By ALMA SINUMLAG
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Women representatives from the Asia Pacific countries shared their experiences on the impact of militarism in their homes at the conference on “Women resisting violence and war”, held at the Igorot Lodge, Camp John Hay from July 19-21, 2010.

The conference was attended by 119 delegates from different countries like Philippines, Nepal, Pakistan, Mongolia, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Sudan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Hongkong, Indonesia, Iraq, East Timor, Australia and China among others.

In the conference workshop on the Impacts of war and militarism, the representatives shared stories of women actions in their countries under the state of militarism, and inspired each other to strengthen solidarity against militarization.

Sheena Rosas, a 15 – year – old Board of Director of the National Coalition of Children’s Association in the Philippines recounted experiences in 2007 when the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) set – up a detachment in their town in Masbate. She said, the AFP told the community that they are there to promote peace and order because that was the time when the election campaign was on going and also because of the alleged presence of the New Peoples Army (NPA) in their town.

Sheena in her young age observed how the presence of the AFP has created chaos in their community. According to her, members of the AFP courted married women resulting to broken families. There were also ladies who were left behind after getting pregnant.

“Iyong detachment nila, malapit sa iskul namin kaya po natatakot kami lagi.” (Their dtachment is near our school that’s why we are always afraid). She added that there was one time that they were afraid to go to school because of the rumor that a bomb was planted inside the school campus.

Even the elders of the community she said were having heart problems because of fear.

“Minsan ang mga militar din ang dahilan ng gulo dahil kapag lasing sila, nanggugulo sila.” (Sometimes the military are the ones creating trouble in the community when they are drunk).

Burnad Fathima Natesan from the Society for Rural Education and Development (SRED) shared several experiences of women in India. She told to the conference that in Manipur, there was a 13 – year – old girl who was raped, tortured and killed by the state army because she was accused to be a member of the strong women’s organization there.

She also accounted the story of a woman who has a husband who is a member of guerilla army. Members of state forces talked to her to convinced her husband to surrender an in exchange, the family will be living a peaceful life. The woman was lured to the offer and was able to convinced her husband.

However, when the husband surrendered, the state army killed him infront of his wife and his child. And in the presence of the child, they raped and killed the woman.

The child cannot even talk because of severe trauma when Fathima and her group went there for a Fact Finding Mission (FFM).

Ihtisham Ul Haq Kakar, the Executive Director of Balochistan Rural Development and Research Society (BRDRS) of Pakistan said they are experiencing high level of militarism. Their government is alloting 80% of the government funds for its armed forces and only the remaining 20% for its social services.
No woman, she said can go out from their houses because of the war on terror which is, according to her, caused by US Imperialism.

On the other hand, stories of women succesful struggles have inspired the delegates.

One of the stories is shared by Gloria Bongo of the Bluestar Workers Labor Union (BWLU) in Tunasan, Muntinlupa. They had staged successful strike against the Bluestar Manufacturing Inc.where they had suffered meager wages, sexual harassment specifically under the company president, and unsafe working environment, etc. for years without union. But due to the unity of the women workers who are 85% of of the Bluestar’s labor force, they had organized a union and registered it with the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC).

The management retreched 65 of the workers, members of the union and planned to close the company and transfer to another country. Due to this, the BWLU staged a strike for a month until they won amidst the effort of the company to break their piket line by using the state forces.

Herminia de Deus of East Timor accounted how she and other 240 men and women were able to receive the “Lorico Asuwain” medal or the “Brave Lorikies” medal on November 28, 2009, the day when Indonesia granted East Timor its Independence. She joined the resistance for national freedom when she was 19 years old. She was accompanying their parish priest in helping people in the remote areas of East Timor until she joined the underground movement in their university.

It was in 1991 when the university students organized a demonstration that resulted to what they call the Santa Cruz massacre. That was the time when she was warned that Indonesian Intelligence was looking for her. She stopped studying and joined the women’s organization until the declaration of their independence.

She talked about women who bravely participated in the resistance’ frontline. They carried weapons and fought side by side with the men in the mountains. “You hear about those who were arrested, imprisoned, tortured and violated. Those whose lives were sadly shortened but whose legacy remain.”she said.

Today, Dues is working for the East Timor Development Agency that focuses on the development of Timorese Human Resouces.

This is just two of the stories of successful women’s struggles. This alone gave strength and inspiration to the delegates. Sarojeni Rengam, executive director of the Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific (PANAP) in Malysia said, “the opportunity to hear the stories of women’s struggles is very useful. Some are successful, some are not but the struggle goes on. And hearing stories of those women who became part of the armed struggle inspired me a lot to continue working in the people’s movement.”

“Nakakatulong ang komperensiyang ito hindi lang sa pagtaas ng ating kaalaman kundi makapagbibigay rin ng inspirasyon na hindi lang tayo ang kumikilos, hindi lang tayo ang may forms of resistance.” (The conference is a great help not only in enriching our minds but also it inspires us to continue the struggle because we are not the only one struggling, we are not the only one with forms of resistance) said Luzviminda Ilagan, the representative of the Gabriela Women’s party in an interview.

She added “how women resist different kinds of crisis, how women undertake strategic steps to aquire justice, to attain whole humanity of their lives, we learned it here from the sharing with other women.”
Professor Judy Taguiwalo of the Department of Women and Development Studies in University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman read an inspiring poem by Gelacio Guillermo:

“Kung kami’y magkakapit – bisig, hindi ka ba nangangamba?/ Libo – libo kami, milyon – milyon, tumutugon sa panawagan / Ng mga kapatid naming nanumpa sa isang dakilang simulain./ Makinig ka’t manginig sa galit na umaalingawngaw sa aming tinig!” / (If we joined arms together, are you not afraid? / There are thousands and thousands of us answering / The call of our sisters/brothers sworn to one noble cause./ Listen and shudder at the howling anger of our great voice!) # nordis.net

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — The independent think tank Ibon Foundation released a fourth volume of a series of books on State terror focusing on the Oplan Bantay Laya (Operation Freedom Watch or OBL) and counter-insurgency in the Philippines uncovering atrocious impacts on the life of the Filipino people.
The book aims to enhance a deeper knowledge of the wider public on the OBL.

The book was launched at the Igorot Lodge in Camp John Hay on July 19, with Antonio Tujan Jr, a social activist for over 40 years and author of many books with social relevance. He said the first three series of the book were initially introduced abroad. Tujan explained this was done principally for international human rights campaign.

“We do that because just revolution is about hearts and mind, it is not really detonating a military force against another military force… it’s winning the hearts and minds of both the people of your country and the people of other countries”, said Tujan. Tujan said that through the campaign of bringing up the issues of the OBL, international attention, concerns and solidarities as well from various organizations worldwide were gained.

He also mentioned the efforts of Filipino migrant organizations abroad in bringing up the campaign that earned solidarity support from the people in their respective countries. Because of the campaign, even heads of state grew interested and talked even to (former president Gloria M.) Arroyo even if the past administration did nothing.

As a result, the burden of pressure was passed on to her predecessor, Benigno Aquino’s administration by the United Nations and different sectors and international organizations.

The fourth series according to Tujan, does not simply tackle human rights but it is about the fact that there is a campaign on counterinsurgency launched by the US imperialism and it is not only done here in the Philippines but in different countries in collaboration with their respective governments.
Tujan said that the book focuses on the hand or the power behind the vicous OBL of the Arroyo administration that seems to be continued by the Aquino administration through a new form of campaign.

He also said that in line with the anti-imperialism struggle, also launched is a global campaign against the US-imperialism led counterinsurgency being staged not only in the Philippines but all over the world.
The book was organized into four parts. The first part of the book laid-out an overview of Arroyo’s OBL presenting the features of the campaign in eradicating not only the armed revolutionary movement but also progressive organizations and individuals especially political activists and leaders.

The second part situates the OBL within the program of the US imperialism in its struggle for world domination. The third part examines the impacts and implication of OBL on the people while the last part discussed the situation of elusive peace and justice in the Philippines. It also includes the follow-up report of UN-Special Rapporteur Philip Alston on extrjudicial killings in 2007.

Executive Director of the Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN-AP) and Chair of the Board of Directors of the Southeast Asian Regional Institute for Community Education (SEARICE), a member of the Board of the Rural Advancement Fund International, Canada and the International Baby Food Action Network, Malaysia, Sarojeni Rengam said, the book portrayed the systematic and institutionalized violation of human rights in the Philippines under the OBL.

Rengam said that in the book, it described that despite the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, the peasant organizations, the mass movement and the indigenous peoples go on with the struggle to fight for their rights and welfare.

Mothers of victims of the OBL also graced the said book launching. Hustisya spokesperson Evangeline Hernandez, mother of Karapatan-Southern Mindanao Secretary General Benjaline Hernandez who was murdered by alleged state agents on April 5, 2002 said the book was a significant contribution in gathering international support to expose and oppose the Arroyo regime’s evils and atrocities under the OBL.

Chairperson of Families of Desaparecidos for Justice, Mrs. Editha Burgos, mother of Jonas Burgos who was an organizer among farmers and an agriculturist who was abducted on April 28, 2007 by armed men; said the book is a reminder that the dark days of martial law during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos continues to this day.

The book, she added, is a recognition of the contributions made by the people in the search for cures to a sick societal system.

In the book’s introduction, Tujan says, “if there’s one lesson to be learned from over a centruy of US-led counterinsurgency in the Philippines and elsewhere, … it is that oppressed and exploited people will always, in one way or another, exercise their right to resistance and liberation”. # nordis.net

By ALMA SINUMLAG
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Naas Demyttenaere of Saint Louis University – Institute of Inclusive Education (SLU – IIEF) questioned the accessibility of structures in the city for the persons with disabilities (PWD’s) during the Kapihan hosted by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) here, Wednesday.
Focused on the 32nd National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week, July 17 – 23, 2010 the forum revolved on theme: “Sa Istrukturang Accessible, lahat ay Able.”

Reacting to the statements given by representatives from the different government agencies that they were implementing the rules on making stuctures for public use accessible to PWD’s as provided for in Batas Pambansa 344 or the Accessibility Law; Demyttenaere said “the government agencies are not doing their jobs because there are no stuctures in the city that follow the rules on accessibility”.
He added that there are many laws on accessibility but none is being implemented properly.

To give flesh to Demyttenaere’s tirade: Ramon of the Baguio Organization for the Blind, also a guest in the Kapihan agreed to Demyttenaere. He cited one situation parked cars on the road ramps make it difficult for those like him in wheelchairs to travel along or cross the streets.

Avelino, also said the roads in the city are not friendly to one who is lame like him. He added that even the comfort rooms for the PWD’s in the DPWH building were not accessible.

“Sapay koma ta nu agaramid da apu iti CR para kadagiti pilay, masapul nga eksakto. Nu haan da ammu ti standard nga measurement na, agayab da iti pilay a pangibasaran da tapnu haan nga sayang ti kuwarta ti gobyerno nu sukatan da manen”

(I hope that when they construct a toilet for the lame, standard specifications should be exact. If they do not know the standards, I advise them to hire a lame person during the designing. That person shall serve as basis for the measuremnents to avoid wasting government funds rebuilding a substandard comfort room.) He stated this after so much difficulty using PWD comfort room in the venue before the kapihan started.

Mr. Demyttenaere suggested at the forum that DPWH hire PWD’s in the desingning process of building structures because the PWDs knows best the standards needed to make the structures accessible for them.

Francis Ray Almora, the Chief Administration Officer of the DPWH however can only say that the laws are implemented and that “the effectivity of its implementation is perhaps the one questionablem.”
Asked if the accessibility law is included in the academe, Mr. Almora said that there is only a portion in the Engineering and Architecture curriculum discussing this issue but not as one subject.

On the other hand, Mr. Demyttenaere also commented on the law granting priveleges and incentives to PWDs like the 20% discount on basic commodoties, as provided for under Republic Act 9442.

He said, “Education is a right but we are not giving it for free instead we are only giving them priveledges”. He compared this to giving a blind person 20% discount to a movie ticket.

Ramon is one of the PWD’s with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education (BSED), and according to him, he is very lucky to have been given the priveledge to study. This is evidence that our society has not yet fully accepted that these persons also have the right to education. It is not being lucky to have a degree.

With this, Mr. Demyttenaere said there is a need to rehabilitate our society.# nordis.net

By ALMA SINUMLAG
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — An urgent need for a massive information drive against child pornography was emphasized during the workshop – conference on the Anti Child Pornography Act of 2009.

Attended by delegates from government agencies, the academe, parents and civil society organizationsthe coference was held at Sta. Catalina Retreat House, Marcos Highway on July 23.
Government agencies, Schools, Parents and Civil Society Organizations workshops had resulted to the same recommendation of having massive Information Campaign regarding the issue of child pornography. This is due to the fact that no participant in the workshop encountered any case of child pornography. It boiled down to the point that this issue is not yet popular.

Christina Torafing from the Cordillera Labor Center (CLC) said “siguro hindi aware ang mga tao kaya walang documented case” (Perhaps people are not aware that is why there is no documented case).
A representative of the Baguio Center for Young Adults (BCYA) who are advocating for the rights of a child said that the meaning of child pornography itself is not popular. Perhaps there are cases undocumented because the parties involved are not aware that a certain case can fall under Anti Child Pornography Act.

In the Section 3 of Rule II of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 9775 or the Anti – Child Pornography Act of 2009, “Child Pornography refers to any representation, whether visual, audio, or written combination thereof, by electronic, mechanical, digital, optical, magnetic, or any other means, of a child engaged or involved in real or simulated explicit sexual activities.”

Still in Section 3, “Explicit Sexual Activities includes actual or simulated. 1. sexual intercourse or lascivious act including, but not limited to, contact involving genital to genital, anal to genital, or oral to anal, whether between persons of the same or opposite sex; 2. bestiality; 3. maturbation; 4. sadistic or masochistic abuse; 5. lasciviousness exibition of the genitals, buttocks, breasts, pubic area, and/or anus; or 6. use of any object or instrument for lascivious acts.”

Aside from raising awareness, a recommendation on the strict implementation of city ordinaces as the prohibition of minors from entering internet cafes so as not to expose them to pornographic materials that are circulating in the web was also stressed. Strict monitoring of internet cafes was also recommended.

A representative from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said the institutionalization of this issue needs to be strenghtened so that the education campaign regarding this will be included in the school curriculum.

“Discipline always starts at home that is why parents should keep a close guidance of their children in browsing the web, and watching television” said Christina Torafing.

This activity was initiated by the Katinnulong Dagiti Umili iti Amianan, Inc. (KADUAMI, Inc) in partnership with Anti Child Pornography Alliance (ACPA) and AKAP BATA. # nordis.net

By ABIGAIL BENGWAYAN ANONGOS
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — A three – day training on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) was conducted here from July 23-25, 2010, participated by 40 indigenous leaders from the Cordillera, Palawan, Mindoro, Quezon, Rizal, Pampanga and Nueva Vizcaya.

This is the last leg of a three-part sub national training in the country organized by the Indigenous Learning Institute for Community Empowerment, the Cordillera Peoples Alliance, Kalipunan ng Katutubong Mamamayan ng Pilipinas (KAMP) and Katutubong Samahan ng Pilipinas (KASAPI).

In particular, the activity was a trainors’ training. It aimed to further broaden indigenous communities’ options and opportunities at asserting their collective rights by tapping international instruments such as the UNDRIP, with Philippine government as a signatory to this Declaration which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on September 13, 2007.

The training covered areas of the UNDRIP: self determination and self governance; on Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), Customary Law; on Land, Territory and Resources, Human rights and militarization, Development Issues and on Practical advocacy skills.

Ground realities reported in the feedback sessions reflected the problems of FPIC violations, inability of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples to proactively safeguard indigenous peoples rights, militarization in indigenous communities and the prevailing problem of large and destructive mining (existing operations, expansion and new applications) also on ancestral land. While there is an Indigenous Peoples Rights Act in the country, participants agreed, based on concrete experience, that indeed it is one of the most violated laws. # nordis.net

By QUISHELLE GAHID
www.nordis.net

LAGAWE, Ifugao — According to Ifugao Governor Eugene Balitang, Dengue is an unpredictable illness which is best avoided through a clean environmental and proper hygiene.

Balitang said the Department of Health (DOH) and the Local Government Units (LGU) are coordinating programs to heighten public awareness through information and education campaigns among the people of Ifugao as a practical defense against a dengue outbreak.

Reported cases in Ifugao show there is a rise. Two hundred forty five (245) individuals are reported infected by dengue. Kiangan municipality has the most number of cases with 87, followed by Lagawe and Hungduan with 30 each. There are 18 in Banaue; Hingyon, 16; Lamut, 9; Asipulo, 3; and Tinoc, 2. This prompted the provincial health office to raise the alarm in the province.

Dengue is a viral disease common during rainy season. It is transmitted by a mosquito called “Aedes aegypti” and “Aedes albopictus. Health officials warned the public to get rid of any possible breeding place of the said mosquitos.

Committee on Health Chairman Hon. Jordan Gullitiw, Board Member I, said that the committee is drafting an ordinance creating a dengue surveillance team. He added that they wrote all chiefs of hospital and RHUs to prepare their 5-year procurement screening and diagnostic equipment.
Gullitiw also stated that they are proposing to purchase the equipment that detects the dengue infection at an earliest stage.# nordis.net

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — Bayan Muna Partylist Representative said he will be writing the Guiness Book of World Records to register the Arroyo family’s feat so that they can be recorded side by side with former dictator Ferdinand Marcos who is listed as one of the world’s biggest looters alongside his wife Imelda who had 3,400 pairs of shoes.

Casino in the web said this is one worthy of the world book of records. He said that for two straight congresses, the 14th and 15th, the members of the Arroyo family are taking four seats in the House of Representatives. Casino said this is possibly the most number of seats in a parliament ever to be occupied by a family.

In the 14th Congress, Gloria Arroyo had four reliable dynasty members in the Lower House in her sons Mikey Macapagal-Arroyo, (2nd District Pampanga) and Diosdado “Dato” Macapagal Arroyo, (1st District Camarines Sur), and in-laws Iggy Arroyo (5th District, Negros Occidental), and Ma. Lourdes Arroyo (Party-list Ang Kasangga).

Casino said that while former Rep. Ma. Lourdes Arroyo opted not to be nominated by her party-list group, for the 15th Congress, the words garapal and swapang is redefined by former Pres. Gloria herself. “She took the seat of son Mikey, Reps. Dato and Iggy won their re-election bids. Mikey becomes a party-list representative of security guards and tricycle drivers. Thanks to the block-headed logic of the COMELEC that clearly favors the Arroyo dynasty, we again have four members of the Arroyo bloc in Congress,” said Casino.

The congressman said that there is no such record yet of a family having multiple seats in the congress in the Guiness World Records. Casino said this will probably be the first. He dubbed it as the world’s biggest family bloc in congress: the Arroyo family.

According to Casino, this is the current prime example in Congress of an unconstitutional existence: an in-your-face political dynasty with the former President, two sons and a brother-in-law as legislators. “ Despite this certain garapalan by Gloria, this should be addressed by the 15th Congress. We will re-file our anti-dynasty bill to include prohibiting multiple seats in Congress,” added Casino
Casino cited Article 2, Section 26 of the 1987 Constitution states that “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.” # nordis.net

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On Monday, July 26, President Benigno C. Aquino III will deliver his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) to appraise the citizens of this country as to the state of the nation that his new administration has inherited from the past administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo after nine long years of misrule. He will then outline in his address what measures he intend to take to solve the more pressing problems confronting us with the help of the country’s legislature through laws which hopefully will enable the President to atttend to them more effectively.

While the President may have a more comprehensive view of the actual state of affairs in the country today, many of us ordinary citizens are not exactly unaware of what is wrong with the Republic and many of us have well-informed ideas of what should be done about these problems. In fact, we would be able to judge the new president better by the way he would prioritize the problems confronting us today and the proposed measures he intends to take to resolve these problems.

Various groups, sectors and classes in our society would have forwarded by this time their priority concerns for the President’s and Congress’ attention. The urgency of an issue or concern would depend largely on how a group, class or sector is situated in the over-all scheme of things in the country today. But there are issues or concerns that cut across sectors and regions of the country and these obviously should take priority.

One example of this is the water crisis confronting hundreds of thousands of our countrymen in Metro Manila today. Another is the impact of natural disasters like typhoons and floods that calls for the upgrading of our disaster-preparedness, especially now that we are into the rainy season again. These are the concerns that calls for urgent attention and should be addressed immediately.

Then, because we pride ourselves as a civilized society where the rule of law should prevail, the President is expected to take a stand on the issue of human rights violations which continue to blemish the stature of this country even in the international arena. The prosecution of those who continue to commit these dastardly crimes together with the big-time grafters in the previous administration should be on the top priorities of the new administration if President Aquino’s pledge of rendering justice to every Filipino is to be believed. Putting a stop to extra-judicial killings and enforced disappearances are doable goals in the short-term provided the President puts his mind to it.

Beyond these are medium and long-term programs and policies that could be designed to address many long-festering problems in the country’s economic development and over-all progress.

From his SONA, we will know if the new President has a good grasp of the decades-old problems of the country’s underdevelopment and why we are lagging behind our neighbors in southeast Asia.

We will also know how concerned the new administration is with regards the problems of the less fortunate of our countrymen: the farmers,workers and the urban poor who make up the bulk of the country’s populace.

What will be the new administration’s thrust towards the concerns of the youth, the issue of women’s rights and the indigenous people of this country? In short, what would be the policy of the new administration towards what is popularly known as the people’s agenda? Will President Aquino seriously address them or will he simply pay lip service to them, like what previous administrations did including that of his mother’s?

One SONA will not provide us the answer. It will take months before we will know if the new administration is serious about its campaign promises or just doing the rhetorics. We will have an inkling when President Benigno C. Aquiino III delivers his first State of the Nation Address on Monday.# nordis.net

By ARTHUR ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net

So it’s all systems go for the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of newly elected President Noynoy Aquino. In fact, the Philippine National Police and other state security agencies are laying the ground for the secured SONA come July 26.

Even the press people outside Metro Manila are geared toward the event. A friend from the government press asked me, through text: if you were to advise the president on the contents of his speech, what priority issues or programs would you want him to discuss in his speech? I texted him back raising two issues: First, P-Noy should address the issue on extra-judicial killings, particularly that of journalists, who, like human rights defenders are considered endangered species in this country, and, Second, P-Noy should signify it urgent to pass the freedom of information bill.

The first issue, if addressed and if justice is realized for the EJK victims, would at least repair the Philippine image internationally as one of the most dangerous countries for journalists to live. The second issue is necessary for the realization of the constitution’s recognition of the right for the public to know.

As my answers to my friend’s query was through text, I forgot the inclusion of one important issue – the de-criminalization of libel, a campaign that our organization – the NUJP – has continuously took on up to lobbying in congress. I am raising the issue to Pres. P-Noy to certify as an urgent bill the de-criminalization of libel.

Antiquated as it was introduced by the Spanish colonizers during their time, the provisions on libel in the Revised Penal Code (RPC) has been institutionalized as a hindrance to the people’s right to know, a right recognized by the 1987 Constitution. As the libel provisions of the RPC – a statute – contradict the constitutionally enshrined people’s right to know, this is the first and foremost reason to repeal the libel provisions in the RPC.

Historically, libel is utilized by the powerful and rich against members of the press who bravely do their job –to bring information of public interest to the people. In reality, it has been an effective way to silence media practitioners who usually have no money to pay for the long and expensive court litigation of libel cases.   

Lately, our media colleague Rimaliza Opina of Sun Star, was charged with libel along with her sources on a labor issue that happened at Baguio’s John Hay Management Corporation. The case was filed at the Quezon City’ Prosecutors Office, where lately Rimaliza had just filed her counter affidavit.

Rimaliza’s case is a concrete example of the use of the libel law to silence a media practitioner. She did the article as it was of public interest. In fact that labor case that she wrote about is not the only case, there are more filed at the NLRC here.

Assuming, just assuming, that media practitioners have made excesses, how can they be punished without the libel law? Under the present legal system, a victim of a defamatory story can file for damage claims under the Civil Code. So this would ensure that lapses by any media practitioner can be brought to court as a civil case filed with damages. And, I therefore urge our new Pres. P-Noy to order for the de-criminalization of libel. # nordis.net

By KATHLEEN T. OKUBO
www.nordis.net

The Benguet Electric Cooperative, which according to some of my cynic relatives is not really a cooperative, has made a proposal to our City to manage and maintain the City’s street lights for a monthly flat rate. This offer has been pending for more than a year on the desks of our leaders in City Hall. I doubt very much that the proposal was not studied from all angles of politics and commerce by the minds in city hall. Nor do I think Beneco managers would give a proposal that would drain the coffers of the cooperative. It makes us wonder and drift into entertaining scenarious that the parties could not agree on the how much. Tax payers are not, nor have been proven to be selfish especially with their temper when they feel they are shortchanged or are being, literally, put in the dark of transactions that concern them and their pockets. Also, it is not as if government or Beneco has been truly transparent to their constituents about contracts like this.(?)

My household and neighbors are truly grateful for the new lamp posts Beneco has installed along our barangay’s roads, and of course this community would remain happy if these street lights (a source of security and sight at night) are regularly well maintained even if sometimes our young naughty boys feel the lights are a good target for stone throwing.

* * *
Allow some Wistfull thinking
Coming Monday is the new president’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA). Being the son and heir of a couple looked-up to with reverence by an election winning number of Filipino citizens so much is expected of him. He can say he is but human and can only do so much.

This was also what the former female president seem to mean when she went on air to say, “I am sorry.”

With five extra-judicial killings reported committed with impunity in the beginning of his presidency by the same alleged culprits under the previous presidential rule, I really want to see the son of the revered Ninoy annd Cory Aquino order without wincing the investigation, pursuit and arrest of the perpetrators of this heinous crime against the Filipino people, and the real-to-life delivery of justice to the survivors.

History indicates that the freedom of expression and to assembly has been mangled and denied by all Philippine presidents one time or another to a point of tyranny. Can this new president of our nation at least stop the killings and in his Sona say he can with strong conviction?

James Moy Balao, the first victim of enforced disappearance in the Cordillera has not yet been surfaced even if the Courts of Justice has so ordered. This is such a slap on the face of our justice system being ignored with impunity by its own so-called agencies in government. If this was a common practice in the governance of the GMA, I should want to see P-Noy condemned it, surface James, throw the culprits in jail, file charges. By command responsility expected of leaders elected to rule, P-Noy can work to deliver justice to the nation that is held hostage by poverty, militarization and the eroded sense of sovereignity.

When P-Noy delivers his Sona (and to borrow somebody’s favorite line…) I wish he would prove me wrong that he is but another bloody blundering bureaucrat capitalist towing the imperialist noose.# nordis.net

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

The welfare of each is bound up in the welfare of all. — Helen Keller quotes

In a higher form of society, the capacity of each individual to contribute for the upliftment of the lives of the citizen is much appreciated and mobilized. The actual need and necessity of each individual is respected and addressed by the state as it was established to do so. The people in that society live a life to the fullest as they are contented.

Persons with disabilities for instance enjoy a much-respected life as thay are regarded by the society as essential part of the state. Their disabilities are no longer burden for them to live side by side with the people without disabilities, they also live a normal life.

Whatever work they can do, the state will encourage them to do it for their confidence that they too are contributing much to the society. Whatever they need, the state will look into it regardless of who thay are or whatever their disabilities are. The state also always has the concern on how to rehabilitate their disability to make their mobility more comfortable and will not really be a burden for them.

In the present system of the society, persons with disabilities have a hard time coping with the world of “people without disabilities” who claim they are normals. They seem to be punished by their fellows because of their physical situation. Everyday, they suffer from discrimination and most of the times being called not by their names but by their disabilities. They are treated like a lower form of living thing. Most of the time, they are hard up at getting employed as many consider them as non-productive assets to businesses, just burdens. In other words, they are looked down-on as useless.

Some businesses do accept them for employment but only temporarily as they prefer the “abled” ones. Some of them who had been able to get higher education are in top positions, but they are only a few. Still, many of them are left helpless and forced to eat their pride and beg for money because if they do not do it, they will die of starvation in this world where the law is the survival of the fittest.

What makes their situation harder is how the state or government look at them. Although there are programs even if not really serious ones, they make no difference. As most officials do not care how their people will not starve, they do not care about the welfare of the persons with disabilities. Many times, they are used by corrupt officials to solicit money from organizations local and abroad.

While some of the concerned individuals and organizations help them, the state officials can only pose that they too care. They pose with the persons with disabilities in front of the cameras to announce that they are helping them.

In a new form of a society, this persons with disabilities will no longer be discriminated, no longer will they have a hard time in looking for jobs, no longer will have a hard time achieving an education, no longer will have a hard time to raise their families, no longer will have a hard time to eat.

In a higher form of a society, the state will not have to wait for the National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week every month of July just to show its “concern” to the persons with disabilities boasting that in accessible structures, everybody is abled. Because everyday, the state looks after the welfare of each of its citizens regardless of what he looks like. This will be a true accesible state that everybody is abled.

A suggestion from one of the concerned individuals is true, it is not the person with disability who should be rehabilitated but the society.

All the people like us are We, And everyone else is They. — Rudyard Kipling, We and They, 1926# nordis.net

By GREGG BUTTERFIELD / WWW.WORKERSWORLD.ORG
www.nordis.net

The U.S.-based social-networking monolith Facebook has begun an all-out assault on its members, deleting three active groups that advocated for progressive and radical causes, permanently banning the accounts of four individuals who administered one group, and sending threatening messages to others.

The groups deleted include Boycott BP, a campaign against the Big Oil company responsible for one of history’s worst ecological disasters; the PFLP Solidarity Group, based in New Zealand with members around the globe, in support of the Palestinian resistance movement; and Free Ricardo Palmera, a group advocating support for a leftist Colombian guerrilla leader who is imprisoned in the U.S. in violation of international law.

Facebook is carrying out its censorship campaign against the left under cover of its arbitrary “terms of service.”

Josh Sykes, administrator of the deleted Free Ricardo Palmera group, received this message: “The group Free Ricardo Palmera! has been removed because it violated our Terms of Use. Among other things, groups that are hateful, threatening, or obscene are not allowed. We also take down groups that attack an individual or group, or advertise a product or service. Continued misuse of Facebook’s features could result in your account being disabled.”

None of the affected groups was hateful, threatening or obscene in any way. And as anyone who is familiar with Facebook knows, truly hateful, racist, anti-Muslim, anti-women, anti-gay, pro-cop, pro-imperialist and pro-Zionist apartheid groups abound and their members post freely.
Marika Pratley, PFLP Solidarity Campaign coordinator and group administrator, said, “This was clearly a political attack against the PFLP and an attempt by Facebook to censor and shut down the solidarity campaign.

“The PFLP advocates a single secular state in all of Palestine, with equal rights for all, regardless of race or religion, and is the second largest group in the PLO. Facebook has deemed that support for the PFLP violates its terms and conditions while allowing many blatantly racist anti-Palestinian groups to continue to exist without such censorship.”

Facebook is well-known for invasions of personal privacy, but it also has a reputation for censoring leftist causes and national liberation movements. Since 2008, pages and groups supporting Cuba have sometimes been deleted without warning, including one administered by this writer. My personal account was also temporarily suspended.

Another Cuba supporter, an Egyptian-born student activist living outside the U.S., had her account permanently banned. So did a Palestinian student activist from New Jersey whose pro-Palestine liberation group was deleted.

While Facebook is notorious for making its members’ personal information available to U.S. corporations, police agencies and the U.S. government, it guards its own contact information zealously. Not only do members sign away their right of appeal to Facebook’s censors, but it is almost impossible to lodge a protest. Difficult-to-access options that existed a couple of years ago, at the time of the earlier shutdowns, have been removed.

Boycott BP restored, big battles remain
The 700,000-member Boycott BP group was restored after a huge public outcry, including coverage on CNN. Facebook now claims the group was disabled “in error.”

While this is an important victory — and shows that Facebook can be pushed back — it is a harder road for lesser-known cases like Palmera’s or more controversial causes like the Palestinian resistance movement.

It’s important to ask, which groups will Facebook target next? Supporters of political prisoners like Mumia Abu-Jamal? Supporters of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla? Opponents of U.S. wars on Afghanistan, Iraq, Korea and Iran? Supporters of the revolutionary movements in Venezuela, the Philippines and Nepal? Abortion-rights advocates?

Facebook may try to cover its censorship of groups like the PFLP Solidarity Campaign by pointing to the terrible June 21 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project, which criminalizes free speech under material support statutes related to groups the U.S. government falsely deems “terrorist” — including longstanding national liberation movements in Palestine, Lebanon, Colombia, Nepal and the Philippines.

But the fact is, Facebook and other U.S. corporations benefit from and hold enormous sway over the decisions of the Supreme Court — which, like the other branches of U.S. government, exists to preserve and strengthen the rule of capitalists. The bogus and unconstitutional decision of the Supreme Court must not become an excuse to let Facebook and its ilk off the hook.

Social networking sites have expanded to the point where they are an important and necessary component of all sorts of progressive social advocacy, from modest reforms to revolutionary social change. People all over the world rely on them, so it is especially ludicrous for Facebook to impose the rules of U.S. imperialist foreign policy on its members.

Social networks should belong to the people, not to U.S. corporations. Taking the fight to Facebook now is an important step in that direction.

What you can do
On July 7 the profiles of the three administrators of the Ricardo Palmera group — Josh Sykes, Angela Denio and Tom Burke — were disabled by Facebook with no reason given. Ivan Enrile, an activist from Manila, reported that his profile was disabled because he set up a Facebook page in solidarity with the Peruvian Sendero Luminoso movement. City University of New York students were warned that a group they set up to support prisoner Fahad Hashmi was a “threat to national security.” The list continues to grow.

On Facebook, a group has been set up called Stop Facebook Assault on Progressive Causes. Join and invite your Facebook contacts. Help them get informed and involved. If you have been censored or threatened, let the group know.

Repost this article. Blog and email about the issue. Contact local and national media and let them know what you think about Facebook’s campaign against radical and progressive causes.
Call and write Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to demand an end to the censorship of left groups and progressive causes, and to threats against individual Facebook members: 156 University Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94301; 650-543-4800. (If you come across better contact information for Zuckerberg and other Facebook bigwigs, please spread the word.)

The struggle continues!
Articles copyright 1995-2010 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium without royalty provided this notice is preserved. # nordis.net

by BAGONG ALYANSANG MAKABAYAN
www.nordis.net

The Comelec decision allowing Mikey Arroyo, presidential son and former district representative, to sit as a partylist representative will ultimately destroy the partylist system. It is a gross violation of the partylist law and existing jurisprudence on the matter.

Mikey’s attendance at the opening of the 15th session of congress, when the new president delivers his first State of the Nation Address, is meant to insult the Filipino people and taunt the new administration. It is a grim reminder that the much-despised Arroyo’s are still very much in power.

The Aquino administration should now exert its own effort to block the return of Mikey Arroyo to the House of Representatives. At the very least, the Aquino administration should see the issue as a means by the Arroyo family to consolidate their grip on power and avoid any accountability for their misdeeds.

There can be no ‘daang matuwid” if Mikey makes a mockery of election laws, the partylist system and the House of Representatives.

With its decision, the four Comelec commissioners who voted in favor of Mikey have shown utter incompetence and even partiality towards the previous appointing power. These commissioners cannot be trusted to carry out their mandate of ensuring that the laws related to the elections are correctly upheld. They appear incapable of understanding the law. They have lost the trust of the electorate. They must resign.

Attention must be paid to the case of Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer who is responsible for accrediting en masse dubious partylist groups. Ferrer is also responsible for accrediting the Batang Iwas Droga (BIDA), an entity funded by the Phillippine Games and Amusement Corporation (PAGCOR). The funding given by PAGCOR to BIDA is now the subject of government investigation. It is a basic tenet of the partylist system, as articulated by the Supreme Court, that a partylist group cannot be an entity funded by government. Yet Ferrer chose to look the other way and accredited BIDA. # nordis.net

By JOSE Ma. SISON/ CONSULTANT-NDFP
www.nordis.net

Message of Solidarity to the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas
on the occasion of its 25th founding anniversary

July 24, 2010
Wholeheartedly I am in solidarity with the leadership, membership and the supporters of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas in celebrating its 25 th founding anniversary. It is important for the entire nation that we celebrate the continuous struggle of the peasant movement for genuine land reform, to honor the peasant martyrs who have sacrificed their lives and to strengthen the spirit and movement of the leaders and members for justice and freedom through land reform against the semicolonial and semifeudal ruling system.

I consider as a great honor that in July 1985 I was able to give a message of solidarity to the first national congress of the KMP despite the fact that I was still detained in Fort Bonifacio. I am even more greatly honored by giving again a message of solidarity now because of the many victories that you have harvested in the last 25 years of struggle and sacrifices for advancing the peasant movement and land reform and the general struggle of the people for national liberation and democracy against imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism.

It is commendable that KMP has a high level of political consciousness and has won significant victories, mainly in asserting the rights of the peasants over the land that they till. I salute you for the continuous expansion and consolidation of your organization at various levels. I admire the KMP for having 65 provincial chapters and 15 regional chapters in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Your struggle against the policies dictated by US imperialism and carried out by the Arroyo puppet regime is astounding. You have opposed the policy of neoliberal globalization, especially its laying aside of land reform, destruction of food production for the people and the bargaining away of land and natural resources to foreign corporations. You condemned the policy of imperialist aggression and state terrorism masquerading as war against terrorism. And you have vigorously opposed the real terrorism of Oplan Bantay Laya and the intervention of US military forces under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

KMP has courageously fought the laws, policies and programs that aggravate the exploitation and oppression perpetrated by the by the landlord class and foreign corporations. You have intensified your resistance in response to the assasinations, massacres, torture, unwarranted arrests and detention and the displacement of the peasants from their homes and land. You have effectively fought not only the barefaced enemy but also the special agents who sneaked into the KMP and whipped up factionalism.
It is gratifying that the Alyansa ng Magbubukid ng Gitnang Luson (AGML) and the Asembliya ng mga Manggagawang Bukid have prepared your gathering inside Hacienda Luisita. Several times I stayed in some barrios there in the years of 1968 to 1972. This was the period of building the new Communist Part of the Philippines and the New People’s Army in the province of Tarlac. This was also the period of organizing the Pagkakaisa ng mga Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (PMP).

It is meaningful that a thousand representatives of the regional and provicial chapters of KMP are now gathered inside Hacienda Luisita in order to hold a celebration with the theme: Twenty Five Years of Persevering Struggle for Land, Justice and Freedom. You are proving that the peasant movement is firm and militant and is advancing despite cruel acts of suppression by the landlords.

In this hacienda, in 2004 and 2005 events burst out to call the attention of the people in our country and in the whole world about the exploitation and swindling of the peasants by the landlord class, the just and courageous struggle of the peasants and the massacre and subsequent killings that were the collaborative work of the Cojuangco-Aquino family and the Arroyo regime.

Now that Noynoy Cojuangco-Aquino is the president of the reactionary government, the power of the state and the instruments of violence and deception are now directly in his hands. During the electoral campaign, Aquino said that he would continue the stock distribution option swindle under the CARPer. His family continues to frustrate land reform through corporate tricks and other cruel and deceptive tactics.

At any rate, you are prepared to fight for land reform, justice and freedom. In the face of so great a challenge, it is necessary for you to raise the level of your political consciousness, accelerate the strengthening of your organisation and engage in mobilization to advance the cause for land reform and use the campaigns to raise fighting consciousness and organizational capability.

Like the Arroyo regime, the Aquino regime is a running dog of US imperialism. Aquino is now the chief representative of the pro-imperialist classes of big compradors and landlords. He is continuing the evil policies dictated by the US and carried out by Arroyo. Rabid implementers of the policies of neoliberalism and terrorism who were previous adjutants of Arroyo are now the adjutants of Aquino in betraying the Filipino people and violating national and democratic rights and interests.

During the Aquino regime, the problems of landlessness, poverty and hunger will become more grave. Aquino has no interest in land reform and national industrialization. The bloody suppression of the people will escalate. Even as the economic crisis is grave. The reactionary government is bankrupt and there are scarce resources for social services, Aquino said in his inaugural address that he would give to the military and police what ask for. He indicated that he would double the strength of the military and police because the population had doubled since the time that Marcos.

In his first military command conference, he ordered the military to give priority to so-called counterinsurgency or in fact the state terrorism. Thus, the criminal officers and armed personnel of t he state continue to engage in gross and systematic human rights violations with impunity. The Aquino regime is subservient to the US-dictated policy of counterinsurgency or terrorism. Most important in this policy is the strengthening of the reactionary military and the pretenses of the reactionary government at clean and efficient governance, delivery of social services, wishes for economic development and other types and methods of deception.

The pretended wish of the counterrevolutionary state for peace negotiations is supposed to be a mere minor thing. Aquino has already declared that the priority of the military is counterinsurgency so-called. Defense secretary Gazmin has said that the revolutionary forces must surrender and thus peace negotiations are not needed. Chief of staff General David has also said without qualifications that the plan of the military and government is to decimate the revolutionary forces in three years’ time. The warning and challenge to the Filipino people and revolutionary forces are extremely emphatic.

It is clear that like the Arroyo regime the Aquino regime wants to destroy the revolutionary movement of the Filipino people and perpetuate the rotten ruling system of the big compradors and landlords under US imperialism. On the other hand, we see that the people and the revolutionary forces are well-prepared to fight the escalation of exploitation and oppression as a result of the worsening of the crisis of the domestic ruling system and the world capitalist system. The revolutionary forces have declared their resolve to raise the people’s war along the line of new democratic revolution from the strategic defensive to the strategic stalemate in the next five years.

As a legal mass organization with its integrity, the KMP must raise the national and democratic consciousness of the peasant masses and must promptly and earnestly face up to the many issues churned out by the crisis at the global, national and local levels. The recruitment of members must be accelerated and brought to the level of millions. The members must be recruited and local chapters must be formed (where there are yet none) through meetings to explain the constitution and program of KMP. The campaigns should be availed of by the organized masses to persuade the unorganized masses to become members of the KMP and become a firm part of the peasant movement.

I am certain that thought the simultaneous celebrations of the 25 th founding anniversary of the KMP at the national, regional, provincial and barangay levels you will be able to raise further the fighting consciousness for the rights and interests of the peasants, you will be able to put forward proposals and plans regarding education, organization and mobilization and you will be anle to expand support from various sectors in the countryside, in the entire country and the world.# nordis.net

By JOSE MA. SISON/CAHIRPERSON-ILPS
www.nordis.net

The International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS) hereby condemns in the strongest terms the US and its South Korean puppet government for a crescendo of provocations against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). These provocations constitute an attack on the national sovereignty of the Korean people and threaten the peace in East Asia and the whole world.

The sinking of the Cheonan was obviously perpetrated by the US in order to stem the tide of popular opposition in Japan against US military bases and to justify a series of hostile actions of the US and its South Korean puppet government against the DPRK and the national sovereignty of the Korean people and the just position of the DPRK for the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and reunification of the Korean people.

The hostile actions of the US and the puppet Republic of Korea (ROK) include the baseless accusations against the DPRK for the Cheonan sinking, the announced holding of joint US-ROK military exercises against the DPRK and the adoption of new sanctions against DPRK in relation to its program of nuclear research and development for national defense, pursuit of peace and economic development.

The US is an old hand at fabricating incidents in order to justify US aggression, such as the February 4, 1899 incident in the Philippines, the August 1964 Tonkin Gulf incident and similar incidents in Asia and elsewhere. It is obvious that the US staged the Cheonan sinking several months ago in order to justify and escalate US military presence in East Asia, to generate new tensions in the region, to prepare for a bigger act of aggression against DPRK and divert attention from US military failures in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The US and ROK are poised to undertake a series of largescale military exercises. The first one called Invincible Spirit is meant to humiliate DPRK, force it to take the blame for the US criminal act of sinking the Cheonan and accept talks on nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles under US terms. The next military exercise called Freedom’s Guardian would immediately ensue. It is planned to be more aggressive and more challenging even to China.

The forces being mobilized for Invincible Spirit include the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group and ROK Navy ships, aircraft fleet from the US Seventh Air Force, the George Washington Air Wing, the new F-22 Raptor aircraft, the ROK air force and ROK anti-submarine aircraft. In the meantime, the US and ROK forces are escalating psychological warfare along the 38 th parallel as complement to the war preparations.

The sanctions being prepared by the US will aggravate and expand the existing financial, commercial and travel sanctions already imposed on the DPRK. Additional categories of DPRK personnel, assets and transactions will be banned or frozen. Even the diplomatic privileges of DRKP personnel will be curtailed. More aggressive actions are being planned against DPRK ships and planes.

In view of the extremely hostile actions and war plans of the US, the DPRK is fully justified in developing its nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles in order to counter the longrunning nuclearization of South Korea by the US and the continuous military and nuclear threats from US military bases in East Asia and the Pacific. The Korean people can never forget how the US collaborated with Japan to allow the latter to colonize Korea in the first half of the 20 th century and how the US murdered more than three million Koreans in the US war of aggression against Korea from 1950 to 1953.

The people of East Asia have suffered so many gross acts of brutality and violations of human rights unleashed by US imperialism. These include the killing of 1.4 million Filipinos in the Filipino-American War, the killing and maiming of hundreds of thousands in the US atom-bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the killing of millions of Chinese by the US-supported Guomindang in the Chinese civil war, the killing of more than three million Koreans, the killing of more than six million Vietnamese and other Indochinese and the massacre of three million Indonesians by the US-supported Suharto fascist clique.
It is a gross act of hypocrisy and malice for the US to be prating about peace and stability in East Asia while it casts false accusations against the DPRK in order to obscure a long history of US aggression in East Asia, to justify continued US military presence in the whole region and to push forward a new plan of aggression against the DPRK and the Korean people.

The International League of Peoples’ Struggle stand in solidarity with the Korean people of both north and south in their struggle against US imperialism and its renewed acts of aggression against them and against the DPRK. We call on the people of the world, the member organizations and allied forces of the ILPS to make manifest their support for the national sovereignty of the Korean people, condemn the aggressive presence of US imperialism in the Korean peninsula and demand its withdrawal.# nordis.net

Ni BRENDA S. DACPANO
www.nordis.net

LUMPIA a nabalkot ti rice paper

Adda ti nagayyem ko a Vietnamese ket tunggal agkita kami idi ti tungtonganmi ket maipanggep iti makan. Isuna ti nangisuro kaniak no kasano ti mangan ti sapsap nga usar ti chopsticks. Istoryaenna no kasano nga aramiden a sopas dagiti tedtedda a makan ken dagiti kankanen da idiay Vietnam. Sinuruannak pay no kasano ti panagaramid ti rice paper.

Adu a klase ti pagbalkot iti lumpia: wanton wrapper, lumpia wrapper, egg wrapper. Ti rice wrapper ket kadawyan nga us-usaren dagiti Vietnamese. Ti rice wrapper naaramid manipud iti arina ti bagas, danum ken asin, ken kadawyan a nagtimbukel. Daytoy ket kasla papel, namaga ken nasarangsang. Kasapulan a maiyuper iti napudot bassit a danum iti agarup 20 segundo sakbay a mabalin nga usaren a pagbalkot.

Adda met magatang a rice wrapper kadagiti lokal a supermarket. Inton maminsan tayo a talantanen no kasano ti panagaramid ti rice paper wrapper.

Ramen ti peanut sauce:
1 tasa a peanut sauce, mabalin nga agusar ti peanut butter ngem nasam-it unay daytoy.
1/4 tasa a danum
asin ken paminta a pangtimpla
Ikabil iti kaserola ti amin a ramen ti sauce, ipapudot daytoy agingga aglaok dagiti ramen. Adawen.
Ramen ti sweet-sour sauce:
1/4 tasa a gawgaw
3 tasa a danum
2-4 kutsara a suka
1/4-1/2 tasa a brown sugar
soy, asin ken paminta a pangtimpla
Ikanaw ti gawgaw iti danum. Inayon ti dadduma a ramen. Iluto iti kalalaingan na nga apoy. Kiwaren aginggana napalet. No napalet unay, nayunan ti bassit a danum.

Parabaw:
narim-it a kinirog a mani
bawang a tinadtad
Ramen ti ipalaman :
1 ulo a litsugas, naiwa iti paatiddog
1 sibuyas wenno leeks, naiwa iti naingpis
1/4 kilo a mongo sprout
2-3 pidaso a carrots
200 gramos a sotanghon
mabalin nga agusar iti solo wenno kumbinasyon dagiti sumaganad: manok, karne ti baboy, lames wenno pasayan.

Preparasyon:
1. Timplaan ti asin, paminta wenno ‘tay timpla a pangbarbecue ti manok wenno baboy sakbay nga iprito wenno ituno. No agusar ti pasayan, ukisan dagitoy, timplaan ti asin ken paminta sakbay nga ituno wenno ikirog iti apagbiit. No agusar ti ikan, mabalin met laeng ti tinuno wenno naprito ngem nasken nga ikkaten dagiti siitna.
2. No nabaawanen ti karne, iwaen iti naingpis a paatiddog. Ipaigid pay.
3. Bugguan dagiti natnateng. Ukisan dagiti carrots ken iwaen iti kasla atiddog a naingpis. Iwaen met laeng iti paatiddog a naingpis ti litsugas kasta met ti leeks wenno sibuyas.
4. Mabalin a kasdiaynan ti mongo sprout wenno dilnakan ti napudot a danum, paik-ikan kalpasan ti 10 a segundo.
5. Dilnakan met laeng iti napudot a danum ti sotanghon. Paik-ikan a dagus.
6. Isagana ti maysa malukong a napudot bassit a danum. Daytoy ti pangitabsawan ti rice wrapper iti 20 segundo. Saan a baybayagen nga iyuper tapno saan a marunaw ti wrapper.
7. Ikabil ti nabasa a wrapper iti pinggan, mangikabil iti saggabassit ti amin a ramen. Ikkan ti 1-2 kutsara a sauce. Ibalkot ti wrapper.
8. Parabawan ti sweet-sour sauce ken warakiwakan ti mani ken bawang.# nordis.net

By ALDWIN QUITASOL
www.nordis.net

Photo by Brenda S. Dacpano

SAGADA, Mountain Province — People from three municipalities of this province oppose the exploration of a subsidiary of Anglo American PLC mining company in their communities.

In a statement issued by different organizations and individuals led by the Cordillera People’s Alliance-Mountain Province (CPA-MP), they stated that the Cordillera Exploration Company Inc. (CEXI) applied for an exploration permit covering 1,872.50 hectares within the ancestral domain of the nine barangays of Bauko, two barangays of Tadian and one barangay of Sagada.

The said applied areas include Barangay Ambasing, Sagada; Barangays Sumadel and Duagan of Tadian; Guinzadan Norte, Guinzadan Sur, Tapapan, Lesseb, Sadsadan, Mabaay, Bangnen Oriente, Bangnen Proper and Bila of Bauko.

“ Nan maapektaran et baken laeng nan barangays ay covered sin explorasyon no di ket pati nan asideg da ay barangays” (this affects not only the barangays covered by the area of exploration but all nearby barangays as well), the statement said.

CEXI filed an application at the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as early as October 6, 1997. CEXI is a subsidiary of the largest transnational mining company in the world, Anglo American PLC.

Anglo American has another subsidiary applying for mining permits, the Northern Luzon Exploration and Mining Co. Inc. At least three of Anglo-American’s pet projects are included in the 24 Priority Mining Projects of the Arroyo administration, namely the Boyongan Copper Project in Surigao del Norte (expected to have been into full commercial operations in 2009), the Padcal Copper Extension Project in Tuba, Benguet with Philex Mining Corporation (expected to have been in full commercial operations in 2007) and the Conner Copper Gold Project in Apayao and Kalinga provinces by CEXI.

Opposition to large scale mining has been championed by the Cordillera People’s Alliance. In Baguio, CPA deputy secretary Santos Mero, an Ibaloi, warned of Anglo-American’s notorious record as a mining company.

Mero hails from Itogon, Benguet, a town where Benguet Corporation (BC), Philex Mines, and several other mining firms operated open pit and strip mining for the past 100 years.

“Anglo-American violated the rights of its cheap labor force in South African mining communities by paying them the world’s lowest wages and housing them in barracks comparable to prison camps of the 1800s.

In 2005, the Canada Commission for Environmental Cooperation named Anglo-American a main toxic lead polluter throughout North America. Its operations killed crops and contaminated water sources in Venezuela, and displaced the population and ruined the local Church in Tabaco, Columbia, where the largest coal strip mine in the regions lies,” Mero said.

“We learned of the notorious human rights and environmental track record of the Anglo American in South Africa and Latin America. We surely do not want this to happen in the Philippines, particularly in the Cordillera. Certainly, we do not want Anglo-American to unleash its greed for profit and duplicate the same health hazards, human rights violations, anti-labor practices, and environmental destruction here,” Mero stressed.

Cordillera Exploration Co. Inc. also applied for exploration permits in Baay-Licuan, Malibcong, Daguioman, Abra; Balbalan, Kalinga for a toral of 15,880 hectares.
The Mt Province statement said that the municipal officials of the affected municipalities were informed on the exploration application only on the first week of June 2010 when notifications on the application were posted.

No community consultations were ever conducted to get the Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of the people. As integrated in the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of the Philippines, FPIC is a must for every mining firm before any explorations and operations will be conducted. It is also a responsibility of every country to strictly implement these rulings as written in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).

Meanwhile, the secretary to the mayor of Tadian Benny Likwet said the Sangguniang Bayan registered their vehement opposition to the exploration with a resolution. According to the Barangay Captain of Ambasing, the community together with other folks from the nearby barangays of Sagada are against the entry of any mining related activities in their places.

Bauko Mayor Simon Lacwasan said the exploration is considered a disaster thus he directed the municipal disaster coordinating committee to take charge in sustaining the opposition.

According to the statement, the exploration by CEXI will destroy the water supply going to the households as well as the irrigation system, it will also worsen the landslides and land subsidence and the resources of the people will be very much affected if not totally disappear. As with any mining exploration, the statement reiterated would be the start of a bigger mining operation.

The opposing groups further said that the exploration and any mining operation in the area will destroy scenic tourists spots in the province and the tourism industry will be greatly affected.

“Nan esa, no isnan Montanyosa, no into nan kad-an di mining ken exploration application, siya gedan nan kad-an nan military (Other than that, here in Montañosa, wherever there is mining and explorations, is where the military is), the statement said.

The CPA-MP said it seems this is a continuity of the programs of the old regimes as the application was filed in 1997 and now the new administration is bringing it back.

The statement stressed that they will not allow any exploration and big mining companies to enter their community. The groups asked the MGB not to approve the application of CEXI. They also urged the local government units not to endorse the application but instead take a strong stand opposing the entry of CEXI – Anglo American. They also asked the support of the different churches in the province, civic organizations, institutions and the rest of the people of the Mountain Province.

“Karbengan kas nainsigudan ay umili ay mangi-assert isnan karbengan mi mangsalaknib isnan tawid mi ay daga ta adi madadael para isnan sumaruno kapututan (We as indigenous peoples should assert our rights to protect our ancestral land from destruction as a heritage for the next generations), the statement ended.# nordis.net

By ARTHUR ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net

BAGUIO CITY — A Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) technician, who served during the May 10 elections in this city, urged the regional and city offices of the Commission on Elections, through a letter, to conduct investigations on alleged meetings of PCOS technicians at the headquarters of the Timpuyog ti Baguio at T. Alonzo St. as she believed that such meetings were clear violations of the Election Code.

Mary Grace Bandoy cited various dates prior to the May 10 elections where their fellow technicians conducted meetings at the Timpuyog Headquarters at the T. Alonzo St. She is among the 60 people hired and deployed by Placewell International Services Corporation to help in the operation and maintenance of PCOS machines in the city for the first automated elections in the country.

In her affidavit attached to her letters to the Comelec offices, Bandoy stated that she was puzzled why PCOS technicians’ meetings in Baguio were being held at the Timpuyog headquarters as they are supposed to be impartial.

“I thought it was against protocol and was quite improper to hold meetings there if we were to work as PCOS technicians for the elections. I thought of clarifying the incident with Placewell officers assigned in Baguio after the expiration of my contract (with Placewell) so as not to interrupt my services for the elections because I thought they must have some logical explanation,” she added in her affidavit.

The said letters were submitted last week to the office of Comelec Regional Director Julius Torres and City Election Officer Modesto Bahul Jr.

Placewell denies meetings
Walter Yuri Akiate, a regional director of Placewell, denied that their technicians’ meetings were held at the Timpuyog headquarter but instead in a portion of the building. He clarified that their technicians’ training was held at the Villa La Maja, Outlook Drive of this city but Bandoy also clarified that meetings, particularly on the week of April, May 2 and May 9, were held in the said headquarter.

As the building also serves as the review center of RA Gapuz, Placewell asked permission from them as Akiate cited a certification from a Gapuz representative. “They (technicians) never mingled with Timpuyog personnel (during these meetings),” said Akiate in an SMS message. He said that his contract with Placewell ended on May 15 but was extended for another 15 days to ensure payment of technicians’ salaries.

At least three more PCOS technicians assured this writer that they conducted meetings in the said building at T. Alonzo St. A paid ad on May 30 in a local paper by supporters of Timpuyog stated that the area was indeed a Timpuyog headquarters.

Support for investigation
The letter of Bandoy to the Comelec calling for the investigation gained support from an electoral watchdog. In a phone interview with Melanie Daza, a staff of Comelec-CAR Director Torres, she said that their office has no action yet on the letter of Bandoy.

The Baguio-Benguet chapter of Pagbabago said that they support the investigation as the alleged violation could be explained and the impartiality of technicians in the past elections will be cleared. Pagbabago also appeals to those knowledgeable of any fraud or anomalies related to the May 10 elections to come out publicly.# nordis.net

By LEILANI ADRIANO
www.nordis.net

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — Erratic weather conditions and global competition compel farmers to adjust to these phenomenal change to ensure good quality harvest.

Also, farmers end-up empty-handed due to the high cost of farm input.

Provincial Agriculturist Norma Lagmay said local government units should also strengthen their linkages in research and development and in the delivery of extension services to reach out to the farmers.
On rice production alone, Anita Benito of the Salukag Multi-purpose cooperative, a coop of local women in agriculture, reported that due to entry of cheap imported rice they have difficulty selling their produce.

“We don’t need imported rice,” Benito said during the July 9 provincial development council meeting attended by local chief executives, policy makers, public and non-government organizations at the Capitol auditorium. She said the province is self-sufficient in rice.

However, people prefer to buy imported rice instead of the locally-produced rice because the former is cheaper and better quality whole rice grains.

Even the National Food Authority represented by Tirso Mendoza reported the government agency’s urgent need for warehouses to keep rice in case farmers would sell their produce to them.

Ilocos Norte Imee R. Marcos who presided over the PDC meeting on Friday afternoon said importation has already been a “policy of the state” where local farmers should likewise improve their produce to meet international standards.

She suggested farmers should learn crop diversification and manage their production.

For example, the rice-coffee of Banna and the rice crackers of Batac City are unique food products originating from the province which she hopes other farmers could emulate.

The governor has encouraged farmers to shift to planting high value, early maturing crops while the government is trying to have a “quick fix” on the damage caused by previous typhoons in the province.
The Department of Agriculture suggests participatory action planning among concerned stakeholders to help address farmers’ concerns.# nordis.net

By ACE ALEGRE
www.nordis.net

BONTOC, Mountain Province — Corruption and alleged poll violation “whistle blower” Salvador Liked who earlier rapped Mt. Province Congressman Maximo Dalog Sr before the Comelec is facing libel for allegedly imputing upon the congressman “serious crimes and offenses” and reportedly portraying him as a “corrupt public official.”

Already set for preliminary investigation, Rep. Dalog claimed at the provincial prosecutor’s office in Mt. Province that Liked in his letter to then DILG Sec. Ronaldo Puno caused “damage and prejudice” during the recent election period.

Liked in his letter to Puno requested for an investigation on alleged land-grabbing and corruption committed by Dalog, then Mt. Province governor.

Said letter furnished to the public, alleged use of public funds for the planting of bugnay trees in a lot purportedly owned by Dalog.

The said lot measuring 1,000 square meters located at Cagubatan, Tadian is the subject lot of a memorandum of agreement entered into between the provincial government and Atty Maximo Dalog Sr as the owner of said lot.

In said agreement approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Mountain Province in 2007, Dalog allowed the provincial LGU to utilize the said lot as a “demo farm inclusive of an access road and parking space and for other scientific research activities of the province.”

Said lot was secured via an extra judicial settlement of estate with simultaneous deed of sale. Liked in turn said he will face the charges against him as he said he will also pursue his complaint before the Comelec.

“Poll Violations, Corruption Probe”
This as Liked has all reasons to be in jubilation as Comelec Law department chief Eduardo Rafanan has ordered Comelec-Cordillera to immediately conduct a preliminary investigation on alleged poll-related violations of Rep. Dalog.

This after Rafanan acted on complaints of alleged acts of fraud, corruption, vote buying and early campaigning in violation of election laws by Bauko town, Mountain Province resident Salvador Liked whose complaint filed on May 21 called for sanctions against Rep. Dalog, who accordingly violated election laws as early as late quarter of 2009 (when he was Mt. Province governor) and allegedly used government funds to purchase materials to woo votes.

“I hope that this time Comelec will do justice to (my complaint),” Liked, a former provincial government employee said as he is pinning high hopes that with President Benigno Aquino III at the command of the Comelec, complaints like his will be acted on “unlike before”. “This will be a test case for the political will of this administration,” he added.

Dalog, a close ally of Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, won over his three rivals, the closest of whom was former Sabangan mayor Jupiter Dominguez with only 751, former Bontoc Mayor Frank Odsey and former Presidential Assistant Thomas Killip.

Mt. Province has around 110,000 voters.

Liked claimed in his complaint that Dalog caused the printing of hand wash soaps showing his face and name, a project of the Department of Education, during the election campaign period.
Liked also alleged that Dalog, with funds from the government caused the printing of streamers showing his face and name; and also caused the purchase of canvass tents with acronyms “Maximize Benefits of Development” (MBD) which accordingly are initials of Governor Maximo B. Dalog.

From December 2009 to April 2010, Rep. Dalog allegedly caused the printing and purchase of T-shirts for senior citizens and barangay Day Care and health workers, using government funds.

Liked said that the price of each T-shirt showing the governor’s face, was purchased at P450.00 each, although canvassed T-shirts are priced at P130, P120, P145, and P140 each.Liked also alleged that in February to April 2010, Dalog caused the purchase using gov’t funds and distribution of monoblock chairs bearing his surname.

Such acts, “To purchase, manufacture, distribute or accept electoral propaganda gadgets such as pens, lighters fans of whatever nature , flashlights, athletic goods, or materials wallets, shirts, hats, hats, bandanas, matches, cigarettes, and the like……” are banned under election laws.

Under Article 12, Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code, vote buying constitutes the act of giving, offering, or promising money or anything of value, including promises of “employment, franchise or grant, public or private.”

Vote-buying also involves making or offering to incur expenses that will, directly or indirectly, benefit a person, association, corporation, entity, or community “to induce anyone or the public in general to vote for or against any candidate or withhold his vote in the election, or to vote for or against any aspirant for the nomination or choice of a candidate in a convention or similar selection process of a political party.”

“Comelec-CAR Tasked Initial Probe”
In Comelec Law Dept. memorandum number 10-3135, Rafanan ordered Comelec-CAR regional director Julius Torres to investigate Liked’s complaint versus Dalog and to “terminate the same within 20 days after receipt of the counter-affidavits and other evidence of respondents.” He also ordered Dir. Torres to render a resolution within five days after.

Rafanan in his memorandum on June 21 to Comelec-CAR also expects the latter to forward the records of the case to him within five days after they have made a resolution on their preliminary investigation.But according to Torres, he has not received Dir. Rafanan’s order, hence suspending his comment.

Rep. Dalog simply said he “was not notified officially of the complaint,” opting to keep mum while he has not received any copy of the charges filed by Liked. # nordis.net