The People’s Response

Presentation by BayanGlobal Financial and Economic

Crisis: Exposing Capitalism, Looking for Alternatives

DLSU, Taft Ave., Manila9 February 2009

“Supercrisis”, looming “Greater Depression”

Exposed supposed drivers of RP growth like export of goods & labor as hollow, unreliable, & unsustainable

GMA administration – unable & unwilling to undertake radical shift in economic model

“Firewall” against crisis (i.e. VAT) as illusion – NEDA projection: 800,000 job losses this year

But the conditions are “favorable”…

to expose the decaying economic system & propose genuine alternatives

to affirm the legitimacy & correctness of the people’s struggle to build a progressive, self-reliant economy

to rally the people in a movement for meaningful reforms

Our task to educate & inform

“The displaced workers & farmers, government employees, office workers, small & medium-scale Filipino business, the youth, women, urban poor & other sectors most affected by the crisis will only pour out in hundreds of thousands and even millions clamoring for reform if they can comprehend the historical & current roots of the crisis…”

Nationwide ED & information campaign…

in the universities, urban & rural poor communities, factories, among the opinion & policy makers

to spark discussion on the crisis, on its exploitative & oppressive roots

to generate discussions on what we can do & demand in terms of short- to long-term reforms

We are not starting from scratch…

Bayan’s campaign on removing the 12% VAT on oil & power

NO DEAL! Movement – to stop unequal economic agreements (i.e. JPEPA)

“Tanggol Trabaho” of COURAGE MIGRANTE on genuine pro-OFW relief

measures & decent jobs at home KMU on decent wage hike, against labor

contractualization

KMP with Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill PISTON to repeal the Oil Deregulation Law GABRIELA for price control of basic goods

& services LFS, Anakbayan on support for public

education … and many others

Building up on the people’s existing campaigns

Intensity of crisis challenges us to match it with even greater resolve to struggle

… to bring about an even bigger & broader people’s movement

… towards establishing a common people’s agenda

… through fora, direct consultations, discussion groups, etc

But most important, it should translate to concrete actions & campaigns

Mass signature drive Coordinated protest

actions & other activities

Alliance or coalition, etc

… & linking with the peoples’ struggles in other countries

Our fighting demands for economic relief, survival, & long-term reforms: Ensuring a pro-people & nationalist response to the crisis

On jobs & benefits

Ensure easy access to social security benefits and expand unemployment benefits for displaced workers

Provide immediate & easy availment of cash assistance for displaced OFWs

Stop the retrenchment of government workers Stop the erosion of wages & protect jobs

against flexible labor policies & unjust retrenchment

On taxes & debt

Full implementation of tax breaks forminimum wage earners & their equivalent in the public sector

Removing VAT on oil, power, food items & other basic goods & services

Moratorium on debt payments (to include cancellation of odious debt)

Tax break & financial assistance package for Filipino SMEs

Crackdown on government corruption, wastage, & smuggling, & re-imposition of tariffs

On prices

Imposition of price control mechanisms; repeal deregulationpolicies on oil & power

No new increases in utilities such as water, power & transportation

Freeze in tuition increases in both public & private schools, repeal deregulation of tuition

Ensure availability of affordable food, esp. rice; bring back to market subsidized NFA rice @ P18.25/kilo; increase domestic rice procurement of NFA & ensure farm gate price @ P17/kilo

On liberalization

Stop bilateral FTAs, stop JPEPA; no newcommitments in WTO & stop implementation of WTO agreements

Oppose moves for more investment liberalization such as through HR 737 (100% foreign ownership of land)

Stop neoliberal policy of trade liberalization; support local production by restoring tariffs

On the domestic economy

Orient the economy towards production for domestic consumption & self-reliance

Provide incentives & support domestic industries; uphold policy of national industrialization; & prioritize establishment of national industries

Implement genuine land reform; spur development in the countryside; deal decisively with rural unemployment & poverty

“The people must collectively fight back. It is where our greatest and only hope to get out of the raging crisis lies”.

Thank you!

For more information about Bayan & our campaigns, log on to www.bayan.ph

4 F Erythina Bldg # 1 Maaralin St.Bgy. Central, Quezon City

Telefax 435-6930