"Still hopeless for the Poor folks in the Provinces"

"Still hopeless for the Poor folks in the Provinces"

(Or: "Will their return to their provinces under the present order

a glimmer of hope or a continuous despair?")

What a shallow idea this so-called "return to the province" program that's brought about by the Duterte regime.

For regardless of the presidential blessing and the support of administration-led local officials, claiming as one of the pillars for balanced development in the far-flung regions, this program cannot succeed so long as the fundamental problems of the nation affecting the poor continues to remain unresolved particularly those of agrarian reform, national industrialisation, and a genuine national social policy.

And contrary to mainline view that this program as "new", this program brought by Duterte and Senator Bong Go, through Senate Resolution 380 and Executive Order 114 is all but a rehash of earlier programs like the "Balik Barangay" program of Marcos as well as other similar programs sharing the same intent of decongesting Metropolitan Manila and other urban centers in the country. On the other side, this is one, if not the only solution that's thinking of to reduce poverty, lack of employment, and housing for the urban poor.

What a usual solution isn't it? Just as in the past, that by simply sending off the poor and fending for themselves or with minimum doleouts is the order's way of promoting development in the countryside. But despite this intent, that simple resolution brought by an administration senator isn't enough without a rigorous, scientific, and comprehensive study as well as without any consultation with stakeholders all prior to its implementation. What more that this program, aiming to have millions of urban poor folks to "return to the province" by the order is simply driven by the difficulties in providing financial support what more of controlling population especially in this COVID19 pandemic.

Apologists of the program would of course, agree to this kind of proposition given by President Duterte and Senator Go; that aside from these men are themselves coming from Davao (and therefore seeing a massive human resettlement program fit for their agenda) they think that by returning these poor folks to the provinces meant chances of restoring order in the urban while promoting development in the countryside, all despite unresolved social problems including those of COVID19.

But remember, so long as development remains less for the folk and more for the few then this kind of program, with a vision to make everyone live decently if not comfortably with their livelihood cannot guarantee. This program isn't just a simple walk in the park praising the glories of farming and rural life, but rather a forced return to "what they belong" such as facing hunger, poverty, and fear under the order; while existing problems such as landlessness, forced displacement of poor farmers and indigenous folks alike from their domains, along with "combination of backward modes of agriculture and low level industry" doesn't resolve the fundamental problem- but instead showing how this anti-poor, fund-wasting "Balik Probinsya" as a propaganda feat.

Speaking of funds and the delusions of development, Duterte and Go would of course claiming that the program isn't about relocating these poor folks alone. Of course there will be loans and assistance to those who will avail of that said program, what more that government agencies like the National Housing Authority, the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Agriculture, Department of Agrarian Reform, and others will "flex their muscle" in showing these poor folks that the program is better than seeking for financial assistance especially in this time of pandemic crisis with officials trying to take pride in housing programs for the homeless, job fairs for displaced workers, or farm lots for wanting to be farmers all in exchange for resettlement in the provinces. Worse, to hear recent statements like DoLE's Bello who admitted that there are no remaining funds for the "Displaced Workers Program" therefore they have to stop issuing applications to workers who are in dire need of financial assistance.

All in all, this program will always be on the side of the order rather than the poor folks who supposed to avail of it. That alongside displacing them from their communities this meant favouring interest seekers especially those under the Build Build Build and other neoliberal programs benefiting their interests. With COVID19 continues to linger, this massive human resettlement plan rather meant an opportunity for the order to commence massive demolition in communities in order to flush out poor folks in the urban and even in the suburbia all for the programs this order has ventured upon with.

And that by placing poor folks in the provinces all for the sake of resettlement this meant cheap labour for multinationals, and hamletting for the defenders of the order as this program as also part of combating the insurgency by means of "winning hearts and minds". "Pacification by prosperity" indeed as one may think of as it attracts the poor away from their communities and in to the villages meant to control their movement with some semblance of development.

And to think that this program had been tried a number of times in the past and failed miserably due to mismanagements and politickings, it is unsurprising that if an interest seeking politico tends to hijack this program for their personal interest then it will always be a successful failure. In fact, there were some concerned politicians who even question the program especially the capacity of the provinces to accommodate those able to return, given the funds needed to sustain as such, what more from the people who also thinking that the program as also prone to corruption as what said earlier. 

Again this program may fail given the failure to address the fundamental question of land reform and rural development through industrialisation. Interest seekers, be it politico, landlord, and compradore alike may treat it as an opportunity to consolidate their interests at the expense of the poor and its aspirations for a new hope in the countryside what more of the country's desire for development.

That from its very beginnings this measure isn't really developmentalist at all, let alone an exile. For once, it was a measure during the early years of the republic whose intent was to make rebels "return to the fold of the law" guaranteeing them with a land to till, followed by landless farmers who "were all given land and create communities" enough as a showcase of the new society.

But with all these and until this present incarnation, did it end rebellion what more of poverty? Nope as one would say. The provinces, so long under the clutches of the corrupt and of the despotic, will remain the same as it was, hopeless.

Still, no concrete plan except blaming

Still, no concrete plan except blaming

It is not surprising that the regime is repeating the same message that is contrary to the much needed attention.

For as President Duterte rather vent his attention on the opposition than this ever present pandemic most people find the message as annoying if not starting to question his performance as President in this time of crisis.

And to think that the pandemic came as a surprise and a challenge for governments in various countries, Duterte, rather responded only with the narrative that he knows best- by treating it as a "peace and order" situation coupled with the brute force of the police and military. With this somehow trying to hide his feigned understanding of the situation if not his incompetent resolution-building in this matter.

From his statements he placed large parts of the country under two months of military lockdown in the name of "community quarantine" that has made people suffer intolerable conditions. While having insufficient funds for social services and instead the stubborn emphasis on security threat towards his political adversaries, as well as debt servicing for his debt-driven "development".

“This is not martial law. Don’t be scared,” Duterte said. However, the fear brought by his threat prevailed as one police official in Manila was caught on video threatening to shoot those who would be caught breaking quarantine and curfew protocols, while Barangay task force members were also seen beating a fish vendor for breaking quarantine rules, what more of mentally challenged retired military officer was shot dead at point-blank range by policemen whose alibi was that they thought he was reaching for a gun. This kind of action would say showeth how the regime's attack dogs taketh seriously their boss's statement and the pandemic as an opportunity to silence dissent.

And in speaking of silencing dissent, that through a blatant attack to free press, Duterte’s administration ordered the cease-and-desist of the operations of broadcasting corporation ABS-CBN. Duterte wouldn't had succeed this if not for his allies like Solicitor General Calida (who also behind the ouster of former Chief Justice Sereno through Quo Warranto), his cohorts in the legislature (especially Speaker Cayetano) who intentionally neglect duties pertaining to the broadcasting station and its franchise, and the hordes of supporters who used social media to intimidate artists and media personalities disagreeing with the station's closure and those who disagree with the order's policies and actions. Worse, to hear a statement a from a military officer telling "Yes to law and order! Otherwise you might just get the martial law that you deserve" to those who opposed the said shutdown.

These actions would say all ran contrary to the shameless act of NCRPO Chief Debold Sinas after being exposed throwing a party in the middle of the lockdown, drawing ire from various government and other personalities, or the quarantine breach of Senator Pimentel. These would say how impunity is evident under Duterte’s regime. His cronies and allies walk away scot-free with apologists trying to defend, while most Filipinos suffer from his grave actions.

Perhaps from these unjust actions and more, all brought by the order rather outweighs the promises to "flatten the curve", "promote inclusive development", or to "impose justice" as words like Duterte's 01 April speech ordering the military and police to shoot to kill uncooperative quarantine violators justify those moves. This and other similar presidential rants brought utter disrespect and a complete disregard human rights in favour of “stricter measures” and a bastardised version of rule of law that's rooted on fear. Apologists may still continue to justify his stances time and again, but with a still-neglected healthcare system, ever-continuing economic unrest, and a myriad of threats, violence and abuse of police/ military power this doesn't stop the folk from investigating, complaining, what more of opposing the administration and its gestures- for a growling stomach is louder than a foolish President’s echoing words.

But, unfortunately for Duterte and the order he've sworn to, this braggadocio cannot save the country from the public health problem it faces. His regime has wasted all the people’s effort as it utterly failed in its duty to ensure the people's safety such as for the government to conduct mass testing, tracing, and isolation of Covid-19 cases what more in failing to lead in the procurement of testing kits and reagents, in strengthening the machinery for mass testing and tracing, in hiring more health practitioners, and in building enough quarantine centers as well as other necessary public health measures.
And to think that with his armed thugs are still willing to justify the message of their dear leader Duterte by putting it into action, apologists will still continue to justify it as they downplay "human rights" for their leader's brand of "discipline and order", as shown by the recent events.

Hence, to cut this note short, there's no concrete agenda from the order to lessen if not to stop this pandemic, except blaming those who stood against its soiled view of "peace and order."

Through the Working Folk lies the Future

Through the working folk lies the future

At first, this writer salutes the working class on the occasion of the International Workers Day. And let this occasion celebrate the numerous contributions and struggles brought by the labouring people even in this time of pandemic crisis and the repression brought by the order.

For as the Philippines, like any other country celebrated this occasion, the laboring folk tried their best to express their grievances amidst an extra-ordinary situation with fierce lockdowns across Luzon and many parts of the country — an alleged "medical necessity" to control the spread of COVID19 and its effects. For as of April 28, 7,958 people were positively sick across the country, while 975 had survived, and 530 had died.

However, for the order, this lockdown is more than just "flattening the curve" but a basis for widespread repression be it on various organisations, or individuals whose concern for the folk includes the right to expose and oppose the unjust actions brought by the order-of trampling down civil rights, including the right for just wage and adequate medical and social care especially in this time of pandemic crisis.

And from this somehow aggravate the ever continuing tensions making the folk further assert the need for genuine social change as necessary to uplift the folk and the homeland.

Workers as most vulnerable to illness and harassments

The medical crisis brought by COVID 19 has quickly escalated into a socioeconomic one as it hits the marginalised classes at its worst. With the Duterte regime announced its "Community Quarantine" meant to flatten the curve in this pandemic situation, it hitted the workers most especially those from non-essential businesses who found themselves doing odd jobs for their families’ survival as relief assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment and from their local government units (LGUs) are frustratingly inadequate if not inaccessible.

But this situation has been weaponised by the order as means to silent those who oppose their agenda. Recent arrests of those helping the downtridden, online harassments, and threats of martial rule has made the folk worried while the administration dismissed the necessary medical measures to address the pandemic. It is the same order that disagrees the idea of mass testing or failing to make an assurance that the Department of Health has already contained the virus and its mutations, making the working class face the hard decision of foregoing work and not earning for their families, or risking contracting COVID19 and thus endangering their own households.

The order may knew about this situation, but the mismanagement of programs, of failure to address the situtions, what more of seeing a militarised agenda aggravates the problem- for Duterte is rather intent on managing the justified indignation and anger of the people more than the pandemic itself, of keeping the entire budget for his agenda more than allocating for health and social services making Local Government Units left to decide for themselves and to take the blame once things go awry for the people.

Still, the working folk carries the will to fight

Despite numerous harassments and threats, the working folk still carries the will to fight. As Duterte and his camarilla employs tried and tested fascism, he could exploit, neglect, and endanger the working class all in the same breath but nonetheless the working class, hardened by hardships, will continue to advance the struggle.

For with or without this pandemic the working class will assert further calls for real living wage, just working conditions, and an end to repression for even in this time of numerous technological achievements centuries old situations continue to prevail, what more that the order has used those to repress the folk and to consolidate their interests. Words like "Digital Transformation" has been used by the order to threaten the workers forcing to content on meagre wages and unjust conditions. What more in this pandemic crisis wherein policies like "no work no pay" has been imposed by various companies, making workers both "working at home" and those as skeletal force in the workplaces content in unlikely conditions.

Worse, most workers had to content on the insufficient aid given by the government if not forcing to work "part time" with less salary and under threat of dismissal. In Southern Tagalog, half a million workers are affected by the pandemic as factories been temporarily closed in the region.

However there are establishments wherein employees are allowed to continue operations only in limited numbers serving as a "skeletal force"; in addition, there are other factories that implement flexible work arrangements such as reducing hours or working days to comply with the enforced lockdown policy. From this situation capitalists have also taken advantage of the situation to justify illegal dismissals primarily as part of its union busting activities against progressive unions.

And according to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), 99,178 in Region IV-A and 30,721 in Region IV-B were directly affected by the ongoing lockdown in Central Luzon. This is in sharp contrast to a report by the Philippine Export Zone Authority (PEZA) in which only Cavite Ecozone has lost 86,549 jobs due to the temporary closure of 309 companies in the vicinity. Also according to a report released by the Revolutionary Council of Trade Unions-Southern Tagalog (RCTU-ST), based on their near factual estimate, between 350,000-400,000 workers in CALABARZON were directly affected by the enforced lockdown.

So is the "Economic Assistance" given by the Government. Only a handful of workers have been able to provide assistance by the DOLE. According to research by the IBON Foundation, only 856,000 or 0.8% of the 10.7 million workers in the formal sector were awarded DOLE's P5,000 under the COVID19 Adjustment Measures (CAMP) while 52,000 (1%) only a total of 5.2 million non agricultural informal earners were blessed with the help of the work for pay scheme. DOLE has already admitted that they need more funding to meet the needs of Filipino workers affected by the ongoing lockdown, according to the IBON Foundation. Also according to the RCTU-ST, the cost was low and only a few workers in the South had received assistance from DOLE because of its lack of funding.

With the situation in Southern Tagalog for an example would say that the worker's situation is aggravated both by the lockdown and by the motives of scrupulous employers. As in the past, unjust wages and unfair working conditions, coupled with ever-prevailing contractualisation and outright threats of dismissals has been an issue making the working class assert further the need for decent living even despite this repressive situation, what more in this pandemic-driven crisis. The region is also the laboratory of the worst wage situation-that besides with the implementation of RA 6727 which varies with the wages of different regions, this was also the first implementation of the "two-tiered wage system" that not only regulates the national minimum wage but also reduces workers' wages in by setting two wage levels; The floor wage and incentive or productivity wage. Worse yet, the wage system varies by province, city/town and based on the development of a region such as a region.growth corridor area and emerging growth area is further worsened than are applied to the system of slave wage.

According to the December 1, 2019 data, the minimum wage applied to CALABARZON in the non-agricultural sector was from Php317-400 and Php303-372 in the agricultural sector compared to the existing of Php500-537 in Metro Manila and Central Luzon Php393-400 (P339 in Aurora). But as far as in Metro Manila goes, the minimum wage goes down and wage rationalization also sets wage variations based on the categories of areas as growth corridor area (Php325-400), emerging growth area (Php317.50- 344) and resource based area (Php317-327). In Mimaropa, the prevailing wage is Php294-320. It lacks the basic financial support equivalent to the Php1,099 needed of a family of 6 members so they can eat 3 meals a day.

***

By looking back at history and in seeing the ever continuing past, the laboring folk has a duty to enlight its fellow, unite, and to fight back for their rights. This celebration of labour is more than just recognising their hard work and creativity, but also to remember the hard earned struggles to defend and to fight further in this time of repression and injustice.

In fact, this celebration has contributed to the story of a struggle for nationhood as calls for independence and sovereignty been clamoured alongside higher wages and better working conditions. These calls may somehow continue to resonate as interest seeking compradores and despotic landlords alike continues to repress the folk while pretending they are all for prosperity and development, what more that with the present administration's fascistic agenda comes a myriad of threats, harassments, and outright arrests all because of a belief in national and social liberation.

With this, right is to say that the history of the Philippines also corresponds to history of class struggles.

And that through the working folk lies a nation's future. The working masses have no hope for the impoverished, neglected and murderous order. Thus it is necessary to rely on one's own strength and act for one's own class interests and to strengthen their ranks and collective struggle. It is only necessary for the workers and the masses to be more united, alert, and organized in order to have a strong and broad voice in launching militant actions to defend its rights and to assert justice both in the workplace and in the society.

"COVID19, Neo-liberal policies and Chinese Imperialism"

"COVID19, Neo-liberal policies and Chinese Imperialism"

By Prof. Edberto Malvar Villegas

Background:

Originally posted in social media site Facebook, this article made some months ago was presented in two parts and given in three posts: The first part covers "COVID19 in the Phillippines", "The Imperialist Neo-Liberal Policies of the IMF-WB-WTO", and the "The Neo-Liberal Policies and US Overproduction". The second part comprises "The Emergence of Chinese Imperialism", "China's AIIB", "China's Debt Trap", "The US-China Rivalry and COVID19" and the "Conclusion". 

While the rapid spread of COVID19 in the Philippines is due to its poor health system because of the policies of the IMF-WB, the virus was directly caused by the easy entry of Chinese nationals into the country due to the too open accommodation of the Duterte's adminstration of Chinese imperialism.

I

COVID19 in the Philippines

The COVID19 pandemic has put into full light the long neglect of the Philippine government of its health system because of its strict adherence to the neo-liberal policies of deregulation and privatization initiated by the Group of 7 capitalist nations, led by the US, in the developing countries, starting in the latter 1970's, Private hospitals in the Philippines, which purchase their  drugs and other medical  supplies from the foreign multinational corporations (MNCs) have continuously increased their prices, as the government has abided by the deregulation policy. Hospitalization for an ordinary Filipino worker costs three months or more of his monthly wages. Even government hospitals like PGH, because of government low priority for health, have hiked   their fees and reduced the number of their free patients to still remain viable. Further, the Duterte government is planning to privatize 33 out of 72 government hospitals like the National Orthopedic, the National Center for Mental Health, the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, Dr. Jesus Fabella Maternity Hospital and others. (InquirerNet) These policies of deregulation of prices and eventual privatization of public hospitals have compromised the quality of health services extended to the general public so that  when Covid 19 came roaring into our shores, brought by Chinese tourists, there was a dire lack of PPE (personal protective equipment) like face masks and shields, long sleeve gowns, gloves and respirators for health workers. Ventilators and hospital beds for COVID19 patients were inadequate. Testing for the virus was also very limited so that people may not  even be aware that their neighbor is already Covid positive. 

The Philippines due to its unprepared health system coupled with the gross incompetence of  Duterte  has become no. 1 by April 15, 2020 with COVID positive people in Southeast Asia with 5,222 cases and 335 deaths followed by Malaysia with 4,917 cases and 77 deaths. (Statista) The martial-law like implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), only in the Philippines, has added more sufferings to the inhabitants of Luzon apart from the high costs of hospitalization if they catch the virus. 

The low regard of the Philippine government for the health of its people compared to its payment of foreign debts is shown by the constant decrease of its health budget through the years. For example, from 2016 to 2020, the health budget declined by 11% from P113 billion to P101 billion. (DOH  website) The DOH measly P101 billion in the 2020 national budget is far below that of the payment for interest alone for foreign and local debts of P451 billion and the budget for the Armed Forces at P192 billion in the same year.(2020 national budget) In the Philippines there is only 1 doctor to every 33,000 Filipinos when the required ratio should be 1  to 1000 and it is worse for the no. of nurses at 1 to 50,000. Thousands of Filipino nurses and doctors go abroad to work since there is a lack of job opportunities in the country and salaries are very low. This is why 6 out of 10 Filipinos die without seeing a doctor. (Ibon) Philhealth, which seeks to lower the costs of hospitalization,has been mired in corruption and some have even called for its abolition.

Private hospitals cannot be relied upon to meet the growing health needs of Fillpinos because their expertise are concentrated on the sickness of the rich like cancer and heart diseases and give less priority to contagious diseases like the COVID19 pandemic which hit the poor the most. Infectious diseases fall under the category of public health concerns which government hospitals are supposed to be more expected to address. Private hospitals exist primarily to profit from the sick after all and not for public service. The inequity of Philippine society has come to the fore because of the Covid pandemic with more poor dying from it than the rich.This is further exacerbated because the costs of medicines in the  Philippines are also the highest in Southeast Asia, benefiting the foreign pharmaceutical MNCs like Pfizer, Wyeth, Sanofi Aventis and Abbot that dominate the drug industry in the country. 

The Neo-Liberal Policies of the IMF-WB-WTO

The reason why the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, the implementers of neo-liberal policies in the Philippines,have demanded privatization and deregulation in the country's health system is that these financial institutions, both dominated by US capital, want the government to prioritize the payments of foreign debts obtained from the Group of 7 nations. The priority for the defrayment of   debts has been made legal by PD 1177, an obsolete law passed during the martial law regime of Marcos which should have long been abolished after EDSA I. This law allows the automatic appropriation  for  debts in the national budget so that if our debts grow so huge, there may be 0 budget left for health and other social services like education and social welfare..This is  why the government, in order to meet its debt obligations,  has also  squeezed more taxes like Train 1 and 2 (VATs required by the IMF-WB) from the masses since the rich has preferential treatment for decrease in taxes from the Duterte regime.  

       

Among all nations, the Philippines has been the most obedient client of the IMF(the Fund) with 34 stand-by agreements with this institution (completed in 2002). The debts of the Philippines from the IMF-WB consortium has resulted in the high foreign debts of the country, reaching $83.7 billion at present (2020), which still includes the debts stolen by Marcos and his family and new loans from Chinese banks (to be discussed later) The Duterte government has borrowed the greatest percentage of our foreign debts during only its four years in office. (Ibon) 

     

Accompanying the stand-by agreements with the Fund are the structural adjustment programs (SAPs) dictated by the WB (the Bank) as conditions for  new loans from it and the Fund and from their bank clubs, called the London club and the Paris club. Capitalist banks need to acquire profits from their surplus capital and those of their big depositors, the industrial and commercial capitalists, and they do this by lending this capital to other nations, particularly in the Third World for it to earn  interests instead of just lying idle. Loans of surplus capital, particularly to other sovereign nations, also aid the capitalist countries to  offset the falling rate of profit due to overproduction in the firms of the industrial capitalists.(to be discussed below).  And the IMF-WB, their protector, make sure that those who borrow this surplus capital from capitalist banks and their investors will pay their debts on time. Thus, the stand-by agreements of the Fund and the SAPs of the Bank.The tie-up between the financial capitalists who own banks and other financial institutions with the industrial capitalists(commercial capitalists sell the goods of the industrial capitalists)  is what constitutes the "financial oligarchy" or monopoly capitalism(imperialism).

     

The WB various SAPs covered industry, the energy sector, the financial sector and agriculture. The main thrust of these SAPs is trade liberalization in developing countries, aside from its policies of privatization and deregulation. Trade liberalization of goods was more fervidly pushed after the long-delayed founding of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995. WTO became the third member of the capitalist triad, apart from the Fund and the Bank. The Philippine Agreement on Agriculture (AoA) in 1996 with the WTO has become the most oppressive of all the country's trade agreements with the capitalist nations, killing local agriculture particularly the planting of staple crops of rice and corn, and pauperizing millions of Filipino peasants and farm workers. The capitalist nations, particularly the US, were dumping their surplus agricultural products on the Philippines to avoid overproduction. The increasing importation of rice by the country demanded by AoA eventually made the Philippines to become the no. 1 importer of this crop in the world  by early 2000 in spite of its very fertile soil. There was extensive land conversions accompanying the AoA, favoring the compradore bourgeoisie in the real-estate business, like the Villars and the Ayalas, because agricultural lands were being turned into subdivisions and leisure places for the rich like golf courses and high-class resorts.

The Neo-liberal Policies and US Overproduction

The neo-liberal policies, particularly trade liberalization, were adopted by the capitalist triad due to the growing crisis of overproduction of goods of US monopoly capitalism or imperialism, which started to manifest itself again in the middle of the 1970's after a lull of 25 years.(Brenner, 1998) After the war periods which ended in 1976, comprising World War II, the Korean and the Vietnam wars, the rate of profits of US corporations were falling by a worrying 40% caused by overproduction of goods as production for wars has ceased. It is always profitable for the US military industrial complex (MIC) or the American monopoly capitalists to have wars in the world so that they can sell their war materiel to the US government which cost so high. It is to be noted that during the US war with Iraq in 2003, the American economy grew by 4.3%, the highest after the lull and never attained since then. After hot war periods (the US MIC's profit from the cold war with the USSR was less compared to the hot wars), in order to offset the continuing decline in their rates of profits, more and more US corporations and even other foreign corporations were turning to the financial market, particularly the stock market to sell and buy  stocks and other financial papers,for their surplus capital to earn profits through credits. This is the reason why after hot wars, bubble economies grow and burst, victimizing ordinary people who also buy the stocks of the capitalists. The worst of such bursting after the 1929  Great Depression in the US caused by a plunge of stock values in Wall St. was the financial crisis of 2008, which also originated in Wall St., the center of world capitalist activities.

     

The growing poverty in the developing countries, which includes the Philippines, manifested, among other social factors, by the inaccessibility of the poor to affordable health care is due to the imperialist neo-liberal policies implemented by the IMF-WB. (from Adjustments Effects on Child Welfare, Cornia, 1990)  In truth, there has long been a pandemic of poverty among the lower echelons of society in the developing countries as shown by the fact that in the Philippines alone, 85 children  on the average die every day due to malnourishment, (31,000/year), higher than from any contagious disease that has visited the country.(Save the Children. org) This is a foregone conclusion since the SAPs affecting the health systems and other aspects of society and  the payments of their foreign debts cause the client state of the Group of 7 to suffer budget deficits and they are made to raise more taxes to continue paying their debts and to balance their budgets. The IMF stand- by agreements. are euphemistically called by the IMF-WB "stabilization programs" to attain supposedly stable economic fundamentals, meaning for governments to balance their budgets with savings to boot, the latter of course adding to the defrayment of foreign debts.

II

China's Debt Trap

     

The Philippines, which is an original founder of the AIIB and is a participant in the Belt and Silk Road initiative, has borrowed from the bank the amount of $217 million for development of infrastructures in the NCR. Duterte has also borrowed from the Chinese government-owned Eximbank, which will finance 19 of his 75 projects under his vaunted Build-Build-Build (BBB) program, which includes a P4.37 billion loan for the Chico dam and P12.2 billion for the Kaliwa dam. It is to be noted that out of the BBB 75 projects, only 9 are barely starting and it is the last lap of Duterte's term. Where are all the borrowed money from China, with its high interest of 2% per annum, 10 times higher than Japanese loans? It may be just lying idle in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or being used elsewhere than its intended purpose.

       

We fear that the Philippines will just fall into another debt trap with China as it has with loans from the IMF and WB. Zambia, Djibouti, Guyana, Pakistan and Sri-Lanka are already in the deadly grip of such Chinese debt traps with Sri-Lanka having to give up its Hambantota port in its southernmost part to defray unpaid loans from Chlna. The acquisition of Hambantota was accomplished through the help of a $8 million bribe the Chinese extended to Sri-Lanka president Rajapaska to support his presidential campaign. (New York Times, April 20, 2019) Actually, China Construction Company, the parent company of China Harbor which constructed the Hambantota port, using Chinese workers, was banned by the WB from participating in  the biddings for the Bank's projects for 8 years due to corrupt practices in the Philippines. (Forbes, op. cit.)

     

China has insidiously inserted in its loan contracts with other countries a provision which specifies that  in case of a default on its loans, a country must give up its immunity of sovereign rights and forfeit property, which  could include land and sea. This is found in the contract for the Philippine loan for the Kaliwa Dam in Article 8.1(Waiver of immunity). Such onerous provision has also been included in China's loan contracts with other developing countries like Guyana, Zambia and Kyrgystan (Rappler, Made in China, 2019) Workers in Kitwi, Zambia, have protested such odious condition, rioting and battling police and attacking  Chinese shops, when they found out that their government-owned timber company, ZAFFICO, will be turned over to China since their political leaders could not pay a loan to Beijing. They were afraid that they will be replaced by Chinese  workers as Chinese investors are wont to do in countries where they operate. Beijing. confronted with such violent reactions to its planned acquisition of ZAFFICO, restructured the loan. (Forbes, ibid.) 

     

China's "debt diplomacy" is a military as well as an economic strategy in its  fierce  competition with the US to control vital sea and land routes. China has docked its submarines at Hambatota port in Sri-Lanka since it is located in a  strategic area near the Suez Canal where thousands of ships, including 4,500 oil tankers pass by annually. Beijing has also already installed military facilities in the Spratly Group of islands in the West Philippine  Sea (South China sea to Beijing) as its route is traversed by 50% of world trade yearly. . The weak Philippine Rodrigo Duterte has accommodated, in fact acceded to China's takeover of the Spratly islands, even though they lie within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, whose claim to the area was  upheld by the UN arbitral tribunal at the Hague in 2016. Duterte refuses to assert  the Philippines's sovereign rights to Spratlys, claiming China will declare war on his country if he did. What a deriliction of duty!  He should resign or be booted out from power if he is such a wimp of a president that he cannot even defend the. integrity of the country. China consequently warned US ships from patrolling in the  vicinity of the Spratly's Groups of islands, insisting they lie within its territorial jurisdiction.

US and China's Rivalry and Covid 19

      

The deadlock struggle of US and China to control global  trade has even led them of accusing each other of creating COVID19 in the other's respective laboratory for biological warfare. US military scientists say that COVID19 is a man-made combination of viruses obtained from bats and pangolins which accidentally leaked out from a lab in Wuhan, China, due to faulty handling. They debunked China's claim that the virus came from bats in a wet-market in Wuhan as a cover-up since there are no bats for sale in that market. The lab concerned is  only several blocks away from the market. Chinese officials fired back that  the virus came from a lab in Fort Derrick, US, and  was brought to China by American soldiers during a military sports competition in Wuhan in October, 2019, (Read the arguments of both sides which are replete in the internet and decide for yourself.) Be that as it may, whether COVID19 originated from a Chinese or American lab for biological warfare, its effect on the world has been devastating with hundreds of thousands dying from it. The deadly activities of the imperialist powers to prepare for war against each other by creating dangerous viruses in their labs  should be condemned by the UN and  an investigation started by this body on the real origin of this world pandemic after we have passed through it. 

      

The quarrel between American and Chinese imperialists is also adversely affecting the job security of US workers caused by the raising of tariffs by the Trump government on goods coming from China, leading to the rising ;of production costs in American firms and the retrenchment of workers. (In the US, it is to be noted that the top 1/10 of 1% of Americans own almost as much wealth as the bottom 90%, according to erstwhile candidate for US president, Senator Bernie Sanders, based on the findings of his research team..) We do not know the effects of the US-China trade war in Chinese factories, since Xi Jinping's government is very secretive regarding the going-on in his society.

Conclusion

      

We will survive this COVID pandemic, but there is still a heavy responsibility facing  all of us. 

US monopoly capitalism (imperialism) and its rival, China, with its equally rapacious imperialism, are causing the Filipino masses and other peoples of the world to be  impoverished, while their leaders subservient to the imperialists wallow in wealth and power. Indeed, imperialism with its predatory activities and its contradictions, primarily its warlike nature using the masses as cannon fodder, is the scourge of humankind. Imperialism must be finally expunged from the face of the earth in order to uphold the well-being of the exploited classes, the wretched of societies, and to prevent the destruction of our planet caused by  capitalist greed. A new generation of socially-dedicated and unselfish individuals, coming from a united front led by the enlightened working classes with their allies, both national and international, must arise to finally dismantle the dominance  of those whose  main concern is to plunder for profit no matter the costs.

A new world order must be built to advance first and foremost the welfare ot the majority classes and zealously guard the rights of all persons. History is calling each of us to be counted in this new generation and contribute what we can to accomplish this great task for the salvation of our species and our mother earth. 

"Of using the Pandemic for an Orderist tendency"

"Of using the Pandemic for an Orderist tendency"

(Or: how the regime uses the Pandemic crisis
as pretext to broaden its rule, step up repressive policies)

As in the past, the order continues to broaden its rule using the pandemic as its situation.

That despite inadequate and inefficient measures the order still retains its crookedness such as in times of massive death and general uncertainty. It is unsurprising for no matter he recognise the efforts, of promising the folk of greater care, this doesn't mean he will give up his arrogance but rather utilising this kind of scenario to further consolidate and even extend this rotten rule while the rest as trying to battle both this pandemic threat and the imminent risk of poverty, unemployment, and hunger. 

What more that along with sanctioned legal maneuvers and increasing militarisation both in cities and in the countryside the regime is all but "business as usual", but this time it "has to be maximised by the fullest extent" be it "flatten the curve" or the much obvious "restoring peace and order". 

However, on the whole, the Philippines continues to suffer from the issues brought about by the order. No matter how the order tries to mitigate, its statements and its actions spoil the "efforts" or making the scenario an opportunity to push through their agenda whether to "flatten the curve", "restore peace and order", or "promote development.

For as the folk awaits changes in strategy to control this pandemic situation, plots and maneuvers in the bureaucracy ran aplenty such as "efforts to amend the constitution" to those of toying the idea to enforce martial law particularly on the basis of supposed "lawlessness" and "rebellion." The latter, despite being old news, continues to be a major issue for the order no matter it lacks in details yet still an alibi for the order "to save face" amidst an already embarrassing minsmanagement while grabbing more power for himself. It became pretext to step up military attacks in the countryside, police action in the cities, and a myriad of threats towards the opposition whether in actual or in social media. 

And to think that the order continues to rob the people of public funds by not channeling the presidential budget to health, social services, and in the sciences his "militarised" solution of lock downs has deprived the folk of incomes, means of livelihood, food, and public transport to any medical facility or their place of employment. Furthermore, the regime has not fulfilled the promise of providing food assistance to 18 million families, social compensation for wages lost, mass testing and treatment of patients for Covid-19 and other illnesses, and adequate compensation and protective gear for the health workers. The folk had to depend on charity from the private sector including those who take opportunity to make profits in connivance with state authorities.

But regardless of their statements and actions, the regime has no real intent to fight this pandemic but to advance its orderist agenda. For as in the past statements, having a regime crazed by power and greed has well-exposed its malice and evil character. That with his political allies in one hand and attack dogs on the other, this scheme of repression and disenfranchisement intensifies regardless of their denials and blamegames. 

This scheme somehow will continue with or without this pandemic; and that the Filipino folk will bear in their collective memory the months of Duterte's complacency and its ill consequences. But despite this negligence, and the myriad of attacks on human and civil rights of the folk the folk themselves will fight back all for accountability and justice. 

"No threat can hinder the solidarity of the folk!"

"No threat can hinder the solidarity of the folk!"

As in the past, the recent statements brought by president Duterte is all but wanting to upheld the ever-continuing order instead of immediately supporting the needs of the people.

For as the Coronavirus has exposed the rottenness of the present social order in which the government favours its inner circle while the rest of the nation is left to fend off for themselves, the government's failure to resolve the medical crisis has made the matter quickly escalated into a catastrophe affecting the lives and livelihoods especially those of the poor instead of ensuring their medical and overall wellbeing.

What more to think that the administration rather chose to vent rage on the opposition, be it the left or individuals like Diokno or Trillanes, this shows how its leader and its apologists fail to admit and correct its mistake in handling the situation- much similar to misleadingly alluding poverty to laziness while seeing interest seekers using the situation to ever-prevail their interests. From this somehow finds it difficult on how to control the virus and instead aggravating it.

Worse, to hear such unreasonable line of thinking alternates with threats to use violence, toying with Martial Rule for instance, against those who would disobey Duterte's orders.

But this doesn't stop the people from getting worried about. Many families suffer hunger, anxiety, and uncertainty as the order's task force fails to create a sound policy. Yes the community quarantine is still ongoing according to their statements, but it has nor realigned enough funds to build new facilities, support frontliners, set up factories to produce equipment for protection, mass screening, and testing. But instead pinpointing the opposition for all the woes.

Meanwhile his lackeys continue to express hope that China may still support its effort in curbing COVID19, even borrowing more money from international lending agencies, and relying largely on corporate support, charity from private citizens when there is already 275 billion allocated from the "Bayanihan to Heal as One" act, not to mention the existing funds from the Office of the President itself. Unjust delays in the so-called "Social Amelioration Program" also exposes reluctance from the order to provide immediate relief while prioritising funding to increase "hazard pay" for both police and military personnel. The recent statement of offering millions to those who able to create vaccine to combat COVID19 also showed its mercenary-like treatment of handling the situation, while failing to assemble experts from the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Health, Bureau of Food and Drugs, and known Pharmaceutical Companies all to create a sound program to help the struggling health sector, much more that the supposed "action program" being bragged about all remains in paper.

All in all, for almost four months into the pandemic, the regime's measures continue to remain half-baked while largely retaining its militarist nature. The regime, no matter how it appears itself as "concerning" given the situation, still finds its time and effort to use its attack dogs with the purpose of destroying dissent, be it in a form of false reports to those of combat operations. With the unbounded emergency powers that the Congress has given to him, he use it rather to make excuse for his orderist agenda, of making miserable excuses, pinpointing, and dictatorial manouvres while being inefficient and incompetent in ensuring sound medical and social services to the folk.

From this note, one would say that the statements ever brought by Duterte remains the same. With or without the pandemic the agenda of the administration remains orderist in outlook while acting vassal-like towards International interests. China will always continue its foothold in the disputed isles in the West Philippine Sea, coupled with existing unequal agreements including those from the United States. The order will always continue its debt-driven policy while trying to impress the folk that development is still undergoing.

And that by refusing to heed the demand of the folk, what more of repressing them by "just obey" dogma and its myriad of threats, the folk themselves, both having the fear of the pandemic and the desperation to live and earn a living, continues to fight by any means. Words like "immediate and sufficient social support" has been overheard no matter the order tries to suppress their calls, that mutual aid from various groups cultivated solidarity in spite of attempts to curb their movement by the order, that "seeking truth from facts" has pursued, exposing and opposing how the administration has been acting against its people no matter how its apologists as trying to control its situation.

Regardless if the threat, be it the pandemic or the order's repetitive threats, the folk will not yield. No threat will cower the solidarity of the folk.

"When will this pandemic-driven braggadocio stop?"

"When will this pandemic-driven braggadocio stop?"

Over the past weeks, the Duterte regime has embarked a PR campaign regarding this Corona Virus-driven onslaught. 

By mounting one publicity stunt after another, the regime seem to show how "successful" its action in "controlling the spread of this pandemic", while failing to procure the necessary needs especially for frontliners and the reluctance to carry out testing on a massive scale to determine the actual extent of the spread.

It is also from their statements that the regime caims that the Philippines as one of the lowest incidence of NCOV19 infection in Asia, when in fact thousands remain infected by this pandemic which stretches the national health system into its limits.

Obviously, the statements are meant to placate and pacify the folk in the face of growing concern, if not an outright discontent brought by the "Enhanced Community Quarantine" nor its failure to extend social assistance, or even its initial rants towards the opposition and its concern-driven acts.
What more in carrying out its amelioriation program as rather driven by popular compulsion. It came too little, too late as it promises to provide financial assistance to the folk. The assistance, however, cannot cover the rising cost of living especially in this extended lockdown. Worse, to see reports of zero assistance in the countryside with peasants suffered after preventing them from selling their agricultural produce resulting in financial losses and spoilage of much needed food in the urban areas. This problem, along with existing agrarian issues like oppressive land rents, low farm wages, and forced dislocations aggravated the peasant situation even in this time of pandemic crisis.

But despite these acts this doesn't stop the people from getting concerned be it the accuracy of the report or how the regime has treated its constituents. They are not appeased by the sugar-coated sentiments as they have been without work and depending on limited assistance, but instead, rising criticisms over the meagre anount alloted by the regime been overheard after Duterte plays a different tune "worrying" where to get money for the needed assistance.

The daily cost of food and other necessities have eaten up their meager savings, while Local Government Units, Churches, and some concerned private individuals are calling for much needed support to sustain individuals, families, and communities.

For sure apologists would continue to cling in the promises their idol stated for  days especially as criticism intensifies. They would justify furher police actions while failing to speak on the growing need for mass testing, what more of condoning realignments in the national budget, favouring tourism and infrastructure projects to appease international funders; or keeping defence, and the intelligence budgets bloated rather than reallocate towards health and social welfare. This obvious indifference, as shown by temporary facilities, lack of equipment and necessary improvements, as well as the much needed salary increases for health workers would say that the regime has long neglected these concerned folk, placing the national health system at risk while praising them hypocritically as "heroes". 

To cut this note short, that in the face of aggravating crisis, the Filipino folk chose to seek truth from facts rather than appeased by the claims brought about by the order; what more that these folks themselves, having enough of the imposed situation and the braggadocio shown in the television screens and in social media sites are willing to raise their voices in indignation all despite various threats to have them arrested or shot dead.