New alliance of gov’t workers formed against presence of US troops

New alliance of gov’t workers formed against presence of US troops

By RHODINA VILLANUEVA, Reporter
TODAY
February 8, 2002 12:01:00 PM
A BROAD alliance of government employees yesterday said it might be
forced into paralyzing operations of government agencies if the present
administration will not heed its call to pull out United States
military
troops in the country.
RAGE, or Rise All Government Employees alliance, also pointed out that
it
will launch simultaneous mass actions to pressure the government into
putting an end to the ongoing US military exercises in the territory.
Ferdinand Gaite, RAGE convenor and national president of the
Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government
Employee (COURAGE), said that members of courage and other allied
organizations are ready to make sacrifices to send signals to the
Arroyo
administration that they will not tolerate the US military activities
in
the country.
"We will try to avail ourselves of what we call union leaves and even
petition the management to recognize our rights to air grievances,"
Gaite
said.
RAGE noted that President Arroyo has violated the Constitution and
Republic Act 6714, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public
Officials and Employees, for her alleged unbridled puppetry to the US.
"She [Arroyo] has violated the check-and-balance in governance. She has
become a negative example of public service, good governance and
patriotism. Her invitation for the US military exercises here removed
all
the masks of her pretense as a Filipino," the alliance’s statement
read.
COURAGE noted that nationally coordinated actions, which are expected
to
mobilize more than 300,000 protesters, will take place. On February 14,
Gaite said the alliance will stage a protest action in Malacañang, and
on
the 25th a bigger rally is set to commemorate the EDSA 1 revolt.
Gaite added that besides the rank-and-file employees, they have also
been
successful in tapping middle managers to participate in the planned
activities.
RAGE is a broad alliance of government employees from national
government
agencies, government-owned-and-controlled corporations, local
government
units, the judiciary and legislative branch of the government and local
officials, who are protesting US intervention and demanding the
immediate
pullout of the US military troops. •