International Women's Day in the Philippines (tags)
Women of different political groups and professions were present at the March. Thirteen major groups joined forces under the banner “Martsa ng Kababaihan”. Present in big numbers were members of Akbayan, LABAN ng MASA, Bayan, Black and White Movement, women advocate groups like Gabriela Women’s Party, Welga ng Kababaihan, and WomenSpeak. In an interesting twist of history, this was the first time that the women’s movements gathered together in a common cause since the Marcos dictatorship.
STATE of EMERGENCY has been imposed in the PHILIPPINES! (tags)
Several dozen demonstrators were arrested, mostly social movement activists and civil society leaders including Ronald Llamas, president of AKBAYAN and Professor Randy David, a well-known academic and vocal critique of the Arroyo government.