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Ang pato at tandang

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( ‘Wag kami idyota!)

Ni Ibarra Banaag

Isang umagang kay ganda,

nagkasalubong ang dalawa,

sa lungga ng mga buwaya,

ng kuro-kuro at komedya.

Si Pato ay kumakatawan,

sa kulumpon ng kadiliman,

‘to naman si King Tandang,

tagapagtanggol ng katwiran.

Kwak kwak, mister ispiker,

kabataan ngayo’y bulnerable,

kaloka na mga impormasyon,

papalapit na ang Armaggedon.

Mister ispiker, bati ni Tandang,

ako po’y nagtapos na may honor,

kaya’t ‘wag paratangang lito,

sa paksang dito nakadulog.

Kwak kwak, mister ispiker,

hindi po ako kami mga dugyut,

bulnerable, nga’t inkredible,

mis-impormasyon may perdible!

Mister ispiker, bati ni Tandang,

kaming kabataan ay di bobo,

ayaw namin na kapuntahan,

isang mangmang sa lipunan.

Kwak kwak, mister ispiker,

I therefore conclude the world youth,

ay really bulnerable pati gayut,

kaya po ako nagpapa-kyut!

Mister ispiker, sabi ni Tandang,

ang lumaking walang muwang,

sa mundo at kasaysayan,

isang insulto sa’ming talas at talino.

Kwak kwak, mister ispiker

hindi ko ugali na magpa-bebe,

talaga po kasing bulnerable,

kaming kampon ni Baby Em.

Mister ispiker, kaming milenyo,

ay di katulad ni Ginang Pato,

na hindi pwedeng mamanipula,

ng mga gawa-gawang litanya.

Kwak kwak, mister ispiker,

i-clear ko lang, di ako bitter,

regarding somebody else’s agenda,

bulnerable ang pork sa merienda.

Mister ispiker, ‘yan bang kurikulum,

na ituturo niyo sa klasrum,

ay babaluktot sa diktadurya,

kaya bulnerable ang masa?

—Setyembre 21, 2023

Migrants call for an end to oppression and exploitation of seafarers

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By Nuel M. Bacarra

Migrante International (MI) demanded an end to “oppressive and exploitative work environments” affecting Filipino sailors on the occasion of the International Day of the Seafarers last Sunday, June 25.

The group pointed out Filipino seafarers still receive lower wages when compared to counterparts from ship-owning nations.

“Filipino seafarers suffer from precarious work since they are perpetually considered as contractual workers — employed for 11 months or less — who do not attain regular status despite many years of service under the same employer,” MI pointed out.

MI said the seafarers from poor countries such as the Philippines are victims of the Flag of Convenience (FOC) scheme prevailing in the global shipping industry where ship-owners from rich countries register their merchant ships in other countries to avoid financial charges or restrictive regulations in the own countries.

These ships usually bear the flag of Panama, Liberia, Belize, Malta, Bahamas, Cameroon, Cambodia, Bolivia, and Barbados that are known to have more relaxed tax laws.

Despite being very poor countries, Panama, Liberia and the Marshall Islands accounted for 44.3% of the world’s cargo, the group revealed.

“For workers on-board, this mean very low wages and poor on-board conditions and, most likely, on contractual basis,” MI said.

It does not help that skilled workers, including the seafarers, are marketed abroad as cheap and docile labor under the Philippine government’s neoliberal labor policy that continues under the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration, the group added.

“Filipino workers are also made to spend so much for countless trainings, certification processes, tuition, and government fees and exactions before they can work on a ship, for a short period of not more than 11 months,” MI explained.

After the contract, Filipino seafarers do not enjoy security of tenure and have to join the long queue of some 300,000 jobless seafarers applying for jobs, it said.

“This, despite successive contracts of service with the same ship-owner and manning agency,” MI said.

Filipino seafarers performing repairs and maintenance tasks. (BB Telan/Kodao)

‘Fake Magna Carta’

MI said the Philippines must demand for better working conditions for its seafarers under the International Labor Organization’s Maritime Labor Convention of 2006.

Under the instrument, maritime sailors are guaranteed financial security in case of illnesses, injury or death while on an employment contract even without proving these are work-related.

“Unfortunately, the Philippine government doesn’t have an implementing law on this despite its nominal ratification in 2012 during the time of the late President Aquino,” MI said.

The group also expressed support to House Bill 4438, or the Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers, originally filed by Arlene Brosas of Gabriela Women’s Party and the Makabayan bloc.

The proposed measure aims to provide seafarers with all-out protection before, during and after employment, specifically in the event of maritime accidents, epidemics or pandemics and other natural o man-made crises.

The migrants group however lamented that HB 4438 had been superseded by HB 7325 they said shipping and manning companies managed to sabotage.

MI said HB 7325 has an anti-seafarer escrow provision where the seafarer has to wait for many years until the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court have affirmed a positive judgment from lower courts.

The group pointed out that this provision changes the long-held practice of labor cases being final and executory at National Labor Relations Commission level.

Seafarers now brand the bill as “Magna Carta of Ship-owners” as they are the beneficiaries, MI said. # (RBV)

MAKABAYAN warns: New Year air travel crisis pretext to airport privatization

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Like millions of Filipinos, development worker Tata Catarata went back to their home province of Cebu to spend the holiday season with their family. They booked a return flight to Manila on the first day of 2023. But like tens of thousands of other passengers, they were stranded at their airport of origin, belatedly informed that their flight had been cancelled because the country’s Air Traffic Management (ATM) system is down.

“We arrived at the Mactan International Airport at past 2 pm. Upon entering the gate towards checking in, we were barred and simply told that flights are canceled. We asked why and they could not explain. Basta lang, it’s canceled,” Tata bewailed.

Early on the first day of the New Year, just when domestic and international travel is at its peak, the Philippines was hit by an air travel crisis. As the day wore on, the government said a reported 361 incoming and outgoing flights at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) had either been cancelled or diverted, many of which flew all the way back to their airports of origin. About 56,000 passengers were stranded all over the archipelago yesterday, including Tata’s family.

Without providing specifics, transportation secretary Jaime Bautista said “technical issues” brought about the suspension of NAIA operations. Speculations said the radar system was down, preventing airplanes from taking off or landing. Initial and unconfirmed reports said Manila’s radar sytem was brought down by an electricity outage that has since been disputed by power supply providers. In a subsequent statement, Bautista said NAIA’s ATM needs at least Php13 billion pesos for its much-needed upgrade.

But it is not only airport operations that made the problem worse for the affected passengers. Tata said local airlines were of no help to them either.

She said they decided to follow the advice of the government to have their flights rebooked. But the Philippine Airlines (PAL) ticketing office in Cebu was already jam-packed when they arrived and they were barred from entering the premises. An airline representative told them to rebook online but repeatedly failed. Tata said she had to brave the crowd and waited to be accommodated at the ticketing office. It took her eight hours to finally be rebooked, she added.

“I asked PAL if there is food and accommodation for us as secretary Bautista said. PAL said there’s none because the situation was not their fault. But, definitely, it’s also not the stranded passengers fault, is it? So who is accountable here?” Tata said.

Respect passenger rights

Bautista said the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has directed the airlines to provide food and refreshments, transportation lodging and accommodation for all affected passengers free of charge. But this failed to prevent thousands of passengers spending the first night of 2023 at NAIA’s various terminals, the airlines refusing to heed the government’s directive.

The affected passengers should automatically be taken care of and receive compensation for the inconvenience they suffer if only the Airline Passenger Bill of Rights passed, former Representative and Bayan Muna chairperson Neri Colmenares lamented.

Colmenares said his sponsored bill had passed the House of Representatives (HOR) in 2016 but failed to become law due to lack of support in the Senate.

Colmenares explained that in case of flight delay, airlines should offer free re-booking, flight refund or endorsement to another carrier.

“For terminal delay of at least three hours, passengers have the right to avail themselves of refreshments or meals, free phone calls, text or emails and first aid,” he added.

“But from the reports we received many passengers went hungry yesterday and others slept on airports. This should be addressed immediately and the incident should not be used to justify another sale of government asset and increase in airline rates,” Colmenares said.

Incompetence or pretext to privatization?

Another Makabayan bloc Representative said the timing of the reported technical ATM glitch is “fishy”, happening as it did very closely after the DOTr announced just last December that the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. government is pursuing NAIA’s privatization.

In a briefing last Wednesday, Bautista told reporters: “We have worked with the Asian Development Bank for the preparation of the terms of reference for the privatization of the Manila International Airport.”

“Todo naman yata ang pagtutulak na muli sa pribatisasyon ng mga key assets at services ng gobyerno na wala na namang konsultasyon sa mamamayan na papasan ng dagdag bayarin o singil dahil dito. Kahapon lang din ay tinanggal na ng DOTr ang libreng sakay sa EDSA bus carousel at plano din pagsasapribado nito,” said HOR Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Party Rep. France Castro said.

(It looks like the privatization of the government’s key assets and services are being pushed to the hilt even without consulting the people who will bear the brunt of added costs. Just yesterday, the DOTr also ended the free ride service on the EDSA bus carousel that is in line with proposal for its privatization.)  

“Sa annoucement ng DOTr sa pribatisasyon ng NAIA noong Dec.30 at nangyaring ‘power outage’ kahapon ay di natin masisisi ang mamamayan na mag-isip na ito ay sinadya para mapabilis ang pagbebenta nito kahit di kinukonsulta ang mamamayan at ipaliwanag ang ireresulta nitong pagtaas pa ng singil sa pasahe sa eroplano,” Castro added.

(In DOTr’s December 30 announcement of NAIA’s privatization, we could not blame the people into thinking yesterday’s so-called power outage was staged to make the airport’s sale faster. This, even if the government has yet to consult the people and explain the impending increase in plane fares.) ###

Bayan Muna vows to remain ‘party of the poor’ even outside Congress

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Bayan Muna (BM) has conceded defeat in Monday’s national elections but said its fight for the poor is far from over.

In a statement Thursday, BM said that based on partial and unofficial counts, the once leading party list group is set to lose its current three seats at the House of Representatives.

The party however vowed to continue to be the party of the poor and the marginalized and to carry on its “fight against fascism and corruption in the next government.”

BM also rejoiced that the Rodrigo Duterte government has failed in its bid to totally eliminate the entire Makabayang Koalisyon ng Mamamayan from the next congress.

“The Makabayan Coalition will still have three representatives from Kabataan, Gabriela Women and ACT Teachers parties,” it said.

Corrupted party list system

BM said its first defeat since it joined and topped the 2001 elections is the result of the continuing corruption of the party list system.

“Since the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Supreme Court allowed the candidacy of bogus parties, money and the machinery of political parties and big business took over to increase their representation in Congress,” the group said.

The group’s claim mirrors the result of election watchdog Kontra Daya’s announcement that 70 percent of party list candidates in this years polls are linked to political clans, big businesses, and state groups such as the military.

Kontra Daya said that 44 of the May 2002 party list candidates are by political clans, 21 are by big businesses, 34 are by groups with unclear advocacy, 32 are connected to the military, 26 are by incumbent elected officials, while 19 have pending criminal charges.

BM said this has destroyed the essence of the party list system to give representation to the poor and the underserved.

Duterte’s dirty tricks

The group also blamed the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) for the worst attack it received, beginning in 2017 to as as late as election day last May 9.

 “With President Duterte leading through the NTF-ELCAC, the progressive parties suffered five years of unceasing red-tagging, vilification, bribery, threats, filing of trumped-up charges and assassination of our leaders and members,” BM said.

Among the dirty tricks employed against the Makabayan Coalition, BM said, was a fake Comelec resolution released on the eve of the elections lat May 8 alleging that the entire Makabayan bloc was disqualified.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines also ordered its personnel to blast SMS (short messaging system) and social media messages urging the people not to vote for the progressive parties and their senatorial candidates as they were allegedly supported by the Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People’s Army and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

BM added that it is also looking into the effects of malfunctioning vote counting machines and the disenfranchisement of voters.

It added it would demand accountability from those who denied the Filipino people of progressive representation in Congress.

“The demand for change is louder than ever because the current system allows the unfettered rule of dynasties and oligarchs in our politics and economy,” the party said.  # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Colmenares urges repeal of VAT and excise tax on fuel to lower prices

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Senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares presented five proposals to mitigate effects of rising oil prices he blames not just on the crisis in Eastern Europe but on government’s high taxes on petroleum products.

Colmenares, chairperson of the Makabayan block of progressive parties, said they have long proposed the five measures in response to the oil crisis that are likely to very soon affect prices of essential goods as well.

Colmenares said the first proposal is for the immediate repeal of the value added tax (VAT) and excise tax imposed on fuel that would result to an average relief of P27 per liter.

“We have done away with the VAT on water supplied by Manila Water and Maynilad; we must follow suit with fuel,” he said.

The second proposal is to unbundle oil prices, Colmenares said, that would provide for transparency in the pricing of petroleum products by the oil companies.

“By seeing where every peso spent per litter goes, we can easily check for overpricing and market abuse. This proposal is contained in House Bill No. 10386,” he added.

The senatorial candidate said the next three proposals are:

• The repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law and enactment of a new policy framework to ensure that oil prices are within reasonable costs and regulated, as contained in House Bill No. 4711;

• The buy-back of Petron to provide the public with a state-owned alternative to acquire oil and petroleum products, as contained in House Bill No. 244. Ramon Ang has already expressed willingness to sell Petron; thus, the Government must take on this offer and seek a just take-over of the company;

• The establishment of a National Petroleum Exchange Corporation to serve as the central import and distribution hub of oil and petroleum products, ensuring lower prices through economies of scale and helping oversee oil prices in the market, as contained in House Bill No. 4712.

Colmenares’ proposals came after prices increased for the 10th straight week last Tuesday by at least P3 per liter on gasoline and nearly P6 per liter on diesel, bringing prices to about P80 and P60 per liter, respectively.

The recent hikes in oil prices are the highest in more than a decade, pushing transport groups to hold protest rallies calling on the government to stop the increases.

Earlier, energy secretary Alfonso Cusi warned that gasoline prices may reach to about P100 per liter if the conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation is not immediately resolved.

Colmenares said the Philippine government does not have its hands tied in dealing with rising fuel costs and must act with urgency to cushion the country from the crisis.

“We can overcome this crisis if the government would stop imposing burdensome taxes and implement enough regulation on the oil industry,” Colmenares said Filipino.

No reason to hike prices yet

Meanwhile, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) said in a separate statement that oil companies have no reason to increase prices as a result of the conflict in Eastern Europe.

“The current automatic price adjustments under deregulation are unjust because these are driven by market speculation and because the current inventory of the big oil companies were purchased at a much lower price yet will be sold at a much higher price,” BAYAN secretary general Renato Reyes said.

Reyes also criticizd the refusal of the oil companies to make a full disclosure of their pricing mechanisms.

“The pricing by the oil cartel is untransparent because oil companies refuse to unbundle the price components of their products,” he said.

Reyes added is is unjust that government profits from the people’s misery brought about by high taxes on the already overpriced oil products, including a 12% VAT and excise taxes.

Reyes said that BAYAN’s demands the removal or suspension on huge taxes on oil products such as the excise tax and VAT as well as the imposition of strict regulations on the industry “in light of market speculation, overpricing and utter lack of transparency in pricing.”

“The people can no longer bear the oppression by government and the oil companies. The government should act now to lower oil prices or face more protests from the people,” he said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

‘Ninanais din natin na mapasama ang champion ng karapatan ng mga manggagawa’

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Malugod na tinanggap ng Makabayan Coalition ang ginawang pag-endorso ng 1Sambayan kay dating Bayan Muna Chairman Atty. Neri Colmenares sa Senado at sinabing malaking hakbang ito para labanan ang panunumbalik ng mga Marcos at pananatili ng mga Duterte sa pwesto sa darating na eleksyon.

“Aktibo naman si Atty. Neri sa 1Sambayan and even before that ang kanyang track record. Sa katunayan, ninanais din natin na mapasama hindi lang si Neri na dalhin ng 1Sambayan kundi ang champion ng karapatan ng mga manggagawa na si Ka Bong Labog na nasa ilalim ng Koalisyong Makabayan.” — Rep. Carlos Zarate, Bayan Muna Partylist

Groups laud HOR approval of rights defenders, COMELEC employees’ bills

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Two bills approved by the House of Representatives (HOR) on January 17 earned nods from groups supporting their enactment and asked the Senate to immediately pass pending counterpart proposals.

In separate statements on Monday, the group Karapatan lauded the passage of the bill giving protection to human rights defenders (HRDs) while election commission employees hailed the approval of the proposed law strengthening Commission on Elections (COMELEC) field offices.

The HOR approved on third reading House Bill (HB) 10576 entitled “An Act Defining the Rights and Fundamental Freedoms of Human Rights Defenders, Declaring State Responsibilities, and Instituting Effective Mechanisms for the Protection and Promotion of These Rights and Freedoms.”

The chamber also passed HB 10579, “An Act Strengthening the Field Offices of the Commission on Elections by Upgrading and Creating Certain Positions,” amending Batas Pambansa Bilang 881, the country’s old Omnibus Election Code.

Long overdue

Karapatan said it lauds HB 10576’s principal authors who want to give protection to HRDs as well as to other rights advocates such as lawyers, church people, journalists, development workers and freedom of expression and association advocates.

“Maraming salamat, (Albay) Rep. Edcel Lagman, (Quezon City) Rep. Kit Belmonte, (Bayan Muna) Rep. Karlos Ysagani Zarate (and the rest of the) Makabayan bloc!” Karapatan secretary general Cristina Palabay said.

In a statement, Lagman said, “The enactment of the Human Rights Defenders Act will put an end to the prevailing impunity on the extrajudicial killings and extreme harassments of HRD.”

Lagman said the following are the proposed measure’s salient provisions:

  • Defines HRD as “any person, who individually or in association with others, acts or seeks to act to protect, promote, or strive for the protection and realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms, at the local, national, regional, and international levels.” This definition is broad and inclusive enough to cover HRDs in both government and private sector who may not be bona fide connected to any human rights organization.
  • Embodies the rights and fundamental freedoms enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders such as the rights to: form associations and to peaceful assembly; represent and advocate; privacy; effective remedy and full reparation; and freedom from intimidation, reprisal, defamation, and stigmatization among others.
  • Prohibits all public authorities from participating, by acts of commission or omission, in violating human rights and fundamental freedoms. Subordinate employees have the right and duty to refuse any order from their superiors that will cause the commission of acts that contravene their duty to protect, uphold, and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms. Such refusal shall not constitute a ground for any administrative sanction.
  • Strengthens the obligation of public authorities to conduct investigations on suspected human rights violations of HRDs.
  • Prohibits the public authority offender from invoking presumption of regularity in the performance of duty which presumption is commonly used as a veneer to conceal accountability for violation of human rights and freedoms. The prohibition is consistent with the rule on the Writ of Amparo.
  • Mandates government agencies to enforce and institutionalize command responsibility and impose sanctions against errant superiors in both military and civilian agencies as provided under existing laws and executive issuances.
  • Directs public authorities to adopt the human rights-based approach to governance and development including in counter-insurgency and anti-terror programs and policies.
  • Seeks to strengthen the Witness Protection Program of the Commission on Human Rights and mandates the Commission to provide sanctuaries for high-risk HRDs, particularly those who have filed formal complaints against high-ranking government officials.
  • Ensures respect for the principle of non-refoulement or the practice of not forcing refugees or asylum seekers to return to a country where they are likely to be subjected to persecution.
  • States that in exercising their rights under the Act, HRDs shall be subject only to limitations that are prescribed by law, in accordance with international human rights obligations and standards, are reasonable, necessary and proportionate, and are solely for the purpose of securing the recognition and respect for the rights and fundamental freedoms of others and meeting the reasonable requirements of public order and general welfare in a democratic society.
  • Creates an independent collegial body to be known as the Human Rights Defenders Committee composed of one Chairperson and six members. The Chairperson shall be selected by the Commissioners of the CHR from among themselves in an en banc session. The six members shall be jointly nominated by representatives of human rights organizations. The nominees shall be appointed by the CHR not by the President to underscore the Committee’s independence of the Executive.
  • States 10 guiding principles that shall be adhered to in implementing the Act and in formulating the corresponding rules and regulations. These include among others: adherence to the rule of law; active participation of HRDs in formulating, implementing and evaluating HRD protection programs; periodic risks assessments; confidentiality of personal data collected on HRDs; special attention to protection of women and LGBT HRD rights; continuous training of the Committee Secretariat; sustained adequate resources; and transparent and equitable resource allocation.
  • Expressly provides that all provisions of the HRD Protection law shall be construed to achieve its objectives and that all doubts in the implementation and interpretation of these provisions shall be resolved in favor of the HRD.

Karapatan said it is high time Congress fully enacts the measure, as “[h]uman rights defenders were killed, arrested, detained, red-tagged and threatened for so long, and a law to criminalize these acts has been long overdue.”

“We call on the Senate, specifically Sen. Richard Gordon who chairs the Committee on Human Rights, and Senate President Tito Sotto to expedite the hearings and pass the proposed HRD Bill of Sen. Leila de Lima,” Palabay said.

‘Overjoyed’

Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections Employees Union (COMELEC-EU) said its 5,000 members nationwide are “overjoyed” by HB 10579’s passage by the HOR.

The poll body’s personnel added the development is “a booster shot,” lifting morale as they prepare for May’s local and national elections.

COMELEC-EU national president Mac Ramirez said the bill will not only benefit COMELEC employees but will help ensure clean and honest elections in the future.

Principal author and ACT Teachers Party Rep. France Castro said the bill is aimed at correcting COMELEC employees’ lower salary grades and to reform the poll body’s field offices.

Castro acknowledged COMELEC-EU’s role in campaigning for the bill, members of which suffered low wages for many years.

Castro added that COMELEC personnel, whose workloads increase during election years, deserve salary increases and regularization as employees.

Both Castro and Ramirez likewise appealed to the Senate to fast track the approval of the proposed measure’s Senate counterpart. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Neri grateful for his and Labog’s inclusion in Pacquaio and de Guzman slates

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Makabayan reveals Robredo camp refusing requests for dialogue.

The inclusion of progressive candidates in at least two senatorial slates is a positive development, a sign that other political groups recognize the need for candidates that genuinely represent the marginalized sectors, Senate aspirant and former Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares said.

In a statement, Colmenares thanked both Sen. Manny Pacquaio and labor leader Leody de Guzman for his and Kilusang Mayo Uno chairperson Elmer “Ka Bong” Labog’s inclusion in their respective slates for next year’s national elections.

“The recognition and support of a presidential candidate, like Sen. Pacquiao, is very important for candidates like me who rely on the support of ordinary Filipinos in our campaign. We value such unconditional endorsement,” Colmenares said.

“I would also like to express my gratitude to labor leader Ka Leody de Guzman for including me in his senatorial slate for his presidential run in 2022,” he added.

‘Why endorse someone we haven’t talked to yet?’

Meanwhile, former Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño revealed that the Makabayan bloc has yet to endorse any presidential candidate, belying allegations by former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV the group has already made a deal with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.

“Just to be clear, Makabayan hasn’t declared support for any presidential candidate yet, whether Isko Moreno, Leni Robredo or Manny Pacquiao,” Casiño said.

Casiño said their group has been bombarded with questions on why Makabayan has not yet declared support for Robredo.

The former legislator also said they have been asked if they really supporting Moreno or why are they even talking with Pacquiao and Moreno.

While the bloc has spoken to both the Pacquiao and Moreno camps, Casiño said it is for the purpose of unifying opposition parties to form a stronger alliance against the return of the Marcoses in Malacañang Palace.

“We believe that if these three candidates can unite under one slate the chances of preventing a Duterte dynasty or the return of the Marcoses to Malacañang will be greater. This is in parallel to 1Sambayan’s efforts to unify the democratic forces for the 2022 elections,” Casiño explained.

 Makabayan also wants to engage presidential bets on their platforms, particularly on matters involving human rights, workers, farmers, indigenous peoples, sovereignty, among others, he added.

“We believe that only through earnest and continuous dialogue can we contribute in their crafting a progressive platform of governance,” Casiño said.

In case a unified opposition slate is not feasible, Casiño said the Makabayan wants to explore the possibility of working together with other opposition groups to end Rodrigo Duterte’s rule or prevent a Marcos restoration in 2022, including various terms of cooperation based on the outcomes of the ongoing dialogues.

“There is nothing wrong with talking to all three candidates on these three important matters. Other groups should not begrudge nor cast any malice on Makabayan for doing what any progressive political party ought to do,” he said.

Casiño also revealed they have failed to meet with Robredo despite numerous requests for a dialogue.

“To be honest, it would be difficult for Makabayan to ask its constituency to support Robredo when we do not even know her stand on contractualization, the national minimum wage, free land distribution for poor peasants, indigenous people’s rights, the peace process, and a host of other issues that matter to our constituency,” Casiño said.

 “To be blunt, how can we rally our constituents behind a candidate who has refused to even meet us?,” Bayan Muna’s first nominee asked. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)

Neri undeterred by non-inclusion in Leni’s slate

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Former Bayan Muna Representative and Senate aspirant Neri Colmenares said he and the entire Makabayan bloc will not be distracted by his non-inclusion in Vice President Leni Robredo’s slate for next year’s national elections.

In a statement following Robredo’s press conference with running mate Senator Kiko Pangilinan Friday morning, Colmenares said his resolve to run for the Senate is based on the need to give the poor and marginalized a strong voice in Congress.

“We in Makabayan have always relied on the support of various groups and the people for progressive and pro-people independent candidates like me,” he said.

Team Robredo’s senatorial slate does not include Colmenares even after strong endorsements from allies such as 1Sambayan and former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.

Colmenares said it is the Vice President’s prerogative as standard bearer on who to include in her team.

“My non-inclusion in her slate at this time is based on what she thinks is best for the interest of her candidacy,” he said.

Colmenares added he is grateful for his inclusion in 1Sambayan’s senatorial slate.

Colmenares and Kilusang Mayo Uno chairperson Elmer “Bong” Labog are the official candidates for the Senate of the Makabayan bloc, a group of progressive parties representing marginalized sectors.

“We will employ our 3.5 million voter base, our national campaign machinery, our social media warriors, and poll watchers nationwide to push for the people’s agenda in the Senate and oppose the efforts of Duterte and Marcos to return to Malacañang,” Colmenares said.

Meanwhile, social media reports said both Colmenares and Labog are guest candidates of presidential and vice-presidential aspirants Manny Pacquiao and Lito Atienza.

The Pacquaio-Atienza camp has yet to make a formal announcement however. # (Raymund B. Villanueva

‘Preparasyon na nila ‘yan sa eleksyon’

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“Itong bira nila sa Makabayan, lalo na sa oposisyon, preparasyon na nila ‘yan sa eleksyon. Gustong lumpuhin ng gobyerno ang oposisyon bago pa man mag-halalan. Hindi na lang ito red-tagging kundi using the government funds for electoral purposes to defend the administration. May tulog talaga ang Duterte candidates at para ma-ensure na manalo sila, lulumphin nila ang oposisyon long before 2022. It’s a combination of red-tagging and electioneering using public funds.” — Atty. Neri Colmenares, Chairman, Bayan Muna