Bayan Muna national executive committee vice-president Joel Virador said “the death of Marianeth Amper is a dispiriting circumstance to awaken the people of our grueling condition.”
“This is a slap to Gloria Arroyo’s face whose expression of sympathy for the bereaved family of Manette is obviously superficial and grandstanding,” Virador added.
“There is more that our leaders can do than just expressing their condolences. Manette’s death is one lesson that should remind them of their responsibility to craft laws that will give the poor Filipino families the easy access to social services and better job opportunities,” Virador stressed.
Virador noted a data from the 2006 Family Income and Expenditure Survey (FIES) which revealed the high income inequalities and poverty in the country. The data stated that “the share of the poorest 30% of the country's families in 2006 accounted for only 8.6% of the total country's total income, while the top 10% account for almost 36 percent.”
Using government's own family living wage, Virador noted the increase in poverty between 2003 and 2006. Comparing the 2006 FIES to average annual living wages (for a family of six) showed that poverty increased from 82% in 2003 to around 86% in 2006.
Virador also noted “about 69 million Filipinos or 80% of the population live with less than P96 daily income and more than 46 million Filipinos experience hunger everyday.”
“The realities of poverty in the country are undeniable that an 11-year-old child had taken against herself such feeling of hopelessness. Gloria Arroyo’s pronouncements of a stronger Philippine economy are mere rhetoric that can never appease the sufferings of Manette’s family and the millions of poor Filipinos,” Virador said.
“The issue of corruption haunting Gloria Arroyo should at all costs make her accountable. We can not allow her to steal more of the people’s money and cause death to miserable Filipinos like Manette,” Virador ended.
For reference:
Joel G. Virador Lito Campo
Vice-president Information Officer
Bayan Muna National Executive Committee Bayan Muna – Southern Mindanao
Regional Office: Door #2, Junsay Bldg., Quirino Avenue , Davao City
Contact Number: 301-6257, E-mail Address: bayanmunasmr@yahoo.com
