{"id":6153,"date":"2023-07-21T12:57:35","date_gmt":"2023-07-21T04:57:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/csspsinag.wordpress.com\/?p=6153"},"modified":"2023-07-21T12:57:35","modified_gmt":"2023-07-21T04:57:35","slug":"youth-on-maharlika-a-marcosian-brand-of-corruption","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2023\/07\/21\/youth-on-maharlika-a-marcosian-brand-of-corruption\/","title":{"rendered":"Youth on Maharlika: A Marcosian Brand of Corruption"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

“We expect Marcosian maneuvers for the President himself to assign friends and cronies to handle half-a-trillion worth of people’s money under this Maharlika Scam. Thou shall not steal, President Marcos!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veto Maharlika Bill and instead allocate money for more and better social services. Instead of addressing calls for substantial and material policies such as wage increase, genuine agrarian reform, and response to the education sector, MarcosJr. resorts to two-faced policies and gambling of public funds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kej Andres<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SCMP National Spokesperson<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the Maharlika Investment Fund<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

[TINDIG]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

YOUTH ON MAHARLIKA: A MARCOSIAN BRAND OF CORRUPTION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Student activists and youth groups assembled at the Mendiola Peace Arch to protest the recently-signed Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) on Tuesday, July 18, calling it nothing more than a policy in perfect harmony with the \u201cMarcosian brand of corruption.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new controversial law, which progressives dubbed as an \u201cinvestment scam\u201d, was signed by Ferdinand Marcos Jr less than a month after it was submitted by the Congress despite opposition both by experts and the public.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Considered \u2018anti-people\u2019 and \u2018anti-development\u2019, the MIF garnered strong disapproval from its critics in the academe and progressive organizations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kabataan Partylist Secretary General Julius Cantiga said that, \u201cSa ilalim ng Maharlika Investment Scam, parang ginigripuhan at tinatagasan ang mga pondo na dapat ay nakatuon sa mga mamamayan. Laging paboritong sabihin na limitado ang fiscal space \u2013 kaya limitado dahil dito nila gustong gastusin sa isang programang pangsugal at pangscam sa pera ng mamamayan.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the Maharlika Investment Scam, groups at the protest claimed that public funds will be channeled away from public needs. They asserted that although the administration always claims that its fiscal space is limited \u2014 what they really mean is that it is limited only because they prioritize using public money in high-risk investments: to scam the Filipino people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Funds for corruption, not for education<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highlighting how prone the MIF is to mismanagement and corruption, the groups slammed Marcos Jr. for funneling funds into a risky and corruption-prone investment fund instead of using the funds for more important projects, especially for the education sector. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They pointed out that amid tuition hikes for private universities and planned budget cuts for state universities and colleges, Marcos\u2019s administration should not waste valuable resources on a measure that exports see as \u201cbeyond repair.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As 21 leading economists from the UP School of Economics pointed out, the country does not have the resources to fund such an investment fund, and the structure of the fund itself makes it difficult to be certain that it will actually benefit the public. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moreover, they said that given the absence of regulations that safeguard the policy\u2019s management as well as an evident lack of appropriate resources, the MIF is blatantly corrupt in nature, especially under a Marcos presidency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the MIF would give nine Marcos appointees control of over P500 billion, it might become just another \u201ccash cow\u201d for Marcos and his cronies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the body promises that these funds will be allocated to development projects, critics ask why the bill only creates another layer of bureaucracy instead of funding projects directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The progressive groups exemplified these criticisms in \u201cMaria Maharlika\u201d, a caricatured version of the MIF symbolizing the current Marcos administration\u2019s greed and underlying political and economic interests in the new policy at the expense of neglecting social services and spending on the youth\u2019s education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMag-aral na lang kayo, dahil wala na kayong magagawa. Pipirmahan namin ang biggest scampany \u2013 este, company \u2013 na limpak na limpak ang tiyak na kikitain namin \u2013 este, natin pala,\u201d Maria Maharlika satirically said. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MIF \u201cnew name for old tricks\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The protestors also drew parallels between the MIF and Marcos Sr\u2019s., Coco Levy Fund scandal in which he made the same promise of \u201ceconomic transformation<\/em>\u201d in the country\u2019s coconut industry. Instead of helping coconut farmers out, however, the Coco Levy due to mismanagement and corruption \u2013 exactly how critics fear the MIF will turn out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In light of these parallels, Anakbayan spokesperson Kate Almenzo ends the Mendiola demonstration, parodying Marcos Jr.\u2019s campaign jingle that \u201cLumang Pilipinas, lumang mukha, si Bongbong Marcos walang pinagkaiba sa tatay niya\u2013diktador, pasimuno ng neoliberalismo, pasimuno ng kolonyalismo, pasimuno ng pagnanakaw at paglubog sa pagpapahirap sa mga mamamayan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With only a few days before Marcos\u2019s second State of the Nation Address, critics say that the problems plaguing the Maharlika Fund \u2013 mismanagement and corruption \u2013 plague his entire administration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They say that if he really wants to change direction, he should junk the MIF and use the funds for pro-people policies like healthcare, social services, and education reform instead.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“We expect Marcosian maneuvers for the President himself to assign friends and cronies to handle half-a-trillion worth of people’s money under this Maharlika Scam. Thou shall not steal, President Marcos! Veto Maharlika Bill and instead allocate money for more and better social services. Instead of addressing calls for substantial and material policies such as wage […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":6155,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"ppma_author":[122],"class_list":["post-6153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-others"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/tindig-black_flush-right-1.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5833,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2023\/02\/12\/concrete-policies-not-cash-cows-student-councils-call-to-junk-maharlika-investment-fund\/","url_meta":{"origin":6153,"position":0},"title":"Concrete policies, not cash cows: student councils call to junk Maharlika Investment Fund","author":"Staff","date":"12 February 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Calling for \u201cconcrete and actionable policies\u201d that actually address the economies problems instead of an easily-exploitable wealth fund, the GASC adopted a resolution calling to \u201cexpose and oppose the adverse effects of the proposed Maharlika Investment Fund.\u201d Calling for \u201cconcrete and actionable policies\u201d that actually address the economies problems instead\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/features\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/marcos_davos_2-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/marcos_davos_2-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/marcos_davos_2-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/marcos_davos_2-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6135,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2023\/07\/16\/maharlika-investment-fund-may-magagawa-nga-ba\/","url_meta":{"origin":6153,"position":1},"title":"Maharlika Investment Fund, may magagawa nga ba?","author":"Staff","date":"16 July 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Sa Martes, Hulyo 18, pipirmahan na ni Bongbong Marcos ang panukala para sa pagtatag ng Maharlika Investment Fund. Matapos iratsada sa kamara sa loob lamang ng 17 araw at ipilit sa Senado sa kabila ng malawakang pagkundena ng mga eksperto at publiko, malinaw ang tanong ng bayan: may magagawa nga\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Others"","block_context":{"text":"Others","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/others\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/sinag-photo-quotes-2-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/sinag-photo-quotes-2-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/sinag-photo-quotes-2-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/sinag-photo-quotes-2-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/sinag-photo-quotes-2-1.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/sinag-photo-quotes-2-1.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1728,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2021\/08\/19\/journo-murdered-by-unidentified-gunman-in-quezon-city\/","url_meta":{"origin":6153,"position":2},"title":"Journo murdered by unidentified gunman in Quezon City","author":"Staff","date":"19 August 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Former Remate editor and operations manager Gwenn Salamida was shot dead in her salon last August 17, Thursday. Former Remate editor and operations manager Gwenn Salamida was shot dead in her salon last August 17, Thursday. The gunman allegedly barged into her salon, also gunning down her companion, Oliver Perona,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/news\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/232180319_531769411422942_5130123505142883112_n-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/232180319_531769411422942_5130123505142883112_n-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/232180319_531769411422942_5130123505142883112_n-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/232180319_531769411422942_5130123505142883112_n-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/232180319_531769411422942_5130123505142883112_n-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4903,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2022\/07\/07\/whats-in-a-name\/","url_meta":{"origin":6153,"position":3},"title":"What’s in a name?","author":"Staff","date":"7 July 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Few days after an inaugural speech riddled with lies to redefine the Marcos family name, a Marcos ally in the Congress proposed that the Ninoy Aquino International Airport be renamed after the late dictator and namesake of the current reactionary president, Ferdinand Marcos. Few days after an inaugural speech riddled\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Opinion"","block_context":{"text":"Opinion","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/opinion\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sinag-web-banner-2-1-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sinag-web-banner-2-1-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sinag-web-banner-2-1-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sinag-web-banner-2-1-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sinag-web-banner-2-1-1.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/sinag-web-banner-2-1-1.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6160,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2023\/07\/23\/marcos-bagsak-marcos-babagsak\/","url_meta":{"origin":6153,"position":4},"title":"Marcos, bagsak; Marcos babagsak!","author":"Staff","date":"23 July 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Bagsak sa lahat ng aspekto ang unang taon ni Marcos. Wala siyang idinulot kundi pagpapahirap sa taumbayan at ginhawa para sa mga alipores niyang nasa kapangyarihan na naman. Subalit hindi dapat mag-alala ang aping sambayanan dahil ang Presidenteng bagsak, tiyak na babagsak! Bagsak sa lahat ng aspekto ang unang taon\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Editorial"","block_context":{"text":"Editorial","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/editorial\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/1-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/1-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/1-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/1-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/1-1.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/1-1.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2836,"url":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/2021\/10\/13\/suspected-state-agents-try-to-ntrude-up-diliman-in-search-of-lumad-leaders\/","url_meta":{"origin":6153,"position":5},"title":"Suspected state agents try to ntrude UP Diliman in search of Lumad leaders","author":"Staff","date":"13 October 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Two suspicious individuals were reported to attempt intrusion to the Bakwit School in the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) searching for Lumad Bakwit School teacher Rius Valle and Manobo chieftain Bai Bibyaon last October 11, Monday, a source from the Save Our Schools (SOS) Network confirms. Two suspicious individuals\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "National News"","block_context":{"text":"National News","link":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/category\/news\/national-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-2-3-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-2-3-1.png?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-2-3-1.png?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-2-3-1.png?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-2-3-1.png?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/sinag-web-banner-2-3-1.png?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"authors":[{"term_id":122,"user_id":9,"is_guest":0,"slug":"csspsinag","display_name":"Staff","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/194807626fee183640d3de57e788ba7c8c0d40bd86bfc1237bed56bcd3832c1b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6153","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6153"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6153\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6153"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6153"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinag.press\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=6153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}