Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP)

Statement on the Philippine Tragedy

October 6, 2009

ALLIANCE PHILIPPINES: THE US-ARROYO REGIME IS A THE REAL CALAMITY TO THE PEOPLE

Los Angeles--The latest twin disasters that hit the Philippines laid bare the true state of the country and the governance of US-Arroyo Regime: inept, corrupt and inutile.

It lacked foresight for the good of the people because it is ruled by rapacity and greed.

It favors big imperialist corporations and the heartless ruling class and only exploits and oppresses the people. Just look at its delayed reaction to the storms and its effect on the pole.

Instead of conducting a comprehensive rescue, relief and rehabilitation drive in a systemic way what it did was to blame the people, blame the squatters and register all flood victims.

We ask: where are all the Philippine navy boats, AFP helicopters and all the rescue equipment? Are they tied up in the War in Mindanao that we have to beg the US for rescue boats, which never came, or when they came it was too late? Why did have to wait for two weeks for the US Air Force to send Chinook helicopters to send relief aid to the island of Talim in Laguna Lake?

Why for so many years its early warning system is antiquated and inept.? PAGASA old radars depend on the US forces. The worst they opened the dams without giving the people of Manila and Rizal ample warning and time to evacuate and nobody owns up any accountability!

US-Arroyo regime destroyed the environment

The US-Arroyo regime is reaping the whirlwind of relentless development programs that Marcos and all the presidents put up in the last 40 years. It did destroy the environment and nature that is why nature is getting back at it.

It builds subdivisions and factories along the river system and the Laguna Lake without adequate urban planning, drainage system, on the catch basins like the Marikina –Pasig-Taguig valley that is prone to flooding. They eroded mountains, stripped it bare and build landfills for burgeoning population of 13 million people.

The urban planners and DPWH analyst now admits that “ the drainage and sewage as well as the water systems/flood ways are more than 30 years old and needs fixing”.

But the greed for profit took precedence over the people needs and now we see the results that will take a long term to overtake. But for the meantime it half-a million people of Metro Manila and the other areas suffers.

Manila’s garbage collection system is the real mess. Instead of a systematic recycling program and nature friendly system they instituted corruption and scandals in garbage all over the cities and imported it towards the rural areas. It is just a reflection of the US-Arroyo regime which itself is garbage!

They have not taken into account that Manila is below sea level. And yet they reclaimed Manila Bay, let squatters colony to be build into the floodways and waterways, cover up the canals and made them into boulevard and canals and turned the cities into death zones and virtual sea of death.

Blame game

Just looked how the Senators blames the local officials and suggests that they all be fired. Look at the how department secretaries who postures and campaign while people are drowning. Look at how The United States makes this tragedy as “ a humanitarian campaign and offered a measly sum of $ 400, 000! How pathetic!

But still the US-GMA administration is using the tragedy and turning it into a giant circus and propaganda spectacle for itself. It does a stunt like opening Malacanang as a center. Ordered the customs to tax donations coming from abroad to make money for itself.

Look at how the DSWD calls on donors not to send noodles anymore. But look at what they give to the people. That is how the government treats its people like serfs and slaves like what the Spaniards and the American treated our people centuries ago.

And what is worst- there is crop failure but their answer is import rice and essential good to fatten their pockets instead of transporting rice from Mindanao or corn from the Visayas that is rotting and they do not buy.

But these greedy politicians and fat bureaucrats and the foreign exploiters will have their day. The people will never forget the calamities and will never leave their fate to this rotten system and the divine province.

They will rise up and the day of reckoning will surely come.



Alliance Philippines (AJLPP)

National Secretariat



October 5, 2009