Protests launched as Duterte begins last year in office

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan group and other militant groups protested on June 30, marking the last year in office of President Rodrigo Duterte.

They gathered on España Boulevard in Manila and, at the same time, marched to Mendiola to condemn the administration, which they said was known for the bloody war on drugs.

“Nagbibilang tayo ng araw, kung saan siya ay mananagot sa kaniyang mga kasalanan. Sinusuportahan natin yung panawagan na mapanagot ang Presidente hanggang sa International Criminal Court,” said Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes.

Malacañang maintains that the administration has done a lot to fight drugs, corruption, and red tape in the past 5 years of the president.

“Marami po tayong nakamit sa mga ipinangako ni Presidente, lalo na sa laban sa ipinagbabawal na droga,” said Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

Also, under Duterte’s term, several important measures such as free tuition in state colleges and universities and the Universal Health Care Law were passed.

According to Malacañang, this last year of the Duterte administration, the vaccination program against COVID-19 and ensuring the general health of Filipinos in the midst of the pandemic will be a priority.

Protests launched as Duterte begins last year in office

For Roque, this is the right balance in protecting the people against COVID-19 and economic growth.

“For the rest of the term, number 1, tutok tayo sa bakuna, kasi ang bakuna ang magbabalik buhay sa atin. Pangalawa, ‘yong achievement of total health,” said Roque.

“When we say total health, hindi natin pinagpipilian ang kalusugan o ekonomiya. Ang total health po kasi, mapababa mo nga ang COVID, gutom naman ang tao, nasaan ang health? Kung bumaba ang kaso ng COVID, tumaas naman ang cases of poverty and malnutrition, you don’t have a healthy population,” he added.

The Philippines is number 52 out of 53 countries in terms of the number of vaccinated people, the severity of lockdowns, flight capacity, and vaccinated travel routes.

“Hindi po natin maikakaila na talagang malaki po ang naging epekto ng pandemya sa ekonomiya. Pero ang ating economic team naman ay kampante na tayo po ay unti-unti nang bumabangon at tuluyang makakabangon,” said Roque.