To the police: how about the mothers of victims of extrajudicial killings?

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 04:05 AM January 17, 2023

She was born poor.

She passed away without seeing the dawn of justice for her son, a pedicab driver, and scavenger who was killed in Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. All her life she struggled to survive and since social services are wanting, her health succumbed to sickness in a lonely public hospital bed.

Prayers via Messenger were offered, as she tried to pray to the highest heavens for little comfort. Her fragile bones could no longer hold her muscles, and yes, death could meet her as her way to peace at the bosom of the Creator.

While struggling to breathe in and take the needed air for her to feel she was still surviving, news about the Philippine National Police being involved in the illegal drug trade was all over the media. Truly, the war on drugs was but a sham approach to solving the problem. Whether it is 6,000 or 30,000 or only one that died, the war on drugs that targeted the poor was not only a failure. There was blood on the hands of the previous government officials under Duterte. If the war on drugs has been successful, then the government must explain why the drug trade continues to exist, and worse, PNP personnel are even involved. Is it not ironic that after the murder of thousands, the trade continues and those involved are the officers of the PNP?

Her remains will lie in the community where the sun shines and exposes poverty with muddy alleys littered with waste and dirt, longing for the freshness of a new morn. At a quick glance, one could already feel a sense of awe at how people survive. These communities must be revisited and the war on drugs that caused so many killings and untimely deaths reviewed for accountability.

The extravagance of abuse and injustice cannot be underestimated when the families in their impoverishment were witnesses to the killings and the denial of injustice. Yet the powers and principalities are free to keep their business as usual. While the poor are in their usual waiting and wanting justice.

There are other mothers in their humble situation whose weak bodies gave up. Their hope though strong, they bid goodbye for eternity without a glimpse of justice for their sons.

As the corruption and abuses by the elements of PNP and the privilege granted to them have been exposed, where will the poor find hope?

The prices of commodities and fares are getting higher. There are threats of increase in electric and water service charges while wages are low and the cost of health is so dear. Funeral services are unaffordable. There is no stability to think of.

Stability springs from a government that has a genuine desire to deliver social justice and holds a particular bias in alleviating the suffering of the poor.

We know. The stories will never be forgotten and the blood that spilled to the ground screams for mercy and justice.

WE MUST NOT FORGET.

Norma P. Dollaga,

Kapatirang Simbahan Para sa Bayan

Kasimbayan@yahoo.com.ph

Benefits? Poor Filipinos need them more than former presidents

Philippine Daily Inquirer / 04:05 AM February 15, 2023

Emilio Aguinaldo, Manuel L. Quezon, Jose Laurel, Sergio Osmeña, Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, Ramon Magsaysay, Carlos P. Garcia, Diosdado Macapagal, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Benigno Aquino III, and Rodrigo Duterte never lived a pauper’s life riddled with miseries and impoverishment after their term. Unlike the poor peasants and workers who are bent over for decades in their work and who are enduring pain and hardship due to poverty and neglect.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, former Philippine National Police chief who enabled Duterte to implement the war on drugs that killed thousands, together with his fellow senators Mark Villar, Christopher Lawrence “Bong” T. Go, and Francis Tolentino introduced Senate Bill No. 1784 proposing additional benefits and privileges to former presidents. The bill is not only untimely but self-serving; it is not beneficial to the Filipino people, especially the downtrodden.

This bill manifests how the ruling elite and especially the ruling clique in the chamber of lawmakers prioritize what would benefit their pack.

The president and other elected officials are public servants that are supposedly thinking and implementing rules that would alleviate the sufferings of their constituents. All the presidents must have not seen too much poverty, inequality, social unrest, and dissatisfaction because the basic social services have not been rendered to the ordinary people.

All the presidents did not push for the demand of a living wage. Instead, they settled for laws that allow minimum wage that in actuality could not cope with inflation and social needs of families such as housing, education, clothing, and basic health services. Ibon Foundation has documented the nominal minimum wage and these are the wages under their term: Corazon Aquino (P118), Ramos (P198), Estrada (P250), Arroyo (P382), Benigno Aquino III (P491), and Duterte (P537). Minimum wage through the years has never reached the living wage needed by families. Today, the minimum wage is at P570, while a family of five needs P1,087.

No living former presidents had eased the burden of the workers, even if it was just ending contract labor. The people are robbed of job security and long-term benefits toward their retirement through this arrangement.

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When Marcos Sr. was toppled, no president ever touched nor worked to reverse or review Presidential Decree No. 1177, which is popularly known as the automatic appropriations law for debt servicing. PD 1177 remains untouched and unchallenged until today, which is why there is a bigger appropriation of the national budget that goes to debt payments. The 2023 national budget has allotted debt servicing amounting to P1.6 trillion, the highest yearly servicing on record. According to economist Sonny Africa, the payment is equivalent to 44 centavos out of every peso revenue.

The additional and extended benefits to past presidents would be unfair to the people who have been taxed heavily despite low salaries and robbed of benefits because the past presidents did not alleviate the sufferings of the people by prioritizing the debt payments and not the economic and social upliftment of the people.

Now that they are retired and are still living, the additional budget for the implementation of the law will be an additional burden for the ordinary ones.

So far, the living past presidents are enjoying their lives. They would never have to raise funds or solicit if they get sick and would be needing medical intervention. They would never beg for food or housing, nor queue at lotto outlets to take their chances on a possible fortune. They would never commute and wait long hours for bus rides. They have enough, or perhaps more than enough.

If during their term, they were able to genuinely serve the interest of the people, there would be lesser poverty and more people would be willing to return the favor to past presidents. After all, years of administering the country must have taught them how to organize their daily lives, including some official responsibilities they have to respond to.

It is the poor people who need additional benefits, not former presidents.

Norma P. Dollaga,Kapatirang Simbahan

Para sa Bayan,

kasimbayan@yahoo.com.ph

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