Cory's last political statement against Con Ass

As we pay our last respect to former President Cory Aquino, allow me to share her last and strongly-worded political statement read by grandson Kiko Dee last June 10, 2009 at the anti-Con Ass rally in Makati City.

Minamahal kong mga kababayan,

Ikinalulungkot ko na hindi ko kayo makakasama ngayon, ngunit kahit na mahina ang aking katawan, matatag pa rin ang aking paninindigan na tutulan ang katiwalian.

Over the years, I have learned to endure pain and sadness–first, when Ninoy was separated from us by the hand of a dictator; then, when he was taken from us by the hand of an assassin; and now that I have placed myself at the hands of a merciful God.

But perhaps there is nothing that causes me greater pain than to see our people betrayed again and again by those they have elected to lead and serve them. To those of us who had fought long and hard to restore our democracy, the pain deepens at the thought that all our gains have so quickly been eroded.

Nang mapalayas natin ang diktador, hindi ba’t ipinangako nating hindi na tayo papayag na mawala muli ang ating kalayaan? Subalit, narito muli tayo, sa gitna ng walang-hiyang pang-aabuso ng mga makapangyarihang nagnanais na sirain ang mga pinakapayak sa ating mga batas.

Hindi ito ang pamumunong nararapat para sa atin. Hindi ito ang lipunang nais kong ipamana sa mga susunod na henerasyon, kaya sa ngalan nila at ng aking sarili bilang mga mamamayang Pilipino, tumututol ako sa nais ng mga tiwaling miyembro ng kamara na palitan ang ating Saligang-Batas sa pamamagitan ng isang Constituent Assembly. At nananawagan ako sa inyo at sa lahat ng mga Pilipino na magpahayag ng ating pagprotesta rito.

Nasa inyo po ang tunay na kapangyarihan sa ating demokrasya. Huwag n’yo pong payagang manumbalik ang mga pamamaraan ng mga diktador. Tutulan po natin ang Con-Ass! At ipagdasal po natin ang ating Inang Bayan.

Mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino! Maraming salamat po.

GMA rhyme and her shameful legacy to the young ones

There is no doubt GMA will be remembered by the young generation.

Like other presidents, she wants to change the constitution.

The very first attempt to shift from presidential to parliamentary was during Fidel V. Ramos's time. He backtracked after gigantic protests took place.

Former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada with his own version called CONCORD or Constitutional Correction for Development likewise proposed to change the constitution. This did not prosper because of people's strong resistance.

Now, as I vividly recall, GMA attempted to change the constitution not just once but four times.

After she successfully cheated her way to Malacañang, she immediately created a body that would propose the necessary revisions on the constitution. This was supported and campaigned by Malacañang mouthpiece Sigaw ng Bayan or People's Initiative by launching a signature drive to gather people's support for a plebiscite.

The Supreme Court junked the proposal amid strong opposition and pressure by a broad number of people against charter change.

Again, in 2006, allied lawmakers pushed for Con-Ass. This was led by former House Speaker Jose de Venecia. Like in previous attempts, militant groups led by BAYAN, church groups, students, and business sectors united and were up in battle against cha-cha.

The third attempt came in the guise of federalism. This was in May 2008. Former Press Secretary Jesus Dureza's words would choke him when he defensively said "Naughty insinuations that she was going for Cha-cha because she wants to extend her term in office prompted the President to make her position clear. She is calling for a constitutional amendment… in order to bring about the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity. Did anyone buy this?

The last and most desperate of all attempts came just a few days before Congress went on recess. Like a lightning that came so swiftly.

Who will not say that these orchestrated acts does not manifest how desperate GMA can get? When in July 2007 GMA jokingly said "Who knows, I might run for Congress!" she received a plethora of criticisms.

It's no joke telling the people you might run again when everyone, even a little child, wants to kick you out of Malacañang. GMA has become so (un)popular among the people that even a rhyme being sung by my three-year old niece goes "Gloriang madaya, pik-pak-bum.."

Blog Action Day

June 25 is Blog Action Day dubbed "KICK HER CON-ASS GOODBYE." It marks yet another cyberspace campaign against GMA's Con-Ass.

The campaign aims at enticing bloggers and social network users (facebook, friendster, plurk and twitter) to write their own blogs or posts, and express in their unique ways their abomination against Gloria's Con-Ass.

Let our collective voices serve to attract more people to protest against Con-Ass. Maximize cyberspace to invite people to protest actions and rallies.

Make your voices heard! Spread the word that will rattle this power-hungry regime.

Stop Con-Ass. No to Cha-cha.

Sign the online petition now.

We are today’s generation of Filipino youth, young, vibrant and spirited, transcending professions, cultures and boundaries, and to whom the hopes and aspirations for the nation’s future is bequeathed.

Together, we vehemently oppose all attempts by the ruling Arroyo clique and its cronies in Congress to tamper on the Constitution and perpetuate itself in power. We denounce in the strongest possible terms the blatant abuse of power and treachery that have come to characterize this regime.

The shameless display of arrogance and callousness of the Arroyo government sends for all patriotic and freedom-loving young Filipinos to dissent. The signs of times are rallying us to lives of involvement and action.

The youth have always played a pivotal role in ushering in significant changes and junctures in history. We have always been at the forefront of uprisings and revolutions every time the social, political and economic conditions in society become too intolerable for Filipinos to endure.

Today, we have a moral and sacred duty to perform. We cannot remain silent or with our arms crossed. We cannot remain indifferent while our own future as a people and a nation are being compromised for selfish political ambitions. The stakes are too high for us to take a pass.