by Andrea Mae Ecoy

BACOLOD CITY — The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN)-Negros called on the public to join the broad people’s mobilization on July 27 as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. prepares to deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), criticizing the administration over what it described as worsening poverty, unemployment, corruption, and the continued surrender of the country’s resources to foreign interests.

In an interview, Noli Rosales of BAYAN-Negros described the Marcos administration’s leadership as a failure, citing what he said were persistent economic hardships and the government’s inability to address unemployment.

“Failure ang ini nga State of the Nation Address tungod dako-dako ang unemployment sa Pilipinas. 2.5 to 10 million ang wala trabaho,” Rosales said.

Rosales said the country’s persistently high unemployment rate reflects what he described as the Marcos administration’s failure to create sustainable jobs and improve the economic conditions of ordinary Filipinos, despite its repeated commitments to economic recovery.

“Ang solution niya sa kapigaduhon kag kawad-an sang trabaho, ini magata nga ayuda,” he added.

According to Rosales, government assistance programs have become a temporary response to poverty rather than a long-term solution. He maintained that addressing unemployment requires policies that generate stable jobs, strengthen local industries, and improve the livelihoods of workers and farmers.

Aside from economic concerns, Rosales also criticized what he described as the administration’s continued failure to ensure accountability for corruption.

“Dapat may accountability. Dapat pasabton ang mga Marcos kag e-convict si Sara Duterte tungod sa grabe nga corruption sa pungsod Pilipinas,” he said.

Rosales called for the conviction of Vice President Sara Duterte over corruption allegations, arguing that public officials accused of misusing public funds should be held accountable regardless of their position. He likewise urged authorities to investigate the Marcos family, claiming that the administration’s promises of transparency and good governance have yet to result in meaningful action against high-ranking officials.

He further argued that the government’s anti-corruption campaign has failed to address what he described as large-scale anomalies involving influential political figures.

He also recalled Marcos Jr.’s remark, “Mahiya naman kayo!”, during his fourth SONA, when the President admonished corrupt officials.

“Matandaan naton ang ginhambal niya sa ika-apat nga SONA, ‘Mahiya naman kayo.’ Pero sa diin subong ang gina sukot naton?” Rosales said.

Rosales questioned why those allegedly responsible for controversial flood control projects have yet to be held accountable, saying the government’s anti-corruption campaign has failed to identify and prosecute what he described as the principal figures behind the alleged anomalies.

Meanwhile, Rosales also opposed the government’s support for the controversial Pax Silica project, claiming it primarily benefits foreign investors, particularly those from the United States, rather than the Filipino people.

“Ano ang interes sang pumuluyong Pilipino sa sining Pax Silica?” Rosales asked.

Rosales claimed that the proposed Pax Silica project would primarily benefit foreign corporations and geopolitical interests rather than the Filipino people. He argued that opening the country’s mineral resources to foreign-backed investments would allow multinational corporations to exploit the Philippines’ natural wealth while advancing U.S. strategic interests in the region.

He also expressed concern that the continued implementation of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) could expose the Philippines to heightened geopolitical tensions by expanding the United States’ military presence in the country. According to Rosales, the country’s growing military cooperation with the United States increases the risk of the Philippines being drawn into conflicts between major powers.

Ultimately, BAYAN-Negros called on workers, farmers, youth, and other sectors to participate in the July 27 mass mobilization during Marcos’ fifth SONA. Rosales said the protest is an opportunity for the public to collectively demand accountability from the Marcos administration, call for the conviction of Vice President Sara Duterte, oppose corruption and foreign exploitation, and defend the country’s national sovereignty.