MANILA – Different groups led by the umbrella organization, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Southern Tagalog has reached the capital for this year’s United People’s State of the Nation Address to be held on July 23, Monday at Commonwealth Ave. in Quezon City.
Dubbed as “Lakbayan ng Mamamayan Laban sa Kahirapan, Lakbayan para sa Hustisya, Demokrasya, Kalayaan at Makatarungang Kapayapaan!” (People’s March Against Poverty, March for Justice, Democracy, Freedom and Just Peace), the groups marched all the way from Sta. Rosa, Laguna carrying various calls of the people which includes the resumption of peace talks between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the Philippine government.
The Lakbayanis or those who joined the People’s March are the workers, urban poor, and fisherfolk along Laguna de Bay.
They are also in their second day of fasting in solidarity with Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) call for mercy and justice which started on July 17 until July 19.
With the group is a 14-foot tall effigy of President Duterte called as “Dutertemonyo.”
The group said it “symbolizes Rodrigo Duterte as the ultimate personification of sins and crimes against the people, characterized by utter disrespect and misogyny; neglect of people’s interest; greed; hunger for power; pro-imperialist plunder; corruption; subservience to foreign powers; fascism; and sabotage of the peace process.” 
Text by Bulatlat.com
Photos by Southern Tagalog Exposure and Ryan Reyes
