‘Apec fail?’ Some protesters don’t know what Apec means, but…

Police fire water cannons at student activists as they clash near the venue hosting the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Manila, Philippines, Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015. Asia-Pacific leaders called Thursday for increased international cooperation in the fight against terrorism as they held annual talks overshadowed by the Paris attacks. AP

“Junk, junk Apec,” was their battlecry.

Members of various militant groups have been shouting at the top of their lungs for days now, holding mass actions against the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Manila.

Upon cue and in a rehearsed fashion, they echo the shouts of their protest leaders, who have repeatedly slammed “imperialist globalization” supposedly being perpetrated by the economic forum. But how much do they know about what they are fighting for?

Interestingly, some protesters who trooped to the intersection of Buendia Avenue and Roxas Boulevard on Thursday do not even know what the acronym “Apec” stands for.

READ: Apec security measures ‘overkill,’ symbolic of failed policies–ex-solon

“Ang Apec, ‘yan ‘yung pagmi-meeting ng mga presidente ng mga makakapangyarihang bansa para pagkaisahan ang mga mas mahihirap na bansa kaya lalong naghihirap ang mga mamamayan,” said a militant who introduced himself as “Ben.”

(Apec is the meeting of presidents of influential countries to gang up on poor countries, which is why citizens are getting poorer.)

But when asked what Apec stands for, he was only able to answer “Asia-Pacific Economy.”

A member of a militant youth group who refused to be named said Apec policies obviously favor big corporations. Asked what the acronym means, the protester said he was not sure but made a wild guess nevertheless: “Asia-Pacific Economic Corporation.”

While there were those who almost guessed it right, a protester from a militant women’s group admitted she has no idea what Apec stands for. She just laughed it off, but was quick to defend herself that what matters more are the principles that they are fighting for.

“Ang importante naman eh kung bakit kami nandito. ‘Yung mga pinuno na ‘yan, oo mga edukado ‘yan at pwedeng naiintindihan nila ang ginagawa at pinag-uusapan nila pero pilit nilang pinipilit ‘yung nakasasama para sa mas nakakarami para sa pansariling interes,” she said.

(The important thing is why we are here. Those leaders, yes, they are educated and they may understand what they are doing and are talking about, but they still insist on what is detrimental to many only to serve their own interests.)

‘Apec fail, US pivot’

Nevertheless, Bayan secretary General Renato Reyes maintained that Apec has made impoverished countries like the Philippines even poorer in the past two decades of its being a member nation.

“Neoliberal economic dictates have caused severe unemployment, migration, depressed wages, landlessness and land-grabbing as well as the degradation of the environment. Rightly called an ‘Apec fail,’ the people demand a new economic framework that puts national interest and the people ahead of corporate profits,” Reyes said.

READ: Apec summit plunders PH resources, a ‘corporate coup’—confab

Reyes particularly slammed the Philippine government’s alleged support for the “United States pivot” to Asia through increased military presence.

“We denounce Aquino’s mendicancy and for blindly relying on the false promise of US support in our maritime dispute with China. The US is set to give the Philippines one more aging 1967 Hamilton-class cutter–whose maintenance costs more than the actual acquisition — as proof of its so-called “iron-clad” commitment to the Philippines. It is unlikely that the US will go head to head with China over the islets and waters being claimed by the Philippines,” Reyes said.

He also criticized the preparations and security measures being implemented by the government for the Apec summit, which has inconvenienced commuters in the capital city.

“The Apec in Manila is an expensive and burdensome going away party for President Benigno Aquino III. It is his last chance to show off the alleged gains of his regime. The Filipino people detest the way they have been turned into second class citizens in their own country just so Aquino could pander to the big powers and the foreign investors,” he added. CDG

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