Posts published during May, 2009

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May 25, 2009

Bayan calls on Arroyo government to surface Fil-Am activist Melissa Roxas and companions

Melissa RoxasThe Bagong Alyansang Makabayan is calling on the Arroyo government, the Department of National Defense and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to immediately surface Melissa Roxas, an American citizen of Filipino descent, and a member of BAYAN-USA and the cultural group Habi Arts based in Los Angeles, California.

Roxas was abducted last May 19 at around 1:30 pm in Sitio Bagong Sikat, Bgy. Kapanikian, La Paz, Tarlac. She was with two other volunteers, Juanito Carabeo and John Edward Handoc.

Based on reports filed by the human rights group Karapatan and the La Paz police, Roxas and her companions were taken by at least 8 fully-armed, bonnet-clad men on board two motorcycles and a Besta van without any plate numbers.

Since the abduction, there has been no word of the whereabouts and condition of Roxas and her companions.

Roxas is the first case of a Fil-Am activist to be abducted by suspected state security forces.

“It is indeed urgent that Melissa and her companions be surfaced. No harm must come to them. Their rights must be respected. We are outraged that these abductions continue despite repeated condemnation here and abroad,” said Bayan secretary general Renato M. Reyes, Jr.

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May 24, 2009

Some random family notes

Yesterday, I went with my family to Tagaytay to pay my paternal grandfather a visit at the hospital. He’s actually been at the ICU for around two weeks here in Manila, and for that span of time my parents have been visiting him almost every day. The doctors and the family decided to have him discharged from the private Manila hospital, after the hospital bills reached the seventh digit. For quite some time already, his children–my dad and his siblings–among with other relatives have been talking about how his health has been failing terribly the past months and about his possible demise anytime soon. They’ve also made plans, apparently, for his funeral.

Despite everyone’s expectations, however, and quite fortunately enough, he’s still alive. I never really grew close to my grandfather at all, but I’m glad he’s still here. These past weeks we’ve been having unofficial family reunions almost every week.

On other family matters, my days of bringing my sister Tisay to school early in the morning and picking her up at lunch time are temporarily over. I used to enjoy doing it, but during the past few days it felt like quite a chore. One morning, I brought her to school too early so she didn’t want to go in. Though the school’s doors were open, she insisted on staying out and waiting for her classmates. Because I grew quite impatient, I told her I have to leave and if she wanted to wait for her classmates before going in, she could wait without me. Before I stepped into the car, I saw her crying silently and alone in the bench. It wasn’t the usual bratty-type of crying I quite detest of a brat, but the silent and genuine type that just crushed my heart. It was too cute, and too heart-breaking, I decided to walk back to her and stay. Bought her a happy meal after picking her up.

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May 22, 2009

Kabataan launches “˜Balik-Eskwela Hotlines’ for school opening complaints

Problems with illegal or sky-rocketing fees, poor facilities and other enrolment-related issues? Contact the “˜Kabataan Balik-Eskwela Hotlines.’

“We want to provide hotlines and means for students, parents and even our teachers where they can forward their complaints on unnecessary and exorbitant fees, poor facilities, and other enrolment and school-opening related issues,” said Kabataan Party-list Rep. Mong Palatino.

“The complaints we will gather will be collated, investigated and be brought to concerned agencies for them to immediately address. This is our way of empowering our students by giving them venues to air their concerns this school opening,” Palatino said.

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May 19, 2009

Tayo ang Pagbabago

Someone from Ateneo de Manila‘s student publication Matanglawin interviewed me this afternoon after my class. It was about my opinion on Ako Mismo.

I simply reiterated what I had expressed in my blog entry about the campaign. I’m not, at all, against individual efforts for personal growth and development. I’m not, at all, against individuals obeying traffic rules, being proud to be Filipino, paying taxes or participating in the electoral process by registering and voting, or volunteering for non-government organizations. In fact, I do them too. But let us not foster the illusion that these convenient actions are enough to change Philippine society, suffering from a tragic status quo caused by a ruling order.

What I’m against is the mentality of blaming individuals alone, and just ourselves for the country’s social ills, totally absolving the government that causes such conditions–and worse, branding such acts of holding politicians and administrators accountable as mere pagrereklamo and mindless blaming and finger-pointing. It is no wonder why the Arroyo administration echoes these same campaigns in government-funded propaganda. It serves as their scapegoat. But you see, as long as the government is robbing us blind and is tragically failing to deliver social services to the vast majority of Filipinos who need education, health care and economic support, among others, no amount of charity work and volunteerism will be enough to sustain a long-term solution for our people.

Besides, you pay for these services with your taxes. We all do. We have the right and the duty to demand what is due us. You do not turn a blind eye when you pay for a donut and you get a munchkin–or worse, nothing at all, and worse, dinukutan ka pa.

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May 18, 2009

Ranks of dropouts to swell due to school fee hikes

Tuition rate doubled under Arroyo admin – Kabataan

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Mong Palatino today warned that the number of students who would opt to drop out from school will increase dramatically this school opening due to tuition and school fee hikes.

According to Palatino, the yearly dropout rate is a cause for alarm and something that DepEd’s Brigada Balik-Eskwela and the government should immediately address.

Based on 2008 data from the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd), out of 100 grade 1 pupils, only 66 finish grade 6 equivalent to a 44 percent dropout rate, 58 enroll in first year high school or an 8 percent dropout rate, 43 finish high school or a 15 percent dropout rate, 23 enroll in college or a 20 percent dropout rate, and only 14 graduate from college or a nine percent dropout rate.

“With the current crisis and the continued lack of government response, we can expect these figures to go up this coming school year. The Arroyo government has made education less accessible to Filipinos. The enrollment rate has been in a steady decline under the Arroyo administration,” said Palatino.

Palatino said that from 1995-2002, enrollment grew at a rate of 1.98 percent but has dropped to 0.97 percent since 2003 to 2007. “We expect this figure to drop dramatically this year due to incessant tuition and school fee hikes imposed during this time of severe economic crisis,” Palatino said.

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May 17, 2009

Buffalo’s Wings n’ Things

Two weeks ago, some of my brods and I went to Buffalo’s Wings N’ Things at Ortigas Home Depot, which was also partly owned by another brod. I initially went there as part of a bloggers’ treat out, but since there were a handful of brods there, I ended up having a small impromptu fellowship with them at another table.

They, obviously, serve chicken wings at the place. I didn’t take it seriously when I was told that one of their wings servings called Nuclear was intensely spicy. I realized it for real when I tried it myself. It reminded me of the time I had to eat whole siling labuyos. It was that hot, a kind of sensation that would stick to your mouth for quite a time unless you wash it off with water or beer. Fortunately, there are less spicy varieties of wings, but spicy and delicious nonetheless.

Buffalo’s also serve fries, hotdogs, burgers, and other American comfort foods.

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May 15, 2009

Kabataan calls for vigilance vs. No-El scenario

“No-El would entail term extension for Arroyo”


Kabataan Party-list Rep. Mong Palatino today called on all Pinoy youth to practice “vigilance at all costs” as Comelec chairman Jose Melo expressed worries of a No-El scenario in 2010.

Palatino said that a No-El scenario would benefit only Malacanang as it would entail “virtual term extension for Pres. Arroyo and her administration”.

“We expect the Comelec to make good its promise of revealing the results of the bidding process for poll automation over the weekend. Continuous delay of bidding developments would make the process more vulnerable to No-El tactics by parties with term extension motives,” Palatino said.

Even before Melo expressed his fears, Palatino had already earlier warned of a No-El scenario caused by bidding delays, saying that the Comelec might not have enough time to pilot test automated machines which could possibly lead to election irregularities tantamount to a failure of elections scenario.

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May 14, 2009

Labor Day in Manila ’09 (Part 4)

My friends in UP and colleagues from Kabataan Party were at the Labor Day rally to affirm the workers’ sector’s causes and to push for the youth sector’s own issues intricately connected with the workers’ struggles. I’ll post some news releases below.

8 out of 10 unemployed Filipinos are youth
New grads could end up idle for months, years

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Mong Palatino on Labor Day warned that majority of this year’s 900,000 new college graduates could end up idle months or even years after graduation. “The youth are always at the greatest risk in these economic downturns. Often it is young workers or new graduates who are the hardest hit,” Palatino said.

“For every 10 unemployed Filipinos, five fall under the age group of 15 to 24 years,” Palatino said, citing the January 2009 Labor Force Survey. This accounts for 49.2 percent of the total number of unemployed Filipinos. If combined with the 25 to 34 age group, Palatino said the share of young Filipinos in the unemployed accounts for 80 percent of the total number of unemployed Filipinos.

“Young, low-skilled workers are easily priced out of entry-level jobs. Young workers are also often disadvantaged in bargaining arrangements,” he added. “The government is trying to hide the high unemployment and underemployment rates in the country by using the call center boom and its new medical tourism program.”

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May 13, 2009

Palm Beach, Hugom, San Juan, Batangas

Last weekend, the family went on a short two day, one night trip to a nice semi-secluded beach in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas, three to four hours away from Manila. The resort was called Palm Beach at Barrio Hugom, and was far down the road from the rest of the resorts along the increasingly famous Laiya shoreline.

Its relative isolation from the rest of the resorts in the area, and its seclusion from the other beaches by some mountains, give it a serene and relaxing character. However, despite its apparent isolation from the rest of the popular resorts in the area, it has relatively new and modern facilities and amenities. There is even wifi access in many parts of the resort. I was able to surf the internet one afternoon, under the shade of a tree right at the beach, while I hear the waves lapping on the shore and the sea breeze blowing to cool me off despite the hot afternoon. There was, however, no signal for the Globe network, so I was inaccessible by phone the entire time–which helped me relax, I guess.

I spent most of my time just lounging, and swimming at the pool. I missed swimming like that, though it made me realize that I have to lose some weight and do more regular exercises. I found myself excessively gasping for air after two laps.

Food is served in buffet at breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is also afternoon snacks. They ration the food in the beginning, but you can go back to the buffet table anytime for second, or third servings.

It was just a short trip. We got back to Manila by Saturday evening.

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May 12, 2009

Labor Day in Manila ’09 (Part 3)

After taking some shots of the march at Quiapo, I tried to run ahead of the demonstrators to the other end of Quezon Bridge to be able to take shots of the different contingents that made up the march, from the labor and other militant leaders in front to those from the youth sector at the back. There were contingents from migrant workers, government employees, health workers, teachers, farmers, fishermen, jeepney drivers, among others.

Upon reaching Liwasang Bonifacio, the annual Labor Day program commenced. Agitating and passionate speeches from leaders of Kilusang Mayo Uno and Anakpawis were delivered. Calls reiterating the workers’ demand for the P125 across-the-board wage increase resounded in the plaza. Solidarity messages from other sectors of society, including the youth, were also delivered. There were also cultural presentations and song numbers from cultural workers’ groups.

Towards the latter part of the program, labor leaders from other countries also spoke and delivered their messages of solidarity. It was quite uplifting, and pretty amusing too when the labor delegate from Mexico chanted the quintessential el pueblo unido jamas sera vencido! (the people united will never be defeated!) with the rest of the crowd following suit. For a while it felt like we were in a large workers’ rally in Latin America.

The atmosphere wasn’t just agitating, it was also, in a way, festive and celebratory–different sectors of society coming together to reaffirm the role of workers and their collective strength.

On a very shallow level, it was also quite fun trying out all the street food that dozens of ambulant vendors were selling at Liwasang Bonifacio, while re-acquainting yourself with colleagues from different youth organizations and taking photos.

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