We from Bicol Movement for Disaster Response (BMDR) are saddened by the fact that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her economic spokesperson Gary Olivar are callous to the plight of Mayon residents who have been evacuated due to the volcano's imminent eruption.

With President Arroyo going to Hong Kong to have a vacation while many Albayanos are facing the loss of their lives and property she only showed her true nature and that she does not care for Albayanos or for Filipinos. She only thinks of what can extend her hold to power.

Essentialy Gloria Macapagal -Arroyo’s last State of the Nation Address (Sona) was nothing but a compendium of lies, half-truths and attacks on her critics. She did not even mention anything that is really beneficial to the Filipino people, the passage of the so-called Cheaper Medicines Law notwithstanding.

We from the Bikolano Aliance for Nationalism against Balikatan (BAN BALIKATAN) very much disagree with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates. The only things that work in the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) is that it fosters the US trampling on our sovereignty, prostitution, more human rights violations and now even corruption.

We from the Bikolano Alliance for Nationalism against Balikatan (BAN BALIKATAN) call on the Senate and the House of Representatives to investigate the corruption exposed by former Lieutenant Nancy Gadian, former officer-in- charge (OIC) of the Civil Military Operations (CMO) Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) in the 2007 Balikatan Exercises in Jolo, Sulu. She accused Lt. General Eugenio Cedo, the former chief of the Westmincom of pocketing a lot of money from the exercises.