Goal

I will work hard to get you CPMA... 

The Start of the End: Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012

24 January 2010
I have posted a blog entitled 'A Safer Haven for Bloggers: No More'.

There, I have made mention of the the 'Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2009', I believe it was H.B. 6794 that time. There have been other versions and now was passed into law last 12 September 2012 by Pres. Aquino.

It is now known as Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, officially recorded as Republic Act No. 10175.

The law's other provisions are beneficial. Except for the part that covers Internet Libel, where you can no longer express yourself in any form and venue over the internet.

The start of the end of freedom of expression in the Philippines. The start of the times when our mouths would have 'busals,' and our fingers, would have restraints.

I guess Pres. Aquino is trying to make another history - much worse than that of Marcos's Martial Law, which his late mother and former president, Cory Aquino fought for, believing that the Filipino people deserves freedom. The same freedom he has now allowed to be tainted and to be trampled upon with impunity by people who believed that their names don't deserved to be judged and spit upon.

Nonetheless, still many are not fooled. Just a few days ago, 9 October 2012, the Supreme Court has issued a TRO stopping its implementation - for 120 days.

And then what?

I need not quote the Constitution and our Bill of Rights just to say that I have justifications and contention.

It is my right to freely express myself, in any form.

I hope the new SC Chief Justice have enough guts to say know to her President and to the proponents of this law.

Revise it, fine. Just remove that part that denies us of our rights. And the very vague ones, where for sure those pathetic people have intentionally left out.

Video blog – Happy 2011

Video blog – Happy 2011

Fourth of July: A Celebration on Chains

Fourth of July.

It is the day when all Americans commemorate their Independence Day from the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. It was also the Philippine's day of declaration of independence from the United States of America.

Or a bogus declaration of independence I should say. Historians strongly point out that there were numerous strings attached to that relinquishment of sovereignty. We are indeed the door to the great Pacific and it would be greatly advantageous for a superpower to have control on such a territory. So, even after the said independence, their military bases were retained; they've dictated and have been dictating directly their access and control over our economy so that they can molest our natural resources.

All of that were granted to them by the then congress unless we will rebuild our own nation all by ourselves and say, "No, thank you. We can manage," to their post World War II rebuilding funds. This has been the US government’s dirty strategy of blackmailing and taking advantage of a powerless state’s dire needing. You won't privatize your water or energy sources and World Bank or IMF loans won't be approved. They're basically done with a lot of our Government Financial Institutions (GFIs) and Government-Owned and Controlled Corporations (GOCCs) starting with late President Cory Aquino's presidency and intensified under President Fidel Ramos – both are US puppets just like their predecessors.

Right now, our country's economy greatly depends on other countries' investments. Perfect to mention are the ones in the Business Process Outsourcing industry. Yes, it provides us jobs but in reality a lot of injustices are being done to us. But better live with it than none is the common mentality.

What I am trying to point out though is that our nation has not really experienced any real and genuine Independence. The US government's idea of an empire has been deeply rooted in our system and being religiously nurtured until now. And yes, we have faced very grave and heavy consequences - our deteriorating educational system, the arbitrary, unlawful and extrajudicial killings of journalists and activists, just to mention a few.

Prof. Bienvenido Lumbera, National Artist and Chair of Educators for Development (EfD) at the IBON National Educators’ Conference in Cebu City on 28 April 2010 perfectly put my thoughts into words: 

"It must be pointed out that the colonial educational system did not go away after the so-called grant of independence in 1946.  Like a parasitic plant it sunk deep roots on Philippine soil, nurtured by the original products of the Thomasites, and later when it had begun to age, revived by the Peace Corps volunteers.  From time to time, there would be talks of reform, but the bureaucratic infrastructure set up by the Bureau of Education proved to be impervious to re-structuring in the hands of men and women who were themselves products of such a structure and therefore could not bring themselves to undo a system that made them what they are."

He added:

"Educators born generations away from the architects and vanguards of the colonial system can only hope that a new generation of educators with a nationalist orientation would arise to institute radical changes in the way the youth in schools are formed."

If students have not stood up together to stop the tuition fee increase in major state universities like UP and PUP, what could have become of our worsening educational state already?

In the same manner, the US government led war on terror has indeed created ghastly terrors in our own land not just in Afghanistan or Iraq. For the past 9 years, the US-Arroyo administration has 900 lives of activists who were critical of the government, including students and labor leaders, to account for. No other administration in the Philippine history has so much blood spilled on their hands than the one under the US-puppet President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Under the Oplan Bantay Laya, the US government has been using our own security forces to harass, exterminate and summarily slaughter our own people as they hide behind their just War on Terror that they themselves have created so that they can take over the entire world’s economy and resources. They and their brilliant idea of an Empire.

A lot have been hoping that the neophyte administration under the newly elected President Noynoy Aquino would bring about the advent of a new and reformed government. This five-day old administration has shown that it has no fangs and no serious motive to do something about the unrepressed arbitrary, unlawful, and extrajudicial killings and summary executions of journalists and activists in our country.

Today, the first extrajudicial killing under the Aquino administration happened with impunity. Fernando Baldomero, the provincial coordinator in Aklan of the party-list group Bayan Muna and also a town councilor of Lezo, Aklan, was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen early Monday.

The extrajudicial killing came two days after Jose Daguio, a 75-year-old reporter and commentator of Radyo Natin and a columnist of a community newspaper, was shot dead in his home in Tabuk City Saturday night.

This is the real independence we are currently enjoying. Moreover, it is so sad to say that the present generation, or many amongst us have been blinded and neutralized, are already apathetic, towards these issues. The United States’ strategy of instilling a false propaganda such as going to war for just causes like anti-terrorism, economic partnership and instability is slowly gnawing through our patriotic minds. So that one will be left questioning oneself, when will our hands and feet be unchained?

Quoting and rephrasing Prof. Lumbera’s words: we can only hope that a new generation of Filipinos with a nationalist orientation would arise to institute radical changes.

Let us fight for true Liberty!!!
No to US Imperialism!!!
Justice for all the victims of Oplan Bantay Laya II!!!

Sources:

"History of the Philippines (1946-1965)," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Philippines_%281946%E2%80%931965%29
"Analysis on Privatization," http://www.skyinet.net/~courage/position/private1.htm
"THE POLITICAL PROCESS AND NATIONALIST EDUCATION by Prof. Bienvenido Lumbera," http://www.ibon.org/ibon_events.php?page=&id=57
"First killing of activist under Aquino condemned," http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20100705-279295/First-killing-of-activist-under-Aquino-condemned
http://kabataanpartylist.com/

In Defense of the Truth

Kabataan Party-list is at the height of its campaigns. All through the years, the culture of Philippine politics had always been painted with name calling, harassment, destroying a candidate or a group's reputation and even murder and homicide. Most recent is the hideous Ampatuan Massacre in Maguindanao. We critique those who are not worthy, specially the government puppets. Oftentimes, those who just want to do it for fun and baseless rattling taints the essence of these critiquing. Oftentimes as well, we critics or the opposition are being critiqued. This became evident in one of the comments in our official campaigning website (http://kabataanpartylist.com/):

ray joey 03:53

ano ba yang nilagay nyo na text sa isang poster nyo binasura nyo ba ang no permit no exam policy? di yan totoo, tsaka sa pork barrel na natatanggap nyo sana marami kayong skolar,nagpapayaman rin kayo

I cannot blame the likes of Ray Joey. A politician even told us the same thing when we solicited assistance for a regional activity.

A party-list is a group that represents the minority. Duly mandated by none other than our constitution itself, it aims to protect the rights and interests of the minority or the marginalized and underrepresented sectors. Yes, as a party-list voted upon by the people, we are also entitled to the P70 Million annual pork barrel allocation which will finance identified, worthy and endorsed projects for the sector or group the party-list is representing.

On our case, such big money could have indeed financed a lot of less fortunate yet worthy students through scholarship programs. However, as a matter of fact we were never given our pork barrel allocations. Last year, we, including other left-wing party-lists Bayan Muna, Anakpawis and Gabriela, were even accused by Bantay Rep. Jovito Palparan Jr. and Anad Rep. Pastor Alcover Jr. (both government puppet party-lists) of using our pork barrel to organize and finance anti-government rallies and procure firearms and ammunition for communist rebels.

Then Quirino Rep. Junie Cua, chairman of the House committee on appropriations confirmed this and then after he briefly conferred with Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya Jr., he told us that the problem was lack of funds.

“We will not beg for the pork barrel funds and we cannot be silenced despite the oppression that we are being subjected to. But we want the people to know that despite the absence of our pork barrel funds, we even earned two seats for Gabriela and Bayan Muna got three seats in this chamber,’’ quoting Rep. Liza Maza of Gabriela as she told the Manila Standard Today.

There is no lack of funds. We were oppressed. Hon. Prospero C. Nograles, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Hon. Edcel C. Lagman's, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations explained and justified pork barrel in their Understanding the “Pork Barrel”, "Indeed, understanding the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) is appreciating its necessity and import. It is not by any measure akin to the sinful “pork barrel” of the original American mold."

Despite the justification, many still believed that it is being used in favor of and against the enemy of the government. It was used during the times of the dictator Pres. Ferdinand Marcos (Salvador Miranda, “The Politics of Pork”, November, 1996). It is being used as well today by the corrupt and neodictator Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to oppress her enemies and critics, including us leftist party-lists. You might want to ask, how is that possible? She cannot. Well, unfortunately, she can. Let me copy here the exact words of Nograles and Lagman:

In the precedent-setting case of Philconsa vs.Enriquez, et al., the High Court declared in no uncertain terms that the CDF is valid and constitutional. It was ruled that:

Under the Constitution, the spending power called by James Madison as “the power of the purse,” belongs to Congress, subject only to the veto power of the President. The President may propose the budget, but still the final say on the matter of appropriations is lodged in the Congress. The power of appropriation carries with it the power to specify the project or activity to be funded under the appropriation law. It can be as detailed and as broad as Congress wants it to be.

The Supreme court further held that:

The Constitution is a framework of a workable government and its interpretation must take into account the complexities, realities and politics attendant to the operation of the political branches of government. Prior to the GAA of 1991, there was an uneven allocation of appropriations for the constituents of the members of Congress, with the members close to the Congressional leadership or who hold cards for "horse-trading," getting more than their less favored colleagues. The members of Congress also had to reckon with an unsympathetic President, who could exercise his veto power to cancel from the appropriation bill a pet project of a Representative or Senator.

And the sad truth is that, the Congress is dominated by Administration representatives. President Arroyo can veto our prospected projects and the Congress will support her. In spite of this, we were able to deliver impressive number of votes last 2007 elections. We were able to accomplish a lot even before we aspired for Congress and run as a party-list.

The most recent of our youth's victories are:

1. Anti No Permit, No Exam Policy

It was Kabataan Partylist that filed the HB6799 or the “Anti-No-Permit, No-Exam Policy” filed by Palatino last September 10, 2009. CHED duly acknowledged and said Okay to it with Commission on Higher Education's (CHEd) issuance of CHEd Memorandum Order (CMO) 02 series of 2010, directing Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to be flexible in the implementation of ‘no permit, no exam’ policy.

CHED officially issued the memo on January 22, 2010. The CHED Memo states in Section 3 . Specific Guidelines, “As such, HEIs shall allow students with delinquent accounts to take school examinations.”

2. No to Tuition Fee Increase (TFI)

The stoppage of tuition fee increase in Major Universities in the country and even hundreds of other Universities nationwide after Rep. Raymond "Mong" Palatino of Kabataan, along with student and youth leaders, conducted a dialogue with Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Emmanuel Angeles. He even asked to be furnished a list of schools being complained in the Kabataan Partylist hotlines that are planning to raise tuition fees and so that he would not approve them - that was after Palatino raised that most of the 233 private schools have tuition hike proposals that have violated consultation guidelines with students and parents. (http://kabataanpartylist.com/blog/breaking-news-students-triumph-over-tuition-hikes-ched-chair-angeles-declares-no-tuition-hike-in-pup/).

This May 2010, we are running once again for Congress not to collect our pork barrel and worse not to make ourselves rich, but to continue what we have started and aim for more and greater victories - victories that will address one by one the roots of the problems and dilemmas that confront not only the youth but the Philippine society as a whole. We, as the first and only youth partylist in Congress today, will continue to stand for the rights of the youth, students and every Filipino citizen to free and accessible education; adequate jobs for all new graduates and the protection of workers’ rights; against corruption and works for the immediate prosecution of corrupt government officials at all levels; continue its pro-environment advocacy.

Most importantly, Kabataan Party-list means politics of change.

In this time of corrupt governance and political unrest, the nation needs young, vibrant and innovative minds that will restore integrity and morality in governance and lead the nation to genuine progress and social change. This is what we stand for.

Ipagpapatuloy natin ang laban!

Mabuhay ang mga Iskolar ng Bayan na lumalaban!

Mabuhay ang Kabataang Pilipino!

Re-elect for Congress - KABATAAN PARTY-LIST!!!

References:

http://kabataanpartylist.com/

"Understanding the “Pork Barrel," by Hon. Prospero C. Nograles, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Hon. Edcel C. Lagman, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations

"Leftwing solons demand release of their pork barrel," http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNews.htm?f=2009/october/17/news5.isx&d=/2009/october/17

"10 Reasons Why We Should Vote for Kabataan Partylist on May 10," http://kabataanpartylist.com/blog/10reasons/

When We Have To Make A Stand

The other day, I met my friend Cris over at Mr. Donut in one of the malls here in Naga City. She told me a story about how a mother chose the lives of thousands of people over her own child. Destiny is really fond of testing our faith once in a blue moon. Faced with such circumstance, we oftentimes choose what we believe is right morally.

One is expected to choose either of the two, never both or none at all. We are forced to choose either the left or the right way. These roads are most of the time trudged by only a few. Why of all the people in the world do I have to make this choice?

Responsibility. Is it wrong that once in your life you’d find courage to bear on your shoulders the others’ responsibility? Or is it more wrong to avoid that responsibility when you have an obligation to fulfill? Is there any difference between responsibility and obligation?

Well, as they said, once you step a single foot on a pit, you might bring your entire body into it in spite of your struggle to keep the other foot out of it. That is if you don’t know how deep that pit is. Or if they will ever let you know I should say.

Moreover, internal contradictions and personal beliefs, molded by your upbringing and faith, often come in the way. Social morality tells you it is right, but personally for you it is not moral at all. It is just justified by the saying “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.” And the belief that power should be yours to attain the coveted, the much needed change.

Violence is part of our society, part of our being human. We tend to be violent even to ourselves whenever our instincts send the impulse to our mind to feel such feeling. But it is something that can be pacified, controlled. Violence to counter violence is deadly. Everything will just be in circles – unending. Somewhere, there has to be a dot, separating the infinite number of dots in a circle. Someone has to sacrifice.

Ah! I can’t think straight. I cannot decide. I cannot elaborate either. I envy a three-toed sloth. At least it doesn’t have to worry about the world even about itself. All it does is hanging upside down a tree enjoying the sky, barely moving. Meditating the sky?

Requiescat In Pace: When The Dead Are Politicized

Requiescat In Pace: When The Dead Are Politicized

November 30, 2006, our country especially the province of Albay was ravaged by the super typhoon Reming (international codename: Durian). That was barely two months after Milenyo (international codename: Xangsane), another typhoon hit us.

Its winds reached gusts of 265 kph or about 165 mph with 446 mm of rainfall, the highest amount of rain recorded in Albay since 1967 (equivalent to an average accumulated rainfall for a month), according to Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). It also claimed about 388-430 lives affected 800, 000 residents. Bicol Region incurred the greatest damage in houses with 215,510 houses destroyed and 328,592 houses partially damaged according to the National Disaster Coordinating Council's (NDCC) December 14 report on the effects of typhoon Reming.

When all of these were taking place, I was in Baguio attending the annual National Convention of YMCA Philippines with my fellow USC (University Student Council of Bicol University) officers and officers from the College-based YMCAs. Helpless, we can only watch and pray that our own families are safe and that our province will be raised hopeful from all these hopelessness. We were having breakfast when the news came, however, for our peace of mind; we weren't allowed to watch any further news.

Lahar and volcanic debris with boulders almost wiped out an entire baranggay in Legazpi City. Until now, Brgy. Padang has not fully recovered from the devastation of the typhoon, after almost 4 years after it happened. I have a firsthand account of the aftermaths of the typhoon. Transportation can go until Brgy. Arimbay Bridge only. From there one has to walk about 5.4 kilometers just to reach Sto. Domingo Bridge, the farthest the jeepneys can go from Tabaco City. Along the way, you will pass by National Highways littered by electric posts, fallen trees. Along Brgy. Padang, you will trudge on sands, boulders higher than buses, water flowing from every direction, the stench of death in the air. At that time, we still saw a hand protruding from a mound of sand just beside the remaining window of a lone wall of a once concrete house. One woman shrieked at the site. It was ghostly.

We conducted relief operations in different municipalities in the region through the efforts of the BU-USC, Kabataan Party-list and Bikol Movement for Disaster Response (BMDR).

Months after that, every time the bus passes by that place while I was on my way to the University, I kept thinking of that experience. Then an idea came to my mind that time. Why not at least create a shrine for those who died and for those who were never found?

The idea excites me. I was also a member of the University YMCA that time and we can spearhead that project. Plans are forming on my mind. We can contact friend organization abroad and get a grant - why not? Proposals are on my mind. However, sadly, I was not able to materialize that goal.

Then here comes election time. A new party-list advertising a major project of creating a similar memorial site in Brgy. Padang. Their rationale is: [Ako Bikol] has adopted baranggay Padang, Legazpi City as a memorial site to serve as a reminder not only of the tremendous losses of lives and properties as a result of the havoc wreaked by typhoon Reming in the Bicol region, but more importantly, to serve as a mute testimony of the resiliency of Bicolanos to rise above personal tragedies, to overcome fears, and to transforms weaknesses into strengths. Eventually, this site will become a major tourist attraction that will generate additional income to the locals.

I am happy that an organization had fulfilled this dream of mine. They have a gallant vision. However, I cannot help but be afraid that our beloved dead may be used for politicizing. They say that everything happens on certain times for specific reasons. They could have done these 3 years ago if they don't want to give this a color of politics. The party-list just surfaced recently, but the individual organizations/groups/companies behind it didn't. My question then now is what is their purpose?

For those who lost their lives - even those unaccounted for - I leave you a prayer.

Requiescat in pace.

A Safer Haven for Bloggers: No More

The Philippines was declared as one of the unsafest place for Journalists since the dawn of Marcos's Martial Law in 1986. The Arroyo government was worse - journalists' blood colors the waters around Malacañang Palace bloody red. The last most inhumane treatment of Journalists was still unsolved as of Press time, referring to the Maguindanao Massacre done in cold blood by the Ampatuans - fed by the bloody hands of Malacañang.

Then the past few days, another alarming case reached my interest through one of the wall posts from Rep. Liza Maza of Gabriela Women's Party-list: Maza raises questions on libel case filed against blogger. The blogger was named Ella who allegedly "exposed and criticized the DSWD’s alleged inability to deliver relief goods to typhoon victims and hoarding of relief items in its warehouses on October 21, 2009 at the height of relief operations for victims of tropical storm Ondoy," quoting Maza's statement on her website.

This fact is alarming. I have been a blogger for quite sometime now and oftentimes speaking my rage, sentiment, opinion on different issues that confront me as a citizen imbued with the right to freedom of speech and expression. To blog and speak against an entity - person or organization, who is known to the public as not different from what you are saying is now a ticket for you to stand before a judge and a court? Well, I don't think Ella is alone in her sentiments, isn't she? It is not only DSWD for chrissake.

Filipinos were never dumb Secretary Cabral. so don't make us one. Rep. Maza was correct - show us the facts and we will decide. But is it worth questioning is the question.

Now, with the new law that they are trying to pass in Congress - the CyberCrime Act, would things be worse than this?

Will there be no more safer haven for even us bloggers?

Out of Inspiration

When writing, I always look for an inspiration to write..

As of now, there is none. I don't know when one may come.. till then

soy un escritor de pluma-menos...

Dukot (Desaparecidos) Movie

From January 21, 2001 to March 31, 2009, there are a total of 1, 013 victims of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines according to KARAPATAN (Alliance for the Advancement of People's Rights) Monitor from January to March 2009. This is no secret even to the international community. If you will read Wikipedia's article about extrajudicial, you will find the same data and information.

According to the same website, the meaning of extrajudicial killings is:

Extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances in the Philippines refer to the illegal liquidations, unlawful or felonious killings and forced disappearances in the Philippines. These are forms of extrajudicial punishment, and include – extrajudicial executions, summary executions, arbitrary arrest and detentions, and failed prosecutions due to political activities of leading political, trades union, dissident and/or social figures, left-wing political parties, non-governmental organizations, political journalists, outspoken clergy, anti-mining activists, agricultural reform activists, members of legal political parties or organizations that the military claims are allied with the communist movement or suspected supporters of the NPA and its political wing, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) by either the state government, state authorities like the armed forces and police (as in Liberia under Charles G. Taylor), or by criminal outfits such as the Italian Mafia.

Same perpetrator as well: the Philippine's own government, headed by the President herself, Gloria-Macapagal-Arroyo, and her agents such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) - of course backed and funded by the imperialist United States government. These has been investigated and proven by local non-governmental human rights organization KARAPATAN. The said organization's reports were further investigated and agreed upon by the international community through the following:

• UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Philip Alston
• 3 FIDH experts, Mr. Nabeel Rajab (Bahrain), Mr. Mouloud Boumghar (France) and Mr. Frédéric Ceuppens (Belgium), on August 13 to 23, 2007
  

Victims range from small children, to early teens, adults and even elderly. Children, women and church people even the media, none was spared as long as you are tagged and alleged as members of left-wing organizations opposing the government. Allegations again include being members, supporters and sympathizers of the New People's Army (NPA) and its its political wing, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). The victims were also found out to be listed on various Orders of Battle being recovered from state agents such as the military or on crime scenes.

KARAPATAN has aired its fears that this killings might increase with the advent of the deadline of Oplan Bantay Laya 2 (OBL 2).

That is why, a very timely release of a new movie by Joel C. Lamangan will surely increase the people's awareness of these inhumane killings of activists:

You can also sign in our online petition that is being automatically sent to the following:

• Department of Justice of the Philippines
• UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
• UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions
• Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines
• Pope Benedict XVI

Let us work together to prevent more blood spilled with impunity in our country to stop once and for all.

Justice for all the victims of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines!!!

End Oplan Bantay Laya 2!!!

Uphold our constitutional and democratic rights!!!

Finally: Solon files bill ensuring BPO workers’ welfare, protection

In a move seeking to protect workers of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry from labor abuses, KABATAAN Representative Mong Palatino today filed a bill that would allow BPO workers to join and form unions, institutionalize an occupational safety and health policy, and ensure just compensation for BPO workers who attend work during non-working holidays.

House Bill 6921 or the BPO Workers’ Welfare and Protection Act of 2009, Palatino said, seeks to ensure the welfare and protection of BPO workers and recognize of rights as provided by the Labor Code of the Philippines. Palatino also said his office has also been receiving a steady stream of reports and complaints on violations and abuses by BPO companies from call center workers.

Citing a data from the National Labor Relations Committee, Palatino said 327 cases were filed against BPOs involving 408 workers in Metro Manila. During the first semester of 2009, 124 cases were filed against BPOs involving 175 workers.

“There is an urgent need to pass a law that would ensure the rights of our BPO workers especially since the BPO industry touted by the government as the sunshine industry. Despite our labor laws, violations and abuses are repeatedly committed by companies, who put premium on ensuring profits at the expense of our workers’ rights and welfare,” Palatino said.

The young solon said, “We should not be distracted from the fact that even if this is a dollar earning industry, our mandate, especially the mandate of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), is to protect the workers in this sector. I think it will be advisable for the DOLE to immediately come up with a proposal to establish programs or even a committee within the department with the major intention of advancing the welfare of BPO workers,” Palatino said.

Data from the DOLE shows that there are already 500,000 workers in the BPO sector, and government predicts that the number will increase to one million by the end of 2009.

Under the proposed legislation, erring companies shall be punished with a fine of not less than Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000) and/or imprisonment of not less than two (2) months but not more than one (1), or both at the discretion of the Court.

Meanwhile, Palatino said Kabataan Partylist would launch a series of fora and symposia among call center workers to inform them about their rights as workers of the BPO industry.

Full text of the bill can be read here.

Typhoon Ondoy (International name Ketsana): Nature's Not-So-Motherly Reminder

September 26, 2009, Typhoon Ondoy, with winds of up to 85 kilometers per hour and gustiness at up to 100 kph, devastated more than 30 areas, including Metro Manila, while it inches closer to Central Luzon that same day. In less than 24 hours time, the nation's capital experienced the worst flooding it had in 42 years. Rich and poor people alike were affected, no one was spared. Many lost a lot of their possessions; cars seem to be parked all over the place, parked askew. It was a day unexpected and dreaded by all. But it was also a very comforting and hair raising experience especially to see everyone trying to help. The media, non-governmental organizations, environmental organizations such as Green Peace, progressive partylists, personalities each did their share. Each and every ordinary person helping in his/her own way.

However, such devastation could have never befallen us, only if we are learning. We can see Mother Nature's wrath unleashed that day to our capital, where you will seldom see a patch of living greenery. We could have prevented these ordinary typhoons from becoming super typhoons if we could have taken care of our world; there could be no such a term as global warming as well.

Yes, the one affected the worst by our actions is Nature. However, if we will analyze deeper, it is not just Nature. But let us look into them one by one.

Global Warming

We don’t need any study or reference to prove that pollution in the country is worsening every day be it air, water or soil pollution. In addition, we do not want to present here numbers or data collected supposedly as to justify funds or foreign aid, e.g. the World Bank’s reports. Anyway, pollution in the country has contributed much to us experiencing the subtle yet worsening effects of global warming.

The months starting September until January are really typhoon seasons in the country. However, these typhoons are not the usual ordinary typhoons that we used to experience before. It seems like they’re leveled up typhoons.

Wherever you go around the world, all these never before experienced environmental catastrophes were all blamed to global warming, which is a fact. If we could just be more serious in proper factory waste disposal (which already killed the Pasig River and hundreds of rivers across the country), waste management, plastic eradication and stoppage of illegal logging, it could just have been one ordinary typhoon.

However, with the kind of environmental agency that we have in the face of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and our government herself represented by our President who always favor foreign requests for them to freely rape our own environment and sovereignty with the promise of prosperity, I don’t think that this would be given solution at the soonest possible time.

If the Pasig River is an alive and flowing river today, it could have easily drained the city of the waters and spilled them all to the sea. But with its current situation, it is one river that is being desperately revived with the efforts of Kapit Bisig Para Sa Ilog Pasig started by ABS-CBN, whose advocacy I also support by constantly sending GIVE ILOG to 2366.

One major cause as well of environmental problems especially landslides in some areas affected by typhoons is the unconstitutional and unregulated mining, legalized by our own government through the Mining Act of 1995. There was never such a thing as profit from these mining in the very start if you will read the said Mining Act but what is returned to us is poisoned seas, unusable soil, molested forests, destroyed lives.

Corruption in the Government and Misallocation of Its Funds

I read one post in Facebook on the height of the typhoon Ondoy that says that instead of the President spending millions for a dinner in the U.S., the said money could have been used to buy rescue boats that could have saved hundreds of trapped residents in different places in Manila.

Well that is not a bad solution indeed. Moreover, they could have come up with better solution other than buying rubber boats. We could have never experienced such catastrophe which also killed many lives if the government is building high-quality and efficient drainage system, which garbage clog from time to time. Instead of the people’s money going to the pockets of government officials and to some petty projects like paving of streets which after 3 or so months would be a hellish drive because the cement were already chipped off. That money could have been used honestly to building those lasting and efficient infrastructure.

Well, enough dreaming of Utopia. As long as this government remains to its current trending, then nothing will happen. (I do not mean Charter Change here OK. I am not in favor of it. I meant change as to whom the government is for.) But with such rigorous, patriotic and heart-full citizens and people that we saw after the typhoon, even a government who does nothing will be forced to do what it’s supposed to do and accomplish – hopefully. But this government should know its priroties. A government was created to serve the people, not a foreign few, and mostly not the few people holding positions on it.

BLOG ACTION DAY 2009: Filipino bloggers take a stand on climate change

On October 15, bloggers worldwide will speak as one on climate change. We, Filipino bloggers, have much to say and share in this global conversation.

We just survived and continue to grapple with supertyphoons Ondoy (Ketsana) and Pepeng (Parma) that snatched hundreds of lives, destroyed property and livelihood and took the issue of climate change to the very center of our conversations with family, friends, classmates, colleagues.

That it was caught unprepared to mitigate the effects of the rampaging floods is the government’s lightest offense. The worst is that it apparently ignored serious warnings raised in 2007 when an international study found the Philippines as the No. 1 victim of climate change in the previous year.

We cannot be apathetic or cynical. We as a people have the solemn duty to accept the reality of climate change, to study it, and to take a stand.

Bloggers Kapihan thus calls on Filipino bloggers to take time out on Oct. 15 to post your thoughts and aspirations, frustrations and hopes, photos, videos and stories, on climate change and how it affects our family, community, country and the globe, and how we wish to make things better.

If you wish to join this event, write a post on climate change on Oct. 15 and place a link to this post. You may also spread the word about Blog Action Day by placing this badge on your blog:

OFW

I entered one of the internet cafes in the City, and the only vacant seat was that beside a mother and with her is her daughter, which I guess is about 7 or 8 years old. The poor child has to give way of course for me. Anyway, I became curious what the mother and her daughter were up to. I saw the mother setting up the webcam and the headphone. They are going to chat with her husband. The husband, I learned through eavesdropping (sorry!) is an Overseas Filipino Worker or OFW as known to all.

While I was so busy checking my farm in Country Story*, I can see the child so busy typing what she wanted to tell her father, while the mother is busy talking with her husband over the headphone. Fine, I cleaned my tanks and sold the adult fishes in Fish World*. Then, the mother started scolding the daughter slightly. The daughter was crying silently. Poor little girl, and one can see the missing, the sadness, the loss she’s feeling in between those silent sobs.

That was the time that I started to come back to my senses. That has caused my week-old writer’s block to dissolve in thin air. So here I am, writing, while listening to David Archuleta’s songs. Running is currently playing.

OK, I am done with cleaning my restaurant and successfully leveled up to Level 8, hired my fifth worker, and had my helpers rest in Restaurant City*, the little girl is still so busy typing on the chat window the words she wanted to tell her father, though I cannot read them. There was this still constant tear that I can see forming on the side of her eyes. (Though the lady on my left is pissing me off as she was singing Jai Ho while watching a video over You Tube, where there are lyrics as well. Imagine her singing with that not so good voice, with the headset on her ears! I am so bad really :-)...)

Anyway, going back. They are the perfect picture and the epitome of the real economic situation of the country. Parents forced to leave their children and their families to work abroad, for some even in very destitute situations, with hopes that that ultimate sacrifice will eventually hurl their loved ones from the slowly killing poverty.

We cannot do anything for them at times but to feel sorry for them. Helpless overseas workers, facing death penalties on foreign soils, mothers and female workers raped, abused, treated like dogs, experiencing all kinds of abuses, are some of the situations all aspiring to work abroad are dreadful of and praying to be not their fate.

But again, these are the sad realities that await some of our not so fortunate Kababayans. If we will look on the bigger picture, we can attest the situation to the very poor situation in the country. This is the very reason why we question the government’s claims of creating millions of jobs every year. Again, to hell with their words, especially the Malacañang executives headed by the foreign-serving President herself, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Philippine unemployment rate in April 2008 rose to 8.0 percent according to a report published by AFP in March of the same year.

To quote,

"Unemployment in the Philippines rose to 8.0 percent in April as economic growth began to ease amid soaring food and energy prices, the government said Tuesday.

This was up from 7.4 percent in January, the National Statistics Office said in its quarterly employment report.

Manila and the surrounding provinces, which together account for more than half the country’s economic output, had double-digit jobless rates topped by Manila’s 13.8 percent.

Of those who were employed, 35.7 percent only had part-time work of less than 40 hours a week, the office said. Economic growth eased to 5.2 percent in the three months to March amid rising oil prices, the slowing US economy and the strong peso, which impacted on exports and pushed up inflation.

The economy grew 7.2 percent for the whole of 2007. Some 49.6 percent of those employed worked in the services sector, 35.5 percent in the agriculture sector and 14.9 percent in industry.

Unskilled workers made up 32.6 percent of those employed, while farmers, forestry workers and fishermen accounted for 17.3 percent.”

Now, these I believe has neither changed nor improved as you all will agree, won’t you? On her recent State of the Nation Address (SONA), the President, again, boasted of the jobs she has created. What jobs, those street sweepers and cleaners contracted only for some months? And afterwards, what will happen? Of course, back to unemployment.

This is due to the programs of the government which are not meant to really help and give jobs, real and stable jobs, for the Filipino people. If the government is really sincere in her intentions, there will be no jobless Filipinos in the long run. The problem again is that this government is always after the thumbs up of foreign investors. These present government has been in the office for almost 9 years, but things has been worse than before.

To site as an example, she [the government] could have opposed the law that allows companies to hire workers as contractual workers only. That has alleviated big companies the pain-in-the-ass process of regularizing their employees, and of course relieved of the duties they have for regular employees. Due to that, the employees’ rights are continually and openly violated many times. I have experienced such oppressing scheme in a former job I have. For a good employee to stay in the company when her contract ends, re-application is a must, UNDER A DIFFERENT NAME, under a different identity, again to be a contractual worker.

Secondly, until now, the HB 1722: Legislating the P125 Across the Board Wage Hike is still sitting in Congress, being fought for by our Representatives, Representatives of the real pro-masses progressive Party-lists (Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, and Gabriela, being supported by Kabataan Party-list, the only legitimate youth party-list in Congress).

The said bill is impractical according to DOLE. That would hurt more the workers in the long run according to Esther Guirao, officer-in-charge of National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) (back in 2001 when this statement was released). Many establishments that would be unable to grant P125 across-the-board increase in December, she said, might just opt to close their businesses, leading to massive unemployment.

It would adversely hit many of the people and cause more suffering because the affected manufacturers and producers would raise the prices of their commodities rather than absorb the added weight of increased wages by themselves.

Clarifying reports that the NWPC was blocking a P125 daily wage hike, Guirao said the wage boards, while deliberating on the amount of increment to be given to workers, are opposed only to an across-the-board mode of increase.

That was in 2001. It is 2009 already and nothing has come out of “consultations conducted in at least five other regions”. Again, that was back in 2001.

But, is that really the reason behind DOLE and the government’s turtle-like speed in addressing this issue? Or is it due to the pressures of the crocodiles living in the waters around Malacañang palace? If this bill will be passed in Congress, in the Senate and eventually by the President, then I don’t think I will be seeing another mother and daughter with the same heart-breaking situation in the near future. These companies have already enjoyed all these years the benefits of underpaying and under compensating their employees. So I don’t think it would be very hard for them to adjust. And besides, if the government will support such move, I don’t think there would be much problem, wouldn’t it? If that HB will be passed into a law, I don’t think the brain drain that is happening in the country will continue.

When will the government start to be for her people and not for anybody else?

P125 Across the Board Wage Hike Now!!!
Real jobs for the Filipino people!!!
Protect the democratic rights of workers!!!


*These are games in Facebook, a Networking site.