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Under his presidential administration farmers, especially those in Hacienda Luisita–which is owned by his family, continue to demand for genuine land reform. Until today Hacienda Luisita farmers, like most farmers all over the country, do not still own the land they till; they remain at the mercy of big landlords and business corporations. Agriculture in the country remains primitive amid calls for mechanization of farm labor. Farmers’ call for government subsidy, amid the soaring prices of farm inputs and the impending full implementation of the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, have fallen on deaf ears.

The demand of workers, both in the government and private sectors, for a legislated nationwide minimum wage amid continuing price increases for basic goods and services have fallen on deaf ears as well. Even job security or the security of tenure is threatened by the contractualization scheme, which has been fortified by labor policies under President Aquino’s administration. Not to mention the growing number of unemployed and underemployed Filipinos, which he uses to justify the intensified labor export program, putting at risk millions of Filipinos in unfamiliar grounds in other countries. Many of the unemployed and underemployed are left with two options: to die in hunger at home or to die from abuse in another country.

Under his watch Indigenous peoples’ ancestral territories remain the target for development projects such as mining and energy. He has opened the country’s national patrimony to foreign business companies for plunder amid strong opposition from Indigenous peoples. He, just like his predecessors, refuse to understand that Indigenous peoples regard their land and its sustenance as precious as their life.

After calling the Filipino people his boss, he went on disobeying their wishes. Worst is when the people protest and demand for what is due them, they are met with violence. Extrajudicial killings and human rights violations did not stop under his term. His Oplan Bayanihan has been proven to be a continuation of the previous anti-insurgency Oplans under his predecessors. All the military Oplans were violent and damn right cruel, but the present Oplan is much more deceitful, posing to bring peace and development but actually delivering chaos and death mostly to the hapless.

Shall we continue to just enumerate? The design and practice of the pork barrel scheme and DAP to mask the distribution of government funds into the pockets of his favored politicians, the blunder in the handling of the hostaged Hong Kong tourists, the surrender of Philippine sovereignty in the signing of the EDCA, the condemnation of Filipino overseas workers to the unfamiliar cultures and foreign justice systems without the benefit of government legal assistance, the increase of incidence of violence against women and children, and among others to cream it, is the recent Mamasapano massacre of Filipino combatants on both sides and a number of civilians for a bounty on two alleged terrorists.

Moreover, he refuses to accept what clearly are his mistakes. He arrogantly insists that he is flawless. And when push comes to shove he would flaunt the heroism of his parents and hide behind their shadow to cover for his incompetence.

In all of these, does any president in his shoes deserve your vote and remain in office? # nordis.net