HOTSPOT
Tonyo Cruz
Just a few weeks back, Vice President Leni Robredo’s supporters were adamant in urging the Makabayan coalition to endorse her. Other presidential candidates were also vying to be backed by the progressive movement.
Happy reactions thus met Makabayan’s eventual decision to back Robredo. Ditto for 1Sambayan’s belated endorsement of Neri Colmenares and Elmer Labog.
For many, Makabayan’s endorsement holds a lot of weight. Known for its progressive politics, Makabayan’s support for any candidate gives a level of trust in the eyes of the millions of voters who have repeatedly elected Bayan Muna, Gabriela, ACT Teachers, Kabataan and Anakpawis since they first stormed to victory in the 2001 partylist elections.
Makabayan’s forces and machinery are active in many cities, towns and provinces across the country. Team Leni-Kiko knows this. They know that the Makabayan’s grassroots-based mass movements could deliver warm bodies to the big rallies and other Kakampink campaign events. Makabayan has been delivering since the start of the campaign. But aside from guaranteeing warm bodies, Makabayan also offers fresh ideas compared to the ones offered by traditional politicians and police-military elements. For instance, Colmenares has called on the President and Congress to convene a special session and tackle the suspension or removal of VAT and excise taxes on petroleum. Makabayan’s 2022 platform is an exciting program of government, capable of attracting the support of workers, farmers, the urban poor, professionals and entrepreneurs. Robredo could revisit this platform and adopt many if not most of the policy recommendations that are beneficial to the majority. Senator Panfilo Lacson is trying red-baiting tactics to sow division in the broad Kakampink coalition. His source is a discredited witness familiar to the people of Iloilo as a show-runner of a traditional politician. I’m pretty sure more Kakampinks trust their friendly activists more than Lacson. We could leave it to Cavitenos to teach Congressman Boying Remulla a thing or two about red-tagging. The responses of Senator Antonio Trillanes and Robredo’s spokesman Barry Gutierrez denying any communist involvement in Robredo’s campaign, and that Trillanes and military advisers would not allow such to happen are factual, to say the least. But the real correct answer to the allegations of Lacson and Remulla could be: “Activists are Filipinos too, and we are united in a common cause to stop a Marcos-Duterte victory.” Robredo should be proud of the broad range of political forces backing her candidacy, and should defend any of them as they come under fire from her opponents. She should assure all her supporters she is different from Duterte on employing retired or active military generals in her campaign and in a future administration. The people demand the demilitarization of the bureaucracy, and not the replacement of Duterte’s generals with another set of generals. Our best and brightest progressive scientists, educators, artists, entrepreneurs, organized labor, youth leaders, women leaders and indigenous peoples should be in the lead. Military elements and military minds should be relegated to their proper place: advisory only. She should vow to prosecute all the corrupt military generals who have brought shame and a state of terror upon the people. Some would say this is debatable. I agree. Let’s debate on the proper role and place of the military and place in a democratic Philippines. Retired or active military and police generals should be banned from holding civilian posts. Their ideas are a major source of problems from 1972 onwards. They have proven to be no different from or compete with traditional politicians. However limited and shortened their stints were due to the allergy of traditional politicians to their kind, we could all agree that the incorruptible trio of Judy Taguiwalo, Rafael Mariano, and Liza Maza served honorably and competently alongside Gina Lopez and Robredo in the first Duterte cabinet. They have set high watermarks in holding cabinet roles and in leading departments such as DSWD, DAR and NAPC.No wonder, Colmenares and Labog have been backed not just by 1Sambayan. Labor Vote, Ka Leody’s PLM, and even the TUCP have endorsed Colmenares and Labog. Makabayan is an asset to any campaign and a positive contributor to national politics.
As we enter the next 60 days of the election campaign, let’s raise our level of unity for progressive change. Let’s celebrate and defend the diverse forces now coming together and mobilizing for a new administration.