Press Release: Mindanao youth commemorate Sendong's wrath

Four years of Sendong, people left in havoc

 

DECEMBER 17, 2015 – Four years after Typhoon Sendong struck, the Aquino administration remains negligent on the state’s responsibility to resolve the typhoon’s damage and losses.

We, the League of Filipino Students in Northern Mindanao Region (LFS-NMR), express strong condemnation against the state’s criminal negligence on its snail-pacing rehabilitation to the Sendong-stricken areas, where up until now are lacking of basic services and descent response.

Out of the 37,552 houses which had been fully devastated during Sendong, the government only installed 6,890 relocation houses – still lacking of electric and water supply, livelihood and basic social services.

"This record shows how inept the Aquino administration is and on its incapability of implementing responsible actions towards the victims of Sendong," said Kristine Cabardo, Spokesperson of LFS-NMR.

At the same time, we convey outrage at the Aquino administration’s lack of political will in developing and implementing a comprehensive disaster response program and decry its reactive approach to handling calamities and emergencies. The devastation happened notwithstanding repeated warnings and studies on the effects and impact of environmental degradation and climate change;

An environmental crisis, caused by unregulated large-scale mining, logging and quarrying, coupled with the Aquino government’s budget cuts on disaster preparedness and other social services created the conditions for such a calamity.

"The government downplayed its role by providing only band-aid solutions through their unsustainable relief materials, while environmental destruction hasn’t been pointed out as the main culprit," Cabardo explained.

We lament that the lessons from Sendong are being continuously unheeded, resulting in another painful disaster that wrought havoc to lives and properties – the typhoon Pablo, Yolanda, Seniang, Lando, Nona, and more reported disasters.

2,546 death was recorded during Sendong, 1,901 during Pablo, and 6,300 during Yolanda.

We can’t afford another Sendong, nor Pablo and Yolanda to happen. But the government shows that it is incapable and negligent to resolve this calamity issues. Hence, never be denied that the current system does not serve the interests of its people but is rather zealous of serving the demands of its ‘bosses’ - the local and foreign profit-greed capitalists.

"We could anticipate more disaster under this disastrous administration for compromising its local and foreign business ventures, while expensing the lives of its people," Cabardo added.

LFS-NMR urged the youth and student sector to be in solidarity with the victims of typhoon Sendong and all other disasters which took thousands of lives of the Filipinos. More than lighting candles and offering flowers, we should be one with the people in demanding justice for the victims of state’s criminal negligence.
JUSTICE FOR THE VICTIMS OF SENDONG!

Photo Release: PBSP

CHAMPIONS FOR EDUCATION – Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and the Contact Center Association of the Philippines (CCAP) strengthen their partnership for the implementation of projects on Senior High School (SHS) and disaster management. Under the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two parties last December 7, 2015 at Accenture Philippines’ office in Mandaluyong City, CCAP will promote the programs and encourage its members to donate resources while PBSP will act as the primary receiver of all charitable donations from CCAP and its members. Among the projects are SHS educational assistance, School to Work program, as well as Professional Development Program for Teachers. In photo during the signing ceremony are: (from left) Jay Santisteban, CCAP operations director; Louie Benedict Hernandez, CCAP president; Rafael Lopa, PBSP executive director; and Marylin Muncada, PBSP PMO-Education director. Photo PBSP

Interfaith support network for Lumad launched

 

09 December 2015, Cagayan de Oro City—An interfaith network supporting the indigenous peoples in their fight for their rights is launched today at the Philtown Hotel.

 

Named ‘Higala sa Lumad’ [Friends of the Lumads] Network, the higalas will help protect indigenous communities – ‘Lumad’ being the collective term for the indigenous peoples of Mindanao - primarily through campaign popularization.

 

Its members are composed of individuals and organisations from various denominations that will be monitoring the rights situation of the communities and will conduct quick response activities when needed. These activities include fact-finding missions, lobbying, legal support, and online campaigns among others.

 

“We have gathered over a hundred supporters not only from the Philippines but also from other countries the campaigns on indigenous peoples’ rights have reached,” said Atty. Czarina Golda Musni, core group member of the ‘Higala sa Lumad’.

 

The network is created under the ‘Healing the Hurt’ Project, an initiative aimed at addressing marginalization issues of the Lumad. One of its components hopes to increase financial, material and other forms of support for the protection and security of indigenous leaders and communities.

 

The inauguration program starts with a message from the project manager, Sr. Ma. Famita Somogod, MSM. The nun has previously worked with indigenous communities through the literacy and numeracy schools of the Missionary Sisters of Mary.

 

“As workers in Lumad communities, we have experienced threats and harassments ourselves,” said Sister Somogod. “I am glad that despite the attacks on the Lumad campaigns, many are still convinced that what we are fighting for is right.”

 

On December 8, the project also inaugurated the Tagtabulon Cooperative at Brgy. Banglay, Langonglong, Misamis Oriental. Its members are from the Higaonon community in Sitios Camansi, Tapol, and Anahaw in Banglay.

 

The establishment of the cooperatives in indigenous communities is to give them financial capacity to sustain their needs even as they work on their campaigns.

 

These activities are geared towards the commemoration of the international declaration of December 10 as Human Rights Day.  In the previous months, indigenous communities have staged actions, lobbying, and various campaign activities in the region as well as in the national capital to decry the escalation of attacks against their schools and communities.

 

The ‘Healing the Hurt’ Project is one with the Lumad in their fight for their right to their land, to a self-determined development, and their right to continue their living traditions and culture. The project is spearheaded by the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines-Northern Mindanao Sub-Region (RMP-NMR) Inc and is supported by the European Union through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights.

Press Release: Rural Missionaries

Global Weeks of Action for Mindanao kicks off in London

 

Following the International Peoples’ Tribunal  (IPT) verdict last July on the Philippine and US governments’ gross violations of the rights of its citizens, the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) has called for global weeks of action for Mindanao.

 

Starting on November 21, a series of events will be held in succession in different countries in Europe, in the weeks leading up to International Human Rights Day on 10 December. The opening event will be on the 21^st in the form of a Public Meeting at the UNISON Centre in London. The meeting is organized by the Campaign for Human Rights in the Philippines – UK, in coordination with the Kanlungan Filipino Consortium and the UNISON-Filipino Activists Network.

 

The guest speakers will be two indigenous peoples’ rights advocate from Northern Mindanao, Sr. Ma. Famita Somogod, MSM [the regional coordinator of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines – Northern Mindanao Region (RMP-NMR)] and Prof. Arnold Alamon, the executive editor of the Mindanao Interfaith Institute on Lumad Studies.

 

“Barely a month after the IPT found the Philippine government guilty of the systematic violation of the Filipino people’s civil, political, economic, socio-cultural rights, there has been an escalation of state and state-sponsored brutality in the indigenous peoples’ communities in Mindanao, the southern part of the Philippines,” said Sister Somogod.

 

On August 18 this year, five members of the Manobo community in Pangantucan, Bukidnon were massacred by state forces. This was the second massacre this year in Northern Mindanao region alone after the military killed four members of the Higaonon community on March 29. Karapatan, the largest human rights alliance in the Philippines records a total of 15 massacres under the watch of Pres. Benigno Simeon Aquino III.

 

“The outrage of the communities at the lack of government action and in fact their authored attacks on the Lumad has spread nationwide and attracted international concerns as well when not a month later, the executive director of an alternative learning school primarily catering Lumad students was killed by a state-backed paramilitary group,” the nun furthered.

 

The main objectives of the Global Weeks of Action for Mindanao are to publicise and gain even wider international support for the struggles of the peoples of Mindanao against their systematic repression and exploitation by their own government.

 

“We encourage awareness, far and wide, of the continuing abuse of human rights in the Philippines, especially, at this time on the island of Mindanao. These abuses take place in the context of a culture of impunity, enjoyed by those who are responsible for them and of a callous disregard of their plight by their own government,” said Rev. Barry Naylor, chair of the global council of the ICHRP.

 

“We are pleased that we can hear, at first hand, from human rights activists who have travelled from Mindanao to share their first hand experiences of abuses and terror,” emphasized Reverend Naylor. “It is vital that we let people know what is happening to the people and the land of Mindanao and that we respond in ways that assure people there that they do not stand alone. We wish to affirm that people throughout the world are standing in solidarity with the peoples of Mindanao, that we are listening to them and responding in ways that are both supportive to them and challenging to those responsible for committing and tolerating the abuses they endure.”

 

In addition to the activities in London, film showings and public meetings will also be organized in Austria and Poland which will be attended by other delegates from Mindanao. Other actions have been planned for Italy, Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands. These activities include awareness raising among Filipino compatriots and human rights advocates, to include international human rights organizations such as the Amnesty International, Frontline Defenders, the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation –Union of International Superior Generals, and the Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace of the Vatican. Meeting and lobbying with representatives of the European Union’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development and the European External Action Services are also included in the itinerary. The delegation also hopes to meet Pope Francis.

 

The Global Weeks of Action in Europe is organized by RMP-NMR, Kalumaran, Panalipdan Mindanao and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines.

 

###

Akbayan to Bongbong: Endo is not a soundbite

Akbayan Party List

Press Release

 10 November 2015

 

 

Akbayan party-list today challenged Senator Bongbong Marcos to go beyond soundbites on labor contractualization saying his track record shows he has not initiated any legislation to protect workers’ job security. 

 

“Sen. Marcos is quick to denounce the same government he is a part of but one wonders what he has actually done for workers’ rights,” said Akbayan President and spokesperson Machris Cabreros. “His 6-year stint at the Senate shows he has no track record whatsoever in favour of workers.”

 

“Instead, Sen. Marcos was nowhere to be found in pushing for the passage of a security of tenure law which has been languishing in the legislative mill for years,” said Cabreros. 

 

“Despite the constitutional provision on security of tenure, there is a need for an enabling law to protect workers from arbitrary job security as existing legislation is weak to respond to endless renewals under the 5-5-5-scheme,” she explained.

 

“This measure would ensure that workers not only get to keep their jobs, they would also be able to organize and collectively bargain as they need not fear reprisal from employers,” Cabreros added. “rights which, ironically, were dramatically eroded during Martial Law when workers’ strikes and assemblies were violently dispersed in the name of the Bagong Lipunan’s illusory growth.” 

 

“According to his own webite, Sen. Marcos’s only prominent bill on labor is the one on the creation of an inter-agency council for jobs creation, which even contains a problematic provision that mandates the proposed body to recommend policies to remove hindrances for the establishment of business enterprises, which means unions,” said Cabreros. ”So Marcos’ newfound concern for workers is highly suspect.”

 

Akbayan kay Bongbong: wag gamiting PR ang mga obrero

 

Hinamon ngayon ng Akbayan partylist si Sen. Bongbong Marcos na itigil ang paggamit sa mga manggagawa ukol sa isyu ng kontraktwalisasyon. 

 

“Madaling bumanat sa gubyerno na saan siya mismo ay kabahagi, ngunit ano ang ginawa ni  Sen. Marcos sa loob ng anim na taon upang isulong ang karapatan ng mga manggagawa?” tanong ni Machris Cabreros, Presidente ng Akbayan.

 

“Kailangan ng isang batas na magdedetalye sa seguridad sa trabaho dahil mahina pa ang Labor Code para labanan ang 5-5-5 scheme,” dagdag ni Cabreros. “Ngunit walang papel na ginampanan si Marcos sa pagsusulong ng security of tenure bill na matagal nang nakabinbin sa lehislatura.”

 

“Kung may kaseguruhan sa trabaho mas madaling makakapag-organisa at makapag-negosasyon ang mga obrero para magkaroon ng collective bargaining agreements,” paliwanag ni Cabreros, “mga karapatan na nilusaw ng diktatura noong 70s sa ngalan ng ilusyon ng pagunlad sa ilalim ng Bagong Lipunan.” 

 

“Ang nagiisang panukalang batas ni Marcos sa pagtatayo ng Inter-Agency Council on Jobs Creation ay problematiko dahil may probisyon itong nagsasabing ang mandato ng naturang Council ay tanggalin ang mga balakid sa pgtatayo ng negosyo, na ang ibig sabihin ay mga unyon,” ani Cabreros. “Kaya kaduda-duda ang biglaang pagaalala ni Marcos sa karapatan ng mga obrero.”

###

Workers slam P10B budget for APEC

PAGKAKAISA NG MANGGAGAWA SA TIMOG KATAGALUGAN – KILUSANG MAYO UNO
(PAMANTIK-KMU)

PRESS STATEMENT
NOVEMBER 10, 2015

Reference Person:
Allan Bagas, Secretary General
PAMANTIK-KMU
09393508106

Southern Tagalog workers slam P10B budget for APEC meet

 

“Even if more than 40 meetings were held before the big APEC event on Nov. 18-19, the P10 billion budget allotment is just too extravagant,” said PAMANTIK-KMU Secretary General Allan Bagas.

 

For the Aquino government that claims it is advancing the welfare of the common people through matuwid na daan, spending billions of pesos on world leaders’ meeting is never an exemplar of a genuinely pro-people governance. 

 

The Southern Tagalog workers, 80-90% of whom are contractuals, have to budget every day an inhumane minimum wage of P219 to 362.50. If the Aquino government would want to set an example, it would not show the Filipino people that it is pampering a few through lavish spending.

 

PAMANTIK-KMU also slams the “Building Inclusive Economies, Better a Better World” APEC theme, as it continues to disillusion the people that their lives improve as the economy grows.

 

Bagas stressed, “Under the Aquino government, there is continuous economic gains which doubled or tripled the capitalists’ profits while more workers become victims of contractualization. Contractual workers, on the other hand, received very cheap wages with no benefits while exposed to systematic unfair labor practices.”

 

“Workers from the region will join the nationwide protest to expose APEC and its collaboration with the Aquino government to further exploit the people and our natural resources. Our country is rich but tens of millions of people are poor. We don’t need exploitative multi-lateral organizations. We can stand on our own because we have everything we need,” Bagas ended.

###

Misereor says Bulacan needs help

Let us lend a hand to our friends in Bulacan

PMPI is raising funds to respond through a relief delivery operation to the flooded families in Brgy. Iba O’este, Calumpit, Bulacan. Last October 23, PMPI NCR-Urban Cluster DQRT conducted field assessment including Northville 9, a government relocation area in Barangay Iba O’este, Calumpit, Bulacan. All the households (100%) in the community were affected by the heavy flooding reaching 0.5m to 1.2 m high, coming from neighboring provinces. At least 550 families in Northville 9 alone have evacuated to one (1) barangay multi-purpose hall, and Northville 9 Elementary School in the area. The school grounds were also flooded. The number of evacuees includes 312 women, 24 infants 294 children and youth, 21 Senior Citizen, 9 persons with disabilities 12 pregnant women. Let's take actions now. Download the full appeal from this link.

Manilakbayan of Mindanao to Set Foot in Metro Manila

Heighten Call vs. Militarization, Demand Release of Political Prisoners

ROUGHLY a week after their long journey against militarization and plunder, the Manilakbayanis or delegates of Manilakbayan from Mindanao composed mainly of lumads, peasants and victims of human rights violations, along with delegates from Southern Tagalog will finally set foot in the country’s National Capital Region tomorrow, October 25.

“We join our brothers & sisters in their journey from Mindanao to let the people in the national capital know about their sufferings and struggles and to demand Noynoy Aquino to immediately take action. Their struggles are not different from what we are experiencing due to massive militarization and human right violations in the region,” said Diana de Chavez, Spokesperson of BIGKISAN-Southern Tagalog.

Echoing the cries of the people of Mindanao, the group underlined the prevailing militarization and extrajudicial killings currently happening in Mindanao particular on lumad communities that resulted to massive evaluation.

Straight from their journey in Quezon and Laguna provinces, an estimated 2000 ‘Manilakbayanis’ will travel onward to Muntinlupa City where they are expected to be received by various NCR sectors in Alabang.

Consistent with their calls, the Lakbayanis will proceed to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig where scores of political prisoners are currently detained illegally on false charges.

“People from all walks of life have been waiting for the people of Mindanao in uniting to call for justice and plunder in their respective lands. We will be standing side by side with our Manilakbayanis from Mindanao as we assert our rights in Malacanang,” said de Chavez.

The delegates will spend the night in Baclaran Church as they prepare for a week-long camp out in UP Diliman. #

PROGRAM OF ACTIVITIES FOR OCTOBER 25:

0600   Ecumenical Prayer @ UPLB

0800   Program @ Crossing Calamba
0830   Caravan to Tunasan, Muntinlupa & March to Alabang
1200   Grand Salubungan with NCR Sectors
1300   Caravan to Camp Bagong Diwa
1500   Program with Political Prisoners @ Camp Bagong Diwa
1700   March to Baclaran Church

Massacre victims’ kins in caravan to Manila

Kins of massacre victims lead kickoff

of NorthMin rights caravan to Manila

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, 21 October 2015—Kins of Bugna and the Pangantucan Massacres fatalities led the kickoff program of the Manilakbayan ng Mindanao 2015 in Northern Mindanao.

PBSP Press Release

Yolly Del Castillo talks about the

importance of saving during a

meeting organized by the Philippine

Business for Social Progress (PBSP)

in Marikina City on May 2. Photo

courtesy of PBSP/Scruffed

Saving up for motherhood

 

MOTHERHOOD is perhaps one of the most difficult yet fulfilling part of a woman’s life because of the huge responsibility it entails, especially in raising a child to be the best person that he can be.

Hence, it would be wise to prepare for this vocation the moment she learns of that new life living inside her. The usual preparations should begin during pregnancy– from pre-natal checkups along with getting enough nutrition for the baby’s development, to choosing the best facility for childbirth, getting post-natal care, and saving up for the expenses that come with the addition of a new family member.

Press Release from Ban Toxics

Environmentalists held protest rallies on May 4 to call on the Aquino
government to bring on the Canadian waste issue on the President's
state visit to the country this week. Photo by Gigie Cruz/BAN Toxics

Canadians call on Harper to take back waste it illegally exported to the Philippines

IN time for Philippine President Benigno Aquino III’s state visit, Canadian netizens told Prime Minister Stephen Harper to take back the waste illegally exported to Manila 2 years ago.

Samsung, Sun promote postpaid plan

The Samsung Galaxy J1 features a Palm Selfie
that allows you to take selfies with hand gestures.
This latest device comes free with Sun Postpaid Plan
499, inclusive of unlimited Sun calls and texts, 20
hours of mobile surfing, 250 texts to other
networks, and a choice between unlimited
VIP Spinnr Access or unlimited Facebook.

Be at your best with Samsung
Galaxy J1 with Sun Postpaid

WITH Samsung's Galaxy J1, your future is looking pretty awesome and thanks to Sun Postpaid plan.

Be picture perfect always with its Palm Selfie feature. Now, you can throw those bulky selfie sticks and have Galaxy J1 take your best angles. The Palm Selfie feature is one of the latest app innovations of Samsung. It enables you to take selfies with hand gestures. Composed of 4.3-inch touch screen, 5MP camera and dual-core processor, the Galaxy J1 makes sure you experience the ultimate fun lifestyle at an affordable price.

PBSP fetes USAID project

Press Release

 

US Govt supports access to clean

water and sanitation in Isabela City

LinkedIn at CommunicAsia2015

Hari Krishnan

SINGAPORE—Social media has become an even bigger part of consumers’ lives in today’s hyper-connected world. Users are finding more ways to play, interact, work and even monetize content through social media. Asia Pacific, presently the world’s largest mobile region[1], accounts for over half of the globe’s social media users[2]. The social media explosion has not only changed the lives of hyper-connected consumers, it has also caused a rippling effect throughout its ecosystem—businesses, network infrastructure, communication providers and more.

Herman Tiu Laurel: US bully pulpit again

This Nov. 19, 2014, photo
shows an elderly Chinese on a
bicycle in Beijing, China. Photo
by Dennis D. Estopace

(The following is an excerpt of an article that appeared on the "Die Hard III" column by Herman Tiu-Laurel and which appeared in The Daily Tribune on April 15, 2015. The views expressed here are those of Mr. Tiu-Laurel's and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, this blog's author.)

 

THE past month has seen a build-up in anti-China rabble-rousing in the local media, led by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, on China’s South China Sea/West Philippine Sea (SCS/WPS) constructions. It peaked as US and Western media joined in concert, following a headline on US ambassador Philip Goldberg’s condolence for the Special Action Force (SAF) 44 amid the latest Mamasapano hearings in Congress that highlighted US involvement.

Anti-China propaganda belaboring that country’s SCS/WPS constructions were already drummed up a year ago, and we probably won’t see the end of it for many years to come.

DOF: Philippines makes doing business easier

 

The views expressed in this article are those of the Department of Finance

and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to this blog.

Training on workplace health, a useful guide for companies

PBSP Portfolio Manager for Health Jerome

Daclison assists Philip Liwanag, nurse of AAI

Worldwide Logistics Services Inc. in assessing

his company's workplace health training program.

WITH the increase in health risks faced by employees, more companies are seeing the need for health programs in their workplaces. However, setting up one does not just include conducting thrice-a-week Zumba classes, or putting up a “No Smoking” sign in their offices but so much more. 

While many have started to set up their own workplace health initiatives, several others do not know how to do it the proper way, the extent of each program, or even how to evaluate their entire health program.