Voices from the regions: ‘Now we need specifics’
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
From the streets, town squares, farmlands, market stalls, office cubicles, and behind the dashboard of jeepneys, everyday Filipinos, local officials, and community leaders who best know the realities on the ground unload a heap of expectations from the new president. Many are drawn from old familiar grievances — but are voiced out with a fresh tinge of hope.
Northern and Central Luzon
“We need stable health programs for teachers to help them in time of sickness… more classrooms to accommodate large numbers of learners. The government must increase the school (budget) to address the perennial problems of school in terms of repair. We [rely on] partnerships because no school can live in isolation but we are prevented from asking help with stakeholders. We need partners to exist.”
–Jesusa Punzalan, 57, high school principal, Candaba, Pampanga
“(The President should) actively involve himself in reducing the skyrocketing cost of electricity here in Ilocos Norte, considering that it was during his time as governor of the province when the famous windmills were erected. It is saddening, however, that according to sources that Inec (Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative) does not source out its power supplies from these windmills and other renewable energy facilities in the province. Perhaps this would be the most momentous time to rethink any regulation that bars the electric cooperative from purchasing its energy products from these windmills aside from being used and featured as a tourism destination in the province.”
–Nathan Baraoidan, 50, lawyer, Badoc, Ilocos Norte
Article continues after this advertisement“The issue of national sovereignty and territorial integrity deserves to be in the center stage on Marcos Jr.’s first Sona. Filipino fishers, who have been victimized by Chinese aggression in our territorial waters can’t afford another administration that will only kowtow to China in exchange for foreign aid, loans and economic deals. Our fishing and sovereign rights are not bargaining chip to acquire China’s onerous loans.”
Article continues after this advertisement–Bobby Roldan, fisherman and Pamalakaya vice chair for Luzon
“I think President Marcos should look into the low labor standard at the Freeport Area of Bataan (FAB). The labor sector there has no assurance of benefits because most of the workers are contractual and agency-hired unlike those with CBA (collective bargaining agreement). Some employers do not remit to the SSS (Social Security System) the workers’ contributions.”
–Ian Ocampo, 43, barangay secretary, Mariveles, Bataan
“The new president should bring down the prices of basic commodities. Mr. Marcos should use his power to bring down the prices of rice, meat and fuel.”
–Joy Ostimoso, 37, laundrywoman, Balanga City
“I wish President Marcos will go after corrupt officials and file charges against them. The ‘palakasan’ (patronage) system should have no place in the new administration.”
–Amalia Jison, 61, solo parent, Upper Tuyo, Balanga City
“There should be a real freedom of assembly. People should not be immediately arrested and charged without basis for protesting against corruption, price hikes and human rights abuse.” –Jejomar Contawe, 23, content writer, Moncada, Tarlac
“The role of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict should be scrutinized because a lot of peasants and community organizers are being red-tagged without basis. I also wish for resumption of peace talks.” –Rev. Fr. Oscar Roque, 41, assistant director, Caritas Tarlac
“I wish that President Marcos can also bring down the price of fertilizer, not just that of rice. Farmers are struggling now.”
–Mervin Yumul, 42, farmer, Mabalacat City
“I hope he will avoid repeating the mistakes of his father.” –Emel Quiambao, 63, farmer, Tarlac City
“I am a commuter here in Pangasinan, and so is my sister who works in Metro Manila. She patiently lines up for the Edsa Carousel to minimize her expenses, but the carousel is already set to be stopped and she would have to pay the fare. I hope that the transport industry would get help from the government, such as giving them discount for fuel, which is too expensive.”
–Carmela Palaganas, 47, private company employee, Pangasinan
Southern Luzon
Young New Peoples Army (NPA) rebels stand in formation during the recent anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in a town in Misamis Oriental province on Dec. 26, 2016. (File photo by JIGGER J. JERUSALEM)
“Our pay for public school teachers is way below the Asean average. The salaries of government nurses and police have already been raised but teachers are yet to get a salary hike. I think the lowest salary of a Teacher 1 (lowest rank for new teachers) of P21,000 should be increased to P33,000.”
–Ronnel Joseph Competente, 32, public school teacher, Naga City, Camarines Sur
“On telco projects, to stop the new policy which removes the social acceptability requirement in what is claimed to be a fight against COVID-19 through the Bayanihan law. Telco towers continue to mushroom, disregarding the voices of the people.”
–Edgardo Vendiola, 69, retired government employee, City of Calapan
“Fuel subsidy for tricycle operators and drivers. It would support the daily needs of our drivers who were affected by the pandemic and abrupt increase of oil price. But this is just a temporary solution. I have five units of tricycle. Almost half of my income goes to costly maintenance.” –Dante Marigondon, 58, tricycle operator, Legazpi City, Albay
“The PUV Modernization Program should be reviewed and focused on rehabilitation, not phaseout. The [government] should put its implementation on hold to study the effects and include transport groups in drafting the provisions. The phaseout should only be gradual and could be by year model. Daily commuters suffer because of decreasing number of public utility vehicles.”
–Exequiel Longares, 63, Legazpi City, president of Region 5 Transport Federation and national chair of 1 Unified Transport Alliance of the Philippines (1-UTAP)
“Sincere implementation of the land reform program and return of the coco levy fund to coconut farmers… On his deathbed, my grandfather (one of the thousands of Quezon farmers who paid the levy collected from coconut farmers from 1973 to 1982) urged his family to continue the struggle for the return of the levy fund.” –Jojo Clavo, 46, president of Ugnayan ng mga Magsasaka-Central Quezon, Sariaya, Quezon
“My wish is for the [Marcos] administration to reduce the long list of government requirements for our accreditation. Like we have to apply to (the environment, tourism and trade departments) and comply with the city government’s checklist on health, fire safety, barangay certification, cedula, (tax), etc. There should be a one-stop shop for these requirements.”
–Lucia Banta, 67, beach resort owner, Calapan City
“Suspend the excise on fuel. With the pandemic, the working class has already been scrimping on a meager daily budget. Budgeting nowadays has become harder with the continuous price increase on fuel and basic commodities. How much more can the poor suffer?” –Jagel Mae Escandor, 33, homemaker, Gubat, Sorsogon
“I wish he (Marcos) would do the bare minimum and appoint those who are qualified and have no record of corruption and be transparent and accountable.”
–Neil Andrew Formalejo, 21, 3rd year BA Psychology student at University of Nueva Caceres, Naga City, Camarines Sur
Visayas
“I hope he will continue the drug campaign former President Duterte started. This was the best service (Duterte) rendered to us Filipinos. I have two adolescent boys and, with our place saturated with drugs, my greatest fear was that one of them might become an addict. When (Duterte) became president, I had that peace of mind because our place is now drug-free. Next is the strict implementation on laws against stray dogs that cause motorcycle accidents. Third is more scholarships for average students; not all students are highly intelligent but they still have the capacity to learn.”
–Hazel Panlita, 41, online seller, Baclayon, Bohol
“Ensure that coastal development projects such as dump-and-fill or reclamation projects are not allowed to irreversibly harm marine ecosystems that are the sources of life, food security and livelihood. Recognize the need to better respond to climate (change) and the challenges we now experience daily, by overhauling environmental governance to make it more transparent and participatory.”
–Liza Osorio, 52, Oceana legal policy director and law professor at University of Cebu School of Law
“I hope and pray that he (President Marcos) will be guided by the Lord. It’s a daunting task to be a President, especially with the soaring prices of commodities at present. A meaningful message to the administration is the hope that things will be better in the near future. There are many urgent things that need to be addressed and I hope he will do something better that will give hope to the people. We, Filipinos, need to collaborate and pray.”
–Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma, 72, Archbishop’s Residence, Cebu City
“The creation of the Negros Island Region and the building of the Panay-Guimaras-Negros (PGN) Bridge are on the top of my wish list. I also would like to hear what the game plan of the President is to revive the country’s economy. The President, for me, has chosen very good people (for his Cabinet). Now we need specifics.”
–Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson, 62, Negros Occidental
“We only have one wish and that is to continue to support Ilonggos. For the past six years, Iloilo has been strong in general. I think with the new President, I’m sure that he will also support the business sector of Iloilo.”
–Fulbert Woo, president, Philippine Chamber of Commerce & Industry-Iloilo Chapter, Iloilo City
“I expect President Marcos Jr. to expound what his actual and doable plans are for the country to achieve food security as well as provide livelihood programs for the agriculture sector. I also hope to hear from the President the plans of his financial team.”
–Joenlee Larraga, 51, municipal councilor, Carigara, Leyte
“I hope he will give attention to public information officers, especially those at the local governments, by creating regular municipal/city/provincial information offices and making each corresponding position mandatory and not just optional.”
–Mercy Caboboy, 54, information officer, Basey, Samar
“I hope President Marcos will solve the problem of poverty as well as graft and corruption. How can you solve poverty and the insurgency if graft and corruption continues? The main recruiter of insurgents is poverty and social justice.”
–Fr. Armando Onion, parish priest, Pontevedra, Negros Occidental
“I hope there will be a moratorium on all reclamation projects while proper legal framework is not yet in place. Second, there should be a plan on how we are going to repay our debt without sacrificing basic services.”
–Golda Benjamin, human rights lawyer and professor at Silliman University’s College of Law, Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental
“I didn’t vote for BBM but since he won the presidency, I hope he will finish his term with many projects. As a student, I wish him to succeed in uplifting the lives of the Filipinos.”
—Jhelmar Jala, 21, student, Tagbilaran City, Bohol
Mindanao
“On the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, I wish he will sustain and respect the gains of the peace process and not allow spoilers to dictate his decisions. I hope he learns from the past and does not repeat the horrors of martial law in Mindanao. I am hoping that he will soon come up with his appointees for the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and see to it that various ethnicities and sectors will be fairly represented. I also hope that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front nominees will also be fairly represented. In Marawi City, where residents have been restricted from its ground zero more than five years after the war ended, I want to hear from his Sona an order directing our local government and the Task Force Bangon Marawi to open ground zero for the city’s internally displaced persons. Lastly, I want him to appoint as soon as possible the members of the Marawi Compensation Board and urge Congress to support the Marawi Siege Victims Compensation Act by providing funds for it.”
—Drieza Lininding, chair, Moro Consensus Group, Marawi City
“Mindanao has achieved so much from the Duterte administration especially in terms of peace and security through the creation of the BARMM and the localized peace talks with the communist rebels through NTF-Elcac, and the much-improved infrastructure through the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program, among others. As Mindanaoans, we want these sustained and even enhanced because there are still many to be done in Mindanao. It is our hope that the new administration will continue to support Mindanao to create comfortable lives for Mindanaoans.”
–Arturo Milan, regional governor, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Davao City
“We need solid commitments from him on the continuity of the Bangsamoro peace process, and his plans on transitional justice and reconciliation.”
–Fatima Pir Shalom Allian, program manager, Nisa Ul Haqq Fi Bangsamoro, Zamboanga City
“President Marcos should take a look at the issues of massive, premature and illegal land use especially of prime irrigated and irrigable agricultural lands which were converted into commercial areas, as it will diminish our food sources thus increasing hunger and poverty. Many violators are well-connected. Apart from staving off these land conversion activities, the government must improve the support for small farmers, from production to marketing, to discourage them from selling their cultivated lands and for them to increase their meager income.”
–Tanie Lopez-Suano, executive director, Convergence of Zamboanga del Sur Agrarian Reform and Rural Development Inc., Tigbao, Zamboanga del Sur
“For me, the death penalty must be reimposed for heinous crimes like rape. That will prevent people from drifting into criminal behavior.” —John Lee Barri, 25, hairdresser and make-up artist, San Francisco, Agusan del Sur
“The MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) expects him to start real healing and reconciliation process with the victims of martial law, especially the Moros who were hardest hit. We assure the President of our cooperation with him in the pursuit of sustaining the gains of the peace process between the government and the MILF.”
–Mohagher Iqbal, BARMM education minister, and chair, Peace Implementing Panel of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
“Make good on the promise of significantly lowering the price of rice. P30 per kilo is good enough if P20 is not possible. I also want to see corruption in government eliminated but that seems impossible in our country.”
–Roger Rosario, 60, taxi driver, Cagayan de Oro City
“Scholarships for our children and grandchildren to ease the burden of acquiring education. I expect President Marcos to deviate from the path taken by his father (and) uphold the primacy of human rights.”
–Villamor Galleon, 64, farmer, Godod, Zamboanga del Norte
“I hope President Marcos will continue to pursue peace with the communist rebels and end the conflict with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front peacefully. Many of us are willing to come down from the mountains and start new lives with our families.”
–Ronnel Racho, 28, former NPA rebel, Guipos, Zamboanga del Sur
“We also hope that his administration will understand that the struggle against social inequity and the rule by the privileged few in our society is not necessarily an anti-government activity.”
–Antonia Morado, 55, former NPA rebel, Tabina, Zamboanga del Sur
