Focus on local candidates while preparing for failure of elections

PLM will be running and supporting several candidates, including 14 candidates at the local level, in the May 10, 2010 elections. They include a candidate for congressman in the second district of Marikina (BMP leader Larry Punzalan), one vice-governor in Bulacan (Apen dela Cruz of PLM), one mayor in Pasig (Ric Reyes of PLM/Katarungan left coalition) and 11 PLM councillors in 6 cities and municipalities in NCR, Central and Northern Luzon, and some parts of the Visayas. The 11 councillors are all PLM leaders in the community chapters of the organization.

In the senate, PLM will be supporting an anti-trapo ticket, consisting of J.V. Bautista (Sanlakas), Danny Lim (former Brigadier General, jailed for mutiny against the Arroyo administration) and Risa Hontiveros (Akbayan).

Our application to run as party-list has been rejected by the reactionary electoral commission.  While this was a setback to our congressional intervention for the party-list, we have decided not to contest the decision legally in the Supreme Court. We will be concentrating instead on strengthening the party’s base, especially through the local electoral interventions. This is also in preparation for the barangay elections (community or village level) in October 2010, during which we are also planning a major intervention, to build our base and train our local leaders in electoral tactics.

PLM’s electoral platform for 2010 will focus on the following key demands of the mass movement:

• Debt Moratorium!
• Stop contractualization!
• Repeal oil deregulation law!
• Moratorium on demolitions in urban poor communities!
• Provision of basic social services!

Our strategic call will be for the “Gobyerno ng Masa” or “Government of the Masses”.

PLM will not be calling for a vote for any of the main presidential candidates. We view them as traditional politicians and representatives of elite rule, albeit lesser evils in relation to the Arroyo administration.

While we intervene in the electoral arena, we are also preparing for the possibility of a failure of elections, due to the anticipated  massive electoral fraud by the Arroyo administration and the general inability of the elite political system to guarantee the conduct of a smooth election.