Posts published during June, 2009

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June 12, 2009

Anti-ConAss Rallies in Makati & UP Diliman

Right after lunch time, students, teachers and other members of the University of the Philippines community in Diliman gathered at Quezon Hall to hold a short program and a press conference to condemn the moves of President Arroyo’s allies in the House of Representatives to convene itself into a Constituent Assembly (ConAss) to amend the 1987 Constitution.

ConAss is not what the country needs. Charter change will not address the youth’s problems with regard to education and job opportunities. We cannot allow this move to push through, seeing it as an initial step in a political scheme to prolong the Arroyo administration’s hold on power. We have witnessed how Arroyo and her allies have betrayed the aspirations of the youth and the rest of the Filipino people for a better government and a better life, and we must reject any move that is simply meant to prolong our agony. Wala tayong maaasahang pagbabago habang nandiyan si Gloria Arroyo. Either we oust her soon or we boot her and her allies out of office through the 2010 elections.

Anti-ConAss Rally (Jun. 10, '09) Anti-ConAss Rally (Jun. 10, '09) Anti-ConAss Rally (Jun. 10, '09) Anti-ConAss Rally (Jun. 10, '09) Anti-ConAss Rally (Jun. 10, '09) Anti-ConAss Rally (Jun. 10, '09)

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June 9, 2009

On internet activism and protests

You’re a famous blogger, and you frequently write about your advocacies in your blog and in social networking sites. Some people, particularly “moderates,” look at the Internet as their preferred mode of activism (sometimes only mode), and shun out street protests. Why do you continue to take to the streets despite already having other venues for protest?

The Internet is a potent and alternative tool for campaigns and advocacies, no doubt, especially among the youth. We have to remember, however, that majority of Filipinos still do not have access to the world wide web. Ordinary minimum-wage earners, farmers, out-of-school youth, even many among the middle class are not Internet users. We cannot win any nationwide campaign or struggle without them. Long-lasting social change is not possible without the fundamental and primary participation of the masses. The Internet is not the medium to engage them in, and whenever we try to achieve fundamental changes in government and society, we cannot rely on the Internet alone. It’s naivete to believe that changes can be won on the electronic front.

Street protests are among the most accommodating and reliable forms of protests. It does not exclude anyone from participating. It accommodates anyone regardless of computer literacy, economic or social stature. History has also proven its potency in advancing the struggle of citizens for changes and reforms around the world.

There’s nothing wrong when ordinary university students use the Internet as a venue of protest, and I personally don’t take that against anyone. But, we have to be conscious that it is not the only mode of expressing support for an advocacy or expressing dissent against government policies and actions. There are times, like today, when more is demanded from us, and we cannot afford to be complacent with the kinds of actions we are willing to take.

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B ushers in B

With the new de-blocking system in place at the UP College of Law, the traditional block culture may be gone. Starting this year, only freshmen will get to have the same classmates in all their classes. After their first year, UP Law students can choose their professors and classes individually, through a bidding and registration system similar to US law schools, apparently. There are various reasons to this, as explained by the Dean during his talk with Batch 2012 yesterday. Ultimately it is to give the individual student the privilege to take the classes and the schedule that would best suit his needs that would hopefully result to better performance.

Despite the de-blocking policy, however, my blockmates and I coordinated among each other, and along with other blocks in Batch 2012, in order for original blockmates to remain with each other in our classes this first semester of our second year. I guess most of us have become clingy with each other the past year. Undoubtedly, and speaking from experience, one’s blockmates is one of the more reliable support groups in law school a law student can have. Indeed, the bond that uniquely shared experiences can forge among law students can be strong for some.

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June 8, 2009

Different kind of virus to spread on June 10

Solon urges students to transform Ayala into “˜one giant classroom’

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Mong Palatino today said that classes may have been suspended due to precautions over the AHN1 virus but a different kind of virus is spreading among youth and students.

“Precautionary measures over the AHN1 have caused the delay of the start of classes in colleges and universities this Monday but a more contagious virus is spreading among our youth and students today. It is the A-CA virus, the anti-constituent assembly virus, and more and more are being afflicted and there’s nothing we could do to stop it,” Palatino said.

Palatino said that youth and students have all the reasons to be outraged over the blatant railroading of the con-ass resolution by administration allies in Congress.

“We simply cannot allow con-ass to push through. The Arroyos and their allies can bribe or utilize government agencies all they want but they will be defeated by the defiance and collective action of our youth and our people. The only way to stop this atrocity is to go out and protest,” Palatino said.

Palatino also called on students to make good use of the unexpected vacation from school and join the Ayala protest on June 10.

“Let us transform Ayala into one giant classroom. Walang klase pero doon tayo magklase sa lansangan. June 10 will be more educational and informative of the country’s current political state than all our lectures in school combined,” said Palatino.

Palatino also called on school administrations that are against con-ass and charter change to encourage their students to join the June 10 protest.

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June 3, 2009

Kabataan votes against CARP Extension

Below is the [DRAFT] Explanation of Vote of Kabataan Party-list Rep. Mong Palatino against HB 1257 An Act Accelerating the Completion of the Land Acquisition and Distribution Component of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), By Providing Automatic Appropriation Thereof, and Addressing Major Implementation Problems of the Program, Amending for the Purpose Republic Act No. 6657, As Amended, Otherwise Known as “The CARP Law of 1988″ and Executive Order 129, As Amended:

I vote “NO” to HB 1257, I vote “NO” to extending the present Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

I vote NO because CARP extension would only create more opportunities for land owners and agribusiness firms to further consolidate their control over agricultural lands.

HB 1257 specifically provides for a “farmland as collateral,” an essential element of market-oriented land reform. Farmers who would avail of this provision may just find their lands foreclosed, thus resulting in the return of already-redistributed agricultural lands to the ownership of landlords and big agribusinesses.

I vote NO HB CARP extension because the present CARP has failed to stop bankrupt farmers from selling or transferring distributed lands despite so-called prohibitions on such transfers.

CARP failed to fulfill the constitutional mandate on agrarian reform program, as clarified by the Supreme Court by stating that “through the agrarian reform, the farmer at last will be released not only from want but also from the exploitation and disdain of the past and from feelings of inadequacy and helplessness; the farm will be his/her portion of Mother Earth that will give not only the staff of life but also the joy of living”.

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There’s a reason we all call it CON-ASS

Last night, I couldn’t resist the urge to drive off to Batasan and witness for myself how the Arroyo-controlled House of Representatives would pass House Resolution 1109 declaring that the House may convene itself into a Constituent Assembly (Con-Ass) to amend the Constitution without the participation of the Senate.

There was an apparent media blackout early in the evening. Updates on the debates in Congress were absent in primetime news. It wasn’t after a few hours later when they would air the proceedings live on cable TV. By that time, I was already in Congress.

There were more than 200 congressmen present that night, an unusually excellent attendance in a Congress that has serious problems reaching quorum during most sessions. Something, indeed, was up that night. The marching orders and the lure of bribe money from Malacanang must’ve been too irresistible.

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Bikoy on QTV’s QTube

A few months ago, around February I think, someone from QTV 11 called to ask if I was willing to be featured in one of their upcoming shows. I agreed then, and simply asked them to inform me a few days before the day they wanted to have the shoot.

It wasn’t until the show, QTube, was finally launched and a few months after their first call, or a few weeks ago, when they called back and said it’s my turn to be featured in one of the show’s segments, Bloggers’ Digest. Bloggers’ Digest is where they feature interviews with different Filipino bloggers and their personal profiles.

Three weekends ago, I had a sit-down interview with their crew at UP Diliman, in front of Palma Hall. I was uneasy at first, but I eventually shrugged the awkwardness off. We shot some situationers around campus, some where I was pretending to take photographs with my DSLR in the middle of the Lagoon, some with me using my laptop at obscure places like in front of the Oblation at Quezon Hall. A few days after the first shoot, another set of technical people went to our house to shoot more situationers at home.

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June 2, 2009

The Tragedy of Philippine Education

A press statement by Kabataan Party-list Representative Raymond “Mong” Palatino

[photo credit: Glaiza May Muzones / bulatlat.com]

As classes open today, many school-age children and youth will not be in schools.

I am alarmed over the sharp decline in the preliminary enrolment figures for the current school year. This highlights the huge disparity between the increasing cost of education in the country and the financial capacity of Filipino families to send their children to school.

A study of the Department of Education shows that 96.77 percent of elementary school-age children go to school while 66.06 percent of high school-age teenagers go to secondary school.

But the same report reveals that for every 100 students who enroll in the 1st grade, 33 drop out before reaching Grade 5 and 31 out of 100 high school freshmen drop out before reaching their senior year. The trend for the past ten years show that for every 10 pupils who enroll in grade school, only 7 graduate.

In school year 2005-2006, almost 65 percent of six-year old children did not begin their primary education on time. The cohort survival rate was placed at 76 percent in 2001 but it went down to 70 percent in 2006. The completion rate was 75 percent in 2001 but it also went down to 68 percent in the same period. The drop-out rate and repetition rate also deteriorated in the same report.

Students drop out because of poverty. While basic education is free, many poor families are unable to finance the auxiliary school needs of their children, which, according to our computation would cost around P15,000 to P20,000 per student.

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June 1, 2009

Car Registration Renewal at LTO Diliman

My parents asked me to renew the registration of our family car on the last day of renewal last week. Since I use the car the most (and I needed their permission to drive it to Subic the next day, hehe), I felt obligated to do it, despite the fact that I had other things in mind to do for that day, and that it was quite a hassle to have me do it on the deadline itself.

I was expecting to spend a few hours at the main Land Transportation Office (LTO) here in Diliman, but I ended up spending the entire afternoon figuring myself through and following the process.

I felt so naive and clueless. Nakakaloko siya since I felt like I was the only one legitimately going through the process of registration. Why? First, everyone in line knew each other, and they all seemed to be in line to register multiple vehicles each, and, hindi sa nangmamata ako ng kapwa, pero hindi naman sila mukhang may-ari ng maraming kotse. It would seem like they also knew the man behind the cashier. Some of them were even cutting in line. It seemed to me that I was the only one intensely annoyed having to go through everything while everyone else was acting as if it’s just a normal day in the park. I was thinking they were probably ‘professional’ LTO transactors/registrants whom anyone may just contact to have their LTO papers processed, so as to avoid having to go through hours of lines and dozens of bureaucratic procedures. It’s probably legitimate, I don’t know. Had I known there was such a legitimate scheme, I would have availed of it anyway.

It felt a little troubling how the need for such ‘professional transactors’ arises from the conduct of a government service. Not that I’m surprised.

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Right of Reply will affect bloggers, texters, iPod users, says solon

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Mong Palatino today raised the alarm on how the Right of Reply Bill would not only affect stifle freedom but could lead to Internet censorship and affect freedom of speech and expression of bloggers, texters, and even iPod users.

In his interpellation of the Right of Reply Bill, Palatino got sponsor Cong. Bienvenido Abante to admit that HB 3306 would also cover websites, emails, Internet social networking sites and other electronic devices in its scope.

Section 1 of HB 3306 (Right of Reply) states, “All persons natural or judicial who are accused directly or indirectly of committing, having committed, or are criticized by innuendo, suggestion or rumor for any lapse in behavior in public or private life shall have the right to reply to charges or criticisms published in newspapers, magazines, newsletters or publications circulated commercially or for free, or aired or broadcast over radio, television, websites or through any electronic device.”

“The bill, therefore, would not only affect media outfits and journalists but also all website owners, website masters, email account holders and other netizens who are not necessarily media practitioners,” Palatino said.

He added, “This would affect the more than five million bloggers and millions more of Internet users in the country. My fear is that when this bill comes to law, it will be used to regulate the content of the Internet. When we are checking our emails, when we open our Friendster or Facebook accounts, we are checking our websites. Does this mean that we will be compelled to moderate, modify or edit our personal websites? Is this not Internet censorship and suppression of freedom of speech and expression?”

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