We shouldn’t forget, we should continue to ask: What happened under the GMA regime? The book “Project 2010: Confronting the Legacy of the GMA Regime” is Focus’ initial contribution to what we hope would be an ongoing collective discussion and debate on the countless issues that surfaced in the last nine years. Indeed, the project goes beyond this book, and beyond 2010. More articles have to be written about GMA’s nine-year reign; more compelling actions have to be undertaken to ensure that GMA and her government will have accountability. This blog hopes to be one of the arenas for those forthcoming articles, updates and calls for action.
Not just about Hacienda Luisita; fate of future farmer-beneficiaries at stake
A Supreme Court (SC) ruling against land distribution and in favor of the SDO and the so-called compromise deal offered by the Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) will have far reaching impact not only on the farmworkers in the Cojuangco-owned Hacienda but also on other future farmer beneficiaries. This fight is not only about Hacienda Luisita.
The bigger issue at stake is the fate of the whole agrarian reform program. The SC decision will influence how the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER) will fare in the next four years. In the SC decision will also rest the fate of the millions of potential agrarian reform beneficiaries awaiting agrarian reform implementation.
This is why it is crucial for President Noynoy Aquino to now take a stand and push for the distribution of Hacienda Luisita. To distribute the lands to which the farmworkers are entitled is to merely follow the law. The failure of the HLI to implement the Stock Distribution Option agreement, which was also a result of a referendum in 1989, has deprived the agrarian reform beneficiaries of the hacienda the purported benefits under the arrangement. This is the reason why the farmworkers wanted the SDO scheme revoked. Once revoked, the lands that were placed under the SDO should immediately be distributed, something that should have happened years ago if the HLI had not asked the Supreme Court for a temporary restraining order on the implementation the DAR order to revoke the scheme adopted by HLI.
She Belongs to the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa
By Walden Bello*
(Excerpt from Privilege Speech at the House of Representatives, Aug 2, 2010)
Corruption was the signature of the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
This is why this representation shares the public disgust with the record of orgiastic compensation, brazen manipulation of government agencies and funds for political purposes, and massive waste of the people’s money detailed by President Benigno Aquino III during his State of the Nation address on Monday, July 26.
The public is still reeling from the presidential revelations about the rotting of millions of sacks of imported rice in the warehouses of the National Food Authority, the way that the Napocor was commanded to sell electricity at a low price for electoral gain, and the amazing privileges the board and top executives of the MWSS gave
To Move Forward: Confront Legacy of Damaged Institutions; Solve Flaws in Systems & Policies
According to new book*
The quest for justice involving wrongdoings of leaders of this country has oftentimes been frowned upon as attempt to seek revenge—to be ‘after one’s blood’ as the misguided phrase goes. Filipinos would rather make peace and reconcile, or on the other hand, criticize ourselves as having short memory. Thus is repeated the cycle of corruption, transactional politics, political patronage and abuse of authority, among others.
But it’s time to stop seeing this quest as just being personal, and even merely politically-motivated, as there are enough evidences in fact as well as in logic for seeking justice, and more so for meting out punishment where punishment is due. Focus on the Global South, through its newly-published and -launched book “Project 2010: Confronting the Legacy of the GMA Regime” not only documents, dissects and analyzes these legacies, summed up as “damaged institutions”, but also how these happened. Aya Fabros is the book’s editor.
The explanation may be found in political-economic, and yes, personal interests, but flaws in the political and legal systems, as well as in government processes, had a big role to play in allowing these interests to be further entrenched and to circumvent these very laws and systems. The investigation, as well as the insights it generated, into the details of the how’s and why’s of corruption, patronage politics, electoral fraud, abuse of power can very well be the book’s major contribution to the efforts yet to attain that “reconciliation with justice” that President Noynoy Aquino underscored in his inaugural speech.
FOCUS ON THE GLOBAL SOUTH Reveals Farewell Present to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Manila, Philippines-- On the day that Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
finally leaves the presidency, think tank FOCUS ON THE GLOBAL SOUTH
unveils its farewell present for Glori-- a book called "Project 2010:
Confronting the Legacy of the GMA Regime."
PROJECT 2010 is a
collaborative initiative of Focus on the Global South and with its
friends, colleagues and partners. The book attempts to document key
events and unpack important issues that marked the GMA regime.
The
publication contains 9 pieces covering the 9 years of GMA. Contributors
from various fields and backgrounds—activists, advocates,researchers,
writers, journalists and academics-- were asked to reflect and write
about themes that they have been following and engaging through out the
years.
"We shouldn’t forget and we shouldn’t allow the last nine
years to simply be swept under the rug. Here, we begin to ask, what
happened under GMA? And where do we go from here?" said Jenina Joy
Chavez, coordinator of the Focus Philippines Program.
"While it
may be difficult for everyone to be in full agreement on allthemes, and
indeed Focus on the Global South does not necessarily share all views
expressed in this book, we believe nonetheless that at this point, it
is important to maintain that the issues, along with their
implications, do not end once GMA steps down from the presidency,"
added Chavez.
The book includes the following issues and
themes: Chronic Fraud in Philippine Elections (Roberto Verzola),
Fertilizer Fund Scam (Luz Rimban), Military (Aries Arugay and Nicole
Curato), Power Sector (Wilson Fortaleza), ZTE-NBN and Budget Powers
(Jay Carizo), Congress(Walden Bello and Sabrina Gacad), Mindanao
(Herbert Docena), Appointments (Cecilia Lero) and Supreme Court
(Marites Danguilan-Vitug).
"Through this project, we wish to
contribute to what we hope would be an ongoing collective discussion
and debate, on the countless issues that surfaced in the last 9 years.
Indeed, the project goes beyond this book, and beyond 2010," stressed
Aya Fabros editor and publication coordinator.
Download the preliminary pages of the book below or buy the book from focus (contact Lou at ) or amazon (not yet available)
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