To live up to Gat. Andres Bonifacio’s deeds in his struggle for national democracy pose a challenge among the Filipinos to carry the burning torch with militancy and revolutionary stance. As present-day Katipuneros, the united toiling masses would continue waging the struggle as they would only be counting on themselves—with little left to lose and have a world to win.
On National Democracy
In time for the 158th birth anniversary of Bonifacio, various multisectoral groups launched the historic protest dubbed “Araw ng Pambansang Paninigil ng Masang Anakpawis” to primarily address the interest of the toiling masses on socio-political and economic issues regarding land, healthcare, wage and employment, housing, among basic human rights.
Martial law victim and senatorial aspirant Atty. Neri Colmenares demanded accountability amid poverty, corruption, injustice, and rampant human rights violations perpetrated. Colmenares also recognized that these calls need not be reverberated only in the legislative office but also in the streets to engage the public on various political affairs.
Colmenares also slammed the Duterte administration on the swelling government debt loaned from foreign banks even before the pandemic, saying that corruption made worse by inept COVID-19 response.
“Ni hindi lumapat sa labi ng manggagawa, ng magsasaka, at mamayan ang ayuda na pinapangako nila,” said the human rights lawyer.
[The promised aid did not even reach the remnants of the workers, the peasants, and the people]
IBON Foundation once coined ‘Duterterioration’ on Duterte’s deterioration on the Philippine economy given the whopping Php5.9 trillion (June 2016) to Php10.8 trillion (March 2021) Philippine debt.
Colmenares also reiterated to abolish and defund the controversial National Task Force to End Local Communist and Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), saying that its funds have been on the pork barrel to the military.
“It’s military’s pork-barrel, korapsyon ‘yan. Bakit? Kung gusto mo magpagawa ng clinic, dapat ang DOH gagawa niyan. Kung gusto mo magpagawa ng school, dapat DepEd ang mangasiwa niyan,” Colmenares argued.
[If you want to build a clinic, the DOH should do that. If you want to build a school, DepEd should take care of that]
Various human rights groups lauded the senators upon defunding the anti-communist task force by P24 billion, leaving it with only 4 billion funding for 2022.
“Kahit ilang libong school buildings ang ipamigay mo riyan, hangga’t may kontraktwalisasyon, hangga’t walang tunay na repormang agraryo, hindi natin mauugat ang problema sa usaping pangkapayapaan,” Colmenares added.
[Even if you give away thousands of school buildings there, as long as there is contractualization, as long as there is no real agrarian reform, we will not be able to root the problem in the peace process]
Pambansang Paninigil
“Hinding hindi namin kayo titigilan,” a poem written by slain peace consultant Randall Echanis were sung or chanted by several rally-goers. While sounding as if posing a threat, the progressive groups affirm that it is indeed a threat to the government.
“Kung inaakala ng mga nagdaan at kasalukuyang rehimen na matatakot ang hanay ng mga kabataan at iba pang pormasyon sa kanilang kaliwa’t kanang pagyurak sa karapatang pantao at pagpatay, nagkakamali sila,” mused Anakbayan Metro Manila organizer Benedict Macabenta.
[If the past and current regimes think that the ranks of the youth and other formations will be intimidated by their left and right violations of human rights and killings, they are mistaken]
Anakbayan is a comprehensive youth group that is also founded on Bonifacio Day in 1998. It made prominence during the second EDSA uprising in 2001 which toppled the Estrada administration.
Meanwhile, the underground youth organization Kabataang Makabayan(KM) also commemorated its anniversary alongside Bonifacio Day and Anakbayan. KM was founded by Jose Maria Sison in 1964 as a legal democratic organization until dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. outlawed all progressive organization during the Martial law era.
Macabenta further lambasted the so-called “UniTeam” alliance forged by four political parties
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), Lakas-CMD Christian Democrats (Lakas-CMD), Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), and the Davao-based regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) in a bid to support the Marcos-Duterte tandem for 2022 national elections.
“Sa tambalang Marcos – Duterte sa eleksyong 2022, malinaw ang hangarin nilang kunin ang kapangyarihang pampulitika ng estado ng Pilipinas para mandambong ng kaban ng bayan, panatilihin ang pagyaman ng mga burukurata kapitalista at naghaharing uri, at pahirapan ang mamamayan sa kanilang pasistang paghahari,” Macabenta added.
[With the Marcos -Duterte tandem for 2022 elections, it is clear that they want to seize the political power of the Philippine state to plunder the people’s cs, maintain the wealth of the bureaucrat capitalists and the ruling class, and oppress the people with their fascist rule]
“Sa araw na ito ay hindi lamang natin inaalala ang naging ambag ni Bonifacio bagkus ipagpapatuloy natin ang kanilang mga sinimulan tungo sa tunay na kalayaan at pambansang demokrasya,” the youth activist continued.
[Today we not only remember Bonifacio’s contribution but we will continue their beginnings towards true freedom and national democracy]
