Father Bernas in his homily this evening said, "Exorcise the devils that roam this country."
Join us tomorrow in the interfaith rally in Ayala for truth, accountability, and reform.
Meeting time is at 1:30 pm at the Ateneo Law School atrium.
Ipaglaban ang Katotohanan, Pananagutan at Tunay na Pagbabago!
BUSINA: Buong Bansa Sinisigaw: Tama Na, Itama Na!
Magpakatotoo, Managot, Magbago
Busina as a form of concrete communal action.
Busina refers, first of all,evi to “Busina para sa Katotohan” – a noise barrage or rally – to express outrage at current political events and to call for truth, accountability and reform. It is a concrete form of communal action that citizens have used effectively since the famous noise barrage of April 6, 1978 in Metro Manila. That mass action successfully demonstrated public support for the Laban ticket headed by Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino on the eve of the Interim Batasang Pambansa elections which were eventually marred by massive fraud.
The use of Busina as a political symbol and instrument of communal action is to call attention to danger, to expose wrongdoing, to express disgust, and to wake up citizens to act decisively.
The current Busina was initiated by 80 PO/NGO leaders and staff from PAKISAMA, CODE-NGO, PhilDHRRA, PhilSSA, PhilCOS, Ateneo students, and social activists of the Black and White Movement and Akbayan, who voiced out their sentiments outside Ateneo Gate 2.5 on February 7, the day of Jun Lozada’s early morning press conference. The 6 pm protest action along Katipunan Avenue has increasingly attracted support. More passing motorists and people in the area have responded by joining the protests. A big contingent of the Ateneo-Jesuit and Miriam communities took part in the noise barrage of February 14. On February 22, the eve of the anniversary of the start of EDSA I, the Watch, Pray and Act Movement (especially CEAP, PPCRV and SLB) endorsed the protest action which led to a coordinated “Busina para sa Katotohanan” in several points in Metro Manila and nationwide. There were noise rallies in Katipunan (Ateneo and Miriam), E. Rodriguez (St. Joseph’s College), Espana (UST), Morayta (FEU), and Taft (DLSU-CSB-St. Scholastica’s College). There were other protest actions in Quezon Circle (FDC), GMA7-Timog (Laban ng Masa) and Quezon Avenue (Urban Poor Alliance). Across the Philippines, there were similar noise barrages in San Fernando, Imus, Daet, Jaro, Bacolod, Davao and Zamboanga.
The aim is to sustain and broaden this coordinated action by getting more individuals and groups of people involved in more converging points across the country. The plan is to undertake the noise barrage every Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 6-7 pm. This is being supported by CEAP higher education institutions. It was also agreed upon at the meeting of Watch, Pray and Act movement last February 25 that schools at the basic education level will hold their noise barrage at 3 pm. On both schedules, the Busina will be preceded by a prayer for the nation (Angelus at 6 pm and Prayer for Divine mercy at 3 pm). Churches near these converging points will also be requested to join the Busina with a Kampana (Katotohanan, Pananagutan, Panalangin).
Busina as a framework for Communal Action for Truth, Accountability and Reform
What brings the various individuals and groups in Busina together is the advocacy for Truth, Accountability and Reform, which can be also summarized in the name and slogan for which Busina is an acronym -- Buong Bansa Sinisigaw: Tama Na, Itama Na.
A. Upholding the Truth
1) Defend the truth amidst malicious attempts to muddle it (e.g., the discrediting of Lozada)
2) Provide support to whistleblowers by offering sanctuaries and financial support
3) Call on Secretary Neri and others in government to speak up on corruption and abuse of power
4) Demand the lifting of E.O. 464; Ask the Supreme Court to rule on petitions regarding executive privilege (NEDA documents and Neri's testimony)
5) Establish truth centers for awareness-building, reflection and formation toward sociopolitical engagement
B. Promoting Accountability
1) Investigate and indict those culpable of serious crimes
2) Monitor closely proceedings underway at the Office of the Ombudsman
3) Push for the creation of an Independent counsel to investigate and prosecute wrong-doers
4) Facilitate coordinated action among concerned citizens, lawyers groups and conscienticized civil servants to build cases leading to the conviction of those who have violated the public trust
C. Working for Meaningful and Long-term Reform
1) Reform the loan procurement, BOT and other development project approval systems to ensure transparency and accountability at different stages; promote freedom of information
2) Depoliticize, further professionalize, and strengthen the capacity of the Civil Service
3) Restore trust in the electoral process: revamp the Comelec; modernize elections; address warlordism and dynasties; promote party-building
4) Give greater numbers of people, especially the poor, a real stake in democracy: push for strict implementation of agrarian reform and other programs for inclusive and sustainable development
5) Form real communities of faith-discernment and action for the common good towards building a political culture with a social conscience
Busina as a network or political alliance
Busina is also an effort to bring together various individuals and organizations in our networks through coordinated communal action using a common political framework. A key part of the network is the Watch, Pray and Act Movement which includes the Catholic Education Association of the Philippines (CEAP), Manila Archdiocesan Parochial Schools Association (MAPSA), Interdiocesan Catechetical Ministry (ICM), Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP), Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, and Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan (SLB).
Another important node is the Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO) which includes the Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA), Partnership of Support Service Agencies (PhilSSA), National Confederation of Cooperatives (NatCCO), Caucus of Bicol Development, IloiloCODE, MinCODE, Urban Poor Alliance (UP-ALL). Other groups which have aligned with Busina are the Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (PAKISAMA), Philippine CO Society (PhilCOS), the Coalition for a Citizens’ Constitution, and Aksiyon para sa Kapayapaan at Katarungan (AKKAPKA). There will be efforts to bring in the various Ateneo-Jesuit communities (in Manila, Naga, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga). Also at the core of the alliance are Pugadlawin, Lente, Pandayan and Team RP (a group of students and young professionals led by Harvey Keh). There is also coordination and continuing dialogue with like-minded individuals in One Voice, Black and White, Akbayan and Laban ng Masa.
The “GMA Resign” Call and the Challenge of Defending and Deepening Democratic Institutions
There are individuals and groups within Busina who have called for President Gloria Arroyo’s resignation since 2005 and continue to hold that position as a matter of principle. At that time, the CBCP recognized the call for President Arroyo’s resignation, as well as for a Truth Commission and impeachment, as legitimate options within the framework of working for accountability, constitutionality, non-violence and effective governance. While the bishops did not call on President Arroyo to step down, they asked her to discern “to what extent she might have contributed to the erosion of effective governance and whether the erosion is so severe as to be irreversible.”
Busina, however, also recognizes the concerns of people who want constitutional processes to work out fully in the search for truth and accountability. Moreover, when faced with the President’s refusal to resign voluntarily, many of them will not be willing to push the demand for her to step down to a point where democratic institutions may be harmed in the long-term, especially if a political vacuum is created for groups with an anti-democratic, adventurist or power-grabbing agenda to try to seize power. For those who hold this position, the impeachment process remains a viable option for both bringing out the truth and exacting accountability from the President, while at the same time also strengthening liberal democratic institutions.
Thus Busina wishes to provide a framework within which there can be continuing communal discernment and action among individuals and groups who have differences of opinion on the current call for Arroyo to resign, but who can agree that there is a need to struggle for truth, accountability and reform in a manner that defends and deepens democratic institutions.
