Fight for A People’s Budget!
Malaya Movement USA statement on the National Budget
The Philippines’ budget that passed in the House of Representatives flies in the face of Filipinos everywhere who carry the consequences of the country’s economic decline. It remains that Filipinos cannot count on this government for relief, but they can squarely expect corruption, pork barrel schemes, and the fascist crackdown on democratic dissent in the form of P10.1 billion “confidential” funds.
The budget represents the irony of democracy in the Philippines. The House of Representatives passed a P5.7 trillion budget that decreases funding for labor, migrant services, agrarian reform, health, and education services, but increases the budget for corruption through bloated agency requests and counterinsurgency programs.
The repulsive scandal perpetrated by Vice President Sara Duterte–P125 million in CIF disappearing in 11 days–isn’t just a crime of misuse. CIF, notably difficult to audit and track, is money on a silver platter for corrupt government officials and fuel for red-tagging, surveillance, and other fascist tactics that make the Philippines a pseudo-democracy. It was only public and legislative pressure that raised questions and resulted in the redirecting of these funds to other agencies. It is our view that all CIF must be completely abolished as they only bring in the duo of corruption of counterinsurgency that does nothing to benefit the Filipino people.
It is no surprise then that in a recent Pulse Asia survey, the public is losing trust in Marcos and Duterte. Double digit drops of the nation’s leadership can be in large part attributed to the failures of the Marcos-Duterte regime to address the basic needs of the people. The rice inflation alone rose to 17.9% in September, the highest point in 14 years. The immense suffering is a direct result of the irresponsible spending and neoliberal schemes driven by the current regime.
Malaya Movement USA calls on the public to remain vigilant as the budget deliberations head to the Senate. We must put pressure on legislators to force more transparency in the budget process and hold them accountable to the people’s priorities. We demand that the Philippine government puts forward a budget that prioritizes the needs of the Filipino people, in the Philippines and overseas. Become a member of Malaya Movement USA and join the fight against corruption and fascism in the Philippines.
Abolish confidential intelligence funds and the NTF-ELCAC!
Oppose budget cuts to public education and hospitals!
Divert counterinsurgency funds to wages and relief for the people!
End corruption and pork barrel!
Filipinos in the U.S. demand a Pro-People Philippine Budget
Sign today tinyurl.com/peoples-budget-2024
