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Militants prepare 'Noynoy the magician' effigy for SONA


President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy" Aquino III will not be exempt from getting an effigy from militant groups when they hold protest marches when he delivers his first State of the Nation Address on July 26. However, Aquino will be receiving a “kinder treatment" from militant groups who are preparing his effigy as a magician in a protest rally with a “Harry Potter" theme. Noynoy’s effigy, to be featured at militants' protest actions on Monday, will reflect “the tensions between illusion and reality" when it comes to the new administration. “Will the Noynoy ‘magic’ be enough to address the most basic peoples issues? Will there be real change or just the illusion of change?" the artist group Ugat Lahi Artists Collective said in an article posted on the website of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Friday. Ugat Lahi, which prepared effigies of past presidents, asked “Will he be a Harry Potter or will he turn out to be a Lord Voldemort?" referring to the hero and villain in the popular line of "Harry Potter" books. However, Ugat Lahi said the burning of the effigy, a practice in past SONAs, is not part of the plan for Monday's rally. The group said its portrayal of Aquino will be “kinder" than those of former president and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who had been portrayed as an “anay" (termite) and “manananggal" (a mythical creature). Aquino’s effigy will feature a magician waving his wand. Around him will march people bearing symbols of the country’s various problems— sovereignty, worsening poverty and hunger, economic crisis, corruption, human rights violations, environmental degradation, and intensified strife. “The effigy poses a question and challenge to the new administration, if it can really address not just the problems left by Arroyo but also the systemic problems that have been plaguing us regardless of who weilds power in Malacañang," Ugat Lahi said. Ugat Lahi made nine effigies of Mrs. Arroyo for her nine SONAs. This will be their first for Aquino. “President Aquino campaigned on the strength of promises of change," said Max Santiago of Ugat Lahi. "As president, he is in the best position to address the peoples demands for change." "But at the end of the day, will Noynoy’s ‘magic’ be enough to solve our problems, or will it merely cover them up? Will there be real change, or will the promised change turn out to be merely illusory?" he asked. “After showing the effigy, we will listen to President Aquino’s speech, since we are interested to know whether or not he will take up the challenge of carrying out the reforms the country badly needs at this time," Santiago said. Meanwhile, Bayan said the protest rally on Monday is a reminder to the Aquino government that the country has many pressing issues aside from corruption and misrule. A list of “demands and challenges" have been lined up by various sectors and these will comprise the speeches for the rally program. –VVP, GMANews.TV

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