DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 22 July) – Progressive groups here gave President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who delivered his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), a “failing grade” during their rally at the city’s Freedom Park Monday afternoon.
Around 50 protesters from militant groups Bayan, Bayan Muna, Gabriela, Anakbayan and Kilusang Mayo Uno denounced the Marcos administration’s “inadequate governance and services amid the skyrocketing prices of basic consumer goods, low wages, and worsening politics and corruption” in the country, among others.
Rauf Sissay, Bayan Muna-Davao regional coordinator, said that Marcos deserves a “failing grade” also because human rights violations and other repressive policies still continue under his administration.
“Hangtod karon naa gihapon ang red-tagging, ang enforced disappearances, ang extrajudicial killings and uban pang paglapas sa makatawhanong katungod (Until now red tagging, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and other human rights violations still persist),” Sissay told reporters at the sidelines of their protest action.
He also took a swipe at the Marcos administration’s failure to bring down rice prices to P20 per kilogram, a promise Marcos made during the 2022 presidential campaign period.
Sissay also said that the Philippines must “free itself” from Chinese and American influence in defending the West Philippine Sea, which Beijing claims is part of the South China Sea.
Beverly Gofredo, Anakbayan-Southern Mindanao spokesperson, expressed opposition to the growing presence of US military bases in the Philippines, arguing that it “does not really protect Philippine interests,” despite claims on the contrary by pro-US supporters.
Gofredo criticized the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), saying the latter allowed America to “expand its military footprint under the guise of countering China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea.”
“We don’t need US military bases in the country as they do not address the hunger of the Filipino people. We don’t need the warmongering of the US and China as it does not address the landlessness… We don’t need US-made advanced war machines as they do not solve the education crisis,” Gofredo said.
She also gave Marcos a “below zero” grade, citing that its promise of “Bagong Pilipinas could not be felt by Filipinos.”
Captain Hazel Tuazon, Davao City Police Office spokesperson, said the protest action in the city was “generally peaceful and orderly.”
She said that at least 200 law enforcers were deployed in line with the activists’ anti-SONA rally in the city. (Ian Carl Espinosa / MindaNews)
