Derailing the Peace Process is Countering Reform

We grieve with the whole nation over the unnecessary bloodshed and lost lives in the Mamapasano tragedy.  We lament the deaths of SAF commandos, MILF troops and civilians.

We, the Koalisyon ng Mamamayan Para sa Reporma (KOMPRE) call for an in-depth and unbiased investigation into the clash.  All government and military institutions must exact accountability from all responsible—be they from the GPH, MILF, and BIFF forces.

We are firmly against proposals for the postponement of the hearings on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). We reject calls for an all-out war against the MILF. These incendiary proposals run counter to peace and reform and will result in a cycle of bloody conflict and disorder we cannot, as a nation, afford. Derailing the peace process is essentially contradicting the goals for harmony and reform in Mindanao embodied in the BBL.

Statement on Christmas Ceasefire 2014

December 20, 2014

May the Christmas ceasefire bring  the gift of peace!

As citizens longing for lasting peace, we welcome the respective  announcements by the Government and  by the Communist Party of the Philippines of limited ceasefires for the Christmas period that covers the Papal Visit. We pray that there will be  good will and effective  compliance by the  parties.

Indeed the visit of Pope Francis is an important event for many Filipinos that we hope will inspire them to live humbly and justly, to serve others and respect all creation.

We also urge the parties  to consider  the  possibility of a humanitarian pause beyond the Papal visit, to give  respite to victims of humanitarian disasters in different parts of the country, and to encourage the country as a whole to refocus thoughts on healing and on rebuilding vulnerable communities.

KOMPRe calls for more vigilance in prosecution of Enrile, Estrada and Revilla

The Koalisyon ng Mamamayan para sa Reporma (KOMPRe) reiterates its support for the reform agenda of the Aquino administration to curb corruption. The prosecution of the Senators Estrada, Revilla and Enrile who have been implicated in various schemes using the PDAF and other public funds as their personal treasury sends a strong signal that this government will exact justice for unacceptable acts of stealing from our people.

Devoid of concern for the well being of many poor who have suffered from ravages of past corrupt governments, these so-called public servants thought nothing of re-allocating public money for their selfish ends.

The consistent disclosure of the many whistle blowers sufficiently confirms that these are not mere allegations of wanton excesses, but are deliberate and elaborate schemes to defraud and rob the people of funds intended for better health care, education, needed infrastructure and agricultural support in a nation that has started to feel the benefits of this administration’s reform agenda.

KOMPRe Statement of Support for the Coconut Farmers

For immediate release
19 November 2014
Contact persons:
Mildred Ople – 0935.187.1689
Mardi Mapa-Suplido – 0917.860.9250


KOMPRe (Koalisyon ng Mamamayan para sa Reporma) expresses it support for the coconut farmers in their struggle to attain a just settlement to the Coco Levy issue. It calls on President Aquino to listen to the proposal put forth by the coconut farmers to address an issue of injustice perpetrated by the dictator Marcos at the height of martial law.

The Coco Levy, for so many years was a tax imposed by the then President Ferdinand Marcos on the coconut farmers. It was a scam to deceive the coconut farmers. Ostensibly set up to provide support for the farmers, the fund was instead converted into a well of ill gotten wealth that was used by his cronies for their personal interests.

As such, it conned the farmers of their legitimate income and left them without the needed support to enable them to prosper as they were denied access to its use. The Coco Levy is blatantly unjust and inhuman because it was built on the sweat and toil of the coconut farmers and because it exploited the coconut farmers and robbed them of their legitimate income while propping up a cabal of cronies without regard for the farmers welfare.

KOMPRe Anti-Political Dynasty Manifesto

URGING CONGRESS TO IMMEDIATELY PASS

AN ANTI-POLITICAL DYNASTY LAW

Dynasties are threats to democracy

Acknowledging that political dynasties threaten the country's democratic ideals, the framers of the 1987 Constitution tasked government to guard our reacquired democracy by declaring that “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law” (Article II, Sec. 26).

Unfortunately, 27 years since the constitutional ratification and several governments after, a law has yet to be passed prohibiting political dynasties, which according to Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio (in a decision on the Navarro v. Ermita case) described it as a “phenomenon that concentrates political power and public resources within the control of a few families whose members alternately hold elective offices, deftly skirting term limits.”

The Asian Institute of Management (AIM) analyzed the 2013 midterm elections and dynasties in its research paper “The 2013 Philippine Mid-Term Election: An Empirical Analysis of Dynasties, Vote Buying and the Correlates of Senate Votes”, and asserts that “political dynasties refer to members of the same family occupying elected positions either in sequence for the same position, or simultaneously across different positions.” 

Patuloy nating pagningasin ang pagsusulong sa reporma

10 October 2014

Dear KOMPRe Founding Members,

Walang iwanan sa tuwid na daan. Isang daan na matagal na nating sama-samang tinatahak.  Kaya gusto naming simulan itong email sa isang pasasalamat sa inyong pagsuporta sa paglunsad natin ng Koalisyon ng Mamamayan Para sa Reporma!! At sa pamamagitan nitong mga regular KOMPRe email updates, we hope we can share with you all the various efforts, plans, concerns and activities of our KOMPRe member networks around the country in pursuing our reform agenda.

Over just a month ago, we together launched the coalition with over 400 CSOs last August 25, 2014 at the Ateneo de Manila University Campus in Quezon City. There we agreed on our KOMPRe Unity Statement, and discussed the many achievements of the PNoy administration these past four years, and the proposed priorities for the next two years. We then dialogued with several Cabinet Secretaries including Sec Mar Roxas, Sec Dinky Soliman, Sec Edwin Lacierda, Sec Ronald Llamas, Sec Arsenio Balisacan and NYC Chair Gio Tingson who greatly appreciated the opportunity to meet and listen to the CSO community. Our launch was covered widely by many national TV stations, newspapers and news websites, inspiring many others to want to join.

This was followed by successful KOMPRe launches in La Salle Cavite for CALABARZON members last September 21, then in Bacolod City on September 23, and in Davao City just last week on September 30. Again, we had broad participation with over 300 participants from various sectors and organizations in each of the areas, and successful media coverage. The workshop outputs were also presented to Sec Mar, Sec Butch Abad and Sec Edwin Lacierda in Cavite, to Sec Mar and Sec Ging Deles in Davao, and to several regional and provincial directors from DSWD, DILG and DBM in Bacolod City. Below are some pictures from those gatherings.

KOMPRe to VP Binay: Prove your innocence, face the Senate

For immediate release
17 September 2014
Contact persons:
Karina Constantino-David
0917.834.3733
Leah L. Navarro
0917.898.1957

KOMPRe to VP Binay: Prove your innocence, face the Senate

KOMPRe (Koalisyon ng Mamamayan para sa Reporma) on Wednesday challenged Vice President Jejomar Binay to “walk the talk” and attend the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing on September 25 and prove his innocence.

The Senate Blue Ribbon sub-committee headed by Senator Aquilino Pimentel III invited Vice President Binay to attend the public hearing on Thursday, 25 September, “to inform the committee about what you know regarding the subject matter under inquiry. We look forward to your Honor’s presence during the said hearing.”

“We exhort the Vice President to prove his innocence by accepting the invitation of the Senate blue ribbon committee and attend the hearing,” said KOMPRe lead convener Karina Constantino-David.