AKBAYAN Says Bush Visit Preparations “O.A.” Urged Solons to Wear Black During Bush Address

AKBAYAN Party-list leaders today criticized the Arroyo government’s “bending over backwards” to welcome US Pres. George W. Bush. “Parang walong oras lang na stopover, O.A. (overacting) naman ang paghahanda at expectations ng gobyerno natin,” Akbayan representative Mayong Aguja noted.


Referring to the interference of the US Secret Service on Congressional arrangements in preparation for President Bush’s arrival on October 18, Aguja cited the relocation of a cafeteria in the House as indicative of the unequal relations between the US and the Philippines. “If President Arroyo were to visit the US Capitol, would the American congressmen move any of their offices to accommodate her security retinue?,” Aguja said.


Peace advocate and AKBAYAN leader Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel lamented the demolition of squatter dwellings in front of the House of Representatives. “This is very Imeldific. The Arroyo administration is going the way of the Marcoses. This reminds us of the time when Mrs. Marcos built white walls to cover squatter colonies just to impress her foreign guests.” Hontiveros-Baraquel stressed.


AKBAYAN President Ronald Llamas questioned the value of the Bush stopover on the Philippine economic climate, as claimed by President Arroyo. “Kahit buong US cabinet pa ang dumating dito, kung mali ang economic strategy, hindi aangat ang ekonomiya natin,” Llamas said. He pointed out that other Asian countries such as Thailand and Malaysia had better economies without being subservient US allies.


Josua Mata of the Alliance of Progressive Labor explained that a number of countries in Asia had more effective anti-terrorism campaigns even if they did not allow US troops in their territory or blindly commit to the so-called US war on terrorism. “Our government’s subservience damages our international stature. Everyone knows that our government is an American stooge pretending to be independent. Nakakahiya,” Mata said.


Aguja urged members of the House of Representatives and the Senate to wear black during the Bush address to the joint session on October 18. “By wearing black, we stand in solidarity with the victims of US aggression around the globe. This is also a statement that expresses our mourning for the sorry state of Philippine sovereignty,” Aguja concluded.