First, there was KontraDaya.
Now, it’s Anakbayan. Both are part of the ultra-leftist coalition of Bayan and
the Makabayan Coalition. These groups have waged an all-out campaign to
discredit all Party List aspirants not aligned with their Maoist agenda –
including Black and White.
Unfortunately, people buy
into their propaganda without bothering to check the facts.
Before its creation, the
conveners and members of the Black and White Movement were veteran advocates of
various social causes. Undeniably, our nominees do indeed stand for their
sectors.
They say Leah Navarro cannot
possibly represent the urban poor. In our application for accreditation, we
never said she did. She represents women – a sector specifically
defined by the Party List Law as marginalized and under represented. And, why
not? Leah has supported women’s rights causes even before joining Black and
White. She is an advocate for responsible parenthood and has actively opposed
violence against women. She has represented Black and White at events and
projects supportive of various women’s causes alongside fellow conveners Karen
Tanada and Beth Yang.
We wonder why they never mention
our second and third nominees because, like Leah, they represent their sectors.
Our second nominee is Marco
Cabrera – a leader of our Black and White Youth chapter. This segment of the
Black and White organization started in 2009 in the Camanava area where it has
been actively involved in engaging the youth via community service projects and
involvement in political issues, focusing on truth, accountability and good
governance. Again, the youth is one sector specifically defined by the Party
List Law as marginalized.
Our third nominee is Ka Jose
Morales – a leader of our Black and White Katipunan – an urban poor group based
in the Taytay-Antipolo area, which has been part of Black and White since its
inception in 2005. A tireless campaigner for the rights of our impoverished, Ka
Jose is a convener of AKKMA (Aksyon sa Kalamidad at Klima), Ugnayang Lakas ng
mga Apektadong Pamilya sa Baybaying Ilog Pasig (ULAP) and the Urban Poor
Alliance (UPALL). Definitely, the urban poor are marginalized.
While it is true that some
of our conveners are now in the Executive branch of government, it does not
change the fact that Black and White has been actively engaged in advancing the
causes of sectors considered as marginalized – women, youth, and urban poor. If
given the opportunity, we are committed to protect and advance our multi-sector
interests through responsive legislation.
We appeal to everyone to
check the facts before buying into these groups’ Maoist-communist propaganda.
Let us not leave the Party List system in the hands of leftist extremists that
are hell bent on blocking the daan na matuwid. -- END
