The largest and most militant peasant organization in the country the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) belittled the so-called 5-point action plan of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her State of the Nation Address, as nothing but hogwash and another package of lies. According to Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of the KMP, “Gloria’s five packages of government measures on economic growth, anti-corruption campaign, modernization of the educational system, energy improvement and food for the masses, will just be another disappointment to the Filipino people like all of her promises and programs,”

“In her 10 point program, GMA said that she would allot 1-2 million hectares of agricultural land for agri-business. Where may we ask would these lands come from, when up till now the bogus Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program cannot address the continuing landlessness of peasants. Up till now 7 out 10 peasants are landless and in some regions it is up to 8. Only trans-national agri-corporations and landlords would benefit from this moronic program,” added Ramos.

The group also pointed out that this is the situation that pushed our compatriots like Angelo dela Cruz to work abroad in hostile and unsafe countries to feed their families. More than 8 million of our countrymen are OFWs now, a growing testament of the government’s inutility. 

“We just hope that Gloria has enough delicadeza not to use Angelo dela Cruz on the coming SONA to paint a rosy picture of her administration or to divert attention from the real issues,” Ramos pointed out.

“Definitely the coming SONA would be a day of reckoning. A day when the regime taking us hostage by anti-people policies and programs will be held accountable to the people it betrayed,” concluded Ramos. # # #
 

KMP - 19 July 2004