Massive and daring protest actions launched
Protest actions all over the country continue to rapidly expand and intensify since the outbreak of the Estrada regime's grave political crisis sparked by the disclosures of anomalies by Gov. Luis "Chavit" Singson in October.
Within a span of a few weeks, the anti-Estrada united front has swiftly expanded and swept across the entire country. Everywhere, organizations of various classes and sectors launched their respective activities in unity with the call for Estrada's resignation. At its backbone are militant and national-democratic organizations that pioneered, and are at the forefront of, the clamor to oust Estrada and are emboldening various sectors to make a stand and to wage resistance.
Among the sectoral organizations are the government employees' RAGE (Rise All Government Employees!), the youth's GEN-X movement, the health sector's Code-RED (Resign Estrada Dali!), and the lawyers' OUSTER (Organization of United Solicitors for Truth and Estrada's Resignation).
In a rally, the youth gave Estrada a failing mark because of his regime's neglect of education. Lawyers, on the other hand, issued Estrada a symbolic warrant of arrest, a notice of eviction from Malaca�ang and a hold departure order. Estrada's immorality and abuse of women's rights were lambasted in a women's march. In a demonstration, the urban poor condemned Estrada's fake housing programs and sham distribution of houses and lots.
Massive street actions are widespread across the nation, contrary to Estrada's insistence that the protests are concentrated in Manila. In fact, even in places where the organized ranks of national-democratic forces are yet to gain strength, people trooped to the streets calling for an end to the Estrada government, proving widespread anger and disgust for the regime.
Anti-Estrada demonstrations are becoming ever larger, broader and bolder. Hundreds of thousands of people participated in big rallies on November 4, 14 and 24-30. Industrial, transport and government offices' strikes, student boycotts, marches, rallies and demonstrations broke out. In the streets roared the call for millions of people to encircle Malaca�ang to force Estrada to resign.
NOVEMBER 24-30. About a hundred thousand people all over the country joined a weeklong mass action dubbed "Isang Linggo ng Protesta, Pabilisin ang Pagpapatalsik kay Estrada" that culminated in a two-day protest action in Mendiola on November 29-30. The mass action was highlighted by a "Lakbayan" (march-caravan) launched by 10,000 members of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and Pambansang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) from Northern and Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog and Bicol. The breadth of forces allied with the anti-Estrada movement was evident when the protesters from the toiling masses arriving in Manila were ardently welcomed by anti-Estrada businessmen. Up to 85,000 demonstrators massed up in Mendiola on November 29 where they expressed their intense determination to remove Estrada from power through speeches, cultural presentations, the burning of an effigy of "Erapzilla" and a 10-minute noise barrage where they cried "Erap resign" and "Sobra nang pahirap, patalsikin si Erap" (There's too much hardship, oust Erap). The protest action was supported by student walk-outs at the University of the Philippines, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila, Miriam College and others. Drivers also launched strikes, paralyzing up to 70% of transportation along certain routes in Metro Manila.
In a statement, KMP and BAYAN chair Rafael Mariano declared that the successful protest action will be followed by even bigger mass actions in December that may culminate in calls for civil disobedience (or a refusal to obey unjust laws). Some possibilities include non-payment of taxes and refusal by migrant workers to send remittances through banks. They also called for a boycott of businesses owned by Estrada cronies.
Meanwhile, protest actions were also launched in various cities and town centers in the Philippines. In Bacolod, up to 85% of transportation was paralyzed. Some 3,000 members of BAYAN-Negros also braved a storm to wage a rally and a noise barrage. In Baguio City, some 200 protesters conducted a torch march. A symbolic eviction notice was also posted at the entrance to the Voice of America compound where large log cabins owned by Estrada and his cronies are located. There were other protest gatherings in Laguna and in the cities of Naga, Legazpi, Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro and Davao as well as other cities in Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental.
NOVEMBER 14. Based on incomplete reports, at least 200,000 people participated in the "Pambansang Welga ng Mamamayan" launched in Metro Manila and in other parts of the Philippines. Workers and drivers launched a one-day strike, students boycotted their classes and hundreds of people poured into the streets in what was referred to as the beginning of the "Last Quarter Storm".
Thousands of farmers and fisherfolk from the countryside who agreed to hold a farmstrike in their respective provinces also joined the Welga.
In Manila, around 80,000 rallied at Liwasang Bonifacio and marched towards Mendiola. Around evening, thousands held a vigil to attend a protest concert dubbed "Pamorningan sa Mendiola". Twenty thousand people rallied in Makati. Aside from workers who participated in the rally at the Ayala Avenue, stockbrokers also staged an unprecedented and historic walkout.
In the Visayas, at least 56,000 poured into the streets on November 14: Bacolod (32,000); Iloilo (10,000); Cebu (7,000); Roxas (4,000); Dumaguete (1,500); Tacloban (800); and Tagbilaran City (700).
In other cities and town centers in Luzon, around 27,000 launched rallies and other forms of collective action: Ilagan and other towns in Isabela (11,000); Bulacan (6,000); Vigan, Ilocos Sur (3,500); Baguio City (3,000); Nueva Vizcaya (2,000); Tarlac (1,000) and Nueva Ecija (300).
In Mindanao, 14,000 participated in various protest actions, according to incomplete reports: Butuan City (6,000); Cagayan de Oro City (3,000); Ozamis City (1,000); Dipolog City (1,000); General Santos City (1,000); Cotabato City (700). In Davao City, 60% of all establishments closed shop in unity with the people's national strike.
NOVEMBER 4. About 120,000 across the country responded to the call of Jaime Cardinal Sin and Corazon Aquino to attend a prayer rally at the EDSA Shrine in Mandaluyong City and to launch other forms of action in their respective provinces.
A hundred thousand people gathered at the corner of EDSA and Ortigas Avenue and cried "Erap resign!" as Cardinal Sin and Aquino renewed their call for Estrada to immediately resign. Among those who participated were delegations from the provinces of Northern and Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog. The clamor for Estrada's resignation also resounded in streets, plazas and churches in other cities and towns: Bacolod (8,000); Cagayan de Oro (3,000); Pagadian (2,500); Tuguegarao (1,000); Cotabato (1,000);Bauio (300); and Cebu (100) and in the towns of Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya (1,000); and Victoria, Laguna (200). Actions were also launched in the cities of Iloilo, Dumaguete and Tacloban in the Visayas; and in the cities of Davao and General Santos in Mindanao.
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