US shall be exposed to the Filipino people. The mass movement of not only hundreds but thousands of youth with the Filipino people is inevitable. Thus, the LFS calls on the youth to be the “spark that will create the prairie fire” that will rouse movements that will be commensurate with the anger instigated by the neglect and numbness of the US-Aquino’s regime to the true demands and democratic rights of the people.

While the US claims they have grown unfazed or accustomed to heckling, what is more politically correct, is that they have grown desensitized with years and decades long of killing hundreds and millions of people around the world from amassing all kinds of life and livelihood to waging cycles of war to feed their infinite imperialist greed.

More than ever, there is a need to “make the monster bleed from thousands upon thousands of wounds.” All over the world the 99% have gathered at the centers of capitalist powers to forge unity with the peoples of their respective countries and to inspire peoples of other nations. It is but timely and just for the people of the Philippines to be tireless in making history, a history that will begin with an end to Imperialism.  ###

 Share now!

This was the statement of Aki Merced, spokesperson for the League of Filipino Students, as students from all over the country burned flags of the United States of America to express rage over the parasitic control of the United States to the Philippines and continued puppetry of the Aquino regime to the United States. The group also commended Marjohara Tucay, Editor in Chief of the Philippine Collegian, for standing up and protesting inside the Hillary Clinton forum held at the National Museum yesterday.

“All over the world, people are rising up against the greedy monopoly capitalists and banks of the USA. The Philippines is not saved from the crippling effect of the global capitalist downfall, especially because we are in the throes of US imperialist control. In time of great economic depression, the US turns to its semi-colonies like the Philippines to suck more blood and attempt to revive its economy.”, said Merced.

Merced continued that even the problems of the Philippine education sector are due to the ongoing policy control of the US and its instruments—the IMF, WB and WTO. “Deregulation and continued slashing of the education budget is directly attributable to the profit-promoting policies of these financial institutions. The people have retaliated and the US government, together with Aquino, has responded with intensified military campaigns against naysayers.”

“We commend Marjohara Tucay for serving as a great example for the Filipino youth, standing up with militancy and principle. It is for Ms. Hillary Clinton’s benefit, now that she knows that the Filipino youth is not happy with the US troops staying in our islands and pinning down the iron hold of the United States on the Philippines.”

‘Today, on the International Students Day, we collectively call for the junking of all unequal and onerous US-PH agreements, and vow to intensify the struggle for genuine patrimony and sovereignty. We are one with the Filipino people in saying: Down with US Imperialism!”

LFS Spokesperson, Aki Merced, hands Marjohara Tucay, a torch as a symbol of the youth’s admiration for his bravery for protesting at yesterday’s forum, the torch that will burn the US Imperialist greed to flames

 Share now!

Warm greetings of solidarity!

Our kababayans (fellow countrymen) urgently need our help and support. Days after typhoon Pedring (international codename: Nesat) lashed the country on September 27, 2011, we witnessed the gravity of devastation it has brought to Filipinos. Pedring left the country with more than PhP 3 billion and PhP 545 million damages to infrastructure and agriculture, respectively, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

As of September 30, there are 43 casualties, 44 injured and 30 missing due to typhoon Pedring. The onslaught of heavy rains and winds affected a total of 205, 885 families in Regions I, II, III, IV-A, IV-B, V, VI, CAR and NCR.

National youth organizations, student councils, campus publications and Kabataan Partylist have formed TULONG KABATAAN, a relief drive for the victims of Typhoon Pedring.

The major objective of the relief drive is to consolidate efforts among the youth in gathering immediate relief for the affected communities. We also aim to reach out to other communities affected by the floods that are not currently covered by ongoing relief and rescue operations.

TULONG KABATAAN WILL:

1. Gather as many donations as possible, whether in cash or in kind, from fellow youth and students, institutions, schools and churches
2. Pack goods and materials for distribution
3. Deliver of goods in affected areas, integrate and express solidarity with the victims.

PRIORITIES FOR DONATIONS

FOOD: Rice, canned goods, dried fish, bread and biscuits, eggs, mongo beans, coffee and sugar, milk and formula milk, bottled water, oil and cooking condiments

MEDICINE: paracetamol, anti-diarrhea, medicine for cough and colds, hydration salts, water purification tablets, medicine for prevention of leptospirosis, vitamins

NON-FOOD: Blankets and sleeping mats/bags, tents for temporary shelter, jackets and sweaters, clothes for the young and old, cooking utensils, candles and flashlights

CASH DONATIONS

Cash donations can be made through the following:

Paypal:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=8526313

Bank Account:

Account name: Student Christian Movement of the Philippines
Branch:  Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), Kamias-Anonas Branch, Quezon City Philippines.

US Dollar Account No: 3324-0048-06
Peso Checking Account No: 3321-0176-64

MAIN DROP-OFF POINTS

TULONG KABATAAN COMMAND CENTER

118-B Scout Rallos, Brgy. Sacred Heart, Quezon City

Contact Person: Vanessa Bolibol 0926-1703655

OTHER DROP-OFF POINTS

SERVE THE PEOPLE BRIGADE (STP Brigade)

Volunteers will primarily gather donations, and help in the packing and distribution of goods. They are also encouraged to invite more volunteers to join the STP Brigade. Volunteers can enlist on STP Brigade Booths nearest to their schools or contact Makakalikasan through the contacts below.

CONTACT

HOTLINES: 0926-8037591

E-MAIL: makakalikasan.alliance@gmail.com

WEB: www.lfs.ph

 Share now!

Labanan ang anti-mamamayan at maka-imperyalistang budget ni Aquino!

Lumahok sa protesta ng mga estudyante, administrador, at guro sa Setyembre 23!

STRIKE!

 Share now!

Aquino III is going through a Historical Amnesia, Belittle brains of thousands of Nationalist Youth!

Statement of the League of Filipino Students (LFS) Lanao Chapter

11 September 2011

Benigno Aquino III is going through a historical amnesia.

While he and his family are notorious land grabbers concealing historical truths that Hacienda Luisita has been acquired by public funds and for this they should be ashamed to say that the militants are outsiders trying to agitate the poor farmers, the ignoramus President is now again on a rampage spewing dribbles against authentic nationalism being espoused by the League of Filipino Students (LFS).

We, the Lanao Chapter of the LFS, are enraged by the statement of the supposed-to-be honorable President of the Republic of the Philippines. By likening organizational discipline of the LFS to that of Marcos, clearly he denies, that the disciplined mass movement, to which LFS has been a part of, brought down Marcos dictatorial rule. Aquino III is trying to slaughter the youth’s nationalist desires by discouraging students to join organizations like LFS, and breeding the youth to become egocentric creatures—follow him in his self-indulgent old days of disco-hopping and beer-drinking, and later be a Play-Station-aficionado president of the republic.

We would like to remind Aquino III that the history of ousting the Marcos regime is not a history of the struggle of the Aquino family, but of the Filipino people. Aquino III is completely slow on the up take to know the historical role of LFS—starting as a broad alliance against tuition fee increase; reviving closed student councils, student publications, recognizing political student organizations, fraternities and sororities, and fighting against arbitrary school fee hikes implemented by the fascist government of Marcos.

Never did Aquino III realize that the organization he is accusing as a dictator of the few is the same organization that has been part of the struggle that overthrew the Marcos dictatorship and positioned her mother in Malacanang. Aquinos are becoming political rags that have benefited most from the downfall of Marcos dictatorship, and are sleeping in bed with the clerico-fascists in prolonging historical lies.

Long before Aquino III’s name existed in political limelight, LFS have already earned the reputation as nationalists who fought hard against the dictatorship. His statement is utterly irresponsible and an apex of stupidity for him who was never been a part of the organization and has no understanding of the principles defended by LFS.

As members of the nationalist LFS, we have persevered to remold ourselves towards patriotic and selfless direction. We have remained to be firm in organizational discipline in order to effectively advance the aspirations of the suffering masses of workers and peasants. We follow democratic principles inside the organization and all the time consider the ideas and views of each member before crafting any course of action, and strictly enforces centralism to maintain the organization’s unity of will and action. With the interest of the toiling people as the point of departure for our political thrusts, LFS’ organizational principle is completely the opposite of Marcos’ as he became a marionette of US imperialism and local landlord class, that Aquino, lest he is not aware of, is upholding up to the present days.

We can never forgive Aquino III for maligning the memories of martyrs coming from the LFS in Lanao—Kimberly Jul Luna (MSU-IIT), Metucielo Razo (MSU-IIT) and Jeffrey Mondejar (MSU-Main Campus)—along with other nameless faces that offered their time, brains and life to the cause for national democracy.

Aquino III needs a historical doctor, and the suffering people, very soon, will restore his mental health and will teach him lesson. Years from now, when his regime will fully be exposed as a rabid US maniac, defender of land snatchers and drainer of public coffin, Aquino III will find himself rotting in the dustbins of history. The masses in millions will laugh at his extreme ignorance and absolute infamy as champion of the system he is trying to save from harm.

In commemoration of the 34th anniversary of LFS today September 11, we proudly raise our fists in giving the highest honor to all comrades that sacrificed and offered their lives against martial law, and up until today versus the class dictatorship of capitalists and landlords represented by Aquino III. We will carry on our tasks in militantly arousing, organizing and mobilizing the broadest number of youth and students to stop Aquino III for turning back the wheels of history.

Long live the the LFS in its 34th year!

Long live the toiling masses of workers and peasants!

Advance national democracy to complete victory!

For Reference:

Vennel Francis Chenfoo

Spokesperson

League of Filipino Students – Lanao

Contact #: 09352331509

 Share now!

“Our members had been felled by the dictatorship’s bullets from our founding in 1977. And to be cheaply swiped by the son of Ninoy is nothing but the remark of a man with no sense of history.”

This was the statement of Terry Ridon, national chairperson of the League of Filipino Students, as the country’s largest and most active militant youth organization reacted strongly to President Noynoy Aquino III’s comparison of the LFS to the Marcos dictatorship.

“Mr. Aquino probably was too busy partying during his happy-go-lucky college days to know what an executive committee does.”

“What is so silly about his statement is the fact that he himself issued a memorandum order (Memorandum Order No. 13) on April 18, 2011, creating an Inter-Agency Executive Committee supposedly to monitor developments on persons deprived of liberty. Well, that’s a an executive committee as well, Herr Noynoy.”

Thus, Ridon said, following Mr. Aquino’s logic about a dictatorial executive committee, the President’s creation of such committee is nothing but “a dog that returns to his vomit.”

Ridon was chairperson of the student council of the Ateneo de Manila High School during the ouster of President Joseph Estrada, and subsequently joined the LFS upon his entry to the University of the Philippines.

Ridon said that Mr. Aquino conveniently forgets the participation of the LFS in the resurgence of protests against the dictatorship after the death of his father until the overthrow of Marcos in EDSA.

Ridon also said that the LFS was pivotal in the historic removal of the US bases in Subic and Clark during the presidency of his mother.

“No mere executive committee decision could have compelled thousands upon thousands of students to participate in successive caravans from Manila to Subic and Clark to expel the bases from our shores. To think otherwise is to simply belittle the intellect and courage of our students.”

Ridon issued a stern warning to the President.

“We are as much a potent student movement as we were during the dictatorship. Last year, we had led the protests against your government’s slashing of the education budget. We are doing the same thing again this year and the DBM had already initially acceded to our demands to increase significantly the budget of our state schools. “

“As we stood firmly against the dictatorship, so are we not backing down until a significant budget for schools and social services is given by your government.”

 Share now!

AUGUST 25, 2011

National Day of Action against Budget Cuts

References:

Aki Merced, 09322537600, LFS Spokesperson

Vencer Crisostomo, 09224290258, ANAKBAYAN Chairperson

Youth, sectors link arms to protest Aquino’s ‘anti-people’ budget

calls Aquino ‘budget-slasher’

Youth and students led by the League of Filipino Students, ANAKBAYAN, Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, KARATULA, College Editors Guild of the Philippines, and the National Union of Students of the Philippines joined migrants, women, urban poor and health workers, and marched to the House of Representatives today to protest Benigno Aquino III’s proposed 2012 National Budget as part of the National Day of Action against Budget Cuts on Education and Social services.

The groups called the 2012 National Budget ‘anti-people’, calling Aquino the ‘Budget-Slasher’.

“Aquino is blatantly abandoning the people. Budget allocations for education, health and other social services received hefty cuts and remain well under what is needed while debt servicing, military, dole-out programs like the Conditional Cash Transfer, the President’s unprogrammed funds and legislators’ pork barrel budgets were increased. This and last year’s budget allocation is a very clear indicator of Aquino’s priorities.”, said Aki Merced, spokesperson for the League of Filipino Students.

Merced continued that the numbers say that the allocation for social services increased as a whole, but these increases were ‘mainly to increase private profits, boost fake anti-poverty gimmicks like the CCT and focused on implementing Aquino’s anti-development Philippine Development Plan ‘.

“Aquino’s fiscal policy is focused on worsening the import dependent, export oriented character of our economy instead of boosting the agricultural sector and local industries. It focuses on guaranteeing the profits of big private business, while the people are left hungry and wanting.”, said Merced.

Merced said that the Aquino government is steadily decreasing subsidy for direct social service. The budgets for education and health remain at very low levels with the education budget at just 2.4% of the GDP instead of the UN recommendation of 6% and the health budget at a very pitiful 0.5% instead of the UN recommendation of 5%.

Meanwhile, ANAKBAYAN Chairperson Vencer Crisostomo said that the budget of State Universities and Colleges again received cuts after getting a whopping 1.1 billion peso cut last year. Of 112 SUCs, 51 received an accumulated cut of P583.69 million in the 2012 National Budget, pushing these SUCs to further ‘commercialize’, Crisostomo said.

“This is what Aquino wants for the future of the Filipino youth: inaccessible tertiary education and a rotting basic education system. The Department of Education budget only increased because of the legislated salary hike for teachers but there is no significant increase for building new classrooms, acquiring new chairs, hiring new regular teachers and improving schools’ water and sanitation facilities.”, said Crisostomo.

He continued in saying that with the rate Aquino is going in funding our people’s education, the education crisis is set to worsen.

“For every 100 students who enter grade school, only 66 finish grade 6. Of this 66 who enter high school, 43 graduate. Of the 43 who enter high school, only 14 finish college. This can be accounted on the dwindling support of the government when it comes to educating our youth. It refuses to fund public education and at the same time, lets the private educational institutions increase their fees as they please. Seems what Aquino said about education being his priority is purely sweet-talk.”, said Crisostomo.

Tin Valerio, Chairperson of the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, calls the 2012 National Budget of Aquino a ‘counter-insurgency’ budget.

“Despite the human rights violation-laden record of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Defense budget got one of the biggest chunks from the national budget and even got funded under items in different agencies like DepEd and DSWD. CCT in armed-conflict areas under the PAMANA program will be used to justify the militarization of these communities. After more than a year in office, the Aquino regime has incurred human-rights violations comparable to that of Arroyo and Marcos.”, said Valerio.

Valerio said Aquino failed to recognize the root cause of the insurgency, which is vast landlessness and poverty, and instead resorts to massive attack and deception of the people. “The Aquino regime has always been biased to big landlords, big business and foreign corporations, resorting to armed force if the people gets in the way of their profit interests. Because of the increasing resistance to a government that is deaf to the need of the people, Aquino and his real bosses devised the 2012 National Budget that provides fake solutions to the poorest of Filipinos and militarizes their communities to suppress unrest. This, together with filling his own pocket with unprogrammed funds—virtually pork barrel, is why we are in protest!”

The groups say that protests will continue as the budget is heard in congress, the senate, until it gets to the bicameral conference up to the President.

“We refuse to let this president use public funds to the benefit of the few, while perpetuating the people’s poverty and suffering. It is not true that this kind of spending will benefit everyone ‘in the long run’. The people have suffered decades of abandonment, it is time we take matters into our own hands,” said Merced.

High schools, colleges and universities are set to stage massive boycotts and strikes on the third week of September, while under the multi-sectoral Kilos Na Laban Sa Budget Cuts!, youth groups are joined by different sectors in launching massive protests nationwide against budget cuts.###

 Share now!

Gabay sa pagtatalakay

Labanan ang anti-mamamayan, maka-imperyalistang budget ng rehimeng US-Aquino!

Ang sabi ni Noynoy Aquino sa kanyang SONA, ang budget ang pagsasabuhay ng kanyang daang matuwid[JM1] .

Ipinangako ni Noynoy na magiging malaki ang pagbabago mula sa nakaraang rehimeng Arroyo. Sa madaling salita, nangako ang rehimeng Aquino ng pag-angat ng kabuhayan, serbisyong ramdam ng taumbayan at pagbibigay ng mga sinsero at konkertong solusyon sa kahirapan.

Ngunit muli, sa kanyang pangalawang budget, lubhang kulang at nakaranas pa ng kaltas ang budget para sa edukasyon, kalusugan, at sa serbisyong panlipunan sa pangkabuuhan. Ang pondo na dapat ay para sa mamamayan ay naembudo pa din sa lumolobong pondo pambayad-utang, dagdag pondo sa militar, pag-gugol ng bilyun-bilyon sa mga gimik na panakip sa krisis at kahirapan, at pagpapataba sa mga bulsa ng mga pulitiko.

Ang daang matuwid ni Aquino ay hindi para sa mamamayan.

Budget sa edukasyon

Kinaltasan ang budget ng State Universities at Colleges habang nananatiling lubhang kulang ang pondo para sa Department of Education.

Sa kabila ng matinding kakulangan sa silid-aralan, upuan, kaguruan, libro at water and sanitation facilities sa mga elementary at high schools sa buong bansa, ang P30 billion dagdag na budget sa DepEd ay para sa awtomatikong dagdag sahod ng mga guro dala ng Salary Standardization Law 3 (SSL3) at walang dagdag para sa pagtugon sa mga kakulangan.
Ang P238.8 billion na pondo ng DepEd para sa 2012 ay kapos ng mahigit P300 billion pa upang maabot ang UN recommendation na 6% ng GDP (o pangkabuuhang gastos sa loob ng bansa).

Lulubha pa panigurado ang mga kakulangan sa libro, upuan, silid-aralan, kaguruan at water and sanitation facilities dahil sa pagdaragdag ng dalawang taon sa basic education o K+12. Nakita natin noong Hunyo ang karumaldumal na naganap sa 1.9 milyong kabataang pumasok sa Universal Kindergarten kung saan walang mga silid para sa kanila at puro kontraktwal na volunteer teachers ang kinuha ng gubyerno, 700 lang na regular na guro ang kinuha sa buong bansa. Sa darating na taon, 1.9 bilyong piso lang ang inilaan para sa Universal Kindergarten gayong 18 billion ang kailangan para dito.

Tuloy pa din ang pakanang gawing mga welder at baker o mga semi-skilled workers ang mga high school graduates sa pamamagitan ng K+12. Iraratsada pa din ni Noynoy ang pakanang ito kahit sa ngayon pa lang ay kulang na kulang na ang pondo. Sa pagdaragdag ng dalawang taon sa basic education, hindi lang ang matinding pahirap sa mga estudyante dahil sa kawalan ng pasilidad ang bitbit nito kundi kasama na din ang pagtransporma sa mga paaralan tungo sa pagiging factory ng mga manggagawa para sa dayuhang interes.

Ang kalubhaan ng ating basic education system ay masasalamin sa 7.9 milyong kabataang hindi nakakapag-aral.  Hindi tunguhin ng gubyernong Aquino ang magdagdag ng mga building sa mga siksikang paaralan at magtayo ng mga building sa mga lugar na walang eskwelahan dahil wala o ZERO ang inilaan niya para sa Capital Outlay ng mga public schools sa buong bansa.

Mula sa 1.1 bilyong pisong kaltas sa kanilang operations fund ng nakaraang taon, makararanas naman muli ng kaltas ang pondo ng mga State Universities and Colleges sa taong ito. Kinaltasan naman ng P537.69 million ang State Universities and Colleges budget. Ang pondo para sa Personal Service (PS) na dapat ay nadagdagan dahil sa awtomatikong dagdag-sahod dahil sa Salary Standardization Law 3 (SSL3) ay nakaranas pa ng P403.3 milyon na kaltas sa 58 na pamantasan.

Wala pa sa kalahati ng mga kinakailangang pondo ng mga SUC ang nilagyan ng budget. Dahil sa dambuhalang kaltas sa unang taon ni Aquino, tuloy pa din ang dusa sa mga SUC kahit sa ilan na dinagdagan dahil mumu lang ang mga idinagdag.
Sa kabila ng matinding kakulangan ng SUCs sa maraming lugar sa buong bansa at sa kabulukan ng madaming gusali at pasilidad sa mga pamantasan, tulad ng basic education, wala ring Capital Outlay para sa kolehiyo.

Sinabi ni Aquino sa una nyang taon na kakaltasan talaga ng budget ang mga SUCs dahil dapat sila’y magsarili na at gumawa ng paraan upang kumita at mapunan ang kakulangan sa pondo. Malinaw na ang balangkas ng rehimen ni Aquino ay hindi na pondohan ang mamamayan. Dahil dito, isang pamamaraan ang patuloy na pagtaas ng matrikula sa mga pamantasan at ang patuloy na pagpasok ng pribadong sektor sa pagpapagana ng ating mga pamantasan. Mula sa mga nakaraang rehimen, ganito na ang nagging balangkas n gating gubyerno. Sa pagsunod sa mga “payo” ng mga multi-lateral na institusyong nagpapautang tulad ng IMF at WB tulad ng HEMA (Higher Education Modernization Act) at LTHEDP (Long Term Higher Education Development Plan), lagi’t laging nasa panganib ang mga State Universities and Colleges dahil ayon sa mga ito, dapat magbawas na ng SUCs at itulak ang mga ito magpribatisa.
Budget sa kalusugan

Malaking dagok ang maranasan ng mga mamamayan sa lubhang kulang na pondo para sa serbisyong pangkalusugan sa taong ito. P44.4 bilyon lamang ang inilaan sa kalusugan, wala man lang sa kalahati ng kinakailangang P90 bilyon para matugunan ang pinakapayak na pangangailangan ng mga ospital upang maserbisyuhan ang mamamayan. Lalo na kung ito pa’y ikukumpara sa P440 bilyon o 5% ng GDP na rekomendasyon ng UN para sa pondong pangkalusugan.

Dahil din sa malaking kaltas sa budget pangkalusugan sa nakaraang taon, walang epekto ang anumang dagdag na ginawa ni Aquino ngayong taon dahil ito’y mumu lamang.

Ang mga importanteng direktang serbisyo sa mamamayan tulad ng bakuna para sa mga sanggol ay kinaltasan ng P995 million. Wala na ding balak kumuha ng mga nars at doctor dahil maging ang PS (Personal Services) ay kinaltasan pa.
Wala ring Capital Outlay para sa serbisyong pangkalusugan kahit napakaraming lugar ang walang ospital at nabubulok na rin ang mga pasilidad sa mga nakatayong ospital. Wala ring makabuluhang dagdag sa MOOE para sa serbisyong pangkalusugan.

Ang dinagdagan ay ang pondo para sa PhilHealth at mga insurance, mula P3.5 bilyon tungong P12 bilyon. Walang balak ang gubyernong magdala ng serbisyo sa mamamayan sa pamamagitan ng mga pampublikong hospital na may dekalidad na serbisyo, sa halip ay naglalagay ito ng pondo para sa mga pribadong kumpanyang gumaganansya sa insurance.

Tinatarget ni Aquino na hindi na pondohan ang MOOE o pagpapagana ng mga ospital sa taong 2014 at hindi na sahuran ang mga nars, stap at doktor sa 2020. Ibig sabihin, target ng gubyerno na 100% pribado ang lahat ng ospital at serbisyong pangkalusugan sa taong 2020. Ibig sabihin lamang nito ay pribatisasyon ng serbisyo at patuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng pagpapagamot at pagtitiyak ng kalusugan ng mamamayan.
Ano ang pinopondohan ng gubyerno?

Habang walang balak magtayo ng mga bagong ospital at mga paaralan, ang pondo ng mamamayan ay napupunta sa  pambayad-utang panlabas, militar, dole-out at kurakot.

40% ng budget o P738.57 billion ay para sa pambayad utang. Nariyan din ang awtomatikong pagbabayad-utang na lalong nilulumpo ang ating ekonomiya. Ipinagpatuloy ni Aquino ang awtomatikong pagbabayad utang mula sa mga nakaraang rehimne. Sa loob ng 10 taon mula 2000-2009, nagbayad ang Pilipinas ng P5.31 TRILYONG piso, ngunit sa parehong mga taon ay hindi naman nabawasan ang utang. Nadagdagan pa ito ng P2.3 trilyong piso. At pinagmalaki pa ni Noynoy na tumaas ang credit rating natin kaya maari nang lalo pang umutang. Malamang ay tataas ang rating natin sa paningin ng mga nagpapautang dahil halos 1 trillion ang naibayad natin sa nakaraang taon, kasabay ito ng mga dambuhalang cut sa budget ng mga serbisyong panlipunan.

Ang nakalaan sa Department of National Defense mula sa P104.7 bilyon noong 2011, ay tumaas na naman sa P107.9 bilyon ngayong taon. Ito at utang ang prayoridad ng gubyerno. Labas pa sa budget ng DND, maraming pondo para sa military na nakasingit sa iba’t ibang ahensya tulad ng DepEd at DSWD.

Sinabi ni Noynoy sa kanyang unang SONA na hindi gagastos ni piso para sa PP ngunit ang pondo para sa public-private partnership (PPP) na ipapabuya sa malalaking negosyo ay aabot sa  P22.1 bilyon mula sa P15 bilyon noong nagdaang taon.
Tumaas din ang pork barrel ng mga senador at kongresista: P24.8 billion para sa 2012 mula sa P24.6 billion noong 2011. Dinagdagan na ito ng P10.9 billion noong nakaraang taon. Ang mga Majority o mga kaalyado ni Noynoy sa Partido Liberal ay makakatanggap ng pork barrel habang ang mga oposisyonista o mga kabilang sa minority ay walang matatanggap. Ang unprogrammed funds o pork barrel na presidente ay tumaas mula P66 bilyon tungong P161 bilyon para 2012. Bahagi nito ang P2.6 bilyon na “intelligence funds” ng presidente.

Bakit ganito ang spending ng gubyerno?

Malinaw na ayaw ng gubyerno pondohan ang mamamayan, ngunit pagdating sa interes ng dayuhan at pribadong mga korporasyon ay buong luwag nitong napaglalaanan.

Ikinakampanya ni Noynoy ang pribatisasyon ng serbisyong panlipunan tulad ng edukasyon at kalusugan kaya naman todo kaltas ito sa pagpopondo sa mga serbisyo.

Ito ang balangkas ng neoliberalisasyon, ang kasalukuyang kaayusan ng mga ekonomya sa buong daigdig sa ilalim ng kapitalismo. Tinatanggal ang responsibilidad ng gubyerno na tiyakin na abot-kamay ng mamamayan ang kanyang pangangailangan at inililipat ito sa kamay ng pribadong sektor na dinodomina ng mga dambuhalang korporasyon.  Ang papel ngayon ng gubyerno ay gawing maluwag ang mga kundisyon para pumasok ang pribadong sektor sa serbisyong panlipunan at paganahin ito bilang negosyo.Tinutulak ngayon ng US at ng mga alyado ni Aquino sa kongreso ang Charter Change (cha-cha) upang tanggalin na ang mga economic provisions na tanging pumipigil sa mga dayuhang korporasyon na bilhin na ng 100% ang mga lupain at magtayo ng mga negosyo sa anumang larangan sa bansa. Patitindihin lamang nito ang paghigop ng mga dayuhan sa mga yaman n gating bayan. Malinaw naman na ito ang tunguhin nito ngunit todo pa ding itinutulak ng rehimeng Aquino.

Ang iilang makapangyarihang bansa, na tinatawag nating mga imperyalista tulad ng Estados Unidos, lalo na’t nasa krisis, ang sumisipsip hindi lamang ng lakas paggawa at likas yaman ng mga atrasadong bayan, kundi pati na rin ng pondo ng mamamayan.

Ang mga “aid” at utang na “pantulong” ay balat-kayo lamang. Bakit nga ba sa ilang taon nating pagbabayad ay palobo ng palobo ang mga utang natin?  Ipinapatupad ang mga polisiya tulad ng PPP at CCT, mga “suhestyon” ng mga dambuhalang institusyong nagpapautang tulad ng International Monetary Fund at World Bank na kontrolado ng Estados Unidos, para lagi’t laging kailanganing mangutang ng ating bayan.

Ang PPP o pribatisasyon ng mga pampublikong pagmamay-ari ay matagal nang napatunayang pahirap. Katulad ng nangyari sa kuryente, dahil sa pagpribatisa dito, ang presyo ng kuryente sa Pilipinas ay pangalawa sa pinakamataas sa buong mundo at una naman sa Asya.

Ang CCT naman o Conditional Cash Transfers ay isang gimik ng rehimeng US-Aquino para pagtakpan ang kahirapan sa bansa. Sa P500-P1400 na ipinapalimos nito sa mahihirap nating kababayan, sinasabi ni Noynoy na nasolusyunan na ang kahirapan ngunit dahil sa patuloy na hindi pagpopondo at pagpapatupad ng mga tunay na reporma sa agrikultura at industriya, nananatiling walang trabaho ang kalakhan ng mga Pilipino. Napatunayan na din sa ibang bansa na nag-CCT na ito’y hindi solusyon sa kahirapan. Sa Mexico na nagpatupad ng CCT noong 1997, dumami pa ang bilang ng mahihirap kahit ang CCT ay pinatutupad pa din doon hanggang ngayon.

Samantalang ang pagpapalakas ng militar at pagbili ng mga bagong kagamitan pandigma ay tulak ng US. Diba’t sa mga nakaraang buwan ay ilang ulit na pumupunta sa Pilipinas ang mga top-ranking officials ng US government tulad ni Hilary Clinton at kahit ang warship na pinanglibing kay Osama ay dinala pa sa bansa? Dahil hindi pa nakakaahon ang US sa krisis na kinaharap nito na tumitindi pa hanggang ngayon, nababahala ang US na matanggal siya sa posisyon bilang Superpower sa buong daigdig. Kaya naman sinisigurado niya na pwestado ang kanyang lakas militar sa mga estratehikong lugar katulad ng Pilipinas.

Nagiging posibleng pamyestahan ng US ang mga yaman ng Pilipinas dahil si Noynoy Aquino ay tuta nito. Nagiging ganap ang lahat ng batas at polisiya, at pati ang budget ay nakaayon sa kung paano pinakamakakaganansya ang Estados Unidos habang naghihirap ang sambayanan. Kahit ang AFP ay extension ng lakas ng US dito sa Asya, labas pa sa mga tropang kano na pinapasok sa Pilipinas at sa mga baseng itinatayo dito.

Ang ating tungkulin

Paalingawngawin natin ang protesta laban sa mga kaltas at ipaglaban ang mas mataas na budget para sa edukasyon, kalusugan at serbisyong panlipunan. Ilantad ang budget ni Aquino sa pagiging anti-mamamayan at maka-imperyalista nito. Gamitin natin ang lahat ng pamamaraan upang mahikayat ang pinakamaraming bilang ng kabataan at mamamayan sa laban para sa mas mataas na budget.

Hindi maaaring hayaan na lamang natin ang gubyerno na pangasiwaan ang pagpapakasasa ng imperyaslitang Estados Unidos sa pondo at yaman ng mamamayan habang naghihikahos naman ang sambayanan.

Tinatawagan ang mga kabataan na buhayin an gating mga dugong palaban at diwang makabayan upang maging bahagi ng kilusan sa pagpapalaya ng sambayanan sa kontrol ng imperyalistang Estados Unidos. Malinaw sa atin na ang isyu ng budget ay hindi natatapos sa pagkakampanya lamang laban sa kaltas at pagsusulong ng laban para sa mas mataas na budget. Alam natin ang ugat ng problema at ang solusyon dito ay ang pagsusulong ng ating anti-imperyalistang pakikibaka.

Ang Pambansang Demokrasya, ang pakikibaka para sa isang Pilipinas na nagpapasya sa sarili at natutugunan ang pangangailangan ng sambayanan, ang ating alternatiba sa nabubulok na sistemang pinaghaharian ng iilan at dayuhan. Dapat nating hikayatin ang pinakamaraming bilang ng kabataan na sumapi sa ating organisasyon at maging bahagi ng pambansa demokratikong pakikibaka.

 Share now!

SONA: Kalagayan ng bayan sa Isang taon ni Aquino

June

Nanalo si Noynoy Aquino sa eleksyon. Ang kanyang mga pangako: ibabangon ang bayan, pupuksain ang korapsyon, bibigyang solusyon ang kahirapan, serbisyo para sa lahat. Ginhawa para sa bayan, at pagpapanagot sa siyam na taong pahirap ni Arroyo.

JULY: Unang SONA

Sinabing ang pangunahing pamamaraan ng pagbabangon sa bayan mula sa kahirapan ay ang PPP o Private Public Partnerships. Ipipribatisa ang mga serbisyo, dahil mas episyente diumano magpatakbo ang mga negosyante.

August: Hacienda Luisita Compromise Agreement

Sa halip na lupa, inalok ng mga titulong papel ang 10,000 manggagawang bukid sa sariling Hacienda Luisita ng pamilyang Cojuangco Aquino. Maaalalang pitong manggagawang bukid ang pinaslang sa Hacienda noong 2004, hanggang ngayon ay walang hustisya, at ang kanilang mga pamilya, wala pa ring lupa.

September: Budget cut sa mga serbisyong panlipunan

Tig isang bilyon ang kaltas sa budget ng State Universities and Colleges, at serbisyong pangkalusugan. 29 bilyong piso naman ang nakalaan para sa CCT (Conditional Cash Transfer Program) na imbis na pondohan ang agrikultura at suportahan ang local na industriya upang lumikha ng trabaho sa lahat ay nagbibigay ng limos sa mamamayan.

Prayoridad ni Aquino sa budget: suportahan ang pribatisasyon, dagdag imprastruktura para umakit ng mga dayuhang mamumuhunan, bayad-utang.

Sa parehong buwan din ang unang State Visit ni Aquino sa United States. Kumain siya sa hotdog stand para ipakita ang pagkakaiba niya maluhong imahen ng nakaraang administrasyon. Anibersaryo din ng pagpapatalsik sa base ng mga Amerikano sa Subic at dalawang buwan pagkatapos ipangako ang pagrerepaso sa Visiting Forces Agreement ay libo-libong sundalong kano pa din ang labas-masok sa bansa.

October: K+12, pahirap sa bayan, pabor sa dayuhan

Inanunsyo ang pagpapatupad ng K+12 o dagdag dalawang taon at pagpapasok ng mga technical and vocational courses sa basic education. Sinalubong ng mariing pagtutol ng mga high school students at mamamayan sa buong bansa. Ito’y dagdag pahirap! At isa pa’y, milyun-milyong silya at daanlibong silid-aralan pa ang kakulangan, sa sampung taon pa lang.

November: Pambansang strike laban sa budget cuts sa edukasyon

Libo-libong kabataan, kaguruan at mga administrador ang sumugod sa Mendiola at nagsagawa ng mga strike sa kanikanilang mga paaralan para labanan ang pagkaltas ni Aquino sa budget sa edukasyon at pagpapalobo naman ng budget para sa military, pork barrel at utang panlabas. Sinagot ito ni Aquino at ni Budget Secretary Abad ng mga kasinungalingan. Hindi napigilan ang galit ng libolibong mamamayan at pagdating ng December 1, sinugod na ang Senado.

January: bili ng Porsche, sunod-sunod na pagtaas

New Year. Regalo ni Aquino sa sarili: Porsche. Regalo niya sa mamamayan: sunud sunod na pagtaas ng presyo ng bilihin, presyo ng langis at pamasahe.

February: Pag-gunita sa EDSA I

Tampok ang mga magulang ni Noynoy Aquino at ang lumalakas na paglaban sa patong-patong na pahirap ni Aquino sa mamamayan. Sa gitna ng pagtaas ng presyo ng langis na umaabot na P11/litro, wala pa ring aksyon mula kay Aquino. Umiinit na din ang impeachment case laban kay Ombudsman Merci Guttierez na isinampa ng League of Filipino Students, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan at iba pang organisasyon.

April: maliitang subsidyo, sunud-sunod na demolisyon

Umaksyon na si Noynoy sa pagtaas ng presyo ng langis: Pantawid Pasada. Napikon ang maraming jeepney driver dahil walang talab ito sa hindi mapigilang sunud-sunod na pagtaas ng pamasahe.

Tulad ng demolisyon sa San Roque ng Setyembre ng nakaraang taon, sunod-sunod na ang pagiisyu ng demolition notice sa buong bansa. Tinatayang 500,000 na pamilya ang target na tanggalan ng tahanan bago magpasukan.

May: Mayo Uno, nagpapatawang dagdag sahod mula kay Aquino

Halos 100,000 mamamayan ang nagprotesta sa lansangan noong Mayo Uno at nananawagan ng pagbababa ng presyo at P125 pagtataas ng sahod sa buong bansa. Ang naging sagot ni Aquino: P22. Ni hindi makakabili ng isang kilong bigas.

June: Dismayado ang mamamayan

Isang taon makaraan ang pag-upo ni Aquino sa Malakanyang, hindi maitago ang pagkadismaya ng mamamayan. 7.93 milyong kabataan ang hindi nakakapag-aral. 24.6 milyong Pilipino ang gutom araw-araw. 11.3 milyon ang Pilipino walang trabaho. 0 kaso ang naisampa kay Arroyo. 700 permanenteng US troops at madami pang hindi nakatala.

Sa darating na July 25, bibigkas na naman si Aquino ng talumpating puno ng kasinungalingan. Sa kanyang State Of the Nation Address, siguradong sasabihin niya ang kanyang mga nagawa, na tayo ang kanyang boss, at umuunlad ang bayan. Ngunit ramdam natin ang katotohanan. Tumitindi ang krisis at walang pagbabago sa ilalim ng isang taon ni Aquino.

Sa darating na July 25, libo-libo tayong magmamartsa patungong Batasan at ipapahayag ang tunay na kalagayan ng mamamayan.

SA JULY 25, SAMA-SAMA TAYO SA SONA NG BAYAN!

(Maaaring i-download ang statement sa downloads section o sa link na ito. I-download at palaganapin!)

 Share now!