Outside Batasan Pambansa, tens of thousands braved the torrential rain, the pre-SONA threats and intimidation by state forces, and of course, the police barricade that virtually became a garrison in the middle of Commonwealth Avenue, to register intense dissatisfaction with the country’s state of affairs under Aquino. Inside, meanwhile, people’s representatives were equally defiant.
It was presumably President Aquino’s last State of the Nation Address; it felt like either an Oscar acceptance speech or a high school valedictory address. Either way, none of it expresses the true state of the nation — intense poverty and exploitation, massive gap between the wealthy few and impoverished many, foreign domination over the country’s politics and economy — like the protest action mounted by progressive groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan). This time, tens of thousands braved the torrential rain, the pre-SONA threats and intimidation by state forces, and of course, the police barricade that transformed Commonwealth Avenue into a virtual garrison, to register intense dissatisfaction with the country’s state of affairs under Aquino.
Photos were taken by Boy Bagwis inside Batasan Pambansa, and KR Guda, Pher Pasion, Macky Macaspac, Darius Galang, Marjo Malubay and Gregorio Dantes Jr. in the protest action.
Isang gabi noong 2007, tahimik na tinanggap nina Connie Empeno at Linda Cadapan ang kuwento tungkol sa pagmamalupit ng militar sa kanilang anak na sina Karen at Sherlyn. Tahimik sila, pero determinadong ipagpatuloy ang paghahanap at paglaban.
Botong protesta kontra sa kasalukuyang rehimeng Aquino ang nakaraang halalan. Samantala, nakapagpalakas muli ang progresibong mga puwersa, habang lalong nailantad nila ang kabulukan ng sistemang elektoral ng bansa.