Archive for April, 2008
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Impunity Inhibits Journalism in the Philippines
By JOEL SIMON and SHEILA CORONEL | Committee to Protect Journalists | The nearly perfect record of impunity in the Philippines has had a devastating impact on the free flow of information and has inhibited coverage of human rights and corruption issues in the communities affected by violence.
Malacanang warned today against possible outbreak of the deadly Avian Flu if exotic fowl meat from other Asian countries continued flooding the local market due to corruption in the Bureau of Customs.
The OFWs said that instead of helping them, them Filipino officials in Saudi Arabia caused them problems and hardship.
One only needs to look at government data to see the basis for a substantial wage hike, and one only needs to do simple mathematical computations to prove the anti-poor character of the proposed 10-percent wage hike for government employees.
BY DANILO ARAÑA ARAO
Unlike in the past, the Macapagal-Arroyo administration and a segment of the business [...]
The Arroyo government is again playing with words, as if it would make the rice crisis (which has now reached the level of a food crisis) go away. It claims there is no rice crisis but admits to a rice price crisis. There may be no real shortage yet but sharp increases in the price [...]
Among the recommendations put forth at the UNHRC’s review of human rights in the Philippines is the intensification of efforts to investigate, prosecute and punish the perpetrators of extrajudicial killings.
Activists from the NO DEAL! Movement today swam a distance of around 10 kilometers as part of continuing efforts to convince the Senate to reject the flawed Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA). “This is a challenge to our senators to say a ‘categorical no’ to Japan instead of a ‘conditional yes’ as proposed by Senator [...]
A curious thing is happening over at Brian Gorrell’s. Gorrell, as you should know by now, put up his wildly popular blog to collect money that he claims the “social climber” DJ Montano stole from him. For weeks since he put it up last month, Gorrell posted exposés after exposés on Montano, the so-called Gucci [...]
“God’s policy is antiquated and it cannot help the people who are reeling from poverty,” Duterte said during his weekly television program in Davao City. “We should study the situation of our country. There are families who have 10 or 12 children but their parents cannot feed them because they don’t have jobs.”
Click on image to enlarge.
This map illustrates the different ways and forms by which the United States has established its military basing in the Philippines. It shows the locations of the increasing number of military exercises the US has been holding year-round in venues throughout the country from Batanes to Tawi-Tawi since 2001. It [...]
Senator Pimentel said the grant of bail to Trillanes will enable him to perform his duties as elected senator of the republic. Majority of senators had signed a resolution last year urging the courts to allow Trillanes to attend Senate sessions and hearings while his case is being tried.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Nene” Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today clarified that the presidential form of government will be retained under the proposal to federalize the country contained in a joint congressional resolution he has filed and supported by 11 other senators.
Pimentel said what the federal system seeks to replace is the existing unitary system [...]
27 April 2008, Quezon City, Philippines – Sectors from the urban poor, farmers, nurses, fisherfolk, labor and the environment today gathered at a press conference, calling on the members of the Senate to reject the conditional concurrence resolution that Senator Miriam Santiago unveiled during her privilege speech at the Senate re-opening early last week.
The Magkaisa [...]
House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Satur C. Ocampo today denounced the Arroyo government’s renewed overt surveillance with apparent intent to harass and intimidate the human rights lawyers defending him and fellow party-list representatives in Congress in three murder charges filed against them on April 18 in Nueva Ecija Regional Trial Courts.
“We condemn [...]
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Nene” Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today urged President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to drop her government’s libel case against Archbishop Oscar Cruz of the Archdiocese of Lingayen and Dagupan to spare her from criticisms that she continues to pursue a policy of vindictiveness against her critics.
Instead of getting back at her critics through [...]
Political Bloodbath Continues: Widow of Slain Activist Shot Dead New Wave of Protests Against Charter Change Set in April Comelec’s Automation to Worsen Election Fraud — Watchdog 2008: Another Bad Year for the Philippine Press ‘Unemployment Figures Wrong; Number of Jobless Higher’ ‘Nicole Is Not the Enemy’ ‘Nicole’: ‘My Conscience Bothers Me’ Why Globe Broadband Sucks Big Time Is the Call Center Industry a Bright Spot for New Graduates? 6 Great Ways to Vent Your Frustrations Eating Dirt Is Actually Good For Children Australia Offers 150 Scholarship Slots for Philippines, Asia-Pacific Why Globe Broadband Sucks Big Time
Globe Sucks: Grabe na talaga tong globe broadband ang panget ng service. Ang bilis ma disconnect ang tagal maka... marlon: Hi im marlon reyes of legal age married with 10 years. but until now my wife seek for a child. can you send... Jeanalyn: we have same inquiry of joel medrano but this time..I am jeanalyn legal age with 1 adopted child. and... rjlat: i think kailangan na natin ng bagong mamumuno sa ating gobyerno. ung isang presedente na magtatakda ng mas... ‘Martsa Kontra Cha-cha’ Set What Are 1109, 9006, and 9369 in Arroyo’s Agenda? Environmentalists Slam Arroyo’s Sellout of Lands to Foreigners Recruiting Militants in Southern Thailand New Round of Oil Price Hikes Hit Greenpeace Water Patrol Dismantles Blockade It’s Battle of Good Vs Evil, Church Leaders Say of Cha-cha Fight Satur: Nograles to Blame for Dispersal of Peasant Camp-Out Philippines: A Journalist on Army Target List, Another Shot, Possibly by Soldier In the Philippines, Targeting Journalists
"Sampayan ng Bayan". During its Third Congress on March 27-28, 2009, members of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-US Chapter staged protest actions against RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement through a "Sampayan ng Bayan" where a clothesline with painted shirts spelling out "JUNK VFA" was wrapped around General MacArthur's statue in Los Angeles, California. (Photo courtesy of Bayan-US)
CANDLES FOR BILLANES Members of Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE) and other multisectoral groups held a candle lighting activity on March 13, 2009 at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani to denounce the increasing number of extrajudicial killings in the country; the most recent was environmentalist and anti-mining activist Eliezer Billanes. (Photo by Kalikasan-PNE)
Goodbye, Rebelyn Thousands joined the funeral march for Rebelyn Pitao, the daughter of a top Communist leader, in Davao City on Saturday. The protesters demanded justice for the schoolteacher, who was brutally murdered allegedly by military agents. (Photo by Barry Ohaylan)
PROTEST OVER REBELYN. Hong Kong human rights groups condemn the abduction, torture, rape and killing of Rebelyn Pitao in a picket protest held on March 11, 2009 at the Philippine Consulate General. (Photo courtesy of BAYAN-Hong Kong)
BERDUGO. Posters accusing the 10th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as "berdugo" (butcher) are posted in major streets in Davao City. The New People's Army (NPA) accused the 10th ID to be behind the killing of 20-year old Rebelyn Pitao, daughter of NPA rebel leader Leoncio Pitao. (Photo by Ruby Thursday More/AKP Images)
Around 10,000 members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) gathered at the football field of Agro-Industrial Foundation College of the Philippines in Davao City on Saturday, March 7, 2009 for their 3rd Grand Summit Gathering with MNLF founding chair Prof. Nur Misuari. Some of the MNLF members traveled from as far away as Zamboanga provinces just for the half day gathering. (Photo by Keith Bacongco/AKP Images)
Teachers Demand Better Wages. Dozens of public-school teachers take to the street of Manila to demand better wages. They also criticized a proposed law that would give soldiers better salaries than those in the civilian bureaucracy. (Photo by arkibongbayan.org)
Beach Boy. A taho (soybean custard) vendor plies his trade in a seemingly desolate landscape, which is actually a beach in Opol, Misamis Oriental. (Photo by Ayi Muallam/PinoyPress)
Lumad Protest. Some 200 indigenous peoples coming from different parts of Mindanao staged a protest at the gate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Eastern Mindanao Command in Panacan, Davao City, on Monday, March 2, 2009, to denounce the human-rights abuses allegedly perpetrated by the military in the indigenous communities. They also called for the repeal of the Mining Act. (Photo by Keith Bacongco/AKP Images)
Ban Balikatan. Activists from the group BAN Balikatan in Bicol held protest rallies on Feb. 25 to denounce the holding of the US-Philippine Balikatan exercises in the region. They criticized President Arroyo for being a "puppet" of Washington. (Photo courtesy of arkibongbayan.org)
NO to BNPP. Members of the Network Opposed "NO" to Bataan Nuclear Power Plant Revival ask members of the House of Representatives not to support House Bill 4631 which calls for the revival of the mothballed nuclear plant. Environmental and Civil society groups question the safety of nuclear power plants and instead call for the full implementation of the recently passed Renewable Energy Bill. (Photo by Gigie Cruz/AKP Images)
