By Shan Kenshin Ecaldre 
Bulatlat.com

MANILA—In the lead-up to Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), progressive organizations from Southern Tagalog launched the LABAN: Southern Tagalog People’s Caravan, a week-long series of protest actions from July 25 to 29 aimed at condemning four years of repression, climate negligence, and disaster injustice.

Led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan – Timog Katagalugan (Bayan-TK), the caravan happened as Typhoons Crising and Dante hit multiple regions in the country. Protesters said that the devastation only underscores the government’s persistent failure to deliver timely and adequate disaster response, especially to vulnerable and marginalized communities.

The caravan started on July 25 with protest actions at symbolic and strategic locations in Metro Manila, starting at the US Embassy, followed by mobilizations at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Mendiola, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). 

At each stop, participants raised sectoral issues and criticized policies they claim favor elite interests and foreign powers over Filipino lives.

“Is it right for the president to tell us to get used to losing our homes and livelihoods?” asked Ada Seguin, deputy secretary general of KASAMA-TK.

“In Southern Tagalog, farmers are already burdened by lost harvests and incomes. The people are not just struggling, they are being abandoned.” Seguin said.

Protesters criticized the controversial infrastructure and energy projects in the region like the Laguna Lakeshore Road Network (LLRN), floating solar panels in Laguna Lake, Ahunan Dam in Laguna, and the Kaliwa and Wawa dams in Rizal. In Mindoro, communities raised alarm over renewable energy developments accompanied by militarization and land encroachment.

The caravan also highlighted broader concerns over US economic and military influence in the Philippines. Protesters condemned what they called lopsided trade relations like the 19% tariff imposed on Filipino exports while American goods remain largely untaxed. 

For them, this reflects a broader trend of neocolonial control over the country’s labor force and natural resources.

“While the nation reels from disaster, the administration prioritizes the demands of corporations and foreign governments,” said Lucky Oraller, spokesperson for BAYAN-TK. “We’re being exploited, from our cheap labor to our lands, while the people continue to suffer.”

As the caravan continues over the next few days, it will include educational discussions, cultural performances, and grassroots consultations. On July 28, organizers will deliver a State of the Regional Address, offering a grounded report on the condition of communities in Southern Tagalog. (AMU, DAA)