What is PCA?
The People’s Consultative Assembly (PCA) is a non-government organization in the Philippines which links other sectoral, political, geographical organizations and/or personalities towards the promotion of a particular issue or concern that affects the basic and general welfare of the Filipino people or the nation.
The ultimate objective of PCA I is good governance. Towards this objective PCA constantly strives to seek clarity in collective eco-political direction amid the confusion or chaos resulting from partisan interests or ideological differences. This can be gleaned from its direction since its establishment in December 1999. Towards this same objective PCA continues to effect unity and harmony among the different political forces. It does not matter who will govern as long as he governs well with the People’s Agenda as his main basis for governance. For this reason PCA wants to link or at least dialogue with all political forces who can promote the People’s Agenda and who can help effect good government.
PCA has always been cognizant of the military’s role, whether retired or in active duty in promoting good governance. Thus it has always welcomed the presence of Forces, RAM, YOU, and much later, in PCA II, YES ARMS, etc. in its assemblies and meetings, aware of its role in civil society as retired officers in the military. PCA is aware of the great influence even retired officers of the military have on those who are in active duty. It is PCA’s great concern especially because of recent developments, that retired officers who have actually become civilians, use their influence so that the military will follow its mandate from the Constitution, that “Civilian authority is, at all times, supreme over the military.” And PCA believes in Art. II Sec. 3 of our Constitution which states that “the Armed Forces of the Phil. is the protector of the people first, and then of the State”.
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(1) Through the ! Movement/Silent Protest Movement it pricked the indifference and apathy of the public to express its dissatisfaction with the Estrada Administration, presenting him with 3 options, reform, resign or be removed;
(2) In July, through KASAMA it held its own Alternative SONA and called for the ouster of President Estrada asking the Filipino people at the same time if it were prepared for a GMA presidency;
(3) On September 19 it held a People’s Consultative Assembly composed of people’s organizations, religious groups, issue based or other cause oriented alliances to synchronize and focus the different protest activities into an inter-related Oust Erap action taking the form of impeach, resign or remove and an ongoing signature campaign to end the Estrada regime;
(4) For 5 straight days from October 5-9 it held a 24 hour vigil in Gov. Singson’s house to help ensure the safety of Chavit Singson who had sought PCA’s help, to support his moral resolve to expose the wrongdoings and crime of Estrada, to enable him to entrust his evidences and documents to Cardinal Sin and secure the latter’s blessings, and finally to make sure his expose would reach the Filipino people;
(5) On October 13 the PCA held its 2nd Consultative Assembly and it issued a nationwide call “Let Us Save Our Country Now” through a full page ad in the Phil. Daily Inquirer. Simultaneous signature campaigns in support of Gov. Singson & Cardinal Sin as well as to End the Estrada Presidency were undertaken.
(6) In November it began to prepare a People’s Agenda particularly the areas of concern and the mechanism through which its implementation can be ensured whoever takes over from Estrada. It also quietly campaigned among its allies either as personalities or organizations, to work towards Estrada’s resignation within a constitutional framework.
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(1) The ultimate objective of PCA is good governance. Towards this objective PCA has and will constantly strive to seek clarity in our collective eco-political direction amid the confusion or chaos resulting from partisan interests or ideological differences. This can be gleaned from its direction in the past months. Towards this same objective PCA has and will continue to effect unity and harmony among the different political forces. It does not matter who will govern as long as he governs well with the People’s Agenda as his main basis for governance. For this reason PCA wants to link or at least dialogue with all political forces who can promote the People’s Agenda and who can help effect good governance and move towards a conclusive unity and directed harmony.
(2) At present PCA has reached the conclusion that Estrada should no longer be President. PCA believes that even as Estrada is under trial, we, the Filipino people are also under trial. For us to allow Estrada to continue as president, after knowing how he thinks and behaves as the leader of our land, is an indictment of our own personal as well as collective patriotism and morality, and ultimately our very Christianity. We are further convinced that no matter what kind of reinventing Estrada goes through or how adamantly Estrada refuses to leave the Office of the Presidency, the Filipino people have lost trust in him as President of the Republic and so he cannot continue to be such. This is exclusive of his conversion or his convictions as a person because this is between him and God. But as a leader on whom the people repose their trust and confidence, their hopes and beliefs, their dreams and aspirations - this has been irrevocably lost and is beyond restoration. For our very soul as a nation, as a people is at stake … as well as our dignity before the international community. This, is over and above numbers and surveys. At issue here is the Filipino’s respect for himself before his international peers and the Filipino’s adherence to his conscience before his God. As Oliver Cromwell said: “The king is not England, and England is not the king. What is at issue here is the survival of England and not of the king.”
(3) Under the first objective PCA proposed the formalization of a people’s covenant with Vice Pres. Arroyo as the most proximate successor under the Constitution in case Estrada is removed as president. Earlier PCA had noted the resistance of a substantial number of groups to GMA, the person, as an alternative president. Her acceptance and formal commitment to the People’s Agenda to which she had already agreed would have helped overcome this resistance into a principled acceptance of GMA, the constitutional successor. Unfortunately the Vice President had other priorities today and proposed the signing to another date. Because of its reading of the present economic-political situation, PCA has decided otherwise and is moving on ahead to higher levels of action demanded by the present situation.
(4) Because of its first as well as its second objective, PCA has always been cognizant of the military’s role, whether retired or in active duty. Thus it has always welcomed the presence of RAM in its assemblies and meetings, aware of its role in civil society as retired officers in the military. PCA is however also aware of the great influence even retired officers of the military have on those who are in active duty. It is PCA’s great concern especially because of recent developments, that retired officers who have actually become civilians, use their influence so that the military will follow its mandate from the Constitution, that “Civilian authority is, at all times, supreme over the military.” And that the Armed Forces of the Phil. is the protector of the people first, and then of the State.
These, Ladies and Gentlemen, sum up the Background and Orientation of PCA.
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There was a time during the anti-Erap struggle when the middle forces could not decide whether to support the struggle or not. The main stumbling block was GMA since many realized she would be the beneficiary once Erap was booted out. The fact is, GMA was unpopular due to the following: her reported association with Bong Pineda which was never convincingly cleared, where she got her US assets, her having taken advantage of the garments quota when she was DTI Usec and her opportunism, especially during the anti-Erap campaign when it took her such a long time to decide to join the people’s issues. PCA resolved this by coming up with the “covenant formula”. In concrete this meant that even those who were against her were invited to support her on condition that GMA would agree to be monitored once she becomes President. Initially GMA accepted this but eventually this was sidelined because the people around GMA, particularly Dinky Soliman and the Executive Committee of Kompil did not want her to sign said covenant.
Two weeks ago during the luncheon GMA hosted for the women in media Vicky Morales asked her about the supposed opposition from civil society. She appeared irked by the question and responded by saying “Who is this civil society anyway. Where are they? Can you name any of them now?”
After the Statement of Concern of PCA was published last week Rigoberto Tiglao told a reporter of “Abante” that “hihimasin naming ang PCA”. It was further reported that Malacañang would send emissaries to the PCA to talk to them about their complaints.
The above incidents show (l) that GMA did not want to be pinned down by a covenant agreement that would officially monitor her (2) now that she is president she does not believe in the “civil society” that helped catapult her to power (3) that her perception of PCA is like that of other NGO’s “na madaling himasin” and yet (4) all this talk is only for PR purposes but with no substance because she has not sent an emissary to seriously look into PCA’s complaints. In short she is insincere, ungrateful, arrogant and deceitful. Her qualities or lack of it show she has no character.
Right after the Bing Rodrigo statement exploded she said Bing had banged the phone on her and had uttered expletives against her. Considering she is President the fact that Bing did not apologize to her regarding her behavior shows the President was not expecting an apology because Bing had every reason to be angry at her and her husband. That GMA was the one who cleared the statement of Bing before it was released also shows she was behind the former’s retraction. In this light did the retraction totally erase Mike Arroyo’s guilt or GMA’s participation in the reported bribery?
In the telecom bill did the veto of the President show she had no participation in the bribery attempt? How come the money had reportedly gone all the way up to Mike Arroyo? It is now being reported that Ito Los Baños received the money. Would he have received it without any kind of top level assurance that the bill would be signed? Was the money received with the view of signing the bill but upon the discovery of Dichaves’ participation and Vicky Garchitorena’s lobby the bill was vetoed nonetheless. Thus this was a simple case of doublespeak or treachery?
In the PCSO imbroglio despite the reports of corruption by Virgilio Angelo GMA has constantly sustained him. She is even teaching him how to answer questions from the press. She went to PCSO not so much to listen to the gripes within but to urge Honey Girl and Ver to patch up. This is to ensure the continued presence of Angelo who is reportedly one of the key operators of Mike Arroyo together with Genuino of Pagcor and Alvarez of DOTC.
From the above we can gauge that GMA will exert everything to maintain the status quo of her appointees from Mike Arroyo’s circle while showing a certain semblance of trying to listen to her critics and the people’s complaints. Her maintenance of the former show that she et. al have a grand plan within the agencies involved which includes the raising of funds through corruption while her catering to the latter is to ensure that she maintains her popularity. All in all GMA’s thrust is slowly being revealed: maintaining the presidency at all cost to ensure 2004 over and above the actual needs of the people. She is therefore not only insincere, ungrateful, arrogant and deceitful but also insensitive, uncaring and corrupt.
This is the kind of president the People’s Consultative Assembly and the Filipino people are faced with. We said we would give her a chance. Six months have revealed what she really is. What do we do then in view of our previous commitment to be truly vigilant, watchful and committed for the sake of our people?
We have to carry on. We must ensure that the gains of PCA I should not be dissipated. If it means undertaking PCA II, then we should do so, we should continue with our struggle, with and for our people, until we achieve lasting peace, prosperity and happiness in our country.
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For your questions and comments:
Linda Montayre, +63 926 6583004
Trajan Alteza, +63 926 6717454
Atty. Ruperto Listana, +63 927 6006166
Dra. Amelia Obusan, +63 917 8179047
Prof. Ruben Dela Cruz, +63 915 3064829
Alternatively, you can e-mail us at pcaphil[AT]gmail[DOT]com
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