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23
July 2002
Thousands Mobilized to Present the Real State of the Nation
Tens of thousands of protesters filled the streets leading to the Philippine Congress yesterday to denounce the current administration's anti-people neo-liberal policies and its increasing subservience to US imperialism. The massive rallies in Manila as well as protest actions in Cebu and Davao were held on the occasion of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's second State of the Nation Address.
In a joint statement with its fraternal organizations like the Confederation of Independent Unions in the Public Sector (CIU), BISIG, Movement for the Advancement of Student Power (MASP), MAKALAYA and the PKSK, the APL denounced the administration's dubious claims of economic growth. "If the GNP and the GDP grew, why did the number of poor families increased as well? Where is this growth the president is bragging about? …Or, better yet, who benefits from this growth? Certainly not the 40% of Filipinos who now live in poverty."
In the same statement, the APL condemned Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's political bankruptcy and for shamelessly kowtowing to the US-led "war on terrorism." "Perhaps the crowning legacy of Gloria and her government is bringing back the country to the fetters of US colonialism," it added.
Almost a thousand APL activists joined students, peasants and urban poor people belonging to Akbayan Citizen's Action party in a rally which started at 9:00 AM.
Phalanxes of anti-riot police blocked the protesters in their attempt to march near the Congress. After an hour, the protesters managed to breach the police blockade as the police lines thinned out to deal with the arrival of other protesting groups.
At the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Batasan Road, speakers from various people's organizations which participated in the rally took turns in lambasting the GMA administration.
Meanwhile, APL activists in Cebu joined the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) in a protest action against the GMA administration's neo-liberal policies especially on the power sector. In Davao, 400 farm workers, youth and urban poor people marched from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to the Office of the President in Mindanao to condemn GMA's anti-people policies, especially in the agricultural sector.
Yesterday's actions and the joint statement was the result of several leaders' fora held in key cities of the country. In Manila, hundreds of leaders from APL and its fraternal organizations held a forum last 17 July 2002 where representatives from various sectors took turns in presenting their views on the real state of the nation. In Cagayan de Oro, leaders of various trade unions, community and women's organizations met last 19 July 2002 and gave GMA a failing mark on housing, employment and trade union rights. Last 21 July 2002, leaders' fora were held in Cebu and Davao, where leaders from trade unions, communities and Akbayan "flunked" Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the following areas: education youth welfare and development; governance labor and workers' rights and welfare; housing and social services.
Posted at the
APL Website on 23-July-2002 and modified last 30-July- 2002
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