"The sound is distorted."
(Thoughts on the recent "State of the Nation Address")
by Kat Ulrike
One would say that the "State of the Nation Address" of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is all but continuity of his predecessor. By seriously swearing to upheld the order while trying to fashion himself as a representative of the common Filipino, his words, mainly hodgepodge of English and Filipino would say that he's trying to make his administration appear "inclusive", especially that of the common Filipino who knew his administration may or may not succeed in resolving problems surrounding the society.
Marcos knows fully well regarding widespread discontent caused by the terrible socioeconomic conditions affecting the population in the face of national and global economic crisis. However, he is determined to go to any lengths to fool the masses by instilling false hopes, create illusions of wealth, or denying factual information, anything that people brought him to his "victory" last elections and this time trying to rally in his standard.
But his words failed to suffice the problem be it the spiraling prices of fuel and food, low wages, high taxes, landlessness, and poverty. Like his predecessors, Marcos's "continuity" means keeping firm to the neoliberal economic policies that favours entrenched interests at the expense of the masses- and these policies means keeping firm on controversial labour policies like labour export policy, contractualisation and lower wages; perpetuate land monopolies in favour of local landlords and "business conglomerates"; open more land for concessions in mining and "agribusinesses" owned by foreign companies and its local partners; impose more taxes on people's consumption and small to medium businesses while providing tax perks for capitalist bigwigs; carrying out austerity measures to reduce spending on education, public health and social services in favour of debt servicing and defence/internal security; and even open more foreign-funded "projects" that damages the environment and communities. This kind of "continuity" as advocated by apologists would say is way far from what the promise of "a comfortable life for all", "development", and "stability" that's parroted by the past administration, citing the fact that the folk continues to live in poverty and fear due to the unjust policies, the COVID19 pandemic, and how the administration handles the situation.
For instance, he promised "food security" and "food sovereignty" in his concurrent position as agriculture secretary, but farmers continue to face exploitation and injustice as import liberalisation, the controversial "rice tarrification law", and even the promotion of plantation-based agriculture with emphasis on export crops like sugar and pineapples instead of rice and other sustenance crops. He even talks on reviving the controversial "Masagana 99" program that buries farmers and rural banks in debt. The rising costs of fertiliser also constitutes a problem for farmers despite promises of support from the government. What support? Support in a form of loans that will force farmers to pay so badly while smugglers continue their profiteering at ease? Marcos can't even expound clearly his promise of 20 peso per kilo of rice!
Another would be the administration's insistence to revive the controversial mandatory "Reserve Officers Training Corps" that is, marred by corruption and various forms of injustices masked as "obedience". Its apologists would claim that the program fosters patriotism and discipline, and yet failing to address the problems that surroundeth the program. Of course, defending the country is an act of patriotism, but reality becomes far from the ideal- that of defending the order even at the expense of the folk. The harassment against cadets, the corruption amongst officers, the subservience to the corrupt and oppressive order serving as stooge of both American and Chinese masters, these truths trumps down the ideals of "promoting patriotism" particularly that of "defending the country".
Even the idea of having a national gas industry remains an idea despite seeking a law to push through; while on the other hand concessions, contracts over Malampaya and Recto Bank under the past Duterte administration remains an issue. Besides, Ramon Ang of San Miguel offered Petron to the government to be renationalised, as well as having an existing entities like the Philippine National oil Company and the still-dormant Manila Gas Corporation to take over that kind of idea, thus why the sudden talk about "the need for a national gas industry" after years of letting markets decide? After all, Natural gas has been pitched as a “bridge fuel” that can help the shift to a lower-carbon economy, but seriously speaking, who's to initiate? The government? Or the interest-seekers be it Shell, Caltex, to those of Duterte's friend Dennis Uy?
There are various issues the administration has to face, but as the regime chose "continuity" of neoliberalism and globalisation even despite the pandemic then the direction they've promised to the folk remains contrary to what his supporters envison- especially those who think Marcos will restore everything "that's lost" to the "yellows" after 86.
Once more, Marcos will support the same array of neoliberal economic policies that his so-called economic managers have pushed for. These regulations, which are imposed by imperialist banks and multinational businesses, are against the will of the folk. These will worsen the predicaments of the workers', peasants', and petty-oppressed bourgeoisie's and exploited classes. These will worsen the backward, agrarian and non-industrial state of the Philippine economy. Even though he made big but meaningless promises to lure people into his authoritarian regime by offering free bus and train trips and 20 pesos for a kilogram of rice, he was actually working hard to gradually establish it while utilizing the overwhelming weight of the state security apparatus. As with his predecessors, he is implementing neoliberal economic policies alongside terror as military and police officials have intensified their use of fascist rhetoric, openly disdaining the right of the public to peaceful assembly and free speech, and intensifying their use of red-baiting and terrorist-labeling. By ignoring the socioeconomic causes of the conflict and pursuing "localised peace negotiations" while continuing "all out war"/ "low intensity conflict" against those who vehemently disagree with the regime's interest-seeking policies that is, opening the door for rapacious multinational corporations to invest in mining and plantations, as well as infrastructure, ecotourism, and energy projects, often in collusion with their local counterparts.
But regardless of their actions this doesn't stop the people from seeking truth from facts and to expose the inconveniences, the injustices the administration known for. Regardless of the efforts brought by the administration's apologists, the people will not allow themselves to be cowed by their intimidation and instead take every opportunity to resolutely assert demands and aspirations. True it may be that "the state of the nation is sound" but that sound is "distorted" by the realities that outweighs the delusions brought by the order and its apologists. As the people press for wage increases, lower oil and commodity prices, lower land rent and usury elimination, higher farmgate prices, fishing rights, free and better education, health and social services, production subsidies, and other urgent demands in the midst of a worsening economic crisis; and strongly oppose new consumer taxes, automatic debt allocations, wasteful military and police spending, extravagant and destructive infrastructure projects, mining company and plantation expansion, contractualisation and forced layoffs, intrusion on sovereignty by foreign interests, and other anti-people policies and programs. These would say that from these people find the promises of the administration rather benefits entrenched entities and interest-seekers alike, while pretending these are for the people who still end burdened and oppressed.
Again, the state of the nation is "sound"- but distorted by the same order and its apologists.