MANILA — Leaders of various groups and sectors called for change in the country’s political system as they denouncing political dynasties and the massive corruption in flood control projects in the “Baha sa Luneta” protest in Manila on Sunday, Sept. 21.
“Ang ating pagkilos ngayong araw ay para sa Pilipino, para sa Pilipinas na handang baguhin ang sistema, handang isulong ang tunay na kalayaan at demokrasya sa ating bansa,” said Sarah Elago — first nominee of Gabriela Women's Party, the newly proclaimed winner of the 64th party-list seat in the May elections.
(Our protest today is for the Filipino, for the Philippines that is ready to change the system and ready to push true freedom and democracy)
She said it is time for farmers, workers, fisherfolk, the urban poor, migrant workers, indigenous peoples and other sectors to have a hand in government.
“Iyan ang boses na dapat nating marinig, boses na ating palalakasin, boses na magbabago sa sistema,” she added.
(Those are the voices we should hear, voices we should amplify, and voices that will change the system)
The protest, attended by thousands of Filipinos, is the public’s response to the exposé of the anomalies in the flood control projects.
Teddy Casiño, chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, noted that corruption is a systemic problem in the country, rooted in the "standard operating procedure" of the government.
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“Ang mga nasa gobyerno, nagiging negosyante. Nagiging kapitalista yung mga burokrata. At yung mga negosyante, yung mga kapitalista, nagiging congressman," he said.
(Those in government become capitalists. The capitalists become bureaucrats. And the capitalists become congressmen)
He said replacing politicians is not enough since their relatives and allies can easily replace them and continue treating public service and politics as a business.
"Ibabagsak natin ang sistema ng burokrata-kapitalismo, dahil diyan nanggagaling ang korapsiyon sa Pilipinas," he said.
(We must destroy the system of bureaucrat-capitalism because that is where corruption comes from)
POLITICAL DYNASTIES
Labor leader Leody De Guzman noted that corruption stems from political dynasties, saying that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Vice President Sara Duterte, and more than half of the members of the Congress and the executive branch are from political families.
“Hangga’t may sistema ng political dynasty sa ating bansa, babalik at babalik at babalik ang korapsiyon. Kahit na ipakulong natin si Jinggoy (Estrada), si Bong Revilla, si (Juan Ponce) Enrile. Makababalik ulit... hindi natatakot dahil political dynasty sila,” he said.
(As long as there are political dynasties in our country, corruption will come back. Even if you jail Jinggoy, Bong Revilla and Enrile, it will come back... they are not afraid because they are from political dynasties)
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“Ang political dynasty ay kakambal ng magnanakaw. Kaya dapat bunutin na natin ang ugat ng political dynasty.”
(Political dynasties are the twins of thieves. That is why they should be rooted out)
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‘ORIGINAL NEPO BABY’
Kabataan Party-list Rep. Renee Co called Marcos an “OG (original) nepo baby,” a description netizens use for the children of politicians, officials and contractors involved in the anomalous flood control projects.
“Ang OG nepo baby na si Marcos Jr. ang may hawak ng budget ng bansa kung saan pinupuri at patuloy niyang binabaha ang kanyang mga pamilya, kaibigan ng budget na ito,” she said.
(Marcos Jr., the OG nepo baby, holds the country's budget and he keeps flooding his relatives and friends with money from it)
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ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio said the Marcos administration recorded the biggest amount of pork barrel, totaling P1 trillion from the flood control projects distributed across the country.
Tinio called for Marcos Jr.’s disqualification as President, following a report from the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism that he received P21 million in campaign donations from government contractors in the 2022 elections.
He said the two contractors that donated to Marcos’ campaign funds received billions worth of contracts in the three years of his administration.
The Independent Commission for Infrastrcture, which Marcos Jr. created, has started its investigations into alleged corruption in the flood control projects.
The President has said the commission will not spare anyone, not even his relatives and political allies.
‘CERTIFY HB 4453 AS URGENT’
Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila De Lima also attended the protest, calling on Marcos to certify as urgent the House Bill No. 4453 that seeks to institutionalize the Independent Commission for Infrastructure.
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Akbayan Party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña, in an earlier interview with ABS-CBN News, explained that institutionalizing ICI grants it with necessary power and independence to effectively conduct an investigation on the anomalies in the DPWH projects.
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“Sa lawak at lalim ng mga korapsyon na iyan, hindi uubra ang mga mababaw at tingi-tinging pagiimbestiga. Kailangan may ngipin, kailangan tunay na independent ang commission. Dapat lahat panagutin, at kung talagang seryoso si BBM (Bongbong Marcos), he must certifiy HB No. 4453 as urgent,” De Lima said.
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‘NAUBOS ANG FARM-TO-MARKET ROAD BUDGET’
Danilo Ramos, chair of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, lamented how the corruption consumed the supposed budget for flood control projects and farm-to-market roads, which could have made the transport of agricultural goods more efficient.
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He added that the floods also destroyed farmers’ crops, “kaya lalong gutom kami, lalong gutom tayo.”
(That's why we're even hungrier now)
After the "Baha sa Luneta" protest, rally goers proceeded to the People Power Monument for the culminating "Trillion Peso March" in the afternoon.
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