No amount of rebranding by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. can conceal that he is incapable of addressing the pressing demands of the people, having offered only an illusion of productivity, Noli Rosales, Bayan Negros spokesperson, claimed on Thursday, July 20.
The first year of Marcos Jr.’s presidency was primarily focused on building his public image, as he attempted to rebrand his regime as “Bagong Pilipinas”, reminiscent of his father’s “Bagong Lipunan” Rosales said in a press statement.
“We must not be swayed by the empty promises of rebranding and propaganda, instead, we must continue to expose the truth and hold the administration accountable for its crimes and atrocities,” he added.
Bayan Negros held a press conference Thursday, where they announced the staging of a protest in front of the Fountain of Justice in Bacolod City, 1 p.m. Monday, July 24, ahead of Marcos’ state of the nation address later in the afternoon.
Rosales slammed Marcos for the Maharlika Investment Fund,”which was railroaded into law, despite widespread clamor from economists and the broad masses against it”.
“Instead of focusing on strengthening and industrializing the nation, the so-called economic growth is being placed in the hands of foreign companies and private corporations. This is clear evidence that Marcos Jr., like his father, continues to be a puppet of imperialist countries” Rosales said.
Rosales also said no amount of rebranding can hide the ongoing violence perpetrated by Marcos Jr’s administration against peasants in rural areas.
In Negros 21 civilians lost their lives during intensified military operations, with most of them being peasants falsely labeled as “rebels” in staged encounters, which were nothing more than “cold-blooded murders”, Rosales claimed.
“More rights violations are expected in the coming years, as the administration had declared another ‘deadline’ to crush the revolutionary movement”, Rosales said.
Instead of providing mere band-aid solutions like food stamps or establishing Kadiwa stores, Marcos Jr’s response to the worsening hunger crisis in the country should prioritize comprehensive, scientific, and people-centered policies and programs toward food sovereignty, Rosales said.
Instead of boosting local production, this administration only plans to import from other countries, as is the case in the sugar industry, where the government announced another plan to import 150,000 MT of refined sugar this July 6, he said.
BAYAN Negros and all the progressive groups under it call on all Negrosanons to remain vigilant as the first year of Marcos Jr. will only spell out worse things to come, Rosales said.*