MILITANTS said President Benigno Aquino III failed to deliver on his programs and promises in his five years in office.
During a rally at Colon Street, Cebu City hours before the President is scheduled to give his final State of the Nation Address (SONA), the 700 militants waved placards and foisted tarpaulins bearing messages like “Walay Natul-id, Walay Natawid (No path, nothing to cross)” and “Unom ka tuig ni Pnoy mga tawo napordoy (Six years of P-Noy the people became poor).”
Art Barrit, spokesperson for Associated Labor Unions – Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) said unemployment, poverty, contractualization, low wages, and lackluster social services persist to this day.
“Worse, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been monopolized by the big capitalists as their wealth has ballooned in the last few years thus the chasm between rich and poor swelled even more,” Barrit said.
Dennis Derige, spokesperson of Partido Manggagawa (PM) said the President’s administration is no different from past administrations.
Sanlakas spokesperson Teody Navea said the Aquino administration failed in helping ease pollution by encouraging more coal plants in the country. He said there will be new coal plants this year in Toledo City and in Naga City next year.
Greg Perez of Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) said the President is still imposing Joint Administrative Order (JAO) 2014-0 which imposes stiffer penalties on erring drivers
Photos by CDN Photo Editor Tonee Despojo
