By Jose Maria Sison
Chief Political Consultant
National Democratic Front of the Philippines

7 July 2004

Information has reached me that propagandists of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are spreading the ludicrous lie that I support her so-called 10-point agenda and in effect her rigged election to the presidency of the reactionary government of big compradors and landlords.

The best way for me to respond to the incredible lie is to expose the fact that the so-called ten-point agenda is an abominable list of lies and to explain why each point is a lie.

1.      The Macapagal-Arroyo regime cannot generate six million jobs in six years. The reactionary government is bankrupt. The economy will continue to sink in crisis because there is no profitable good that can be exported in big quantity to the global market. The budgetary and trade deficits will increase. The crushing burden of foreign debt and local public borrowing will become heavier. Loans will continue to benefit the foreign monopoly firms and big compradors and not the small and medium enterprises. One or two million hectares will be given to foreign and local agricorporations at the expense of the landless tillers and the rest of the people.

2.      New buildings, classrooms, desks, chairs and books for students and scholarships will not be provided in adequate quantity because the bankrupt reactionary government gives priority to spending for the military, police and intelligence services, for graft-ridden projects and for the acquisition of expensive cars and office equipment for the high bureaucrats.

3.      There will be no balancing of the budget. The deficit will continue to grow because of the graft-ridden projects. But social services, especially education, health, water, electricity and so on, will continue to be starved of funds and resources.

4.      There will be no progress to "decentralize" because of the severe crisis and deep bankruptcy of the reactionary government. The infrastructure for transport will continue to deteriorate, especially the feeder roads. The "digital gap" will widen, with the exploiters overequipped with digital gadgets and the toiling masses prevented from ventilating their needs and demands..

5.      Electricity and water supply will not be provided to the barangays nationwide. In this regard, the regime is lying. It is obscuring its policy of privatizing electricity and water supply and the reality of power and water monopolists continuously raising prices. The regime has allowed the imperialist suppliers of energy and equipment to control the electricity and water systems and ride roughshod over the people. It has also allowed the US, British and Dutch oil companies to own 90 per cent of the Malampaya gas and oil resources and pipelines and given up territorial jurisdiction over the gas and oil resources in Palawan waters.

6.      Metro Manila will not be decongested by the unrealizable promise of going into inflationary spending for the construction of government office buildings and upscale housing centers in other parts of the country. The destructiveness of the construction bust since 1997 has continued.

7.      The development of Clark and Subic is not for the benefit of the Filipino people but for the benefit of the US and other multinational firms and for the porting of US military planes and ships. But even if the development is for alien interests, it is limited by the current global depression.

8.      The automation of the electoral process will be one more source of corruption and will not necessarily prevent the massive cheating perpetrated Macapagal-Arroyo regime. The computers can be programmed to give dishonest results.

9.      The Macapagal-Arroyo regime intends to end the peace negotiations between the GRP and NDFP. It has not undetaken any effective measure to counteract the "terrorist" listing of the CPP/NPA and the NDFP chief political consultant. It has not complied with its promises to release political prisoners and facilitate the delivery of indemnification to the victims of human rights violations under the Marcos regime. The military, police and paramilitary forces of the GRP are running amok in violating human rights all over the country. Further injustices are being unleashed against the Filipino people. The regime is poised to end the peace negotiations upon the bidding of the US.

10.  The Macapagal-Arroyo regime is desirous of uniting and reconciling with the Marcoses, Estradas and Cojuangcos but not with the forces of the toiling masses of workers and peasants and the middle social strata that are now subjected to the most intolerable forms of oppression and exploitation. In view of the lies and false promises of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime and the reality of intensifying oppression and exploitation, a broad united front of patriotic and progressive forces is developing. The revolutionary armed struggle of the Filipino people is surging forward to challenge the entire ruling system. .###