NEWS

CHILDREN’S OUTCRY: KNOCK-OUT ARROYO FROM THE MALACANANG PALACE

Manila, December 06, 2008 –One day before the renounced dream match between Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao and Oscar “the Golden Boy” dela Hoya, 300 children from depressed areas in Metro, Manila gathered to draw a rally that cries for President Arroyo’s resignation at Mendiola Saturday afternoon.

With the theme ‘labanan ang teroristang atake ng rehimeng US-Arroyo sa mga bata at mamamayan” (fight terrorists attacks done by US-Arroyo regime towards children and people), the rally corroborated by different activists groups, such as Gabriela, Children’s Rehabilitation, KMP (Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas), SAMAKANA, Salinlahi and Alliance for Children’s Concern, almost 350 people, 300 of which are children who have different outcries against the Arroyo administration gathered in accordance to the 60^th anniversary celebration of Human Rights Day.

In the midst of a cloudy day, the protest that started from the Bustillos Church in Legarda to the historical land of Mendiola, the children outgrew the traffic situation in the said area with banners and flags that show their grievances to the administration.

If Pacquiao and dela Hoya’s matched was proclaimed as the dream match, the activists entitled their soiree as the ‘nightmare match’ between the people of the Philippines and the Arroyo administration.

“Knock out Gloria, the number one children’s right violator.”

Many activist children were now labeled as a member of the New People’s Army. An example to that is the death of a child who died in an encounter between the activists groups and the military officers. The said child was supposedly set up by the military. According to Jert Ranjo Libang, a member of the Gabriela, the military planted an armalight beside the corpse of the unnamed child, making her a prospected child soldier of the New People’s Army.

“Naiintindihan naman ng mga bata ang ipinaglalaban dahil kung ‘di sila magpoprotesta ngayon lalong lalala ang lipunan” (the children do understand what the activists groups were fighting for because they knew that if they don’t protest, the society will be more chaotic).

Verna Cepe, 13 of Batasan, Quezon City suppose to talk at the said rally, but was hit by nervousness. Though she was not able to talk at front of many people, she allowed an interview. According to her, President Arroyo should resign. “Nagpapayaman si Gloria tapos tumataas ang bilihin,” (Gloria Verna said. She said that the reason behind her presence at the rally and her pursuance of the protest is to have an action from the palace against the economic disturbance that the country is going through (“para babaan ang bilihin. Patalsikin si Gloria.”)

A teacher and mother four, Linda Libangan, 33 of Taniman Quezon City brought her four children at the rally. She wanted to call for the administrations attention about the demolition process that their barangay is going through. The MMDA demolished their houses without relocation as an alternative.

The rallyists seemed to be adamant about Arroyo’s resignation, but when they were asked about who, if ever President Arroyo will resign, is their prospected politician to replace the vacant office at the Palace, they do not have any one to cite. “Lahat naman ng pulitiko kurakot” (all politicians are corrupt), Linda Libangan said