Iloilo City – The protests of youth leaders and organizations in Iloilo City against House Resolution 1109 become stronger as the ongoing quandaries agitate them more in fighting for the end of Arroyo’s regime. Among these issues were Arroyo’s trips abroad amid crises, the allegedly secret agreement on land between the Philippine government and Bahrain, the ceaseless cases of extrajudicial killings [and until now, justice has not been served] , the incessant increase of oil prices, the high cost of education, corruption cases and a lot more.
The newly-founded Kabataan Kontra Cha-cha (KKCC), a nationwide alliance of youth and students condemning the passage of the said resolution, leads the present youth movement calling for the government and the Congress to refrain both the attempt for Charter Change and doing such through a Constituent Assembly, as stipulated. In the midst of crises, instead of brainstorming the solutions to these predicaments, the Lower House prioritized the passage of the resolution stating how our constitution would be amended. KKCC was launched on June 19, commemorating also the birthday of our national hero, Jose Rizal.
Broader youth movement
The alliance formation of KKCC in Iloilo first convened last June 13 at the St. Clements’s Church in La Paz, Iloilo City. On June 27, the alliance, again, called for a convention for a broader and more comprehensive alliance formation. Previously, it was participated by youth and student organizations in Iloilo City like Kabataan Party-Panay, National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), League of Filipino Students (LFS)-Iloilo, Anakbayan-Iloilo, Young Christian Workers (YCW)-Iloilo, West Visayas State University Political Science Students’ Organization (WVSU-PSSO), Western Visayas College of Science and Technology Student Government (WVCST SG), LFS-UPV Iloilo, UPV-Sandigan para sa Mag-aaral at Sambayanan (SAMASA), UPV Oikos, WVSU-Oikos, Anakbayan-WVCST, Anakbayan-WVSU and Anakbayan - Community.
During its second convention on the 27th, new organizations joined the alliance, namely John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University Supreme Student Council (JBLFMU SSC), WVSU Institute of Management Student Council (WVSU IMSC), WVSU Scintilla Juris Fraternity and the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines. KKC created a resolution reiterating their objective for a wider alliance.
KKCC to hold Iloilo-wide alliance launching
After the grand launching of the national alliance of KKCC, the alliance of Ilonggo youth and students will hold a launching, tentatively schedule on July 4. It will have a whole day activity to be participated by the convenors and members of the alliance. KKC has invited Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raymond Palatino to be the guest speaker. Every school also has their local activities to show opposition to Cha-cha. Rep. Palatino will hold school hopping to talk about Charter Change and how it is related to the Philippine Educational System. The Kabataan Partylist (KP) is one of the partlylists who were given one seat in the Lower House just his year and it is the only partylist inside the Congress that asserts youth interests. KP is one of the authors of HB 2044, stipulating of a three-year moratorium on tuition and other fees increases.
Manifesto of Unity
The alliance also drafted and promulgated a manifesto of unity which was disseminated nationwide. It narrates youth’s role in nation-building and registering real social change. “We have always been at the forefront of uprisings and revolutions every time the social, political and economic conditions in society become too intolerable. We cannot remain silent or with our arms crossed. We cannot remain indifferent while our own future as a people and a nation are being compromised for selfish political ambitions. The stakes are too high for us to take a pass.”
The manifesto pointed out five major points why they oppose the said actions in amending the constitution: 1) Any attempt at charter change by the Arroyo administration would only serve to extend President Arroyo’s regime; 2) Charter change can be used by Arroyo to perpetuate herself in power through Martial Law; 3) Charter Change will worsen the economic and social crises plaguing the country; 4) Charter change will aggravate the colonial, corrupt and commercial characteristics of Philippine culture, education and mass media; and 5) Charter change can allow further foreign intervention and exploitation by allowing one-sided treaties detrimental to national development and progress.
The manifesto of unity was given to the different schools for signature campaign. The signatures consolidated will be submitted in the Congress on PGMA’s State of the Nation Address which will be on the 27th of July. This manifesto is also in the internet for the online petition signing (http://www.kabataanpartylist.com/notochacha).
“We call on all democracy-loving youth and citizens to stop efforts to change the Constitution before the 2010 elections. The government's desperate efforts to continuously cling to power have sown deep social discontent and division among the people. We strongly believe in the sovereign right that rests on the people to change a morally bankrupt and corrupt regime with a conscientious leadership that can genuinely unite the nation and can bring forth meaningful social change.” – Kabataan Kontra Cha-cha-Iloilo
The newly-founded Kabataan Kontra Cha-cha (KKCC), a nationwide alliance of youth and students condemning the passage of the said resolution, leads the present youth movement calling for the government and the Congress to refrain both the attempt for Charter Change and doing such through a Constituent Assembly, as stipulated. In the midst of crises, instead of brainstorming the solutions to these predicaments, the Lower House prioritized the passage of the resolution stating how our constitution would be amended. KKCC was launched on June 19, commemorating also the birthday of our national hero, Jose Rizal.
Broader youth movement
The alliance formation of KKCC in Iloilo first convened last June 13 at the St. Clements’s Church in La Paz, Iloilo City. On June 27, the alliance, again, called for a convention for a broader and more comprehensive alliance formation. Previously, it was participated by youth and student organizations in Iloilo City like Kabataan Party-Panay, National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), League of Filipino Students (LFS)-Iloilo, Anakbayan-Iloilo, Young Christian Workers (YCW)-Iloilo, West Visayas State University Political Science Students’ Organization (WVSU-PSSO), Western Visayas College of Science and Technology Student Government (WVCST SG), LFS-UPV Iloilo, UPV-Sandigan para sa Mag-aaral at Sambayanan (SAMASA), UPV Oikos, WVSU-Oikos, Anakbayan-WVCST, Anakbayan-WVSU and Anakbayan - Community.
During its second convention on the 27th, new organizations joined the alliance, namely John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University Supreme Student Council (JBLFMU SSC), WVSU Institute of Management Student Council (WVSU IMSC), WVSU Scintilla Juris Fraternity and the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines. KKC created a resolution reiterating their objective for a wider alliance.
KKCC to hold Iloilo-wide alliance launching
After the grand launching of the national alliance of KKCC, the alliance of Ilonggo youth and students will hold a launching, tentatively schedule on July 4. It will have a whole day activity to be participated by the convenors and members of the alliance. KKC has invited Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raymond Palatino to be the guest speaker. Every school also has their local activities to show opposition to Cha-cha. Rep. Palatino will hold school hopping to talk about Charter Change and how it is related to the Philippine Educational System. The Kabataan Partylist (KP) is one of the partlylists who were given one seat in the Lower House just his year and it is the only partylist inside the Congress that asserts youth interests. KP is one of the authors of HB 2044, stipulating of a three-year moratorium on tuition and other fees increases.
Manifesto of Unity
The alliance also drafted and promulgated a manifesto of unity which was disseminated nationwide. It narrates youth’s role in nation-building and registering real social change. “We have always been at the forefront of uprisings and revolutions every time the social, political and economic conditions in society become too intolerable. We cannot remain silent or with our arms crossed. We cannot remain indifferent while our own future as a people and a nation are being compromised for selfish political ambitions. The stakes are too high for us to take a pass.”
The manifesto pointed out five major points why they oppose the said actions in amending the constitution: 1) Any attempt at charter change by the Arroyo administration would only serve to extend President Arroyo’s regime; 2) Charter change can be used by Arroyo to perpetuate herself in power through Martial Law; 3) Charter Change will worsen the economic and social crises plaguing the country; 4) Charter change will aggravate the colonial, corrupt and commercial characteristics of Philippine culture, education and mass media; and 5) Charter change can allow further foreign intervention and exploitation by allowing one-sided treaties detrimental to national development and progress.
The manifesto of unity was given to the different schools for signature campaign. The signatures consolidated will be submitted in the Congress on PGMA’s State of the Nation Address which will be on the 27th of July. This manifesto is also in the internet for the online petition signing (http://www.kabataanpartylist.com/notochacha).
“We call on all democracy-loving youth and citizens to stop efforts to change the Constitution before the 2010 elections. The government's desperate efforts to continuously cling to power have sown deep social discontent and division among the people. We strongly believe in the sovereign right that rests on the people to change a morally bankrupt and corrupt regime with a conscientious leadership that can genuinely unite the nation and can bring forth meaningful social change.” – Kabataan Kontra Cha-cha-Iloilo
see you in iloilo - mong
TumugonBurahin