“Change is not coming yet”, says National People’s Summit in first year of Duterte administration

June 28, 2017

A summit composed of progressive groups said Wednesday "change is not coming yet" after one year  of the Duterte administration. "One year after assuming presidency, it was said that the Duterte government is mixed-up or vulnerable. Although, there are positive things that have been done in one year, it can be said that the ...repressive, against Filipinos and pro foreign regime", Renato Reyes of Bayan said at the 2017 National People’s Summit in Quezon City. The National People’s Summit said in a statement Duterte's "catastrophic human right records includes more than 8,000 reported victims of extra judicial killings in the war on drugs program and the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.” "The brutal, unjustified, daily bombing in Marawi since May 23 has forced more that 403,052 residents to flee to makeshift evacuation sites and nearby homes of relatives threatening to create humanitarian crisis", it said. President Rodrigo Duterte assumed the presidency  on June 30, 2016. Duterte will give his second State of the Nation Address on July 24. Partylist Representative Antonio Tinio of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers said  the government adapted the neo-liberal policies of former President Benigno Aquino III which is about the private sectors’ chance to fund and profit from public structures and services, dependent on debts, contractualization, and right sizing in government agencies may take place. Tinio said the Commission on Appointments bypassed progressive members like Agrarian Reform Secretary Rafael Mariano, Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo,and rejected Gina Lopez as secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Julie Caguiat of Health Alliance for Democracy said the Department of Health presented its agenda to Duterte which includes comprehensive and progressive health care services for all citizens, nationalize and build a pharmaceutical industry, and address economic and political factor affecting health. "We enumerated eight and right after number three,...Secretary (Paulyn) Ubial really said that can't be done", Caguiat said. Jerome Adonis of Kilusang Mayo Uno said contractualization still remains and there is no increase in salaries for workers. (Alanna Ambi/DMS)