Demonstrators host People’s State of the Nation Address against Marcos Regime outside San Francisco Consulate General
San Francisco, CA – On July 27, a crowd surrounded the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco for the People’s State of the Nation Address to protest against the reactionary Bongbong Marcos Jr. This comes after a torrent of nationwide protests which have rocked the Philippines in the wake of economic disasters and armed attacks on workers and farmers.
The action began with the song Kapangyarihan honoring the martyrs who died resisting Duterte’s “War on Drugs,” which extrajudicially killed 30,000 people.
Che Lodico from Kabataan Alliance stated, “This past June I participated in the Bayanihan disaster response trip and peasant integration to the Philippines. During our trip, we were able to integrate to the province of Camarines Sur, which is one of the richest provinces and yet the people there are the poorest in the Bicol Region.”
Lodico continued, “Just like most of the countryside in the Philippines, many of the farmers do not own the land they are tilling on, so they are hired by the landowners as farmworkers for only 250 to 500 pesos a day.” This follows a pattern in the Philippines as victims of poverty and man-made environmental disasters are met with neglect, red-tagging, and even extrajudicial killings by the Marcos regime for demanding welfare and repairs.
“Why is the NTF-ELCAC investing 24 million pesos in constructing dams, flood control dams, water systems, road constructions in indigenous people’s communities of Mindanao? Because they only want to attack the activist youth and peasants. They also take away their livelihoods by creating man-made disasters in the countryside!” continued Lodico.
Tree Aquino from Pilipino Laban sa Korapsyon (PILAK) stated, “Currently, Vice President Sara Duterte made history for being the first Filipino politician to be impeached twice, and this trial must continue without fail. She must be held accountable for the misuse of 600 million pesos in public funds, and we demand that she be transparent with her bank and tax records!”
Aquino also recalled attempts made by the organization to call on the Philippine Consulate and its consulate general, Arnel Talisayon, to protect Filipino migrants, only to find they had lopsided priorities.
“When we tried to schedule a meeting with Arnel Talisayon to discuss the pressing needs of Filipinos and undocumented migrants in our area, he left his scheduled meet-and-greet early and did not address any of our concerns,” Aquino lamented. “Meanwhile, he happily takes time to meet with big tech and sell out the Philippines to the highest bidder!”
Isa Patoto made a tearful plea on behalf of the Defend Negros Island Campaign to seek accountability and justice for the Toboso 19 and victims of extrajudicial killings. “On April 19 and 20, the 79th Infantry Battalion from the Armed Forces of the Philippines did a forced evacuation of 653 people from Toboso, Negros Occidental and did an illegal strafing on their community killing 19 including two beloved Filipino American activists, Lyle Prijoles and Kai Sorem.” This comes as one-third of all extrajudicial killings by the Marcos Regime are committed in the “Sugarbowl of the Philippines” alone.
“The massacre was a direct result of the organized peasants and farmers who resisted under the NTF-ELCAC and under the guise of counterinsurgency. And what did Bongbong Marcos do? He congratulated the 79th Infantry Battalion and treated them to a feast, and also had a bid for the UN Security Council!” said Patoto, highlighting the absurdity of the government’s response to the AFP’s violation of international human law.
The action ended with a performance of the song Lahat ng Sangkot, Dapat Managot, while protesters destroyed effigies of Trump and Bongbong Marcos Jr. as the crowd cheered on.