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vol. 73 issue 02
J U N E - J U LY 2 0 2 0
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EDITORIAL
WakaSONA ang pasismo F
our years into his pres idency, Duterte has left nothing but a trail of blood, impunity, and a nation at the brink of economic collapse. In all of his state of the nation addresses, Duterte always turns a blind eye to the actual grave condition of the country and the Filipino masses under his fascist rule. The speech he delivered today that lasted for 100 minutes which garnered 44 claps, did not accomplish its real purpose. The state of the nation? Worse than worst. Despite having the longest government-imposed lockdown in the world, the Duterte administration is yet to take accountability and a science-based approach to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. State forces took advantage of the grave situation by intensifying human rights violations. The Commission on Human Rights
(CHR) revealed that they have received almost 1,000 complaints about human rights offenses since the community quarantine occurred. We have lain witness to the cost of the militaristic response the State has implemented, the Asia Pacific Research Network recorded 10,000 arrests due to curfew violations. The Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Education pushed their agendas without any concrete plans for a safe school opening and an inclusive and accessible mode of learning. Pushing for an alternative learning system disregarding the fact that many Filipinos do not have access to the Internet and gadgets required for online learning. The marginalized sectors were pushed to the edge. Demolition jobs still occurred in urban poor communities which dis-
placed hundreds of families, jeepney drivers were forced to ask for alms to survive, while farmers and workers from distant provinces were not given adequate relief and assistance. The lack of government support caused the death of doctors and nurses, while discrimination grows rampant among recovered patients. Thousands of lives have been taken away because of the incompetence of the
Duterte administration. While those in power fail to effectively control the virus due to the militarized approach against the health crisis, the Filipino masses continue to suffer in all aspects—physically, mentally, and financially. It is evident and clear that Duterte and his cabal of corrupted and despicable public officials do not care about the lives of the Filipino people. His interest lies in favor of the United States
and China, with trillions in debt from the US debt trapping apparatus, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and the continuous military exercises of the US while China is reclaiming the West Philippine Sea. Duterte is but a traitor to the Filipino people and our call echoes the call of the true SONA ng bayan, the ouster of the despicable traitor and fascist president Rodrigo Roa Duterte.
Ang hamon sa takipsilim M
atagal na makulimlim rito, sa katunayan hindi ko na maalala kung kailan huli suminag ang araw. Sa bawat sulok dama ang paghahasik ng takot, ang sapilitang pagsupil sa mga boses. Kailan lang may dinakip doon sa may kanto, masyado raw bulgar ang pananalita at iyon ang pinaka ayaw nila. Marami na rin ang napilitan mana-
himik na lang pero mas marami ang tumitindig kahit minsa’y nanginginig ang boses. “Junk terror bill!”, ang sigaw nila sa lansangan, kalat-kalat ang tinig at dinig ang kalinawan ng mga boses sa kabila ng takip sa bibig. May mga bitbit na plakard at magkakahiwalay silang nagmartsa, habang nakamasid ang mga militar.
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Sa panahon ngayon, hindi opsyon ang manahimik laluna’t ang mismong boses natin ang nakataya. Andiyan din ang mga pambabatikos, Mga bayaran! Umuwi na lang kayo! Takot kasi terorista! Sa mga ganoong pagkakataon, siguro nakakapanghina ng loob pero hindi dapat tayo titiklop.
Kailan rin may personal na pag-atake akong natanggap, matalino raw ako ngunit nagpapalinlang. Sa hulihan nabanggit na huwag daw magpapalinlang sa mga tulad namin, pero sino ba ang tunay na mapanlinlang? Hanggang ngayon wala pa rin lehitimo at konkretong plano para sa mass testing sa kabila ng anunsyo
no’ng Abril. Madaming pagkakataon na rin may pagtatangka sa ating soberanya, sa mismong pagkakakilanlan natin bilang mga Pilipino ngunit bawat pagkakataon ay pagkabigo.. Mukhang wala na rin ibang tatanggol sa atin kun’di tayo tayo na lang.
