Max Lane
"The mobilisations on July 23 when Arroyo gave her state of the nation address to Congress were the biggest since the anti-Arroyo actions began", Sonny Melencio told Green Left Weekly by phone on July 27. Melencio is vice-chair of Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP — Filipino Worker Solidarity), one of the largest militant unions in Manila.
Melencio is also a member of the coordinating committee of Laban ng Masa, the coalition of left political groups and unions that has formed as part of the movement against Philippines President Gloria Arroyo. "We estimate that there were about 80,000 people mobilised around Manila and there were a range of strike actions and street barricade protests as well, though many of these were not reported in the media. In some cities outside Manila there were also transport strikes."
Melencio said these mobilisations still represented primarily the efforts of the organised left, comprising the Laban ng Masa and the left bloc BAYAN. "There is also an opposition developing within the bourgeoisie, organised mainly in the United Opposition group. This is a heterogeneous group made up of elements from the bourgeoisie who are excluded from power and from disaffected elements in the lower levels of the government.
"Many of the former are organised around elements linked to the former ousted president, Joseph Estrada, who still has some popular support. One of these Estrada-linked groups is led by former leaders in the left movement — 'Horacia Boy' Morales and Ed de le Torre. They have set up Unity for Truth and Justice.
"These forces are still opposed to Arroyo. Her state of the nation speech promising constitutional reform has not satisfied them."
In her speech, Arroyo said she supported the idea of constitutional reform to shift to a parliamentary system, where the head of government would be a prime minister elected in the parliament rather than a directly elected president. This proposal has been pushed by former president General Fidel Ramos, who is still closely linked with the army's top brass.
Melencio stressed that he did not think this push for constitutional change would go far or help to reduce opposition to Arroyo. "It is just a diversion and already many people in the Senate are opposing this move. The process that everybody is watching now is the steps taken in the Congress to start an impeachment process against her. There will be broad sentiment supporting such a move."
On July 28, Arroyo made another statement saying that she intended to stay as president until her term ended in 2010, despite any constitutional changes. "This will galvanise support for her impeachment or even her resignation. More and more people are realising that 'people's power' is the only solution", said Melencio. "What is needed now is the broadest possible anti-Arroyo coalition that can provide the atmosphere to keep the street mobilisations going. It will be the mass protests that can bring about change and this will better develop with such a coalition in existence."
"It is not clear if the impeachment process will succeed, given the support for Arroyo among the elite politicians in the Congress", Melencio added, but it "will keep the whole issue of Arroyo's fate on the top of the public agenda. The left members of Congress will also have the chance, as signatories to impeachment papers, to publicly explain their views on the grounds for impeachment. This will be another arena for us to raise our criticisms."
Laban ng Masa is continuing to raise the concept of a transitional revolutionary government. "Previous people's power upheavals in the Philippines have simply changed personnel. The political elite, the trapols [traditional politicians] from the big wealthy families and their hangers-on just keep control. We need a people's power upsurge that can change that pattern. That is what the idea of a transitional revolutionary government is getting at. That is why we raise the slogan 'Resign all', focusing opposition against the whole system of trapol domination.
"We are advocating that such a government be based on a governing council that would have a broad membership and include representatives of the movement, and reflect the strength of the mass actions. The mass mobilisations will be the key in everything that happens now."
Melencio explained that most other opposition forces were advocating some form of constitutional succession. Being for or against an extra-constitutional process, which would obviously need a huge mass participation, appeared to be the main dividing line in the opposition. "The other left political bloc, BAYAN, has also appeared to take up this stance now. They have usually concentrated on the demand to oust Arroyo, leaving open who they might support afterwards. But now they too have called for a caretaker council government."
Some elements in the United Opposition, such as those led by Boy Morales, have also called for a transitional governing council. "Of course, there are many debates about what such a transitional government should do. Just hold elections? Institute electoral reform and other political reforms? Yes, but we would also want it to take measures to immediately reduce the economic burden on the people by lowering prices, increasing wages, dealing with the unemployment problem, as well as instituting a moratorium on repaying the foreign debt."
There were two things that Melencio stressed regarding the prospects for the mass mobilisations to continue growing. One was the necessity for a very broad coalition that includes both those who support change outside the trapol-dominated system and the more conservative forces, uniting all the anti-Arroyo opposition. He also indicated that all these issues were being discussed among an increasingly fragmented armed forces officer corps, with some groups already declaring their opposition to Arroyo.
The other was more preparation of the mass base. "We have started a discussion at the mass base, among workers and urban poor, proposing that we start organising local workers' assemblies. We can do this first among our own forces and then try to forge alliances with other workers. Down the track we will need some kind of people's assemblies to form."
From Green Left Weekly, August 3, 2005.
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