BnW Media Press Release
29 September 2012
A leftist, anti-Aquino administration group purporting to be
a non-partisan citizen’s group named Kontra Daya has called on the Black and
White Movement to withdraw its application for accreditation as a Regional
Political Party participating in the 2013 Party List election. It claims our
close alliance with President Aquino makes a mockery of the Party List system.
To Kontra Daya, which is led by Fr. Joe Dizon, a close
associate of the Bayan coalition and Bayan Muna Party List, we have one simple
question: With due respect to Sen. Manny Villar (and the NP, now in coalition
with the LP for the upcoming elections), whom Bayan allies supported in the
2010 presidential election, if he had won – would Bayan Muna withdraw its
participation in the 2013 Party List election?
For the record, ever since our inception in 2005, the Black
and White Movement has always worked with the urban poor sector. They were with
us in our mass actions against the excesses of the GMA regime. In fact, the
lead convener of Black and White Katipunan (our Urban Poor cluster), Ka Jose
Morales, is our third nominee.
For the record, we also have a very active and passionate
youth group – the Black and White Youth Movement and one of its leaders, Marco
Cabrera, is our second nominee.
For the record, many of our conveners – Karen Tanada, Elizabeth
Yang, and Leah Navarro are prominent advocates of women’s rights and
issues. We have chosen Leah Navarro –
our first nominee, to represent the women’s sector. Her current appointment as
MTRCB board member ends on 30 September 2012 and does not conflict with this
advocacy. She cannot be reappointed when our accreditation is approved.
These sectors – women, youth, and urban poor - are
specifically identified by the Party List law as marginalized. We have meticulously complied with the
requirements for a Regional Political Party (NCR) participating in the Party
List system. All of our nominees belong to the sectors being represented. And
none of them are former politicians. None of them are associated with any
business interest or political clan.
WE ARE QUALIFIED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PARTY LIST
ELECTION. And if elected, we are
committed to sponsor and support legislation that will protect and advance the
interests of the sectors we represent.
