Bayan Muna files for candidacy, blasts Arroyo's run for Congress as megalomania
Beating the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacy, Bayan Muna (People First) partylist filed its manifestation of intent to participate in the 2010 polls today even as it denounced President Gloria Arroyo's latest move to vie for a seat in Congress.
The Bayan Muna contingent, led by Rep. Teddy Casiño, Rep. Neri Colmenares and Atty. Joven Laura, marched to Comelec this morning with renewed vows of continuing the struggle for the politics of change. Rep. Casiño, the partylist's number one nominee, condemned Arroyo's bid as “an utterly despicable and shameless act of a megalomaniac.”
“Mrs. Arroyo is running for Congress to preserve her hold on power. This is megalomania plain and simple. You can even look it up in the dictionary," said Casiño.
“How can justice be served for the victims of the Maguindanao Massacre and the victims of Arroyo's 9-year presidency if Mrs. Arroyo continues to hold considerable power and influence as a super congresswoman? Maybe she'll vie for the Speakership. Maybe she'll eventually become acting prime minister of a transition government. The possibilities are endless if she's in Congress," he warned.
“Under Arroyo's rule, more and more Filipinos sunk deeper into poverty and the most blatant violations of human rights and cases of corruption transpired. Yet the perpetrators remain free to reign. Many are thinking that justice can only happen after she steps down from power. But that's not going to happen if she goes to Congress,” lamented Casiño.
"Of the more than 1,000 victims of extrajudicial killings under the Arroyo regime, 135 of them belonged to our partylist. The Maguindanao Massacre that killed 57 last week all the more proves how bad political patronage, warlordism, and the culture of impunity have flourished under the corrupt and power-hungry Arroyo regime," said Casiño.
“We challenge the Comelec to reject Arroyo's candidacy based on legal and moral grounds,” said Casiño. “Let us come together to make Arroyo and her minions accountable for their crimes against the people,” Casiño added.
"But if she does succeed in becoming a super congresswoman, we in Bayan Muna will not shirk from our duty to hold her accountable for her crimes of plunder, electoral fraud and massive human rights atrocities even if she becomes a colleague in Congress," he stressed.
“May our partylist's filing of candidacy today signal a renewed fight for good governance and greater accountability for public officials especially the highest official of the land. We call on the public to join Bayan Muna and the progressive mass movement in rejecting Mrs. Arroyo's megalomaniac moves."
Since its founding 10 years ago, Bayan Muna has consistently championed the Filipino people's interests and struggled resolutely for good governance, justice, accountability and pro-people reforms. ###
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Gunmen kill 57 in Maguindanao
A symptom of poisoned politics in the Philippines
A symptom of poisoned politics in the Philippines
Philippine authorities have recovered the remains of 57 victims (as of November 26) of what has come to be known as the Nov. 23 Ampatuan-Maguindanao Massacre. This shocking incident, the most brutal politically-related violence in recent history, is a symptom of the Philippines' poisoned politics. Malacanang has placed Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City under a state of emergency while police and military were placed in heightened alert in key cities nationwide.
Among those ambushed and killed in Maguindanao by about 100 gunmen allegedly under the control of warlords were members of a rival political clan, lawyers and media practitioners, all of whom were unarmed and unescorted by state security forces while on a convoy. “Warlordism” was pointed out as a cause for the massacre.
“Warlordism” is a symptom of a deeper crisis, as expressed by the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (Seapa). The Phil. Daily Inquirer quotes Jukipli Wadi, a professor of Islamic Studies at the University of the Philippines, saying “big political forces and personalities in the national government are sustaining the warlords.” Wadi explained that political violence persists in warlord-controlled areas of the country because warlords think they can get away with anything, and that the culture of impunity prevails. UP administrators said the massacre also represented the general state of the country. The UP Department of Journalism held the Arroyo administration accountable for the continuing state of lawless violence in Maguindanao and other parts of the country.
The National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) said that “Malacañang’s tolerance of warlords greatly contributes to the persistence of the culture of impunity in our society."
According to Rep. Satur Ocampo, House Deputy Minority Leader, the civilian volunteer organizations (CVOs) are the legalized "private armies who kill at the slightest whim and wish of their warlord bosses." Ocampo also suspects that CVOs help implement "the Arroyo administration's electoral cheating schemes.”
International indignation
The United Nations and world leaders joined Philippine and international media and lawyers organizations, the Commission on Human Rights, and government agencies in condemning the heinous crime as they urged the Arroyo administration to act promptly to enforce the law. National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and NUPL were among the first groups to sound the alarm that immediately reached a global scale. The National Ulama Conference of the Philippines (NUCP) also hit the "crime against humanity and against the law of Allah". Amnesty International urged government to immediately prohibit and disband private armies and paramilitary forces.
November 25, Wednesday, was declared as a national day of mourning. Indignation rallies, candle lighting and prayer activites in major cities were led by media groups mourning the death of colleagues and demanding justice. More than 21 of the victims were journalists covering the filing of the certificate of candidacy of Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu who will run for Maguindanao governor against the Ampatuans.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) said in a statement that at least 74 journalists have been killed during the Arroyo administration, making the Philippines the most dangerous place for journalists. Human rights and cause-oriented groups also expressed concern over President Arroyo's links with the suspects in the killings. They warned of 'special treatment' since the Ampatuan and Mangudadatu clans were both Arroyo allies responsible for giving landslide votes for Arroyo in Mindanao.
The wheels of justice seemed to turn slow, many analysts said. But Malacanang officials explained they took extra caution in making preparations and moved according to law. The suspects, including Datu Unsay town mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., local police officers and hundreds of militiamen, were disarmed and placed under the custody of the Department of Justice on Nov. 26, Thursday, as Muslim families buried their slain kin according to custom. It was also observed that the firearms surrendered to the police were already old and rusty, unlike the high-powered rifles currently in use in combat. The Lakas-Kampi-CMD national executive committee unanimously expelled from the party Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Datu Zaldy Ampatuan, Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. Mayor Ampatuan denied having any responsibility and instead accused the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) for the massacre.
Premeditated mass murder
Mangudadatu said the massacre may have been well-planned. He said armed men were seen monitoring the area. The gunmen were apparently waiting to ambush the convoy led by Mangudadatu's wife and relatives. Police echoed Mangudadatu's suspicions. Investigators found a backhoe, an excavator owned by the provincial government, transported earlier to the mass grave site and used to dig the ground where the gunmen buried their victims. Several vehicles were also buried by the gunmen in their attempt to hide traces of the massacre.
Slow course
The victims and their families cry out for justice. Investigations are still ongoing. The perpetrators await trial. There are threats of more violence to erupt. The warlords and their private armies in many parts of the country have yet to be disempowered and dismantled. All these are supposed to undergo due process and the slow but careful course. Warlordism remains as a symptom. The rule of guns, goons and gold in a province may be suppressed for now. But the roots of the Philippines' poisoned politics are deep, they span across several generations of supporters and powerful clans, and it may take many years to resolve.
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Leptospirosis deaths now 167
The Department of Health (DoH) reported that at least 167 Filipinos died due to leptospirosis a month after storm Ondoy flooded Metro Manila.
The DoH tallied 2,158 leptospirosis cases related to the Ondoy floods, with 167 deaths. Health officials expect the number of cases will continue to rise over the next weeks, while warning the public not to wade in murky flood waters to avoid getting infected by leptospirosis.
Health officials advise the public to seek medical help if flu-like symptoms appear after recently wading in floods, saying that common symptoms of leptospirosis infection include fever, red skin rash, general weakness, headaches, muscle and joint pains, vomiting and fatigue.
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Sulyap sa pinsalang hatid nina Ondoy at Pepeng
Global warming at climate change daw ang sanhi ng kakaibang buhos ng ulan kaya bumabaha agad, kung bakit may mga landslides at trahedya. Nakalimutan na nga ba sa bokabularyo ang sobra-sobrang pagtotroso at pagmimina, ang pang-aabuso sa kapaligiran, at kakulangan sa law enforcement at urban planning kaya mas malupit na ang hagupit ng mga bagyo ngayon?
Pinsalang hatid ng bagyong Ondoy
Dalawang linggo matapos ang bagyong Ondoy, iniulat ng National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) na mahigit sa P10.45 bilyon na ang pinsalang dulot ng baha (P3.864 B sa imprastruktura at P6.766 B sa agrikultura). Hindi pa kasali sa halagang ito ang mga pinsala sa mga bahay ng mga apektadong residente.
Dodoble naman sa nasabing halaga o P23 bilyon ang suma total kung pagsasama-samahin ang mga tantya mula sa NDCC, DepEd, at Department of Agriculture pero sa totoo lang ay higit pa rito ang pinsala ng bagyong Ondoy.
Hindi pa kasali rito ang mga gastos sa mga nasirang kagamitan, health costs, foregone revenues, social costs at ang daan-daang buhay na nasawi sa mga pagbaha. Maaari pang idagdag sa costs ang P2.4 B halaga sa kawalan ng productivity ng apat na milyong Pinoy na lumiban sa paggawa at karagdagang P2.3 B losses mula sa foregone revenues ng mga nasirang lupain.
May karagdagang tantya naman ang mga negosyante na higit sa isang bilyong piso ang pinsalang dulot ng pagbaha sa Metro Manila.
P16.6 bilyong pinsala ng bagyong Pepeng
Iniulat ng NDCC na mahigit 4,163,460 katao sa 36 lunsod sa 27 probinsiya ang naapektuhan ng bagyong Pepeng. 32,225 katao ang naihatid sa 100 evacuation centers ng NDCC. Mahigit 5,843 bahay ang nasira at 49,613 pa ang napinsala. Hindi nadaanan ang maraming kalsada at highway sa Luzon dahil sa malalalim na baha, mga pinsala sa daan at mapanganib na mga landslides.
Ayon sa NDCC, mahigit P16.6 bilyon na ang halaga ng pinsala makalipas manalanta ang bagyong Pepeng. Sa P16.6 B pinsala, P11.7 B ang pinsala sa agrikultura at P4.7 B sa imprastruktura.
Mas maraming buhay din ang nasawi sa bagyong Pepeng, 438 ang nasawi ayon sa NDCC, samantalang 420 ang namatay noong dumaan si Ondoy.
Mahigit 720 katao ang nasaktan at 80 pa ang nawawala.
Kakulangan sa kahandaan
Grabe ang pinsalang hatid ng magkasunod na bagyong Ondoy at Pepeng. Totoong kalunus-lunos ang mga kababayan nating naapektuhan ng magkasunod na hagupit na ito.
Kahit na taun-taon ay dinadaanan ng mga malalakas na bagyo ang Pilipinas, tila nagkukulang pa rin sa paghahanda o disaster preparedness ang pamahalaan at bayan. At dahil sa kakapusan sa wastong patakaran at pamamalakad sa rekurso ng bansa kaya lalong lumalala ang mga pinsalang hatid ng mga bagyo at kalamidad.
Tiyak na mas malaki pa sa mga nabanggit sa itaas ang tunay na pinsalang hatid nina Ondoy at Pepeng, lalung-lalo na para sa mga namatayan, nasaktan, napinsalaan at nawalan ng kanilang buong-buong tahanan.
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Supreme Court halts awarding of National Artists
The month of August was marked by the Philippine art community's outrage over Malacanang Palace's alleged dagdag-bawas intervention in this year's National Artist Awards.
On August 25, the Supreme Court issued an order stopping the conferment of the title of Order of National Artist for those chosen by the Palace last month, thus granting the petition filed by national artists, private individuals, and university deans and professors objecting to the proclamation of four persons as national artists.
The petitioners, led by National Artists Virgilio Almario (literature), Bienvenido Lumbera (literature), Benedicto Cabrera (visual arts, painting), Napoleon Abueva (visual arts, sculpture), and Arturo Luz (painting and sculpture), opposed the awarding of National Artist titles to Cecille Guidote-Alvarez (theater), Carlos Caparas (visual arts), Jose “Pitoy” Moreno (fashion design), and Francisco Manosa (architecture).
They said Malacanang disrespected the selection process and that Alvarez’s inclusion in the shortlist is “clearly illegal and unethical” since she is supposed to be disqualified for being the executive director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and also the President’s adviser on culture and arts.
A resolution was filed in Congress on Aug. 10 with the aim of determining the limits of the "presidential prerogative", reviewing the qualifications and selection process of the National Artist Awards, and studying the possibility of institutionalizing the selection process through legislation. This was done by partylist representatives in response to the art community's actions against a possible abuse of authority and political accommodation which undermined the integrity of the awards.
Prominent personalities like Bienvenido Lumbera (National Artist for Literature), Elmar Beltran Ingles (NCCA Commissioner), Joel Garduce (Concerned Artists of the Philippines spokesman), Leo Martinez (FAP Director-General), Carlitos Siguion Reyna (DGPI President), Jim Paredes (Artists Revolution Convenor), and Dennis Marasigan (IIFA Vice President) held a media conference that day and expressed their support for the Congressional inquiry.
Earlier, a pagluluksa protest was staged in front of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) to dramatize the concerned artists' outrage over Malacanang's naming of the four awardees who were not among those recommended by the duly designated selection committee. The protesters said the Palace's intervention disregarded the rigorous deliberations made by the selection committee that is composed of the NCCA and the CCP.
The Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP), Sinag Bayan, Sining Bugkos, Musicians for Peace, Ugat Lahi Artists Collective, Tudla Productions, Artists Revolution, University of the Philippines – College of Mass Communication, Film Institute and the Department of Visual Communication of the College of Fine Arts are the lead organizations criticizing Pres. Arroyo's hand in proclaiming the awardees for the Order of National Artists 2009.
The National Artist Awards not only bestows recognition, it also includes the granting of benefits such as hospitalization and pension, allowances, and upon death, a state funeral at the Libingan ng Mga Bayani.
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DepEd noodles scam pinaiimbestigahan
DepEd noodles scam pinaiimbestigahan
Pinaiimbestigahan na sa Kamara ang di-umano'y overpriced at maanomalyang pagbili ng Department of Education (DepEd) ng instant noodles, batay sa resolusyong inihain ni Bayan Muna Representative Teodoro Casiño.
Ayon sa resolusyon 1126 ni Casiño, bumili ang DepEd sa Jeverps Manufacturing Corporation ng 19,418,880 pakete ng overpriced instant noodles kung saan nagkakahalaga ng P22.00 ang bawat pakete. Ito ay bahagi ng “Malusog na Simula, Yaman ng Bansa” feeding program ng DepEd para sa mga mag-aaral.
“Sinu-sino ang naging malulusog ang bulsa at biglang yumaman sa instant noodles scam na ito?” tanong ni Casiño.
May P427,215,360.00 nakalaan para sa nasabing noodles. Kaduda-duda di-umano ang naging procurement procedure ng DepEd at maaaring pinakinabangan ito ng mga sakim na opisyal ng DepEd. Natuklasan daw ng mga eksperto mula sa Vietnam, Malaysia, Hong Kong at South Korea na walang egg o malunggay content ang instant noodles, taliwas sa nakasulat sa pakete.
Noong 2008, di-umano'y bumili rin ang DepEd sa Jeverps Manufacturing Corporation ng 15 million pakete ng instant noodles na nagkakahalaga ng P284 million. Sa pagkakataong iyon, bawat pakete ng instant noodles ay sinasabing overpriced din sa halagang P18.00 kada pakete.
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Pacquiao-Hatton fight on; 50-50 revenue sharing
“Pambansang Kamao” Manny Pacquiao will be taking on “The British Hitman” Ricky Hatton in Las Vegas come May this year for a fight initially expected to gross $58.4 million.
Hatton may prove to be Pacquiao's most competitive opponent, as the Englishman promises to deliver powerful body blows that Pacquiao still has to prepare for. This time, some boxing observers say, Pacquiao will “get his ass whipped” by Hatton.
Hatton is seen as a powerful fighter at 140 lbs, who can deliver close range bombs fast and hard against Pacquiao, even at the smallest of opportunities. Pacquiao may need to come up with a new strategy, combining his speed and skills against Hatton.
Earlier confusions about the fight contract was resolved when the boxers finally agreed to a 50-50 revenue sharing.
Top Rank's Bob Arum said this is a good deal since Hatton delivers a huge share from British fans. Pacquiao, earlier wanted a 60-40 deal but soon agreed to get half of the pay-per-view (PPV) revenue. Arum also explained that Floyd Mayweather Jr. had no share of PPV income in Britain in his fight with Hatton in 2007.
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Mga panukalang magpapalakas sa ekonomiya ng Pilipinas, inaprubahan sa Kongreso
Kahit mayroon na umanong “economic firewall” ang Pilipinas laban sa epekto ng U.S. recession, inaprubahan ng Economic Affairs Committee at ng mga mambabatas ang mga panukalang naglalayong palakasin at bigyang proteksiyon ang ekonomiya ng bansa. Hinikayat ng mga ito na maging mas pro-active ang National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) at ang Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) at gawing self-reliant ang ekonomiya.
Noong 2008, isinalang sa plenaryo ang ulat at panukala "...urging the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to be more pro-active in dealing with anticipated disruptions to the Philippine Economy, as in the case of the economic recession in the U.S. and its impact on the economy, by preparing a road map and corresponding courses of action and to re-orient the economy towards greater economic self-reliance by developing and strengthening the domestic industries, modernize the agriculture sector while enhancing our international competitiveness through economic reforms." Ito ay nabuo mula sa mga deliberasyong isinagawa ng komite sa pagtalakay ng House Resolution No. 428 na inihapag nina Bayan Muna Reps. Teddy Casiño at Satur Ocampo, Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran at Gabriela Women's Party Reps. Liza Maza at Luz Ilagan. Alinsunod sa HR 428, tinalakay sa Committee on Economic Affairs ang mga maaaring maging epekto ng U.S. economic slowdown sa bansa, kung gaano kahanda ang gobyerno at kung ano ang mga maaaring gawin bilang tugon sa krisis pang-ekonomiya.
Sinusugan ng Committee on Economic Affairs ang pangangailangang mai-reorient ang ekonomiya, “to make it stronger by developing and strengthening domestic industries, and to modernize agriculture and to re-think the export-oriented, import-dependent model of development.” Ayon din sa ulat, sa pamamagitan ng mga hakbang na ito mabibigyang proteksiyon ang ekonomiya mula sa pinsalang maaaring hatid ng krisis sa international market.
Inirekomenda ng komite na:
-suportahan ng gobyerno ang “local capital market growth” sa pagsasabatas ng Credit Information System Act (CISA), Corporate Recovery and Insolvency Act (CRIA), Collective Investments Schemes (CIS) Law; at Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Act;
-diversify Philippine exports to "emerging, non-traditional markets" like India and by forging "more equitable" trade agreements;
-further enhance competitiveness through increased infrastructure, lower transport and electricity costs, and better regulation and regulatory reforms.
Ayon kay Rep. Casiño, ang mga economic managers ng bansa ay dapat magsagawa ng “radical measures” sa halip na pairalin nito ang “business as usual attitude” sa pagtugon sa krisis. Tinuligsa ni Casiño ang mga rosy projections ng gobyernong Arroyo, ang kakulangan sa paghahanda sa krisis, at ang mga patakaran nitong nakakapinsala o hindi naman tumutugon sa mga pangangailangan ng sambayanan. Ipinagmalaki noon ni Pang. Arroyo na may mataas na demand sa Filipino laborers sa Canada, Middle East at UK, at may contingency plans ito para sa mga sektor na maaaring mapinsala ng krisis kaya walang dapat ikabahala.
Ayon sa mga mambabatas, nararamdaman na ng mga Pinoy ang pinsalang hatid ng global slowdown at kinakailangang malaman kung paano malulutas ang mga problemang dulot nito. May mga naitala nang OFWs na nawalan ng trabaho. Pumasok na sa resesyon ang US at iba pang bansa. Maaaring resesyon din ang dumating sa Pilipinas ngayong 2009-2010. Maaari pang magkaroon ng malawakang kawalan ng trabaho at mas malalang karukhaan sa bansa sa mga darating na buwan kung hindi ito mabibigyang lunas.
May balance of payments (BOP) deficit ang Pilipinas na $1.195 billion noong Oktubre dahil na rin sa mahinang exports at magastos na imports. Maaari pang humina ang exports sa 2009 kaysa sa 7 percent na unang inakala. May mga ulat ding paghina sa net profits ng mga lokal na korporasyon tulad ng double-digit drop sa tubo ng Philex Mining Corp., ang pinakamalaking mining firm ng bansa, 43 percent mas mababang tubo ng Ayala Corp., net loss of P2.5 billion (3rd Q) net income ng Bayan Telecommunications, at iba pa.
Lubhang di sapat ang “kaunlarang” inilalako ng gobyernong Arroyo. Sa harap ng mga suliraning ito at kawalan ng sapat na pag-unlad sa lokal na agrikultura at industriya, kinakailangan pang magpanukala at magpatupad ng mga patakarang totoong kapaki-pakinabang sa sambayanan.
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Wala nang Change?
*g...Ang mga taong bayan ngayon, mga tanga.. ang mga magagaling nagsipag-abroad na. Ang mga natira na lang dito iyong mga walang magawang sumasali na lang sa Wowowee, tumataya sa Lotto o naghihintay ng remittance abroad...”
Ito ang udyok ng sumisikat na political satire “Juana Change: Cha-cha” na mapapanood sa YouTube sa Internet ngayon. Sapul sa puso't kamalayan ang mga manonood kahit hindi na nito tablan ang mga pulitikong kinauukulan.
Habang nabighani ang daigdig sa Dream Match nila Pacquiao at De la Hoya noong Disyembre, inilabas ng tinaguriang “convergence team” ang ilang maiikling videos sa YouTube at sa pamamagitan ng mga ito'y tinatalakay nila ang mga maiinit na isyung panlipunan tulad ng Charter Change (Cha-cha), katiwalian, at pag-abuso sa kapangyarihan. Hinahamon ng mga lumikha sa karakter na si Juana Change ang mga manonood. Naaangkop din ang pangalang “Juana” na sumimbolo sa magkakaibang katangian ng Pinoy. Ayon din sa team, magkasalungat ang maaaring ibig sabihin ng “Juana” ng karakter: “Wanna change” - gusto ng pagbabago - o kaya “Wa(la) nang change”, depende na sa mag-iinterpreta.
Sa videong “Cha-cha” ipinakita ang urong-sulong na pagsayaw, literal at piguratibo, at inilahad ang taktika ng mga pulitikong gustong baguhin ang Saligang Batas (Charter o Constitution) ng Pilipinas. Kailangan daw tinatantiya ang mga susunod na hakbang. Kailangang may tamang tiyempo sa pagsulong at pag-atras. Kapag umiinit ang isyu ng Charter Change - atras, at kapag may ibang isyu o iskandalo - abante ulit para matakpan ang uminit na iskandalo. At kung di uubra, gamitan ng dahas.
Isinalang at iniratsada sa Batasan ang mahigit sampung mayor na panukalang may kinalaman sa pagbabago sa Saligang Batas. Nakapaloob sa mga ito ang iba't-iba ngunit magkakaugnay na layunin, alin man sa mga ito: pagbubuo ng Constitutional Convention, Constitutional Assembly, Federalism at ang term extension ng mga nakaupo sa kapangyarihan. Sa pagpapahaba ng termino ng mga nakaupo, ipinagpapalagay ng higit na nakararami na lubos na makikinabang ang pangulo at ang kanyang mga kaalyado, samantalang patuloy naman sa pagdurusa ang sambayanang Pilipino.
Noong Disyembre 12, sa malaking rali sa Makati at sa mga kilos-protesta sa iba't-ibang panig ng bansa, nagpakita ng madiin at nagkakaisang pagtutol ang sambayanan. Nagkaisa ang mga iba't-ibang organisasyon, negosyante, simbahan, ordinaryong Pinoy at lahat ng Senador ng bansa sa pagtutol sa Cha-cha at sa pananatili ni Pang. Arroyo sa Palasyo ng Malakanyang beyond 2010. Naging matingkad sa balita ang pag-“P__ ina!” ni Sen. Roxas at pag-“letse” ni dating Bise-Presidente Guingona bilang pagpapahayag ng pagkasuklam sa kalunus-lunos na kalagayan ng bansa. Nayanig rin ang Palasyo sa pahiwatig ng Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines na tumututol sa Cha-cha.
Maaaring umatras muna ang mga kaalyado ng Palasyo at humupa ang init ng Cha-cha sa pagpasok ng Bagong Taon, subalit napakadali nitong isulong muli ng mga kakampi ng Pang. Arroyo. Kapag nakalusot ang anumang hakbang tungo sa pagbabago ng Saligang Batas, manganganib na hindi na mapigilan ninuman ang pagaamyenda ng mga probisyon upang pahabain ang termino ng Pangulo, tanggalin ang mga probisyong nagbibigay proteksiyon sa ekonomiya o kaya ay makapaglikha ng panibagong sistemang pulitikal na paghaharian lang ng mga nakaupo ngayon sa Palasyo at ng kanilang mga kapanalig. Isang dulo naman ng lahat ng ito ay ang hinahangad nilang pag-iwas sa pananagutan sa Hello Garci Scandal, Fertilizer Scam, NBN-ZTE Scandal, paglabag sa karapatang pantao, at marami pang anomalya.
Makalulusot pa rin ang mga sangkot sa mga iskandalong ito, lalo pang madaragdagan ang kanilang kurakot at kapangyarihan, hakbang-hakbang na susulong pa rin ang Cha-cha kung hindi sapat ang pwersa ng sambayanan.
Gusto ng karamihan na magkaroon na ng pagbabago: malunasan ang karukhaan at kagutuman, malutas ang mga anomalya, matigil ang pag-aabuso sa kapangyarihan at matugunan ang pangangailangan ng bawat mamamayan. We want change!
Ngunit sa nasasaksihan nating pang-araw-araw na gawi at takbo ng lipunang Pilipino, wala na nga bang pagbabago? Wa(la) nang change?
Wala nang change kung pababayaan natin.
