25 years after EDSA: People Power for Genuine Change! Achieve National Democracy!

A PRESS RELEASE | Reference:  Greg G. Ratin, Chairman, BAYAN-Negros – 09214550046  | It’s been 25 years when the Filipino People ended the US – Marcos Dectatorship. It was tagged as EDSA People Power which is known to the whole world and put into power, Mrs. Corazon Cojuanco-Aquino, the mother of the President Noynoy Aquino. This was the culmination of almost two (2) decades of people’s struggles after Martial Law has been declared.  BAYAN was a big part in toppling down this dictatorship.

Now, the new US-Aquino Regime is launching diversified activities for EDSA.  It was pushed to the public that  P-Noy’s administration is the same with Cory’s administration which banners genuine change.  

But amidst luxurious commemoration, the Filipino people are still facing the same problems as those of 1986, the time of his mother, Cory.  No more Dictator Macos but the Filipino people continued to be impoverished, corruption in the government continued to be more rampant, and same is true with the looming hostilities of the AFP and police forces that wreak havoc on human rights.

Within eight (8) months of P-Noy’s reign, prices and fees are altogether on the high rise specially prices on food, rice, gasoline, toll, water, electricity and jeepney fare.  Aside from these, P-Noy is still giving emphasis and focus to implement programs which for decades made the people lives miserable.    There is Public-Private Partnership (PPP) as a new name for Privatization which caused higher fees and family expenditures.  

P-Noy’s promises to penalize Gloria Arroyo of plunder of the people’s money have no indication of seriousness.  Former AFP Generals, in connivance with the Ombudsman, are luxuriously enjoying the Multi-Million pesos “pasalubong” and “pabaon”.  They are still free of charges until now. 

There are still no JUSTICE rendered to thousands of victims of Extra-Judicial Killings, abduction, torture, illegl arrest and many other human rights violations done by the military.  Theses cases continues to rise in number even there’s an on-going Peace Negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF).

For the ordinary people who are hungry, it is hard to understand the gimmicks of Malacaniang about EDSA.  What’s the use of spending money for these luxurious commemoration activities if there’s no  genuine change in the very miserable condition of our country? 

Infact, EDSA People Power I is not a Legacy of the Aquino Family or the elitist politicians who raked profits from it. Before the inception of Cory as a  material in toppling down Marcos, different people’s organizations were already been struggling against US-Marcos dictatorship and struggling for genuine change. 

Before the assassination of Sen. Ninoy Aquino, there were already a lot of workers, peasants, youth and many more who offered their lives in the name of Genuine Democracy. Their sacrifices are the ones who gave birth to people power. 

But it was taught also by EDSA that replacing a president only is not enough inorder to have genuine change. In times of Cory, for example, she just continues the rotten economic policies of the dictator Marcos like the automatic payment of the anomalous external debt.  She instituted VAT to products and services.  She implemented bogus Agrarian Reform which placed Hacienda Luisita in the control of the Cojuanco Family. She is also loyal in dictates of the US.

During Arroyo regime that benefited EDSA Dos in 2001, there were no beneficial changes made. Now, in “daang matuwid” of P-Noy prices of basic commodities rose up and justice is still nowhere to be found.   This regime is inutile of solving problems of poverty, injustice, corruption nd human rights violtions.

Therefore, the challenge of the Filipino People is to pursue genuine change and use “people power” for its attainment. Let us use the spirit of “people power” to fight the rising prices, penalize those who are corrupt, to pursue justice and genuine democracy.

It is in joining our hands together, militant and unceasing struggle that we harvest genuine National Democracy and Social Justice.  

Onwards People Power for Genuine change! People Power to struggle against rising prices! Struggle for Genuine Democracy!

Prepared by:
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) – Negros
New Patriotic Alliance-Negros
February,  2011