Bayan Muna determined to top party-list elections

BAYAN Muna announced its nominees for partylist-representatives last week and vowed to top the party-list elections for the third time.

Representatives Satur Ocampo and Teodoro Casiño led the nominees, followed by Bayan Muna counsel Neri Colmenares. Rep. Joel Virador has decided to seek a local post in Davao city.

The party-list’s 2007 campaign is “a battle between the politics of change and the worst kind of traditional politics,” Ocampo said in a statement. He added that they were also seeking office in honor of slain Bayan Muna members and leaders. Since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo became president, 122 Bayan Muna members and leaders have been killed.

Bayan Muna revealed its nominees during its fourth national convention held at the Amoranto Theatre. Guests who expressed their support for the party-list organization included former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, House Minority Leader Francis Escudero, Rep. Cynthia Villar, activist Renato Constantino Jr., former Integrated Bar of the Philippines president Anselmo Cadiz, and Venezuelan ambassador Manuel Iturbe.

The military has urged voters to reject candidates fo party-list organizations that it accused of being communist fronts. Although the military declined to name any group due to its “non-partisanship,” Constantino said that it was clear whom the military was referring to.

Bayan Muna has been dubbed an enemy of the state since 2002, according to Ocampo. He said that his organization remained firm in its beliefs, adding that they were ready to face all obstacles and ambushes during this year’s elections.

During the convention, Casiño enumerated Bayan Muna’s achievements. Its representatives wrote 206 bills and resolutions during the 13th Congress. Some of these opposed the increase of gasoline, water and electricity prices, and tuition fees Bayan Muna representatives also:

• signed the impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and called for her ouster
• condemned charter change
• authored the Marcos victims compensation bill
• supported the P125 across the board wage increase for private employees and the P3000 monthly salary raise for public employees
• fought against agricultural land-grabbing and the demolition of poor communities
• called for the reduction of the budget for debt servicing in order to increase the budget for health, housing, education and other social services
• founded the Alliance of Legislators Against Regressive Taxes (ALERT)
• established the Committee on Peace and National Reconciliation in the House

Casiño added that Bayan Muna has not received most of its congressional allocation since 2005, due to its support of the impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Despite this, Bayan Muna has used its allocation since 2001 for the following infrastructure projects:

• 222 health centers, day care centers and barangay halls
• 142 classrooms
• 160 irrigation systems
• 76 roads and bridges
• P64 million of medical services for needy patients
• four mobile clinics
• emergency relief missions

Download Casiño’s speech.