On the last day of the 9th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference in Bali, Indonesia, youth and student groups joined various people’s organizations in simultaneous protests around the world calling for the end of the said trade organization and its flawed multilateral trade agreements that led to the destruction of the agriculture and manufacturing industries of developing countries, including the Philippines.

In Bali – where the ministerial meeting will draw to a close today – hundreds of grassroots groups, national organizations and international networks from over 20 countries including the Philippines marched to Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center to call for the junking of the WTO and admonish trade ministers from all over the world not to pass the so-called “Bali package,” a set of deals that would further liberalize trade, especially in agriculture.

In Manila, a similar demonstration was held by various youth groups along with Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and people’s organizations. The anti-WTO protesters marched from Plaza Salamanca to the United States Embassy by 1 p.m. today to condemn the continued exploitation of trade in developing countries by the US and other superpowers through the WTO.

Anakbayan National Chair Vencer Crisostomo, head of the youth delegation in the People’s Global Camp in Bali, said, “Today, we stand in protest as world leaders desperately salvage the failed experiment that is WTO. They say that the Bali package would offer relief for the world’s most impoverished peoples, even if in fact the new deal being brokered would drive developing countries into further destitution.”

The Bali ministerial conference aims to pass a deal that would supposedly add US$1 trillion to the world economy, create jobs and stimulate the largely sluggish world economy that is still recovering from the onslaught of the global financial crisis.

“Yet truth be told, the Bali meeting is just a last-ditch attempt to push for the liberalization deals that failed to pass in the negotiations in Qatar back in 2001. From the looks of it, this ministerial meeting would not be able to achieve even that goal, as many nations have already experienced how much damage multilateral trade agreements brokered by the WTO could inflict,” Crisostomo said.

During the course of the ministerial meeting, several countries including India expressed their vehement opposition over the Bali package, especially on the agricultural proposals.

“But world leaders must go beyond stalling the deals and hoping to reach a compromise. It’s time to stop salvaging the WTO, and once and for all dissolve the very institution that brought havoc to the world’s agriculture industry and pushed millions into further destitution through its liberal trade policies,” said Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon.

The Philippine Senate ratified the entry of the country to the WTO in 1994, and the Philippines became one of its founding members in 1995. The country’s entry in the said trade organization resulted to the removal of “trade barriers” such as tariffs for imported materials and goods and quota restrictions.

The country’s agriculture sector suffered the most from the imposition of WTO rules on trade. Almost two decades after the Philippines joined the WTO and enforced the multilateral agreements to the country’s trade, food importation has risen four times, from US$1.5 billion in 1994 to US$5.87 in 2011.

Meanwhile, the contribution of agriculture to the country’s economy also slumped, from the 21.6 percent of GDP recorded in 1991-1995 to about 13.9 percent in 2010.

Other sectors such as labor, health and education were also greatly devastated by the imposition of WTO agreements such as the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) and the Trade-Related Measures Agreement (TRIMS), both of which led to mass lay-offs, skyrocketing prices of commodities, and the commercialization of public services.

“WTO was once envisioned as a way for countries to trade freely and facilitate economic growth. Yet it was founded on wrong principles and for two decades, it has turned into a nightmare of epic proportions. Whole nations are now suffering from the failed experiments of this institution that served only to further enrich developed countries. The time is ripe to slay the beast that is WTO,” Ridon ended.###

Despite reports that United States Secretary of State John Kerry will be visiting the Philippines this December “to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to helping the Southeast Asian nation rebuild after a devastating typhoon,” Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon maintained that the upcoming visit signals the “finalization” of the US-PH agreement on increased rotational presence of US troops in the country.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs has spilled the beans early on when DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario said that the US military assistance in typhoon-ravaged central Philippines ‘accentuates’ the need for the new agreement on increased rotational presence,” Ridon said.

“Sec. Del Rosario’s statement exposed how the US is exploiting humanitarian response to increase military activity in the country,” Ridon said.

The youth solon was referring to the Framework Agreement for Increased Rotational Presence and Defense Cooperation, a new agreement being brokered by Washington to the Aquino administration that will allow US forces to access Philippine military facilities not limited to Clark and Subic.

“We are not fools to believe that US State Secretary John Kerry would visit the country to facilitate rehabilitation efforts in typhoon-ravaged central Philippines. Linking Kerry’s visit to disaster rehabilitation is only a publicity stunt. It is clear that his visit implies that the new framework agreement is now on its final phase,” Ridon said.

Ridon pointed out that even State Department Spokesperson Marie Harf was quoted in media reports as saying that Sec. Kerry will be discussing a wide range of bilateral and regional issues during his visit. The youth solon added that Kerry’s visit this December is only a rescheduled trip, after the US state secretary cancelled his visit last October due to inclement weather.

“The Filipino people should not welcome Secretary Kerry with gratitude. Instead, we should remember that his visit signals the sealing of the new access deal between Washington and Manila. And that is why on Sec. Kerry’s arrival, we call on the youth and the people to show our vehement opposition to increased US military presence by going out by the thousands to protest the US government’s effort to consolidate power in the Asia-Pacific,” Ridon ended.###

As the nation commemorates the 150th birth anniversary of Gat Andres Bonifacio, Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon called on the youth to “respond to the challenge of our time by living up to the Supremo’s revolutionary legacy.”

“Beyond remembrance, we call on the Filipino youth to live up to Bonifacio’s revolutionary legacy – to continue the fight against foreign domination, oppression and the cult of capitalism,” Ridon said.

“At a time when the only KKK that the government recognizes and serves arekamag-anak, kabarilan, kaklase, the youth should imbibe the principle of collective action taught to us by the Supremo’s Katipunan to struggle for genuine change,” the youth solon said.

“For the revolution that Bonifacio and his comrades waged more than a century ago was not only a revolution against the Spaniards. It was a revolution against oppression, poverty, and inequality. These things are – more than ever – ravaging our nation. Thus we, the youth, must take up the cudgels and continue his fight,” Ridon said.

The youth solon also extended his greetings to the 15th anniversary of Anakbayan, one of the founding organizations of Kabataan Partylist. Dubbed as the “most comprehensive mass organisation of the youth” in the Philippines, Anakbayan prides itself of having chapters in all major provinces of the country.

“The challenge for us is to emulate Bonifacio, who in the prime of his youth selflessly offered his life in service of the toiling masses. We must not be blinded by mere platitudes and the passivity of reformism. Like Bonifacio, let us organize thousands of youth, students, farmers and workers to fight for their rights. Like Bonifacio, let us mobilize the Filipino people to continue the struggle for a just and humane society,” Ridon said.

The youth solon noted that Bonifacio was only 29 when he, together with Ladislao Diwa and Teodoro Plata, formed the Katipunan in 1892.

“We should use the strength, vigor and idealism of our youth to foment change, even if it entails offering our prime years in the service of the Filipino masses,” Ridon ended.###

Passing the bill that seeks to include a course on the life, works, and ideals of Gat Andres Bonifacio in the curricula of all secondary schools, colleges and universities would be a “fitting gift” for the great Supremo’s 150th birthday, Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon said on the eve of Bonifacio’s birth anniversary.

At present, House Bill 1181 or the “Andres Bonifacio Act of 2013,” which was filed by Rep. Ridon last July, is still pending at the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture.

“It is saddening that Congress has not yet held even a single hearing for Bonifacio, even as the nation celebrates his 150th birth anniversary tomorrow. Is this a reflection of how our legislators value Gat Andres? I hope not,” Ridon said.

The Andres Bonifacio Bill was first filed in the 15th Congress by former Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raymond Palatino. It sought to introduce a course in Bonifacio’s life and works in the collegiate level. However, the said bill failed to get pass the committee level.

The present version of the bill seeks to include Bonifacio’s life and works not only at the tertiary level, but also in high school.

“There would be no greater gift to the great leader of the Philippine revolution than for the youth to continue his unfinished struggle. Beyond remembrance, the youth of today should live up to Andres Bonifacio’s legacy of patriotism and service to the Filipinos masses. And there is no better way to inculcate the great leader’s teachings than to include it in our students’ curriculum,” Ridon said.

For living up to the real value of nationalism and patriotism, the youth solon said that Bonifacio can serve as a good role model for the youth sector.

“Introducing a course on Bonifacio’s life in high school and college will strengthen the values of nationalism and patriotism. Lessons on national independence, collective action, civic consciousness and patriotism will be inculcated among the students. These lessons will shape the character needed for personal, community and national development,” Ridon said in the explanatory note of the bill.

“At a time when nationalism is reduced to wearing shirts with stars and suns, at a time when patriotism has been reduced to reciting the pledge of allegiance, the youth should remember what Bonifacio has taught us – that nationalism involves active involvement in our country’s issues, and that collective action against elements that trample our sovereignty is key to being patriotic,” Ridon said.###