The Unyon ng mga Manggagawa sa Agrikultura slams the Duterte administration for pushing Charter Change (Cha-cha) in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic after he signed the Terror Law.
According to UMA Chairperson, Antonio “Ka Tonying” Flores, “It is clearer now that the purpose of the Terror Law is to silence critics and organizations that have long been opposing Cha-cha and will even use it to railroad the measure. This is besides quelling the growing anger and dissatisfaction of the populace over the administration’s mishandling of the pandemic.”
Cagayan de Oro Congressman Rufus Rodriguez announced that as Chair of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments he will convene the panel to discuss Cha-cha, citing the proposal of the League of Municipalities.
Flores said, “How can Malacañang expect us to believe that Duterte does not have a hand in Congress’ move to tackle Cha-cha right after his SONA, when he and his cohorts are the ones who will greatly benefit from the term extensions stipulated in its latest draft (Resolution of Both Houses No. 15 or RBH 15)?”
DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya also defended the move saying that it will help the country be more prepared for the next pandemic as he illogically argues that Cha-cha will usher development in the countryside when RBH 15 does not even provide for genuine agrarian reform and national industrialization that will address the root cause of poverty in the country.
Flores added, “Instead, RBH 15 is emblematic of Duterte’s treacherous nature as Cha-cha is Duterte’s promise to US President Donald Trump in allowing 100% foreign ownership of natural resources, such as land and water, at farmers and agriworkers’ peril.”
UMA, along with other progressive organizations and sectors, have consistently condemned the administration’s insistence to further water down the 1987 constitution since last year, initially under the veil of shifting to federalism, later on discarded in RBH 15.
“Instead of forcing Cha-cha on the already ailing masses in desperate need for socio-economic aid, Duterte should focus his efforts more on providing timely and adequate cash assistance and P15,000 production subsidy to support agriworkers, farmers and fisherfolks who will ensure food security for the nation, while strengthening our health system especially in the countryside,” Flores added.
Four months into Duterte’s militaristic lockdown, the second tranche of the Social Amelioration Program has yet to reach the majority of families who are already buried in debt and are risking going outside their homes to make ends meet.
The DSWD reported that only 3.2 million out of 18 million families or 18% have received the 2nd tranche of SAP. Meanwhile, hospitals in NCR are already sounding off the alarm on their capacity to further accommodate Covid-19 patients, which Malacañang has denied.
“Why is this not the top priority of the President? Instead of socio-economic aid and free mass testing, we got a Terror Law that goes after activists and critics, an ABS-CBN shutdown that attacks press freedom while leaving 11,000 people without work in the face of massive unemployment, and now, Cha-cha! It is not surprising that Duterte will use the full machinery of the government to push for his personal agenda especially when there are resounding calls for his ouster,” Flores ended.
UMA Pilipinas 