In First Sona, Aquino Promises Windfall for Business, ‘Not Much’ for Poor Filipinos Published on July 27, 2010

In First Sona, Aquino Promises Windfall for Business, ‘Not Much’ for Poor Filipinos

Published on July 27, 2010

By MARYA SALAMAT

With reports from Janess Ann J. Ellao, Ronalyn V. Olea, and Anne Marxze D. Umil
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – They did not really expect much but when Benigno Aquino III ran true to form and, in his first State of the Nation Address, “remained true to his class as a big modern landlord,” progressive Filipinos still felt “dismayed.”

“We did not really expect him to talk about land reform,” said Greg Ratin, 45, a farmer from Negros Occidental. Yet, Ratin was still disappointed to say that “we have nothing to gain from his presidency.” Their livelihood, he said, is in danger despite the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) because a lot of lands under CARP coverage are subject to land-use conversion. In Hacienda Luisita, the sugar plantation in Tarlac owned by Aquino’s family, more military troops have been deployed and are patrolling the area in full battle gear.

In his first Sona where he was expected to outline the direction of his presidency, Aquino did not mention — not even once — the words “land reform,” as Renato Reyes Jr., secretary-general of Bayan (New Patriotic Alliance), pointed out in the closing speech of his group’s “People’s Sona” rally along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. “Is it because it would open too many hacienda issues?” Reyes asked. “Or because he has too many campaign contributors from hacienda owners?”.... MORE

Source:  Bulatlat

URL: http://www.bulatlat.com/main/2010/07/27/in-first-sona-aquino-promises-windfall-for-business-%E2%80%98next-to-nothing%E2%80%99-for-filipino-poor/