3rd round of talks may make or break negotiations–Bayan Muna

Communist Party of the Phlippines founder Jose Maria Sison and Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. are seen having a coffee break during the third round of peace talks between the Philippine government and the communist rebels in Rome, Italy, on Jan 19, 2017. (Photo contributed by Atty. Edre Olalia, counsel of the communist negotiator National Democratic Front of the Philippines)

Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate on Friday said that the third round of talks between the government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) on the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) could make or break the negotiations.

Zarate, who is also the vice chairperson of the House committee on peace, reconciliation and unity, is in Rome as part of the House observer delegation.

He said in a statement that among the main reasons of the almost five-decade-long armed conflict are landlessness, the lack of national industrialization and extreme economic exploitation of majority of Filipinos, making the third round of peace talks a “make or break” phase.

READ: Gov’t, NDF resume peace talks

Zarate also warned that the administration’s economic managers’ proposed “anti-poor and anti-people economic policies” may pose as obstructions for the progress of the CASER.

CASER is said to be the most important part of the peace talks as it aims to resolve issues on agrarian reform, national industrialization, and foreign policy.

Zarate said that it is the “anti-poor and pro-elite” policies that counter CASER, such as blocking the hike in the Social Security System (SSS) pension and hike in contributions, persistence of contractualization and ENDO (end of contract), deferring of the moratorium on land use conversion of agricultural lands and the burden of excise tax hikes and VAT on almost all commodities and services.

He is calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to reevaluate and scrap the said economic policies because these will only continue the impoverishment of the majority of Filipino people. CDG/rga