News Release
June 7, 2010

The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan today clarified news reports that it will not give incoming president Benigno Aquino III the traditional “honeymoon” period that is expected of a new president.

“We’d rather not use the term ‘honeymoon’, but that doesn’t mean we will not give the incoming Aquino administration the initial benefit of the doubt as regards its particular campaign promises on its first 100 days. As we have said before, we will remain vigilant. We would be watching how the next government will fulfill its election promises. We would be willing to engage the new government on issues such as the prosecution of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and achieving justice for human rights victims,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

“We will also be advancing legitimate people’s demands focused on the economy, human rights and foreign policy. Not just a mere ‘wish list’ for the next government, these crucial issues and demands will be advanced through actual campaigns and mass struggles at the grassroots and national levels,” Reyes added.

Bayan said that it will take a principled stand vis-a-vis the incoming Aquino presidency and says that there are high expectations that Aquino makes true his promise of good governance or the so-called “daang matuwid”.

“We should go beyond the concept of a ‘honeymoon’ and instead focus on the issues and reforms that need to be addressed by the next government. We would rather look at the coming months as a period to challenge the new government to fulfill its promises and to address the people’s issues and demands. It should also be a period of vigilance by the people. We should also be critical when the situation requires it,” Reyes said.

Bayan said that mass actions in the coming days will be focused on getting “immediate economic relief for the people, getting justice for human rights victims” as well as making sure that the outgoing Arroyo government “would be made accountable for its many crimes against the people.”

Aquino has vowed to prosecute and jail the perpetrators of human rights abuses during a recent meeting with representatives of the European Union.

“Many of the issues and demands are the same ones raised even during previous regimes. These are the still unresolved issues of poverty, unemployment, land reform and national sovereignty. These are the same issues that previous governments failed to address. It will be a big test for the incoming administration if it will finally resolve these issues of the marginalized sectors,” Reyes said.

Reference: Renato M. Reyes, Jr.
Bayan Secretary General

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