The following is a sign-on statement initiated by Malaya Movement USA and BAYAN USA to mark President Marcos Jr.'s first year in office, and second State of the Nation Address (SONA). The deadline to sign on is by Friday, July 21. If you would like to connect to organize an action in your city, please contact bayanusa@proton.me.
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We, the undersigned, deliver the following assessment of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s first year in office as the people’s state of the nation for Filipinos in the United States. Many of us came together during the 2022 Philippine elections to advocate for sustainable economic development, good governance, democracy, sovereignty, and the safeguarding of human rights. Unfortunately, we have seen deterioration in all these fields since Marcos Jr. assumed office:
- Economic insecurity increased under the Marcos administration, with the Philippines experiencing an inflation rate of almost nine percent — the highest in decades. The price of food, oil, and even transportation fares rose, making it that much harder for working families to make ends meet. At the same time, there has been no movement to meaningfully increase the minimum wage. Our family members in the US have to work even more to send enough remittances to cover the increased cost of living for loved ones we support back home.
- Patronage politics remain through deals like the renewal of Malampaya’s production contract that benefits Marcos and Duterte cronies, as well as the establishment of the Maharlika Wealth Fund, which brings with it the risk of mismanagement and corruption.
- Democracy has been stunted with the spread of disinformation and historical revisionism. The press has also taken a hit, with killings of critical media voices and arbitrary blocking of independent media outlets’ websites.
- The Philippines’ territorial and economic sovereignty remains under attack, and the risk of being dragged into trade or even physical conflict between the United States and China has grown higher.
- Human rights continue to be violated, made apparent through the increase in abductions, union repression, and killings like the Himamaylan massacre. Marcos has also prioritized political alliances over justice by refusing to cooperate with the International Criminal Court in investigating former president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity.
As Filipinos living in the US with a direct connection to our motherland — from continuing to support our families there, to being migrant workers who will return home, and in so many other ways — we will continue bringing together our community to advocate and fight for real change in the Philippines.
