Makabayan Coalition and people’s agenda

HAPPY WEEKEND
Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- Leaders of Makabayan-Mountain Province and partylistKatribu called on candidates running for the May 13 elections to support people’s agenda and push for change in politics.

In a press conference, Makabayan Secretariat and Apit Montanosa chairman Santos Pul-okan cited community issues –large scale mining, renewable energy, high yielding crop varieties, militarization- needing people’s informed stand to be supported by politicians running for this year’s national and local elections.

Pul-okan called for the development of indigenous seed varieties to be propagated to sustain production and income instead of high yielding varieties which command high commercial fertilizer inputs and deplete soil fertility while posing unsecured income.

In the light of the controversial wind farm atop Pilaw and Langsayan ridge between Sagada and Besao towns proposed by Manila-based Philcarbon, Makabayan Secretariat and Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA)-Mountain Province chairman Marcelo Daweg instead called for community-managed renewable energy projects and not big energy industries controlled by capitalists.

Daweg and Pul-okan called for the repeal of the EPIRA Law providing only 1% share of host communities; and called for government to operate energy projects rather than big private companies.

In same event Joyce Lipato, Mountain Province Youth Alliance called on the non- imposition of budget cut for state universities and colleges to enable quality education.

Provincial coordinator of Katribu Partylist Elmo Patil-ao called for the building of local teams to prop up support for Katribupartylist.

While Makabayan Coalition has party lists Migrante, Gabriela, Piston, Anak Pawis and other Makabayan party list member groups including Katribu, it was forwarded that Katribu get highlighted in indigenous peoples areas.

The Makabayan Coalition is also propping up the candidacy of current Bayan Muna representative and now senatorial candidate Teddy Casino.