Philippines – Duterte 2 Years on: Destructive, Divisive, and Despotic (tags)
When Rodrigo Duterte won the presidency in 2016, some even among the left toyed early on with the idea that a “maverick” president could just be what the country needed to stir things up, and jolt us from almost 30 years of elite-dominated rule.
Philippine President Duterte's State of the Nation Address (Sona) (tags)
DUTERTE’S SONA – MORE SWEARING THAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS
The Filipinos Fight Against Inequality Must Intensify (tags)
Nothing should inspire the public’s outrage more than the chasm that exists between the haves and have nots in Philippine society. And what better indicator can there be of inequality than when poor people suspected of involvement in drugs start dropping dead on the streets while the rich and powerful escape plunder charges through the courts?
Philippines: Binay tirades smack of desperation (tags)
Philippine Vice-President Jejomar Binay’s attempt at delivering a “True” State of the Nation Address (TSONA) suffers from a very basic flaw: a lack of credibility in the one delivering it. His antics reek of desperation against the mounting cases of corruption against him. Binay, in the course of losing his grip on the Presidency is trying to grasp at straws to deflect issues.
The State of Reform in the Philippines (tags)
Akbayan on Aquino’s 5th State of the Nation Address
Philippine President told: Re-energize the campaign for reforms (tags)
Philippines: As President Benigno Simeon Aquino III prepares to deliver his 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA), Akbayan Party-list urged him to "re-energize the campaign for reforms" by carrying out "deeper and broader institutional changes" in his last two years in office.
Filipino Farmers to Aquino: Make Land Reform a Development Priority (tags)
Philippines, March 2014 -- With less than four months remaining before the upcoming “death” of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP)’s land distribution component on June 30 2014, 300 farmers from the Save Agrarian Reform Alliance (SARA) today trooped to Malacanang, calling for a drastic acceleration and overhaul of the implementation of the land reform effort.
Filipinos in LA join global protest vs China (tags)
LOS ANGELES – On July 24, Filipinos in Los Angeles trooped to the Chinese Consulate offices in Shatto Place in Koreatown to protest the China’s aggression in the heated West Philippine Sea/South China Sea territorial dispute.
On Philippine President Aquino's Midterm Year (tags)
Deeper reforms needed to curb inequality
Filipino workers challenge to Aquino (tags)
Three years ago, President Aquino promised to substantially reduce poverty, create quality and secure jobs, and end the reign of impunity, among others. He promised “inclusive growth”. Workers have had enough of these broken promises.
PHILIPPINES: Akbayan calls on Sandiganbayan to issue warrant of arrest against Arroyo (tags)
Akbayan Chairperson Risa Hontiveros called on the Sandiganbayan today to issue a warrant of arrest against former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) in connection with the plunder charge filed against her and several others before the anti-graft court by the Office of the ombudsman.
PHILIPPINES: Much has been won; much still to be fought for (tags)
Akbayan on President Aquino’s 3rd State of the Nation Address
Philippines: Sorry state of labor presented in pre-SONA forum (tags)
Workers groups today presented the “sorry state of labor” in a forum that served as a buildup activity to the coming counter-SONA protest on Monday. “In his forthcoming SONA (State of the Nation Address), President Benigno Aquino III (P-Noy) will boast of his administration’s so-called inclusive growth. But to workers and the poor, GNP growth only means more ‘Gutom Na Pilipino,’” averred Renato Magtubo, national chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM - Labor Party - Philippines).
Philippine Airline workers intensify protest actions (tags)
The Philippine Airlines Employees? Association (PALEA) today asserted that Philippine Airlines (PAL) President Jaime Bautista?s announcement that they no longer acknowledge Gerry Rivera and Bong Palad as union officers exposes union busting as the real aim of outsourcing. ?Truly a fish is caught by its mouth. Actually PAL is not just recognizing me and Palad as union officers but 62% of PALEA?s leadership and 70% of its membership who have been illegally lockout and terminated. Outsourcing thus is tantamount to union busting,? stated Gerry Rivera, PALEA president and vice chair of Partido ng Manggagawa (PM - Labor Party).
Philippines: Education underspending is not "straight path" (tags)
Statement of the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP) on the 2012 Proposed Budget
Philippine Akbayan Party to seek life sentence for Arroyo (tags)
Even before newly appointed Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales could step in her new office, anti-corruption advocates already have an important assignment for the new chief of the anti-corruption body.
Philippine peace process gaining headway (tags)
Upon assuming office a year ago, President Benigno S. Aquino III declared that the government was ready to resume peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Communist National Democratic Front (NDF) without pre-condition and repeated it in his first State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA).
PHILIPPINES: Absent major policy reforms, there will be no social transformation (tags)
President Aquino?s communication advisers said the President?s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) will focus more on ?social transformation?. What would that mean in real sense, however, largely depend on how Filipinos would view their lives today and in the immediate future. And for the Filipino masses who have been used to hearing nice words from their leaders, this new buzzword assumes no meaning at all unless accompanied by major policy reforms.
PHILIPPINES: Keeping an eye on Aquino’s commitment to change (tags)
MANILA - The new administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III begins with an extremely high trust rating of 88 percent – higher than any of the post-dictatorship presidents. This is a measure of people’s belief in the commitment of the Aquino administration to reverse the anti-poor policies implemented during the regime of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Aquino III Talks Peace but is close to Talks (tags)
The EPCC NEWS reported today that former Bayan Muna representative and defeated NP guest candidate for senator Satur Ocampo said “ President Benigno Aquino III's spiel on peace talks with the National Democratic Front in his State of the Nation Address practically closed the door on their immediate resumption. Ocampo also said that while Aquino was more positive about pursuing peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MNLF), he set preconditions for talks with the NDF, Ocampo said in Bacolod City on Monday.
Race for Phillippine Senate presidency goes Global: From Asia to America (tags)
The EPCC NEWS sources have confirmed that race for the Philippine Senate presidency has turned global. EPCC NEWS also confirmed it's three way fight between Pangilinan of LP, Villar of NP and Enrile of the PMP. Enrile allied itself with LP in attacking Villar of the NP during the last presidential elections. This will have an effect on the senate presidensial race on the Congress opening in July 26.
Palparan's vow to attack unarmed and vulnerable targets is cowardice -- NDF-Southern Minda (tags)
The EPCC news learned today through media sources that the NDF-Mindanao condemns the butcher general Jovito Palparan, Jr. had pronounced last year that he will bring his anti-communism crusade in Davao City especially during the election period. Now with only a month to go before the reactionary GRP election kicks off, expect Palparan's open and dirty war against progressive party-lists, individuals, groups and their supporters to be unleashed.
SENATOR PIMENTEL CALLS ON OFW’S TO VOTE ON 2010 ELECTIONS; ALLAYS FEARS OF CHACHA ON SONA (tags)
Senate Minority leader and oppositionSenator Aquilino Pimentel Jr. calls on all overseas Filipinos to vote on the May 2010 Presidential elections in the Philippines. Calling the OFW votes as “the decisive factor and the cleansing votes” he appealed to Filipino American voters in the Filipino American Community of Los Angeles (FACLA) Hall at the regular Media Breakfast Club of LA Wednesday meeting, yesterday, July 22. " There are around 14 million Filipinos abroad. If only 6 million of them votes. that can be decisive in any elections. In the United States there are around 2.9 million of you here. Your votes are not tainted, you cannot be bought. Therefore your vites are important." Pimentel told the crowd.
BULGAR ANG TUNAY NA SONA: LANSAGIN ANG PASISTANG PAGHAHARI NG REHIMENG US- GMA (tags)
Katulad ng dati, walang pinag-iba ang State of the Nation Address o SONA ni Gloria Mcapagal-Arroyo sa iba pang sona na kanyang tinalumpati sa kanyang bihag na Kongreso. Nagsimula sa “bangkang papel” noong 2001 nagwakas ito sa barkong lumubog na MV Princess ng Sulpico Lines nitong 2008, katulad ng kinasadlakan ng kawawang kalagayan ng bansang Pilipinas: lubog sa utang sa ibang bansa, lubog sa karalitaan, lubog sa pagdarahop, lubog sa pamimighati dahil sa pasistang karahasan ngunit patuloy na lumalaban ang masang Pilipino. Walang malilinlang na malawak sa masa ang palalong si GMA. Sa labas ng Kongreso, nagrali ang galit na mga mamamayan. Sa iba’t ibang parte ng bansa, damang dama ang galit ng pagtutol. Bakit nga ba makikinig ang bayan sa paglulubid ng mga kasinungalingan?
WALANG AWAT NA KILOS PROTESTA SA PILIPINAS (tags)
Sunud-sunod na kilos-protesta ang inilunsad nitong nagdaang mga araw, laluna ng mga kabataan, laban sa tuluy-tuloy na pagtaas ng presyo ng mga produktong petrolyo at sa pagtanggi ng rehimeng Arroyo na alisin ang ipinapataw nitong buwis sa mga ito. Papalaki at papadalas na mga kilos-protesta ng mga kabataan. Umabot sa mahigit 5,000 estudyante at kabataang di nakapag-aaral ang nagmartsa patungong Mendiola nitong Hulyo 18. Sa panawagang “Kabataan at Bayan, Mag-aklas,” nag-walkout ang libu-libong estudyante mula sa kani-kanilang eskwelahan. Iginiit nila ang pagbabasura sa value added tax (VAT) sa langis, ang pagbabasura sa Oil Deregulation Law at ang pagsasabatas sa P125 across-the-board na umento sa sahod.
The commanding general of the Central Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Lt. Gen. Pedro Inserto, says that “the Palparan solution” failed. The so-called solution is named after the notorious Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan Jr., now retired. In all his assignments,
Philippine Democracy Under Arroyo’s Petty Tyranny (tags)
The rampant human rights violation under the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo government and her penchant for issuing policies that have curtailed the freedom of speech and assembly have been likened to the tyranny that reigned over our country during the time of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.
FILIPINO VETERANS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS CONDEMN HARRASMENT OF US-BASED GABRIELA NETWORK LEA (tags)
Different Filipino World War II veterans and community organizations in Los Angeles today condemned the harassment perpetrated by the Philippine authorities against GABRIELA Network (GABNet) USA National Chairperson Dr. Annalisa Enrile. Dr. Enrile was barred from boarding her return flight to the United States. This act of harassment occurred on the culminating day of the 10th bi-annual Women’s International Solidarity Affair in the Philippines, a conference that draws hundreds of women from all over the globe and covers issues such as sex trafficking and other international human right violations. The Justice for Filipino American Veterans (JFAV), the Society of Guerillas and Scouts Inc (SGSI) and other community organizations like the Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC), Philippine Peasant Support Network (Pesante)-USA and other groups were outraged by the violations of Dr. Enrile’s rights.
Joint Alliance-Philippines and International ANSWER Statement in Response to Philippine Pr (tags)
The Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (AJLPP) or Alliance-Philippines, and the International ANSWER Steering Committee of which it is a member, strongly denounce Bush “ally” Philippine president Gloria Arroyo for going forward with the implementation of an Anti-Terror Law (ATL), euphemistically called the Human Security Act, in the Philippines. We express our militant solidarity with the progressive forces in the Philippines who will be staging protests against Arroyo in all major cities throughout the country when she delivers her State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 23. Besides spinning the usual lies and deceit about her regime’s accomplishments, US “major ally” Arroyo is expected to make the ATL the centerpiece of her SONA.
Gloria Arroyo’s Economy: NOT WORKING (tags)
Today, Philippine President Gloria Arroyo will again address the Congress to give a report on the achievements of her government, and at the same time express her primary focus for the next year. As she did during her previous State of the Nation Address (SONA) speeches, she may yet again boast the economic feats of her administration, including the strengthening of the peso and the recent booming of the stock market.
AJLPP Mass Actions Against PGMA SONA Held in U.S Major Cities (tags)
Progressive forces in the United States demonstrated their militant solidarity with the Filipino people by conducting coordinated mass actions against Philippine President Macapagal-Arroyo’s state of the nation address in three major cities of the United States from July 22- 30, 2007. - July 23 from 6;30 to 8;00 PM, scores of Filipino Americans and their allies led by the Alliance-Philippines (AJLPP)-USA held a vigil rally in front of the Philippine Consulate located in 3600 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles. The rally ended with a solemn candle lighting ceremony as a tribute to more than 890 victims of fascism.. During the in one and half hour mass action against US –GMA, AJLPP activists and allies shouted slogans, OUST GMA, RESUME PEACE TALKS, the group displayed banners and signs and lined-up the streets in front of the consulate. AJLPP groups like KmB (Pro People Youth) and Pesante-USA with allies like the ANSWER-LA PWC, YOUTH UNITE and AFW participated AJLPP Mass Actions Against PGMA SONA Held in U.S Major Cities
Filipino workers slam Arroyo for its consistent failure to clip the jobs crisis (tags)
A dismal failure! This is the verdict of workers belonging to the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL) as they slammed the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) administration ahead of her State of the Nation Address (SONA) for its consistent failure to clip the jobs crisis.
AFP chief gives green light for Basilan offensive (tags)
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr. issued an order yesterday to the troops currently on standby in Basilan to commence military operations in the island province. “It’s all systems go. The units can now start punitive actions against the perpetrators. The orders have been given,” said AFP Public Information Office (PIO) chief Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, referring to military actions against those behind the beheading of the 10 Marines during the July 10 ambush in Tipo-Tipo. Brig. Gen. Juancho Sabban, deputy chief of the Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom), was designated to head the newly formed Task Force Meteor aimed at capturing the group responsible for the ambush.
Response to Philippine President Arroyo’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 23 (tags)
The Alliance for a Just and Lasting Peace in the Philippines (AJLPP) or Alliance-Philippines, , strongly denounce Bush “ally” Philippine president Gloria Arroyo for going forward with the implementation of an Anti-Terror Law (ATL), euphemistically called the Human Security Act, in the Philippines. Arroyo’s Puppet Hypocrisy and US Intervention AJLPP strongly denounce the hypocrisy of the US- Arroyo regime for painting a rosy picture of the Philippines while poverty, corruption and repression grips the land. The Arroyo regime pretends to be interested in resuming peace talks with both the Philippine revolutionary movement represented by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) while it ordered an attack against the MILF. The fascist regime continues its alarming spree of extra-judicial killings (now more than 870 since Arroyo took office in 2001) against political opponents and critics, and unleashes legalized fascism against the entire Filipino people through the implementation of the Anti-Terror Law.
Philippines: On Mrs. Arroyo’s 7th State of the Nation Address (tags)
"Gloria's economy is not working." This is what the Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) said of Mrs. Arroyo's flamboyant and rosy economic claims; two days shy from the Executive's 7th State of the Nation Address (SONA) this 23rd of July.
FILIPINA SENATOR ATTACKS ARROYO STATE TERRORISM IN THE PHILIPPINES (tags)
Of distinguished progressive lineage, Senator Jamby Madrigal of the Philippines takes a principle stand critical of the Arroyo regime's bloody and brutal repression of Filipinos backed by the Bush neocons. This article provides a context for the Philippine crisis and Senator Madrigal's views on U.S. imperialism in the neocolony and its complicity with State-terrorist repression.
2 Filipino military rebel officers ‘mentally’ tortured, wives claim (tags)
The wives of two Filipino military rebel junior officers have claimed their husbands are being “mentally tortured” by the Army since their capture six months ago. Philippine Army 1st Lt. Sonny Sarmiento and 2nd Lt. Aldrin Baldonado have been kept in “bartolina” (solitary confinement) at the maximum-security compound of the Intelligence Security Group (ISG) at Fort Bonifacio since July 27, their wives said. They said the two officers were not being adequately fed, and deprived of reading materials and personal grooming items like combs.
PHILIPPINES: Impeachment killers, murderers of justice! (tags)
“Murderers of justice! This is what Congressmen who will vote for the dismissal of the impeachment complaint against Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (GMA) will be remembered as.”, said AKBAYAN (Citizens Action Party) President Ronald Llamas today on the information that the House Committee on Justice will terminate the impeachment proceedings today.
THIS morning, I received a text message from a friend based in Baguio City. I'm translating the text: "Update from those who visited Chandu. He's OK now. Can communicate. Hope he'll pull through." That was the uplifting part, but the text ended: "Alice's burial on Friday." Chandu is Dr. Constancio Claver, a physician working in the Cordilleras and chair of the Bayan Muna party-list group in Kalinga province. Last Monday, his family was ambushed by armed men on board two vans. Chandu and a bystander suffered gunshot wounds and both are now recovering. Sandy, their 7-year-old daughter, was in the van and was spared but suffers from shock. Alice, Chandu's wife, died from her wounds.
MEGA PROJECTS NI GLORIA, MEGA DEMOLISYON SA MGA MARALITA (tags)
"MEGA DEMOLISYON at MEGA DISLOKASYON para sa mga maralita at mamamayang Pilipino ang hatid ng mga pangakong MEGA PROJECTS ni Gng. Arroyo na naging pokus ng pangako para sa "kaunlaran" noong inilahad nito ang bersyon ng State of the Nation Address." Ito ang sinabi ni Carmen "Nanay Mameng" Deunida, pambansang tagapangulo ng Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY).
Dismantle the US-Arroyo Fascist Puppet Regime, Resume Peace Negotiations Now! (tags)
For the sixth time, the fake president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will deliver her State of the Nation Address (SONA) as the traditional year-end report to elucidate new policies like all Philippine presidents do. But her sixth SONA will no different from her previous ones: all the high-tech glitz and fanfare in the world will not be able to hide its emptiness and utter lack of credibility
The State of the Philippine Education (tags)
Getting “Dumb & Dumber” under Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Rains, loud music keep protesters away from cops (tags)
It rained on their parade, but the band played on. Incessant heavy rains spawned by typhoon "Glenda" and loud music from the Philippine National Police (PNP) band kept hundreds of protesters in Quezon City in check and away from police lines hours before President Arroyo delivered her State of the Nation Address (SONA), a ranking police official said yesterday. The police initially expected the number of protesters to be between 15,000 and 20,000. As of noon yesterday, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) estimated that its delegation totaled 10,000 people.
Kalabasa sa eskwela, dulot ng kahirapan! -- KADAMAY (tags)
Dulot ng kagutuman at kahirapan ang papalubhang performance sa pampublikong elementarya kasama ang papataas na bilang ng dropouts ayon kay Carmen "Nanay Mameng" Deunida, Tagapangulo ng grupong Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY). Ayon sa pag-aaral ng Department of Education (DepEd), dulot ito ng mga problema sa kalusugan ng mga estudyante na resulta naman ng kawalan ng rekurso at kakulangan sa medical personnel. Sa rekord ng DepEd, ang ratio ng medical personnel ay 1 doktor kada 70, 500 estudyante, 1 dentista para sa 18,000 estudyante at 1 nars kada 4, 830 estudyante.
Protest caravan from Southern Tagalog (tags)
Protests from the urban poor in Southern Tagalog geared towards Monday's State of the Nation Address (SONA) began as early as Wednesday and are now on the third day of a six-day caravan dubbed "Lakbay-Riles ng Maralita laban sa kagutuman, dislokasyon at karahasan ." The caravan took-off from Gumaca, Quezon around 8AM today and is set to reach San Pablo City at around 3PM, but protesters fear that they may be blocked again amid NCRPO chief Vidal Querol's statement that a special operations group of the New People's Army from Mindoro would try to sneak into the capital.
New AFP Chief Esperon vows to crush insurgency (tags)
New Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Lt. Gen. Hermogenes Esperon vowed yesterday to crush the 37-year-old communist insurgency during his watch, saying he would devote his last years as a soldier to finish the task. "The President has renewed her call for the defeat of the insurgents ... I welcome the challenge," Esperon said in a speech as he formally took the helm of the 117,000-strong AFP.
Kalabasa sa eskwela, dulot ng kahirapan! -- KADAMAY (tags)
Dulot ng kagutuman at kahirapan ang papalubhang performance sa pampublikong elementarya kasama ang papataas na bilang ng dropouts ayon kay Carmen "Nanay Mameng" Deunida, Tagapangulo ng grupong Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY
Sa ika-6 na anibersaryo ng trahedya sa Payatas (tags)
Matapos ang anim na taon mula nang maganap ang malagim na trahedya dulot ng pagguho sa Payatas dumpsite noong Hulyo 10 2000, wala pa ring hustisyang nakakamit ang mga biktima ayon sa grupong Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY).
Philippines 2003: how 300 troops mutiny unmasked "war on terror" (tags)
[As you may notice, I’ve cut this part of the article because the question of peace talks between the left party RPMP-RPA-ABB and the Government has obviously nothing to do with the gangsters of GUAC. It's better to avoid any confusion. – Felix Zorba, October 7, 2003]
Philippines: 300 troops mutiny unmasks "war on terror" (tags)
A group of 296 soldiers - 70 junior officers and 226 enlisted men of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)- staged on July 27 a siege of the Oakwood Premier luxury hotel at the Ayala Center in Makati.