Neri's 'insulting remarks' draws ire of group

MANILA, Philippines - A leader of the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (Kadamay) on Monday lashed out against newly-appointed Social Security System (SSS) Administrator Romulo Neri for his "insulting remarks." Kadamay leader Leona "Nanay Leleng" Zarsuela issued the statement in the wake of Neri's remark that protests against his assumption to the top SSS post were "paid." “It’s their profession. They’re just earning their keep," said Neri in media interviews on Friday regarding the protests held outside the SSS headquarters in Quezon City. Neri, who shielded Malacañang from allegations of corruption by invoking executive privilege in the Senate hearing on the ZTE national broadband deal, has been at the receiving end of protests the past days. “Parang pinalabas niya na trabaho lang talaga naming mamuna, at pinalalabas pa na pinagkaka-kitaan amin ang ganitong gawain (He made it appear like criticizing is our job and that we were making a living out of our protest movements)," Zarsuela, Kadamay’s vise president, said. Zarsuela maintained that the group strongly opposes the appointment of Neri because he is now in charge of the National Social Welfare Program (NSWP). Under the Administrative Order 232 (AO 232), the NSWP is the consolidation of all of the government’s dole-out and subsidy projects. “Hindi lang mismong SSS ang isyu dito, bagaman dito pa lang ay malaking kwestyon na (The issue here is beyond the SSS, although the SSS in itself poses a big question already)," said Zarsuela. The group held that the bigger issue is the NSWP where the funds doled-out by the government are not really effective and are only used by the government to improve its image and to collect more taxes. “Ang mensahe naming kay Neri, mag-ingat siya sa kanyang pananalita. Napakadumi ng track record nito, nagagawa pa niyang alipustahin ang protesta ng mga mamamayan (Our message to Neri is that he should watch his words. He has a tainted track record, and yet he can still manage to mock the protests of the people)," stated Zarsuela. Zarsuela added that if Neri wants to change how the masses view him, he should step down from office and convince the President to remove the VAT on oil and electricity. - Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV