Philippinecollegian 06
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Opisyal na lingguhang pahayagan ng mga mag-aaral ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas - Diliman 01.08.06 PhilippineCollegian 06 ARTICLES: RAMON MIGUEL G. ABOLA, KATRINA ANGELA MACAPAGAL, AND FRANK LLOYD TIONGSON. ILLUSTRATION: IVAN BRYAN G. REVERENTE. DESIGN: KARL FREDRICK M. CASTRO. loria Macapagal-Arroyo has indeed kept her enemies closer. While she has a handful of steadfast lackeys in her armory, basic sectors, alliances, individuals, and armed groups are but among Gthose posed for the offensive – the clamor for her removal from office. Allies, apparently, are hard to find in the obstinate grip of the presidency, especially one that has been hounded by a myriad of issues. Arroyo has no other option now but to retreat in a tight corner. M I L I TA R Y F r a c t u r e d M i l i t a r y S u p p o r t Although President Arroyo has per- sistently declared the Armed Forces of the Philippine’s (AFP) full support Ch URC H G R O U P S for her administration, the constant D i v i n e I ntervention surfacing of military factions prove Even as the Catholic Bishops Con- otherwise. One of the most recent ference of the Philippines’ (CBCP) threats to the administration was the W ORKERS AND P EASANTS official stance counters the new alleged coup plot at Fort Bonifacio M ass condemnation wave of impeachment complaints on February. Militant workers’ alliance Kilusang against President Arroyo, a growing Even though presidential advisers Mayo Uno (KMU), condemn the Ar- U N I T E D O P P O S I T I O N number of Church members have say that the recent arrest of Magdalo royo administration for the stagnation O p p o s i t i o n f r o m gone against this official statement. junior officers prevented “any seri- of the minimum wage as the daily W i t h i n One of those is Bishop Deogracias ous threats” against the President, cost of living continues to escalate. Opposition forces within the admin- Iniguez, who was among those who members of the opposition say that According to a survey conducted by istration, although coming from all filed an impeachment complaint in military unrest still looms as long as the Social Weather Station, almost ends of the political spectrum, are his own “personal capacity.” More Arroyo remains in office. According to 2.8 million families experience hun- united towards deposing President church people have joined the im- Senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr, “There ger under the said condition. “High Arroyo. According to House of Rep- peachment bids, including the parish will be no end to unrest and divisive- unemployment rate and the widening resentatives Minority Leader, Repre- priest of San Miguel Church covering ness in the military for as long as gap in the cost of living and minimum santative Francis Escudero, “These Malacañang and several other Catho- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo wages due to skyrocketing prices of groups are now all lined up against lic priests, Protestant pastors, and lay remains in power and doubts over her basic commodities are the culprits in churchworkers. legitimacy is not resolved.” GMA. Although of varied origins and L AWYERS, HEALT H G R O U P S , the rising hunger trend,” said KMU persuasions, these groups maintain A CADEMIC GROUPS Ecumenical groups which are The AFP is an institution that Chairperson Elmer Labog. lines of communications. The level of P rofessional O u t c r y critical of Arroyo have now been continues to reek of corruption and Peasant groups, meanwhile, rage comfort and confidence among them Lawyers belonging to groups such formed, such as the Promotion of patronage politics, with positions over the persistence of landlessness is increasing and definitely higher this as the Integrated Bar of the Philip- Church Peoples’ Response (PCPR), based more often on seniority or among their ranks. Rural poverty in- year than last year.” pines (IBP), Counsels for the Defense Iglesia Filipina Independiente, (IFI) loyalty to the president. A growing cidence is two-and-a-half times that in Stalwart among these groups of Liberties (Codal), Concerned and United Church of Christ in the number of military officials and of- urban areas and 73% of the country’s are progressive party-lists including Lawyers for Civil Liberties, Libertas, Philippines (UCCP). These groups ficers are also forwarding grievances poor live in agriculture-dependent Bayan Muna, Gabriela, and Anak- Young Lawyers League, as well as are among the signatories of an over soldiers’ salary and housing. If rural areas. As early as 2003, peas- Pawis, whose five representetatives law students from different colleges impeachment complaint against the these concerns remain unaddressed, ant alliance Kilusang Magbubukid themselves were victims of Arroyo’s and universities have expressed in- President’s gruesome human rights it may later cause frustration among ng Pilipinas secretary general Danilo repressive and undemocratic policies dignation at Arroyo’s undemocratic violations. In fact, a priest from IFI and the military, like what occurred in the Ramos said,“terminating the deadli- implemented during the week-long policies. Recently, more than 200 more than a dozen UCCP pastors and 2003 Oakwood mutiny. est virus in Malacañang is the only national state of emergency. Anak- members of these groups held a laymen are victims of the prevailing way to stop further contamination. Pawis Representative Crispin Beltran march in celebration of the Supreme onslaught of political killings. Ms Arroyo is the main source of the is on his fifth month of detention at Court’s decisions of declaring illegal While the CBCP has refused to CPP - N PA - ND F Filipino people’s sufferings.” the Philippine Heart Center as of PN 1017, Executive Order No. 464, support the impeachment cases filed A r m e d a n d Arroyo’s stubborn subservience press time. and the Calibrated Pre-emptive this year, they assert that they are still d a n g e r o u s to foreign dictates on the economy The wide opposition condemns Response. seeking the “truth” about the charg- Seeing that the Arroyo administration draws the ire of the cited sectors. The Arroyo’s record of over 700 political A nationwide alliance of health es of electoral fraud against Arroyo. has exacerbated the deep-seated economy has been further configured killings.Bayan Muna Representative workers have also forwarded an im- However, PCPR member Fr. Gilbert crisis of a “semi-feudal” and “semi- to cater to foreign interests as seen in Satur Ocampo said that these killings peachment complaint against Arroyo. Sabado also states that CBCP should colonial” society, the CPP-NPA-NDF drastic tariff adjustments during the are “widespread and systematic.” The alliance includes groups such as fulfill its prophetic role by supporting is the administration’s fiercest enemy. Arroyo regime. Around 156 workers the Health Alliance for Democracy the people’s moves to find the truth It remains steadfast in its campaign are now retrenched daily due to the and Health Action for Human Rights. through an impeachment trial. towards dismantling the systemic rampant bankruptcy of local estab- Y OUT H Both groups issued the prescription roots of poverty in the country. lishments, which make up 90 percent P olicy of neglect “Impeach Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,” Arroyo has already declared an of all industries in the country. Tariff Youth groups protest against the citing the Congress as the “patient.” W OMEN all-out-war in an effort to end the reductions for agricultural products, Arroyo administration due to its The nationwide alliance blames I n e q u a l i t y i n 37-year old “communist insurgency” meanwhile, have worsened the plight unsatisfactory performance in areas Arroyo for the misprioritization of n u m b e r s of the CPP-NPA-NDF. Fueling the of farmers all around the country due such as in employment and educa- budget allocations, channeling the Women’s groups all over the country deployment of military troops in to unfair competition. tion. Expenditure for education has bulk of funds to debt servicing and hold President Arroyo accountable “critical areas,” one billion pesos dwindled in the last five years. In military spending, while funding for for her neglect of women’s issues. For has been allotted for logistical sup- 2005, of the P134.5 billion allocation health services remain low. The group instance, Violence against Women port. In addition, the government LESBIANS, GAYS, BISEXUALS & set for Education, Culture and Man- also accused Arroyo of using health (VAW) had escalated from 1,100 cas- has ceased peace negotiations with TRANSSEXUALS power Development, only 4.1% went funds, among others, to win in the es in 1996 to 6,505 in 2005. Around the “rebel groups.” Critics have lam- R ights aside to school buildings, textbooks and elections, citing how the PhilHealth 1119 of those crimes consisted of basted Arroyo’s militarist inclinations When Mrs. Arroyo assumed the other teaching materials. The pro- coverage went down from over 90 rape. In addition, close to 2,160 in combatting rebellion. Conversely, presidency in 2001, the Lesbian and posed 2006 budget increases the al- percent in 2004 to around 60 percent cases, or one in every three, were of it has conveniently attributed the Gay Legislative Advocacy Network location to P146.4 billion. Due to high in 2005. physical injury or battery. present political crisis to the armed was already pushing for the passage inflation, this represents only 13.9% Meanwhile, public and private- Moreover, the female labor force struggle – what critics dismissed as of the Anti-Discrimination Bill in Con- of the proposed national budget, far school teachers and university profes- participation rate from 1995 to 2005 “addressing the symptoms rather gress.