Hundreds of youth and students led by the League of Filipino Students (LFS) are geared up for student strikes and walkouts for a “strike week” from Sept. 17-21 next week in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of Martial Law. Together with youth organizations like Anakbayan, Karatula, Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, National Union of Students of the Philippines, and Kabataan Partylist, the LFS will launch widespread protests against the repression of their right to education and other human rights under the Aquino administration.

The strikes aim to reiterate the LFS’ call for the junking of the Education Act of 1982, which according to the group paves the way for further commercialization of education. The act was signed by former president and dictator Marcos.

“With the Education Act of 1982 still in place, the state of Philippine education remains the same it was under Marcos. Rising tuition and miscellaneous fees continue to deny the youth of their right to education,” says LFS Vice Chairperson Joaquin Sienes III.

Sienes points out how tuition hikes defeat the purpose of state universities and colleges (SUCs) to provide accessible quality education to Filipinos. In the University of the Philippines (UP), a recent re-bracketing scheme raised the tuition to P1,500/unit from the P1,000/unit since the tuition fee increase in 2007. Meanwhile, students of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) are faced with an additional P500-miscellaneous fee.

The LFS held a protest action in PUP-Sta. Mesa last Tuesday to condemn the 30 years of the act which coincided with the group’s 35th anniversary.

The group also noted how Aquino violates not just the youth’s right to education but also other human rights.

“Student leaders and activists have always been victims of harassment and surveillance by the military since the time of Marcos and still are under Aquino. More than a hundred political killings have been recorded, while cases of enforced disappearances, torture, and other human rights violations continue to rise,” says Sienes.

The youth leader remarked on the irony of someone coming from a family of supposedly victims of Martial Law committing the same atrocities by Marcos.

“Aquino’s administration so far has been a de facto martial law. Just like the mass movement occupied the streets to bring down the oppressive Marcos rule, so should the youth and the Filipino people continue to protest and advance their struggle for their democratic rights,” says Sienes. ###

(via Kabataan Partylist Southern Tagalog)

KABATAAN, IPAGPATULOY ang DIWANG MAKABAYAN
na PINAGLIYAB ng KAMATAYAN ni NINOY!
TUTULAN ang KONTRA-MAMAMAYANG PATAKARAN ni NOYNOY!
HINDI SAYANG ang MAMATAY para sa MAMAMAYAN

     Aug 21, 1983 – pinaslang si dating Senador Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. Bilang kinikilalang oposisyon sa mga palakad ni Ferdinand Marcos, ang kamatayan ng isa sa pinaka batang naging senador ng bansa ay nagsilbing inspirasyon para sa maraming kabataan at mamamayan na bawiin ang kapangyarihan at karapatang ipinagkait ng batas militar. Taong 1986, kanilang napatalsik ang diktador. Hanggang sa kasalukuyan, hindi napapawi sa ating alaala ang sambit ni Ninoy, “The Filipinos are worth dying for.” (Hindi masasayang ang kamatayang alay sa mga Pilipino.)

     Makalipas ang mahigit tatlong dekada, isang anak ni Ninoy ang siyang pangulo ng bansa. Subalit, nananatili ang pagdarahop dulot ng pagpapabaya at pang-aabuso. Malubha pa, higit na naging matingkad ang pagsasamantala sa ating mga kababayan kung kailan napakarami ang nasalanta ng nagdaang pagbagyo, pag-ulan at pagbaha.

MARAMING MAMAMAYAN ang NAMAMATAY

     May 74,000 pamilya sa Timog Katagalugan  sng nasalanta ng bagyong Gener at hanging Habagat ayon sa impormasyong nakalap ng grupong Southern Tagalog Serve the People Brigade. Hindi pa kasama sa bilang na iyan ang maraming hindi pa naitatala. Samantala, umabot sa 60 ang namatay sa buong bansa . Karamihan ng mga apektado ay mga maralitang naninirahan sa mga tabing-dagat, lawa at ilog. Itinulak sila ng kawalan ng ikabubuhay at mahirap na kalagayan upang manirikan sa mga lugar na ito. Dahil sa kawalang kakayahang tustusan ang papalaking gastusin, lalo silang bulnerableng magkasakit, at maanuran ng bahay, ari-arian at bangka. At habang naging madalas ang suspensyon ng klase, hindi naman tumigil ang pagtaas ng presyo ng pangunahing bilihn. Noong Agosto 7, halimbawa, ay tumaas ang presyo ng gasolina mula ng Php 0.80 kada litro. Nagtaas din ang presyo ng kuryente.

     Habang noo’y nanawagan si Ninoy at ang iba pang kabataan at mamamayan ng isang pamahalaang naglilingkod sa mga Pilipino, ngayon nama’y higit na naging lansakan ang pagpapabaya sa hanay ng mga nanunungkulan na siya dapat magtitiyak na malayo sa kapinsalaan ang kabataan at mamamayan.

PINABABAYAAN ang MAMAMAYAN

     Isang matingkad na halimbawa mismo ang administrasyong Aquino:

1. Hindi niya prayoridad ang paghahanda sa mga sakuna. Pinigilan pa niya ang mga ahensya ng gubyerno sa paggamit ng calamity fund para dito. 
2. Hindi niya pinagbabawalan ang mga kumpanyang nangangasiwa sa mga hydro-electric dams na pataasin nang higit sa kailangang antas ang tubig sa mga ito, na siya nilang kalakaran para mapalaki ang kakayahang lumikha ng kuryente mula sa lakas ng tubig habang di gumagastos nang malaki. Sa gayon, nakatitipid sila habang nakapagpapalaki ng singilin sa pagbebenta ng kuryente. Kaya naman, madalas na umapaw ang mga dam at kailangang buksan ang mga flood gates, na siyang nagpapalubog sa mabababang lugar sa baha. 
3.  Hindi ito nagsagawa ng malakihang operasyon upang tanggalin ang burak sa mga lawa at lagusan ng tubig. 
4. Hindi ito nagsagawa ng signipikanteng pagsisikap upang malawakang matamnan ng puno ang ating nakakalbong kagubatan. 
5. Kinansela nito ang mga proyektong pangkontrol ng baha nitong maagang bahagi ng taon.

MAMAMAYAN ang SINISISI sa KALAGAYANG SILA ang BIKTIMA

     Subalit ang higit na malala, upang pagtakpan ang kanilang kapabayaan ay ipinapasa pa ng mga nasa katungkulan at maging ng mga nasa mass media ang sisi sa mismong mga maralita! Diumano’y sila ang sanhi ng pagkipot ng mga lagusang-tubig at pagbaha. Ang Pang. Aquino mismo, anak ni Ninoy, ay nangunguna sa pagpaparatang sa maralita sa paglubha ng pagbaha. Kaya naman, ang kanyang solusyon ay malawakang demolisyon!

     “I have just received instructions from the President that if push comes to shoves, we will have to blast these houses.” (Katatanggap ko lamang ng atas mula sa Pang. Aquino na kung magkakamatigasan, kailangang pasabugin namin ang mga bahay na ito.) – Ito mismo ang pahayag ni DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson hinggil sa mga kabahayan ng may 195,000 tirahan sa tabi ng mga lagusang-tubig sa Kamaynilaan at sa paligid ng Lawa ng Laguna. Ang kakatwa, karaniwang ang mga relocation site na iniaalok sa mga maralita ay mga bahain ding lugar, at malayo sa mapagkukunang-trabaho. Samantala, sa pagpapatalsik sa mga maralita sa mga tabing-lawa at ilog ay lalo lamang mabubuksan ang mga lugar na ito sa mga pribadong korporasyon sa ilalim ng public-private partnership program. Karaniwang ang mga korporasyong ito ay hindi pinapatawan ng mahihigpit na regulasyon.

ITINUTULAK ang MAMAMAYAN sa NAKAMAMATAY na KALAGAYAN

     Masasabi pa ngang hindi lamang basta pabaya ang administrasyong ito, kundi responsable pa nga sa pagbaha. Taliwas sa opinyon ng ilan na ang nagdulot ng pagbaha nitong buwang ito ay ang mga maralita, iba ang ipinapakita ng katotohanan:

1. Patuloy ang lantarang pagkalbo at pagpatay sa ating kagubatan ng mga korporasyon sa pagmimina at pagtotroso na patuloy na ineengganyo ng administrasyong Aquino na mamuhunan sa ating bansa, bagamat wala naman silang signipikanteng kontribusyon sa ating ekonomya. 
2. Patuloy ang pagpapalit-gamit ng lupa para sa mga plantasyon, subdivision, eco-tourism projects at rancho ng mga dayuhang kumpanya at mga malalaking haciendero tulad ng pamilyang Cojuangco-Aquino. Lalo lamang nitong pinupwersa ang mga taga-kanayunan na lumikas at mapadpad kahit sa mga lugar na peligrong bahain.
3. Kalakaran din ng administrasyong ito ang pagpapababa ng sahod at kawalang programa para sa katiyakan ng empleyo, kaya lalong maraming Pilipino ang naghihirap at nagiging bulnerable sa mga sakuna. Sa madaling salita, ang administrasyong Aquino pa ang nagtutulak ng pagkawasak ng kapaligiran at kabuhayan nating mga Pilipino, at ng kinabukasan ng kabataan.

     Mahigit tatlong dekada na ang nakalilipas mula nang paslangin si Ninoy. Bilang kabataan, ating ipagpatuloy ang diwang makabayan na pinagliyab ng kanyang kamatayan. Ating hamunin ang administrasyong ito na tigilan ang pagpapabaya, pang-aabuso at pagbabaling ng sisi sa mamamayang dapat ay kanyang pinaglilingkuran.

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)

(via lfs.ph)

Sa pagbubukas ng pasukan ngayong Hunyo ay problema na naman ng mga magulang kung saan huhugot ng pera pangtustos sa pag-aaral ng kanilang mga anak. Bukod dito, dadagdag pa sa kanilang problema ang implementasyon ng programang K+12 ng administrasyong Aquino ngayong taon.

Ang K+12 ay programang pang-edukasyon na nangangahulugan na bawat bata ay dumaan sa Kindergarten, ang unang apat na taon ay tatawaging Junior Highschool at ang karagdagang 2 taon pa ay tatawaging Senior Highschool, kung saan ang 2 taong ito ay maglalako ng Vocational-Technical courses (baking, welding, cosmetics, automotive, etc). Pinagmamayabang ng inutil na Pangulo na ang K+12 ang lulutas sa krisis ng edukasyon at disempleyo sa bansa. Ngunit kung susuriin nang mabuti ay malinaw na hindi ganito ang kaso.

Dagdag taon, dagdag pahirap

Sa kasalukuyang kalagayang binabarat ang sahod ng mga manggagawa at mataas ang presyo ng langis at ibang produkto, ang karagdagang taon sa batayang edukasyon ay nangangahulugan ng dagdag gastusin para sa mga mag-aaral at kanilang mga magulang. Ang dalawang karagdagang taon ay nangangahulugan ng karagdagang gastos para sa school supplies, baon, pamasahe, at mga proyekto sa paaralan. Ibig sabihin nito ay mababawasan ang badyet ng pamilya para sana sa pambayad-kuryente, pagkain sa araw-araw, at iba pang bilihin. Kalaunan ay mababawasan din ang mga hindi makakapagtapos ng pag-aaral dahil sa kahirapang dulot ng dagdag dalawang taon na ito. Sa bahagi ng gobyerno ay nangangailangan din ng karagdagang gastos para tustusan ang mga pangangailangan sa sektor ng edukasyon. Sa kasalukuyan, may kakulangan na ng 97, 685 silid-paaralan at 132, 483 guro sa buong kapuluan. Ngunit dahil mas pinipili ng gobyerno na laanan ng pondo ang pambayad utang-panlabas at militarisasyon, hindi pa rin maresolbahan ang matagal nang problema ng edukasyon sa bansa. Ang hindi pagkalutas sa mga problemang ito ng pamahalaan sa matagal na panahon ay nagpapakita na walang puwang sa sistema ng edukasyon ang K+12 at iba pang dagdag gastos.

K+12 ni Aquino, para kanino?

Sinasabi rin ng administrasyong Aquino na ang K+12 ang lulutas sa usapin ng malawakang disempleyo sa bansa. Dahil daw sa karagdagang 2 taon, magtatapos ng hayskul ang mga kabataan pagtungtong ng edad 18 at kung gayon ay nasa legal nang edad para maghanap ng trabaho. Kabulaanan ito dahil kalakhan ng mga trabaho ay nangangailangan pa rin ng diploma ng pagtatapos sa kolehiyo bago ituring na propesyunal ang isang empleyado. Kung tutuusin nga, maging ang mga tapos mismo ng kolehiyo ay nahihirapan din sa paghahanap ng trabaho sa bansa. Mananatili lang ang kalagayan kung saan mamamasukan ang mga kabataang ito bilang mga kontraktwal na trabahador.

Sa kabilang banda, mas madali rin umano makakahanap ng trabaho sa ibang bansa ang mga gradweyt dahil ang K+12 ay sang-ayon sa kurikulum ng ibang bansa. Ang ganitong kaisipan ay malinaw na pinapakitang tinutulak ng gobyernong ito na magpaalipin na lang ang mga kabataan sa dayuhang kumpanya sa halip na maglingkod sa sariling bayan at malapit sa kani-kanilang pamilya.

Kontrahin ang K+12!

Napatunayan ng pagsulpot ng dati nang problema ng mga siksikang sild-aralan at kulang na mga pasilidad na mas nangangailangan pagtuunan ng pansin ng gobyerno ang paglutas sa mga ito sa halip na ipatupad ang programang tulad ng K+12. Sa panimulang pagbubukas ng klase ngayong Hunyo 4, tumambad sa buong publiko ang kalunus-lunos na kalagayan ng mga mag-aaral sa elementary at hayskul. Tampok dito ang mga nagsisiksikang estudyante sa isang classroom, na kung saan nagresulta para isailalim ang mga ito sa ‘homestudy’ program. Ang ilan pa nga ay ginawang 3 shift ang mga klase.

 At sa malaon pa, ipanawagan ang mataas na badyet sa edukasyon. Tanging sa sama-sama at solidong pagkilos ng kabataan at mamamayan makakamit ang isang siyentipiko, makamasa, at makabayang porma ng edukasyon!

EDUKASYON, KARAPATAN NG MAMAMAYAN!

ITAAS ANG BADYET SA EDUKASYON!

TUTULAN ANG K+12 NG REHIMENG US-AQUINO!

ISULONG ANG MAKAMASA, SIYENTIPIKO, AT MAKABAYANG EDUKASYON!

(via www.bayan.ph)

News Release
May 29, 2012

References:
Renato M. Reyes, Jr (BAYAN secretary general)
Eleanor de Guzman (BAYAN dep-secretary general)

While we welcome the decision of the Senate to convict Chief Justice Renato Corona for culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust, we believe that the fight for true accountability in government has a long way to go. It does not end with Corona’s conviction. It still remains to be seen if the end of this process will even lead to the accountability of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and other officials guilty of plunder and gross human rights violations.

We now say to the Aquino government, tama na ang palusot! The current regime should stop making excuses for its continuing failure to prosecute Arroyo for the crimes of plunder, human rights violations and wholesale election fraud. The current regime should stop making excuses for its failure to hold accountable its own officials facing allegations of misdeeds. The current regime should stop making excuses on its failures to address the most pressing economic problems and issues of the people.

It is expected that the Aquino regime will hail the Corona conviction as the “crowning glory” of its so-called “daang matuwid crusade”. We take exception to this for the simple reason that outside the impeachment, the Aquino government has not done much in terms of political and economic reforms, respect for human rights and the cause of justice. There is no “daang matuwid” for many of our people who continue to reel from poverty, oppression and injustice. In fact, even as the impeachment verdict is handed out, the Philippine government is again making excuses before the United Nations Human Rights Council on why impunity in human rights violations continues in the country.

Bayan supported the impeachment of Corona mainly on the basis of the key role he has played in abetting Arroyo’s schemes to evade accountability. Lest we forget, the campaign by the House of Representatives (HoR) to impeach Corona gained wide public support because of his collusion with Arroyo. The temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Corona-led SC in November last year that would have allowed Arroyo to flee triggered this impeachment. It is unfortunate however that the Aquino and LP-directed prosecution chose to downplay the issue of Arroyo in favor of a somewhat hypocritical crusade regarding the SALN of the Chief Justice. This raises the question of whether Aquino is indeed serious in making Arroyo accountable.

Of utmost importance right now is the vigilance and direct action of the people that will counter efforts by President Benigno Aquino III and his Liberal Party (LP) to take advantage of Corona’s ouster to control the judiciary for their own selfish political and economic agenda. Concerns raised about the possibility of an “Aquino court” are valid and should not be dismissed.

Corona’s conviction is not the be all and end all of reforms to rid the bureaucracy of systemic graft and corruption. On the contrary, it’s just a small step forward as more thoroughgoing reforms are needed. However, we fear that under the Aquino government, it will still be business as usual, at least for its political allies and KKK’s. The people must therefore press on with their legitimate demands and struggle for genuine change that goes beyond Aquino’s overused “daang matuwid” rhetoric.

The challenge for all government officials to disclose their bank records, foreign and domestic, should stand. The Chief Justice is likely not the only government official to use foreign currency deposit accounts to conceal presumably ill-gotten wealth.

ACT Rep. Antontio Tinio already filed a bill to be heard on June 5 in House Committee on Banks amending the Foreign Currency Deposit Account to remove absolute confidentiality, and if they are consistent, this should be supported by all those who voted to impeach Corona. #

*original text from lfs.ph

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 League of Filipino Students, are enraged by the statement of the supposed-to-be honourable 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 remould 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 UPLB — Ambo Guran, Mark Velasco, and Chris Hugo — 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 honour 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.

Official Statement on Noynoy Aquino's State of the Nation Address (June 2011)

June 23, 2011

More than one year has passed since the Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III took the presidential seat. His promises such as the “daang matuwid” and “walang corrupt”, and his unmistakable opposition to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo guaranteed his victory in the presidential elections. On July 25, 2011, PNoy will carry out his second State of the Nation Address. In his one year, one can assume that the more significant issues concerned his personal life (his playing PSP, his buying of a Porsche car, his love life, etc.); but the real significant issues will be discussed below.
 
One Year Under PNoy
Youth and Students’ Sector. The K+12 program for the elementary and secondary education has been implemented last June 2010. The program requires that students undergo kindergarten before stepping in the Grade 1 level and adding one year each in elementary and high school. Technical and vocational trainings are then incorporated so that students who cannot afford going to college will now be semi-skilled and can apply immediately for low-paying jobs. The program will also ensure that the products of these vocational trainings will satisfy foreign interests. In the tertiary level, the biggest budget cut was experienced by state universities and colleges (with P1.39B cut in the University of the Philippines System) and this resulted in continuous tuition and other fee increases (TOFI). Students from SUC’s now pay fees amounting almost equally to those in private universities because of the TOFI and other additional exorbitant fees. According to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), 7.98 million youth are out of school. More than 1000 UPCAT passers did not go to UP because of the high tuition they did not expect.

Workers’ Sector. The National Statistics Coordinating Board, a government agency, recently reduced the poverty line from P42.00 to P37.00. This means that a family earning more than P37.00 will not be considered poor. Another alarming fact is that the minimum wage of workers is just P414.00 even though the minimum daily cost of living is P975.00.

Peasants’ Sector. Agrarian reform has a very long history in the Philippines. During PNoy’s campaign, he said that land would now be distributed to the farmers. However, being a landlord (Hacienda Luisita belongs to the Aquinos) himself, genuine agrarian reform still remains to be a farmer’s dream. According to Ibon Foundation, seven out of ten farmers still do not have their own land to till.

Foreign Military Presence. With the recent issues about the Spratlys Island, the Filipino people still calls for the abolishment of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) or the law which allows American Troops to establish military bases and conduct trainings. Furthermore, Filipino citizens, upon entering these military bases, will now be under American law. The most famous case in relation to the VFA is the rape of Nicole by the American citizen Daniel Smith. Smith is still not convicted because he is not under the jurisdiction of Philippine law. The VFA also violates the national sovereignty of the Philippines and puts our country at the disadvantage while benefiting the American military. Lastly, it remains as a threat to the security and welfare of the Filipino people.

Human Rights. Because we feel these grievances and injustices, we voice out and express our disgust and sentiments to Aquino’s administration. But instead of diplomatically hearing our calls and doing some actions about it, the administration pacifies the progressives. His administration continues Arroyo’s Oplan Bantay Laya I and II in his Oplan Bayanihan; this plans to eradicate activists and progressive groups who expose his incompetency as president. Under PNoy, the statistics of human rights violation is alarming because they are relatively higher compared to Arroyo’s administration. These violations happened only in his one year. Despite of these extra-judicial killings and political prisoners, PNoy only recently filed cases against Arroyo, a timely action, so that he can mention this in his SONA.

What We Must Do
As students, we should start/continue to undergo an education that would ensure the elevation of our political consciousness. Discussions on current issues with guidance of historical studies will ensure this. We need to improve the participation of the broadest number of students in the campus issues up to national issues. We should also raise our militancy as we struggle for and uphold our democratic rights in education.

The youth and student movement cannot struggle in its own, however. Thus, we should link our struggles with those of the basic masses: the workers and peasants. Only with this unity with the basic masses can we successfully ensure victory.

Struggle for national democracy with a socialist perspective!

Official Statement on the Detention of the UPLB 5
June 21, 2011

June 19, 2011 marks the 150th birthday of our national hero Jose Rizal. On the same day, president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III attended the inauguration of the tallest Jose Rizal monument in The Plaza in front of the city hall of Calamba, Laguna. During the said event, five students from the KABATAAN Partylist – UP Los Baños chapter together with two men from ANAKPAWIS Partylist – Southern were seized by around 25 Presidential Security Guards and local policemen as they showed the Southern Tagalog youth and people’s disgust on Aquino’s administration. The militants chanted “Walang pagbabago sa ilalim ni Aquino!”, “Edukasyon karapatan ng mamamayan!” and “Tunay na reporma sa lupa, ipaglaban!”

The League of Filipino Students-UPLB is giving its utmost gratitude and support to the UPLB 5 for their courage and strong adherence to fight for the right of the Filipino youth to education. The LFS-UPLB is praising Bhen Aguihon, Ynik Ante, Cathy Gigantone, Mikel Mozo, and Ruffa Solano for their militancy during Aquino’s visit in Calamba; they registered Southern Tagalog’s abhorrence for the anti-people policies of the Aquino administration and loudly chanted our call for the Filipino youth’s right to education.

The LFS-UPLB is condemning the state and the Aquino regime for its use of fascism to repress the freedom of expression of the seven militants and of all protesters in general. Because of several budget cuts in education which pushes to state abandonment in education, it is our right to show dissent to the Philippine government. However, the reactionary government of Aquino, just like Arroyo’s administration, is using fascism to repress the progressive and militant individuals and groups. The case of the UPLB 5 and Calamba 7 is one of the many cases of political detainees and prisoners in the Philippines.

That is why we are inviting all Iskolar ng Bayan to join our protest and be in unity as we assert for the immediate release of the UPLB 5, the Calamba 7, and of all political prisoners and detainees. It is time to take action, fellow Iskolar ng Bayan! We cannot let the state and the administration continue its use of fascism and repression to prevent us in fighting for our democratic and political rights!

FREE THE UPLB 5!
FREE THE CALAMBA 7!
FREE ALL POLITICAL DETAINEES AND PRISONERS!
STOP STATE FASCISM!
DOWN WITH THE AQUINO REGIME!