‘Gawa-gawa lang,’ Pangilinan says of supposed problem on oligarchs
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Francis Pangilinan on Tuesday said the country’s supposed problem with oligarchs is a “fabricated” attempt to cover up the government’s “dismal” response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Gawa-gawa lang yang problema ng mga oligarchs (The problem with oligarchs is just fabricated),” Pangilinan said in a statement.
“Inimbento lang ang problema na oligarchs para linlangin ang taumbayan dahil sa totoo lang, wala silang maipakitang ni katiting na magandang resulta sa pagsugpo sa lalo pang kumakalat na COVID, sa gutom at sa kawalan ng trabaho ng milyun-milyon nating mga kababayan,” he added.
(The problem with the oligarchs was just invented to deceive the Filipino public because, in all honesty, the government could not show clear signs of suppressing the transmission of COVID, effectively addressing the hunger and loss of jobs which are affecting millions of Filipinos.)
Pangilinan made this pronouncement after President Rodrigo Duterte, in his speech before soldiers in Sulu, said he has “dismantled” the oligarchy without declaring martial law.
But the senator pointed out that the real problem of the country is the fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Article continues after this advertisementOn Monday, the Department of Health (DOH) reported 162 new fatalities, the biggest single-day increase in COVID-19 deaths in the country.
Article continues after this advertisementThe DOH has so far confirmed 57,545 cases, including 1,603 deaths and 20,459 recoveries.
Pangilinan further noted that the total of coronavirus infections in the Philippines has more than tripled since June as the government began easing stringent lockdown restrictions to reopen the economy.
“COVID, gutom at kawalan ng trabaho ng milyun-milyon nating mga kababayan ang problema, hindi itong mga oligarchs, kuno (COVID, hunger, and loss of jobs are the real problem, not these supposed oligarchs),” he went on.
“Saan tayo maniniwala? Sa gawa-gawa lang o doon sa totoo lang? (Which will we believe: the fabricated problem, or the real one)?” he further asked.
