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[av_heading heading=’Militants to counter SONA with ‘People Address’ ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY GLENDA SOLOGASTOA
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ILOILO City – As President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) today, progressive groups based in Panay Island will also deliver today what they call the true “State of the People’s Address” or SOPA.
Human rights alliance Karapatan-Panay secretary-general Reyland Vergara recalled that last year, their SOPA expressed support to the newly installed Duterte administration. This time, their SOPA would be an accounting of what the President promised to deliver in his first SONA.
Karapatan Panay will join Bagong Alyansang Makabayan – Panay’s SONA protest this afternoon at the Freedom Grandstand.
Vergara said Duterte failed to keep a promise to end labor contractualization, an issue that is close to the heart of human rights activists.
Regarding agrarian reform, Vergara said land distribution remains slow.
Karapatan-Panay will also press for genuine independent foreign policy for the Philippines. Vergara said the United States and Chine continue to exert influence over the Philippine government.
He also slammed the Duterte administration for the breakdown of the peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDF).
“Ang problema diri, ang magtimbang nga bahin nagatinduloanay, ano pa daw indi mdayun-dayon,” Vergara said.
Militarization or martial law won’t bring genuine and lasting peace, he said, because this does not address poverty, the root of social unrest./PN
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