“No amount of flashy audio or visual presentation can hide the deepening poverty in the country”, noted Dr. Giovanni Tapang, chairperson of the activist scientists group AGHAM. As Ms. Arroyo prepares her high-tech Sona presentation, scientists and engineers prepare to march to Batasan where AGHAM and the broad scientist group Scientists for Truth, Scientists for Change will join the assembly in the University of the Philippines on Monday.
“Mrs. Arroyo had to use high-tech multimedia presentations since she herself cannot explain how we remain poor and hungry. If she wants to be really interactive, she should go out and meet the thousands protesting outside and hear how loud their cries for her to go from Malacanang “, said Dr. Tapang.
“Her plans to make a “first world Philippines in the next two decades” via her proposal to have megaregions would not take off unless she addresses the lack of locally based industries and land reform. She hasn’t even given top priority to the budget for research and development for the past few years, how do we expect her to make us a first world country?”, added Dr. Tapang.
“The people are not looking for a high-tech SONA. We are looking for truth, for justice and genuine change”, pointed out Dr. Tapang.
“We cannot remain inside our laboratories. We have to join the rest of the Filipino people in showing what the true state of the nation is. We will march and protest the continuing stay of a president who has done nothing much for our sector”, concluded Dr. Tapang.
