Traditional politics still rule 2013 polls -- KMU

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From: KILUSANG MAYO UNO <kilusangmayouno@gmail.com>

Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2012 05:36:20 +0800

To: Kilusang Mayo Uno<kilusangmayouno@gmail.com>

Subject: Release: Traditional politics still rule 2013 polls -- KMU

Media Release
01 Oct. 2012

Traditional politics still rule 2013 polls – KMU

As the Commission on Elections starts accepting certificates of candidacy for the 2013 elections today, labor center Kilusang Mayo Uno said it's still traditional politics which will rule in next year's polls, citing the dominance of candidates coming from the country's political elites.

Both the ruling Liberal Party and the United Nationalist Alliance have announced their senatorial lineups, which are composed mostly of old-timers in the Senate and politics in general.

"Most of those running for the 2013 elections are still traditional politicians coming from the country's elite families. Politicians coming from the poor and those truly representing their interests form a tiny minority," said Elmer "Bong" Labog, KMU chairperson.

"The electoral campaign will most likely be a circus, not a genuine discussion of the  problems being faced by Filipinos such as poverty, hunger and unemployment. The domination of the US, landlords and big capitalists over our economy and politics will not be questioned by most of these politicians," he added.

The labor center criticized Pres. Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III for setting the tone in favor of traditional politics in choosing popular senatorial candidates over reform-minded ones from the LP such as Cong. Erin Tañada.

"Despite his promises of 'change' and 'daang matuwid (straight path),' Pres. Aquino chose popular candidates over reform-minded ones. It is disgusting that he even ignored potentially good candidates from his own party to field popular ones from other parties," Labog said.

"His choices for the Senate show that Pres. Aquino is set on continuing to implement the same policies that have caused poverty, hunger and unemployment in the first place. He is clearly not standing up for bold reforms," he added.

The labor center hailed the public for being critical towards the lineup of candidates running for the elections, as seen in social networking sites.

"We are glad that people are being critical towards the elections and are voicing out their disgust over the persistence of traditional politics in the country. Let's keep it up even as the noise from the electoral campaign becomes louder in the coming months," Labog said.

Reference: Elmer "Bong" Labog, KMU chairperson, 0918-1636597