Anti-Arroyo forces stage ‘People’s March’ in Panay
Militant activists and other groups opposing moves to amend the Constitution staged a two day Panay-wide march to coincide with President Arroyo’s State of Nation Address yesterday.
On their way to the City for their protest, the marchers hurled chunks of mud at the posters of Mrs. Arroyo. Using paint, they also inscribed calls for Arroyo’s resignation on the posters bearing the Chief Executive’s picture which were placed along national highways.
As the protesters began massing at the Provincial Capitol grounds at around 1 pm yesterday, Presidential Assistant for Panay Raul Banias defended the President, saying that the accomplishments of the previous Chief Executives ‘pale in comparison’ to that of Mrs. Arroyo, especially in terms of the infrastructure projects in Region VI. Banias pointed to the new airports built around the region, roads, bridges and ports, to include the strong nautical highway program.
“We have accomplished a lot,” he said, saying that in so far as Region VI is concerned, the President was able to fulfill all her promises. Banias added that Mrs. Arroyo poured in millions of pesos to fund the implementation of the Administration’s anti-poverty program, the Kapitbisig Laban sa Kahirapan (Kalahi-CIDSS) for Region VI. Banias’ defense comes hours before Arroyo was to give her last SONA amidst a plunging popularity rating.
Edgar Pelayo, secretary-general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Panay (Bayan-Panay) estimated that about 1,500 farmers, religious, students and youth participated in the marched dubbed “Lakbayan sang Pumoloyo Kontra SONA” (People’s March Against SONA). Multisectoral group, Ilonggos Movement Against Arroyo’s Charter Change (I-March) joined Bayan in the march.
The marchers kicked off their protest Sunday from the towns of Guimbal, Tigbauan, Igbaras in the south of Iloilo province, and from the central Panay towns of Calinog, Maasin, and Janiuay in Iloilo, and Tapaz in Capiz. They arrived at the City noontime yesterday.
Likewise, marchers walked from Makato town in Aklan to the capital of Kalibo, and from Ivisan town in Capiz to Roxas City.
“The people simply want to express their sentiments at the extreme poverty and corruption in the country right now,” Pelayo said. “We are calling for the junking of charter change and for Arroyo to step down. We do not want Arroyo to stay in power beyond her term. She is the queen of lies and deception. She has mastered the art of deception, therefore she should step down.” This is also to register our opposition at proposals to change the Charter, he added.
Every year, militants in the City stage a protest coinciding with the President’s Address on the opening of the Congress. However, this would be the first ‘People’s March’ in recent history. The last Panay-wide ‘People’s March’ was in 1986, at the height of the campaigns against the Marcos dictatorship.