Anakbayan slams AO 31, says Malacanang order to ‘commercialize’ gov’t transactions

Press Release

October 17, 2012

Anakbayan slams AO 31, says Malacanang order to ‘commercialize’ gov’t transactions

Youth group Anakbayan today assailed the newly-issued Palace order calling on government offices to increase fee rates and impose new charges. The Palace recently released Administrative Order No. 31,

which was signed on October 1, which called on all government offices to “rationalize the rates of their fees and charges, increase their existing rates and impose new fees and charges.”

According to Anakbayan national chairperson Vencer Crisostomo, the new memo legitimized new forms of “kotong and holdap” and basically turned government agencies into fund-raising entities.

“This is basically commercialization of government service. Ngayon pa lang, di na makatarungan ang paniningil sa ibang ahensya. Di ba nagbabayad tayo ng buwis? Bakit sisingilin pa ang taumbayan para sa

serbisyo publiko,” Crisostomo said.

He said the blanket memo which will affect all government insitutions is “height of insensitivity.”

“Di na nga pinipigilan ang pagtataas ng presyo ng bilihin, yung mismong mga government offices pa ay makikikotong,” Crisostomo said.

He called on Congress to investigate the memo and said they will campaign to stop the implementation of the memo.