Four days ago, Benigno Aquino III pronounced his third State of the Nation Address (SONA). On the same day 22 years ago, on July 23, 1990, Corazon Aquino delivered her 4th SONA and declared the historic eviction of US military bases in the Philippines.

Times may have changed and the people have changed too, if only for the worse. At least, such is the case with the Aquinos.

Both the Lower and Upper Houses resumed sessions on the day of the SONA, promising the legislation of priority bills soliciting the “creation of goods and services in a playing field that is intentionally made fair to all.” This could only mean the possible railroading of charter change (cha-cha) whether through a constituent assembly or constitutional convention.

In recent history, charter change has been met with criticism and dissent by the Filipino people. Both the Ramos and Arroyo administrations’ cha-cha proposed to change the type of government to extend their respective terms. Ramos’ cha-cha also proposed for “socio-economic reform to respond to the higher standards of human development and security promulgated by the United Nations in terms of water, food, health, shelter, income, livelihood, education, environment, opportunity, and safety.” In other words, it aimed to make surgical amendments in the Philippine Constitution to accommodate the imperatives of globalization at the time.

First and foremost a US Command

Talks of amending the Constitution were revived during the first week of July when Senate President Enrile urged the Congress to reconsider the configuration of the national budget to accommodate the demands of war in the context of persistent Chinese incursions. Enrile shamelessly called a review of the budget for education to augment the needs of the military should war come to the fore, while projecting Aquino as indifferent towards the matter.

However, US Ambassador Harry Thomas has already proposed charter change to allow for the full implementation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in August last year. TPP aims to reduce member countries into a single trading community, making it subservient to US trade dictates towards its culmination of having all trade tariffs removed by 2015.

For five years the US economy has been experiencing a protracted recession after the notorious bank bailout. With its declaration of the American Pacific Century, it is desperate to leech off from the rich reserves of cheap labor, natural resources, and even richer consumer market in the Asia-Pacific.

Intensify hard-selling of country’s economy

Even without the cha-cha, the Aquino government is just as successful in hard-selling the country’s economy. He has done so with his flagship program Public-Private Partnerships and the recently legislated Executive Order 79 more commonly known as the Mining EO.

In his third SONA, Aquino boasted the 6.4% growth rate from the implementation of 1 out 10 PPP projects, owing much of the success of private sector spending. According to DBM Secretary Abad, the government could have added 2 more additional points to this growth if the rest of it were bid out. For 2012, a total of 22 PPP projects will be bid out, but these projects shamelessly include supposed state-funded social services such as health, education, transportation, and power among others.

Recently, Aquino approved the Mining EO which euphemistically boasts of invoking “responsible mining” when in fact, EO 79 is no different from the existing Mining Act of 1995.  It brags of a mining moratorium (or prohibits issuance of new mining permits after the EO implementation) while allowing the continued denudation of the environment by 771 mining companies issued with permits, and does not decisively cover those who can do the same with just applying for exploration permits.

Peddling the country’s sovereignty

A day after Aquino’s third SONA, the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) between our country and Australia which legalizes the bilateral defense and military cooperation between the two countries was ratified. It was approved in cognizant with the provision in the Constitution that permits such treaties so long as they are approved by the Senate.

Furthermore, after no less than 5 years of being shelved in the Senate, the SOVFA was railroaded in the context of Chinese incursions and in consideration of Australia as the US’ “deputy partner” in the Asia-Pacific region. The Senate approval of SOVFA follows the narrative of series of US-PH top official engagements for the past 1stquarter, the deployment of troops in Balikatan last April, the deployment and operations of combat drones, possible deployment of spy planes, the construction of a private defense contractor in Subic, and the construction of a coast watch radar to monitor the West Philippine Sea.

For the longest time, US has been hawking the South China Sea, drooling over its economic guarantees assured by its mineral resources and its strategic position in trade. While building its economic leverage against China through forcing TPP among nations in the region, US has found a good military outpost in the Philippines legalized by the Mutual Defense Treaty, Mutual Logistics Support Agreement, and Visiting Forces Agreement, among others.

The US$30B military aid coherent with the “modernization” of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Defense Capability Upgrade and Sustainment of Equipment Program of AFP is tantamount to US-PH egging China to a war over territorial claims. In his SONA, Aquino meekly appealed to public emotion that this is merely protecting our backyard, but since Aquino has permitted the intervention of US through different disguises in the form of the Balikatan Exercises, ministerial meetings, port calls of US nuclear submarines, his double talk is nothing but warmongering.

Hands Clean, Head above the Clouds, 106 Applauses

Aquino is still elated, with the impeachment of the chief justice, the facade of a “no strong opposition,” that will translate to the alignment of previously contending political parties into a merger, a creditor status—the summation of his two years that was good enough for 1 and a half hour of lying and 106 applauses of his political allies.

Aquino can pretend to be lukewarm towards the issue. Aquino’s cohorts are standing in the line of fire, taking bullet after bullet for the administration’s inutile maneuvers that compromise the welfare of the people. At this point, the US-Aquino regime is whitewashing possible political motives behind amending the constitution by stressing on relaxing the economic provisions.

Aquino’s “daang matuwid” is nothing more but a fast lane of the puppeteers and the profit-driven. It has been used for whoremonging the people and warmongering among the people.

While Aquino keeps his head above the clouds and wipes his hands clean, the people, on the other hand, have their feet flat on the ground, with left fists clenched in the air. Being the basic masses who feel the full brunt of Aquino’s neoliberal puppetry, the LFS enjoins the Filipino youth to link arms with the rest of the Filipino people in taking to the streets and continuing the national democratic struggle to free the nation from the oppressive rule of the US-Aquino regime.


(via lfs.ph)

In a press conference held at the UP College of Law, the League of Filipino Students (LFS), joined by UP Student Regent Cleve Arguelles, USC Councilor Aryanna Canacan, CONTEND Secretary General Prof. Sarah Raymundo, NNARA Chairperson Bianca Luna denounced Aquino’s condescending statements in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) that maligned the massive student protests that fought for higher budget in the last quarter of 2011.

“For the second time around, we will not hesitate to call NoyNoy ‘a man with no sense of history.’ We are appalled how he bravely discredits mass protests, when in fact, it was the street parliament that lamented the death of his father, ousted a dictator, and seated his mother in presidency,” said LFS Chairperson Gemma Canalis.

According to the militant youth organization, Aquino also seems to have forgotten the people’s interests following the hastened passage of the PH-Australia Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA), Arroyo’s release on a mere P1M bail, and talks of pandering the economy to foreign capitalists with the make-or-break talk of Charter Change on Monday.

“Aquino boasts of not being content with ‘forgiving and forgetting’ in his SONA, but he has already done the exact opposite just a few days after he pronounced it. He has forgotten national sovereignty when he continued to allow foreign military troops to enter the country; he has not only forgiven and forgotten all of Arroyo’s crimes to the people but is inutile enough to repeat them; he has forgotten to industrialize the Philippines for self-sustenance in his clamor for foreign investors ready to plunder the country,” says Canalis.

The LFS evoked the 1986 People Power and other victories earned by the collective action of the mass movement, and called on the people to participate in future protest actions to expose Aquino’s puppetry to capitalist dictates, particularly those of the US.

“While no less than 106 applauses elated Aquino in his most recent SONA, we will make sure the resounding march of the people united in the streets will haunt him in his coming days. For unlike Aquino, the youth and the rest of the Filipino nation will neither forgive nor forget the likes of him who have oppressed them for years,” warns Canalis. ###


(via lfs.ph)

The League of Filipino Students (LFS) condemns in the highest possible terms the granting of bail to Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the electoral sabotage case filed against her earlier today. The LFS would like to call out the Aquino administration’s accountability in its failure to file a strong plunder case against Arroyo, in addition to multiple charges of human rights violations.

The current US-Aquino regime’s has shown no initiative in making Arroyo pay for her crimes against the people. While an arrest warrant is pending the former president at the Sandiganbayan, the long time it took before such a case was filed against her made detaining Arroyo questionable on legal grounds. The probability of Arroyo coming clean from the charges filed against her is a testament to the Aquino administration’s culture of impunity towards their fellow representatives from the ruling class, and no different from what happened with former presidents Marcos and Estrada.

Just days after his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) and already Aquino is swallowing his words. Vaunting that he won’t just “forgive and forget” the people’s oppressors, the turn of events just days after his SONA show otherwise. Indeed, like the rest of his speech, his words remain hollow and his rhetoric exposed as nothing but mere lip service in a desperate attempt to win over the people long frustrated with his rule.

The ruling class can no longer cover up their connivance with each other in an attempt to protect each other’s interests that are the opposite of what the people demands. The LFS vows to continue arousing, organizing, and mobilizing the youth and the rest of the people to expose and oppose these local ruling elites, and make sure that the likes of Arroyo pay for their crimes against the people when the current administration fails to.


(via lfs.ph)

A day after they rushed to the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) to protest Aquino’s newly-signed Executive Order (EO) No. 79, members of the League of the Filipino Students (LFS) marched to Mendiola to press on their condemnation of the new EO on the mining industry.

The militant youth group criticized the EO for “adopting the same pro-imperialist provisions in the Republic Act 7942,” otherwise known as the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.

“While players in the mining industry welcomed the signing of the new EO, the rest of the nation took to the streets to condemn it. Clearly, we can see whom this mining EO really is for,” says LFS Chairperson Gemma Canalis.

Canalis called out the Aquino administration’s insincerity in promoting the mining industry for national industrialization.

“In addition to widespread destruction of the environment, large-scale mining operations benefit only huge foreign mining companies on the pretext of national development,” she explains. “Even the proposal for increased government revenue from mining operations will be pending legislation, and therefore gives no assurance of increased proceeds to the government.”

The youth leader claimed that in signing the EO, Aquino only further cemented his status as a lapdog of huge foreign capitalists.

“This EO disregards the moratoria imposed by local government units (LGUs) that regulate mining operations in their respective areas, and even pushes these LGUs to act in accordance with the new mining EO to further accommodate the mining companies,” says Canalis.

The LFS called for the junking of the Philippine Mining Act of 1995 and advocated the People’s Mining Bill authored by progressive partylist groups as an alternative.

“Mining is an integral industry in developing the Philippines. However, instead of bidding our reserves to foreign capitalists and huge mining companies as encouraged by the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, our mining industry should be directed in accordance to the needs of the Filipino people and national industrialization,” Canalis says. 


(via lfs.ph)

(from Anakbayan-UPLB)

Pinakamataas na pagpupugay ang ipinapaabot ng  ANAKBAYAN-Timog Katagalugan kay Armando “Ka Arman” Albarillo, dating coordinator ng Bayan Muna at Pangkalahatang Kalihim ng Bagong Alyansyang Makabayan – Timog Katagalugan (BAYAN-TK).

Si Ka Arman ay mula sa pamilya ng mga magsasaka sa San Teodoro, Oriental Mindoro. Nang maghasik ng lagim si Jovito Palparan sa kanilang lugar, naging biktima ng pampulitikang pamamaslang ang mga magulang ni Ka Arman sa bisa ng Oplan Bantay Laya ni Gloria Arroyo. Maging si Ka Arman at kanyang kapatid ay hindi naging ligtas sa pandarahas ng mga militar. Dahil sa matinding militarisasyon, napilitan silang lumikas ng Mindoro. Naging internal refugee si Ka Arman at kanyang pamilya sa sariling bayan. Naghanap siya ng hustisya para  sa kanyang mga magulang. At doon, nakasalamuha niya ang iba’t ibang organisasyon na nagpaliwanag sa kanya ng tunay na kalagayan ng lipunan. Higit pa, mas naging malawak ang kanyang mundo nang makasama at makasalamuha niya ang mga manggagawa, magsasaka, maralitang-lungsod, kabataan at iba pang sektor ng lipunan na, katulad niya, ay pinagkaitan ng mapayapa, marangal at masaganang buhay.

Sa kanyang patuloy na pagkilos, natutunan niya kung ano ang ugat ng kahirapan ng mga mamamayan. Naging mas malinaw sa kanya na ang pang-aapi at pagsasamantala ng mga naghaharing uri ay bunga ng bulok na sistemang panlipunang malapyudal at malakolonyal at patuloy na pangingibabaw ng imperyalismong Estados Unidos. Kasabay ng paghahanap niya ng hustisya para sa kanyang mga magulang, pinili niyang humanay sa mga inaapi at pinagsasamantalahang sektor ng lipunan upang kolektibong makibaka para sa kanilang mga lehitimo at demokratikong interes.

Taong 2008, siya at ang 71 pang biktima ng paglabag sa karapatang-pantao ay sinampahan ng gawa-gawang kaso tulad ng arson, multiple murder at multiple frustrated murder. Kabilang sila sa tinaguriang Southern Tagalog 72 (ST-72), kung saan sinampahan din ng gawa-gawang kaso ang isang lider kabataan na si PJ Santos (mula sa ANAKBAYAN-TK). Dahil dito, nakikita nating ang mga biktima ang sila pa ngayong pinalalabas ng estado na kriminal at salot sa lipunan. Samantala ang mga naghaharing uri, katulad ni Gloria Arroyo ay patuloy na namayagpag bilang pangulo ng bansa hanggang 2010. Dahil sa kaliwa’t kanang banta sa kanyang buhay, nagpasya si Ka Arman na maglow-profile.

Di kalaunan ay tuluyan na siyang sumapi sa Bagong Hukbong Bayan. Mahigit tatlong taon ding hindi narinig ang kanyang tinig sa mga lansangan. Lingid sa kaalaman ng lahat, siya ay patuloy na nag-organisa at naglingkod sa masang magsasaka sa kanayunan. Nasa kanya ag lahat ng dahilan upang mag-aramas. Batid niya na ang hustisya ay makakamtan lamang sa pamamagitan ng pagtangan ng armas.

Noong Hunyo 30, marami ang nabigla sa balitang si Ka Arman ay nasawi sa isang engkwentro sa San Narciso, Quezon. Ayon sa mga nakalap na balita, wasak ang kanyang katawan dahil sa tama ng bala. Wala na rin siyang braso nang makita ang kanyang mga labi. Hinayaan din ang kanyang walang buhay na katawan sa lupa, kasama ang sampu pa niyang mga kasamahan habang naarawan at naulanan sa isang buong maghapon at magdamag. Kahit sa kanyang kamatayan ay hindi pinalagpas ng mga militar ang pambubusabos sa kanyang katawan.

Nabuhay at namatay si Ka Arman nang buong-pusong naglilingkod sa sambayanan. Hindi matatawaran ang kanyang naging ambag sa pambansa-demokratikong adhikain ng mga mamamayan.      Isang inspirasyon ang naging buhay ni Ka Arman sa lahat ng mga kabataan. Nawala man ang kanyang pisikal na anyo, mananatili at tatanganan ng mga kabataan ang mga aral at ambag niya sa nagpapatuloy na laban ng mga mamamayan.

Dakila ka, Ka Arman!
Ang iyong simulain ay ipagpapatuloy ng sambayanan!

The Philippine Navy’s “friendliness” with the US Navy comes at the cost of peace and progress for the rest of the Philippine nation. For in conducting the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT), the Philippine Navy has reduced itself to a reserve army of the US Navy and a steward of the US in maintaining its hold in the Asia-Pacific region.

This conviction rallied members of the League of the Filipino Students (LFS) in a march on Fil-Am Friendship Day to the US Embassy in Manila to denounce the Aquino administration’s pursuance of US interests in the country amidst strong opposition from the group and other militant progressive organizations.

US[er]-friendly

The anti-imperialist group pointed out the abusive relationship between the Philippines and the US, claiming there is no friendship in the US manipulating the submissive Philippine government into furthering its own agenda while compensating the condition of Filipinos.

“While US Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. denies CARAT’s involvement in the West Philippine Sea dispute with China, there’s no denying that the naval exercises serve the US’ aim of interoperability following its strategic defense plan released January this year that calls for the rebalancing of US military forces toward the Asia-Pacific,” explains LFS Chairperson Gemma Canalis.

With the US gaining a foothold in Mindanao and other bases and ports in the Philippines, the LFS contests it would be easier for the imperialist state to then execute its plans in the Asia-Pacific to preserve itself as the sole economic superpower, which it maintains by exploiting the people of its neo-colonies like the Philippines.

Call to action

The LFS criticized President Aquino for the allowing the continued US use of Philippine facilities and territory and  called on the rest of the Filipinos to protest the blatant exploitation of the Philippines by the US government.

“In face of foreign neoliberal policies permeating our country, we should all unite in registering our demand for a Philippines able to govern itself and free from the dictates of the imperialist US. We cannot rely on Aquino’s ‘daang matuwid,’ for in his two years in power he has made clear that his road is going down the path of poverty for the Filipino people in favor of foreign capitalists. Only through collective action shall we be able to forge our own nation with a government that will truly serve the interests of its people,” says Canalis.

(via lfs.ph) 

Despite the Aquino government’s position that the deployment of US spy planes over the West Philippines Sea will not aggravate China, the militant youth organization League of Filipino Students believe otherwise.

The Aquino government is insincere in resolving the PH-China dispute over Scarborough Shoal through diplomatic relations. Yesterday, they released a statement giving full support to Sonia Brady, the Philippine ambassador to China, in pursuing talks and consultations to settle the standoff.

However, on the same day, news of Aquino’s plea for deployment of US spy planes to monitor the West Philippine Sea also broke out.

While the Department of Foreign Affairs boasts of its thrust to negotiate the issue through diplomacy, Aquino, on the other hand, shows insincerity in resolving the dispute altogether by dragging US support on the matter. The possible deployment of spy planes is just an addition to the well-orchestrated US narrative as a sloppy excuse to maintain permanence in the region.

Nearing its 3rd month, the Scarborough row between the Philippines and China must be seen within the context that early in 2012, the US planned to re-balance its military forces in Asia-Pacific. Since then, the Filipino people have witnessed the outright puppetry of the Aquino government; intensely manifested by the following accounts:

1. Monthly top-level talks between US-PH officials, the most recent of which is the meeting between Aquino and Obama on the first week of June which translated to the forging of US Senate Resolution 481, assuring greater cooperation between US-PH in the context of the territorial row between China,
2. The inter-operationability of US Armed Forces (USAF) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) through the recently resumed Balikatan exercises, and the sustained US military presence (and operations) in Camp Navarro which houses some 600 members of USAF,
3. The frequent port calls of US nuclear warships; drone flights over PH airspace “for reconnaissance purposes” which allegedly killed jihadists in Sulu; the presence of the largest defense contractor for US nuclear warships (AMSEC-Huntington Ingalls) in Subic that has provided for “replenishment of supplies” of the USS North Carolina and USS Louisville; the construction of the National Coast Watch Center or radar that will determine intrusions in the West Philippine Sea; and, last but definitely not the least, Aquino’s most recent request for spy planes for surveillance and monitoring of the West Philippine Sea.
4. Possible railroading of the Philippine Senate of the PH-Australia Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) upon resumption of session. Austraila has been hailed as the “junior partner” in terms of military relations and close ally in the re-balancing of forces in the region.

On July 4, the Philippines will be celebrating the US-Philippine Friendship Day. But there’s no reason to celebrate. The relationship that the Philippines have with US is that of a dog being dragged by the chains of neo-colonialism by its imperialist master.

On Aquino’s third SONA, the League of Filipino Students calls on the youth and Filipino people who have preferential love for the country and freedom to march as one to break away from shackles that bound us to slavery, poverty, and the litany of capitalist imperatives. We need to collectively put a dead end to Aquino’s “tuwid na daan” of puppetry, and struggle for true national liberation, sovereignty, and patrimony.

(via lfs.ph)