Social distancing observed in UP ‘mañanita’ protest -activist leader

Social distancing was observed during progressive groups' version of "mañanita" this Independence Day, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Secretary-General Renato Reyes said Friday.

Reyes shared some photos of the event on his Twitter account showing the distance among protesters who attended the gathering at the University of the Philippines.

Beautiful pictures of mañanita participants observing phyiscal distancing while airing urgent demand to #JunkTerrorBill. June 12, 2020. Photo by Kodao Productions. pic.twitter.com/64sKCQfumI

— Renato Reyes, Jr. (@natoreyes) June 12, 2020

Reyes said UP volunteers had put some markings so that protesters would know where they will stand during the event.

Raymund Villanueva's shot shows us how participants stood on marked spots to maintain physical distancing. Volunteers from UP marked the stretch of the university avenue for the mañanita to #JunkTerrorBill pic.twitter.com/e8pxM2G5yt

— Renato Reyes, Jr. (@natoreyes) June 12, 2020

According to Reyes, volunteer doctors, nurses as well as lawyers were present during the event.

Organizers of the program also ensured that their activity would not go beyond 12 noon as scheduled, Reyes said.

The activist leader also noted an orderly dispersal of the attendees.

"Ang totoo ay 10 lamang ang inimbitahan namin pero napakarami pala ang gustong dumalo. Di naman siguro kayo pwedeng pauwiin pa ano? Mapayapa naman ang pagtitipon natin at walang nilalabag na batas. Palakapakan natin ang isa’t isa. Itaas ang kamao ng lahat ng nagmamahal sa bayan!" Reyes said in a statement.

Online protests

Prior to this day, law enforcers repeatedly warned and appealed to militant groups to just voice their sentiments through online platforms because any form of mass gathering was prohibited during community quarantine.

Reyes argued that they have been practicing online protests for almost three months, however, he claimed that the government is not listening to their sentiments.

One of their concerns is the new anti-terrorism bill which is now up for President Rodrigo Duterte's signature.

"Halos tatlong buwan na kaming nagpoprotesta online. Hindi naman kayo nakikinig. Itinuloy nyo pa rin ang terror bill. Kayo ang nagpwersa sa amin sa sitwasyong ito," Reyes said.

"Sabi ng isang opisyal mayroon tayong mga alituntunin na dapat sinusunod ng mamamayan. Pero ser, nawalan na kayo ng moral ascendancy na pasunurin kami nung inarbor nyo ang mga opisyal na lumabag din sa mga alituntunin. Sukdulan na ang double standards sa bansang ito, nakakasuka na," he added.

Citing information from group AGHAM, the Movement Against Tyranny said the number of protesters in UP has reached more or less 5,000. — DVM, GMA News