DAVAO CITY – Both the militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and the camp of presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte agreed to hold a dialogue to discuss the economic agenda being proposed by the new administration.
“We offer our willingness to discuss these programs with the incoming Duterte government. We are glad that the next president has also publicly declared that he was a part of BAYAN,” Renato Reyes Jr., Bayan spokesperson, said in a statement on Monday, May 16.
“Let’s go beyond Facebook. Let’s talk and explore how the next government can uplift the situation of our people,” he said.
In a press conference held in a mall here on Monday, Peter Tiu Laviña, spokesperson of Duterte said they too, are willing to hold a dialogue with the group.
“It depends on them (leftist groups), we are very open to dialogue, we already said that. If they want to help, we are very open.”
Bayan has issued a statement in reaction to a Facebook post on Sunday, May 15, by Laviña who said that the militant groups have “rejected the hands of friendship and cooperation” of the presumptive President Rodrigo Duterte.
Laviña hit the Left after it criticized Duterte’s 8-point economic agenda. He clarified that the online rift between Leftist groups and Duterte camp is not meant to burn bridges with anyone.
“We did not fire the opening shots. We were merely reacting. The reason I have to write that because we wanted to put things in proper perspective, in proper context,” Laviña said.
“That’s very clear. If I wrote that, and there were many reactions, so be it. Kasi ito yung process ng healing na nga eh, ng going through national unity,” he added.
Laviña said that the Left “will have to mend their ways.”
“Hindi na pwedeng mag-demonstrate ng demonstrate tayo every issue, walang mangyayari kailangan tayong magtulungan iaddress ang problema ng bansa (We cannot just hold a demonstration on every issue, nothing will happen, we need to join hands to address the problems in the country.)”
For Bayan, it said that they can help uplift the situation of the people by engaging in a dialogue with the next administration.
“We continue to push for nationalist and pro-people economic policies. These are not Utopian ideals. These can surely be implemented by a leader who has publicly declared himself as Left and socialist,” Bayan stressed.
While it supports Duterte’s statements on peace process, ending contractualization and fighting corruption, Bayan said it will continue to oppose, privatization, deregulation and liberalization of the economy.
It said that they have “always taken a critical stance towards neo-liberal economic policies” and they have always been public about their proposed alternatives, even with the past administrations.(davaotoday.com)
