Posts tagged with 2010 elections

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June 22, 2010

Kabataan Partylist Rep’s Oath-Taking

Kabataan Party-List Rep. Raymond 'Mong' Palatino, flanked by his family and national officers of Kabataan Party-List, takes his oath as re-elected Congressman before Senator Francis 'Chiz' Escudero

Last Friday, we had our first nominee, incumbent Congressman Mong Palatino take his oath as re-elected Representative of Kabataan Party-list before Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, one of the more prominent legislators closest to the youth sector.

It was a short and simple gathering over lunch. Our regional leaders were also present, as we were also holding our National Council meeting during those days.

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May 21, 2010

On Kabataan Partylist’s “unsightly” graffitis

A few days ago, an anonymous reader left a comment expressing disappointment over graffitis spray-painted across the city during the election campaign period by members of Kabataan Partylist. These are the graffitis that read “Edukasyon Karapatan!” and “Tutulan ang Tuition Increase!” among others. The comment also asked me to condemn such forms of expression and dissuade our members from executing them.

Like any other form of protest, from rallies to boycotts and walk-outs, graffitis are meant to defy prevailing conditions. They create disturbance precisely because they draw attention to social issues and call people to actively get involved in such protest campaigns, without having to go through mainstream and “legal” limitations.

Graffitis may be unsightly, but they were not meant to be beautiful in the first place. Its very aesthetic, which some have descibed to be “unsightly”, connotes stealth and speed precisely because it is illicit. Protest graffitis are not murals or paintings that take many hours to complete and costly paints and colors to beautify. Youth activists, or any activist for that matter, do not have such luxuries.

The illegality of graffiti is all but expected in a society where the people who rule implement various regulations that seeks (desperately) to maintain the status quo. In a country where such status quo means an impoverished majority, a majority unable to afford tertiary education, graffitis that affirm the people’s right to social services and human development are nothing more but forms of legitimate resistance to the ruling order. Illegal, of course, but definitely legitimate.

Worried about the cost of the paints the government will have to use to cover the graffitis? Why paint over them then? It will simply affirm the guilt and the responsibility on their part. What’s so repulsive with a bridge post or a wall that screams for the people’s right to education?

I will not discourage our members from freely expressing our calls and our slogans through graffitis. And even more, I encourage people to explore similar creative forms of protest. No apologies from us.

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May 15, 2010

Labor Day in Manila 2010

Thousands of workers marched on the streets of Manila together with hundreds from other sectors of society to commemorate Labor Day

More than two weeks ago, I marched in my third Labor Day rally in Manila, together with thousands from different sectors of society, to commemorate international workers’ day. Being the last Labor Day celebration under the Gloria Arroyo government, the theme of the mobilization was centered on ensuring her departure from the Malacanang, her nine-year regime having been characterized by record high unemployment, depressed wages and grave abuses of workers’ rights, and on ensuring the people’s commitment to prosecute her for her administration’s sins and failures. Being a few days before the national elections, the celebration was also an opportune time for various sectors to demand from all the candidates a pro-people and nationalist labor platform, a discussion of which has been all but silenced with all the shallow and petty mudslinging that characterized the three-month campaign period.

Reps. Liza Maza & Satur Ocampo marching with leaders of workers' unions and other sectors

Rainier Sindayen, Chairperson of the University of the Philippines Diliman student council, leads the chants as the thousands marched through Quezon Boulevard onto Liwasang Bonifacio

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May 13, 2010

Elections are over! Is it, really?

Elections are over. Though most of the apparent victors are obvious, I would still like to suspend my complacence and hold back my sigh of relief until all the votes have been counted. The past two days saw the sudden slow-down in the electronic transmittal of votes from various precincts. I hope nothing mysterious happens in the five or so millions votes still to be counted. I find it really suspect that while thirty million votes were able to be transmitted to various election counts in less than twenty-four hours, the last millions are taking days to be counted. There are also a handful of irregularities that make me doubt the credibility of the electronic results. It was found that certain precincts, most of them in far-flung barrios of Mindanao recorded 100% voters turnouts. A handful of precincts in Rizal province recorded complete 100% sweep votes for certain candidates favored by a religious voting bloc. An election counting machine in Manila also recorded votes cast in rapid succession the midnight right after polls closed.

These few millions up to the few thousands still to be counted are very crucial in determining the fate of the vice-presidential race, for example, where Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay is neck and neck with Senator Manuel Roxas II. These are also important in determining which party-lists will gain seats in Congress come July, where a few thousands can spell the difference between a seat or two in the House of Representatives.

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April 18, 2010

Why the Hacienda Luisita issue is not just a Black Propaganda campaign

“Hindi kailangang sulsulan para mag-welga ang sinumang binibigyan lamang ng P9.50 isang araw bilang sahod sa maghapong paggawa.”

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April 6, 2010

Why I’m shading #33 and #37 for senators in my ballot

In a field of more than five dozen candidates for senators, it is hard to distinguish senatoriables from among each other. At a time when the focus of traditional and new media are the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, the majority of the electorate are left largely with familiarity as basis in choosing their 12 bets. This trend is manifested in latest survey results, which has consistently showed re-electionists, former senators, and scions of established political families as the most probable winners of the senatorial elections.

In an interview with BlogWatch a few weeks ago, I asked Makabayan senatorial candidates Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza what would make any other voter vote for them, when the convenient choice is to pick the familiar names? What distinguishes them from the rest of the pack? In a field where all candidates promise education, health and employment for all, what can they claim to have experienced, have done and are willing to do that no other senatorial candidate can claim?

CHARACTER
Only Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza have experienced harassment, incarceration and torture in their fight against corruption and abuse in government from the Marcos regime to the Arroyo administration. Others claim to have fought and are fighting for good government, but almost none of them were incarcerated or tortured, for they never genuinely posed a threat to corrupt rulers. Some politicians bravely lash at abuses in government in front of TV cameras, but are cowed and silenced at the threat of dispersal on the streets, or harassment from the powers-that-be. I am sure that Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza will never surrender their fight for good and honest governance.

Only Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza genuinely came from the ranks of the masses and continue to maintain very simple lifestyles despite being congressmen for almost a decade. In fact, they are consistently listed as among the poorest congressmen in terms of material wealth. Satur Ocampo came from a peasant family in Pampanga, and was once a student leader and a journalist. Liza Maza came from a simple middle class family from Laguna and was once a teacher and a government employee. Both of them were scholars of state funded universities. None of them own extravagant cars, nor live in large houses. Other senatoriables claim to be pro-poor, but they never genuinely understand what it feels like to be poor, not when they live in marble mansions, and are chauffeured in expensive SUV’s.

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March 31, 2010

Opportunist Roxas claims victory where he did nothing

Roxas never even posted a Twitter or Facebook message to support the students. Mar Roxas photo from Wikipedia

In an unprecedented press release, the office of Senator Manuel Roxas II claimed that it was because of the Senator, and current vice-presidential candidate, why the almost 2,000% tuition hike in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines was shelved. If that was not insulting enough, he dismissed and belittled the students who fought against the proposal by describing them simply as “unruly” the same way the perfumed gatekeepers of “civility” have been demonizing their militant actions.

Mr. Roxas never spoke up against the proposal to increase tuition in the largest state university of the country. In fact, in his entire career as a senator, a congressman and an economist, he has been tolerating and promoting the liberalization of education in the country which has lead to the increasing commercialization and privatization of our state universities and colleges.

Ka Satur Ocampo personally went to the PUP Sta. Mesa campus to deliver words of solidarity to protesting students. He had just come from COMELEC after filing a disqualification case against presidential son Mikey Arroyo who is running for Congress under a fraudulent party-list

Only senatorial candidate and Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and fellow senatorial candidate and Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza also spoke up against the tuition increase and linked it to the Arroyo government’s policy of state abandonment of higher education. Only Satur Ocampo went to the PUP campus in Sta. Mesa to join the protests of the students. That same day, he went to visit the Manila Police District HQ to boost the morale of the detained students, charged with trumped up cases of robbery after attempting to bring their dilapidated chairs to the Commission on Higher Education to show the sorry state of their school.

Notwithstanding lack of sleep from an entire day of campaigning, Ka Satur proceeded to the Manila Police District HQ to support and boost the morale of the PUP student leaders detained for protesting against the tuition hike. Ka Satur was once also detained in the same precinct for fighting the abuses of the Arroyo government.

Among the presidential candidates, only Bangon Pilipinas bet Eddie Villanueva spoke up in support of the student protests against the tuition hike in his alma mater. In fact, he also even went to the Manila Police District HQ to support the detained students and to deliver a message of solidarity to the protesting youths.

There was never a Mar Roxas.

Post-Script: This entry goes without saying that of course, Kabataan Partylist has from the beginning always been at the forefront of the campaign to stop the tuition increase in PUP and other state colleges and universities and of the campaign to increase state subsidy for education and other social services.

Also, a few days into the protests, senatorial candidate Adel Tamano issued a statement that he vows to push for the rechanneling of debt servicing payments to education by repealing the Automatic Appropriations Act that has burdened Filipinos with inadequate social services and increasing costs of education and health care.

Still, no Mar Roxas.

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March 21, 2010

2010 Mock Elections in the University of the Philippines

There is an ongoing mock elections happening in the University of the Philippines system this week till next. All UP students from units and campuses from UP Baguio to UP Mindanao are involved. Majority of the national university’s more than 50,000 students are expected to participate.

The project, entitled Botong Isko 2010 seeks to “unite students and the whole UP community for a clean, transparent, and honest elections, and to find out which candidates are favored by the Iskolar ng Bayan.” The endeavor also seeks to engage politicians in the issues of the youth, especially of UP students, and of the country summed up in UP students’ agenda for change.

Kabataan Partylist, which has college chapters in UP Diliman, campaigned on the first day of the mock elections, encouraging students to participate, recognizing the potential impact of an institutional victory among iskolars ng bayan in the premiere university in the country. UP students are perceived to be a legitimate representation of the Filipino youth, with students from all over the country. (“Perceived” because we have to remember that only a minority of voting-age Filipino youth are able to afford and attend college, and the University of the Philippines at that).

The daughter of presidential aspirant Manny Villar, Camille, also went college hopping in UP Diliman on first day, encouraging UP students to get involved, and of course vote for his father, an alumnus of the university himself. Supporters of Makabayan senatorial candidates Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza also made their rounds in the different colleges in campus.

In the next few days, other candidates will be trooping to UP to campaign and sway the votes of UP students. The victors in this mock election may well claim to have the vote of the iskolar ng bayan. As to whether or not it translates to an actual representation of the general sentiment of the Filipino youth, I do not know, but surely it reflects the votes of those among the best and the brightest youth of the country.

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March 15, 2010

A career in law?

A few days ago, I submitted the initial set of requirements for my entry into another law school. It’s been more than half a year since I got dismissed from UP Law. I really don’t want to give law up. I don’t really mind repeating the classes I’ve taken during my freshman year. In fact, I want to take them again in order to refresh myself and relearn the lessons I’ve taken.

Today, as it has always been, I still do not want to become a career lawyer, a lawyer working overtime with law firms in some office, defending random clients. That kind of lifestyle doesn’t appeal to me at all, notwithstanding the benefits or compensation. I want to study the law and be a lawyer so that I can promote and defend what I do as an activist, and do it better, from researching and drafting resolutions and bills in Congress to taking part in campaigns to protect and promote the rights of people. I want to study the law to make sure that the people I work with, the people I serve, and the people I care for and love will not be taken advantage of. Sure, I can read and study law books here and there without having to go through with the formality of attending school and passing the bar, but I have to recognize the fact that the social status of being a lawyer commands respect. It’s a kind of authority to challenge authority.

Yes, I’ve also thought about having to earn a living and provide for my family in the future. But I can set up a small shop take on a few “rakets” anyway. All I need is to support a simple family lifestyle. The idea of using law as a primary source of income is not appealing to me, too.

A few days ago, a group of disgruntled and desperate parents of University of the East students went to the headquarters of Kabataan Partylist. They have been calling our office almost every day the past weeks narrating their despair with regard to their children being maltreated in the school’s apparently abusive CAT training, among many other complaints. They have coursed their concerns to many politicians and government officials but they were not being given the attention they needed. I was talking to them about the kinds of campaigns we can mount in order to put a stop to the abuses, among other things. But then I also realized that it has to be complemented with legal action, of which I couldn’t properly advice them on. These kinds of situations reinforce my desire to study the law.

I apologize for not being able to update my blog the past month. Most of the tasks I have been assigned the past months for Kabataan Partylist is to speak and keep in touch with like-minded politicians and youth candidates from all over the country from different persuasions and political parties, forging formal and tactical alliances with a common agenda of change. One of these days we will launch an alliance of young men and women running for office this elections, united in upholding new politics from the youth for the people.

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February 16, 2010

First days of 2010 campaign

Kabataan Partylist Campaign in Cavite Kabataan Partylist Campaign in Cavite Kabataan Partylist Campaign in Cavite Kabataan Partylist Campaign in Cavite Kabataan Partylist Campaign in Cavite Kabataan Partylist Campaign in Cavite
Nacionalista Party Rally at Tanza, Cavite Nacionalista Party Rally at Tanza, Cavite Nacionalista Party Rally at Tanza, Cavite Nacionalista Party Rally at Tanza, Cavite Nacionalista Party Rally at Tanza, Cavite Nacionalista Party Rally at Tanza, Cavite
Nacionalista Party Rally at Tanza, Cavite Nacionalista Party Rally at Tanza, Cavite Nacionalista Party Rally at Tanza, Cavite Nacionalista Party Rally at Tanza, Cavite Nacionalista Party Rally at Tanza, Cavite Nacionalista Party Rally at Tanza, Cavite

In between spending the day at the headquarters and meeting with allied candidates, organizations and supporters, I joined some of Kabataan Partylist’s sorties this past week, the first in the official campaign period for the May 2010 national elections.

Our campaign platform for this elections is E 4 ALL: End corruption and tyranny, Education and employment, Environment and national patrimony, and Empowerment and equality.

Our campaign slogan is “Ipagpatuloy ang Magandang Simula,” which is a call to continue advancing the rights and welfare of the youth in Philippine Congress through the representation of Kabataan Partylist. We are proud of what we have accomplished the brief six months we were seated in the House of Representatives and we look forward to continuing our work, with two more Representatives next Congress. We may not have had constructed classrooms nor bridges like other congressmen, because as members of the opposition we are not being given our proper fund allocations, but we have filed countless bills and resolutions aimed at promoting the welfare of the youth, and successfully pushed for various campaigns including the extension of the voters registration and and the suspension of the implementation of various “no permit, no exam” policies in colleges and universities nationwide.

Kabataan Partylist 1st Day of Campaign (Manila) Kabataan Partylist 1st Day of Campaign (Manila) Kabataan Partylist 1st Day of Campaign (Manila) Kabataan Partylist 1st Day of Campaign (Manila) Kabataan Partylist 1st Day of Campaign (Manila) Kabataan Partylist 1st Day of Campaign (Manila)
Kabataan Partylist 1st Day of Campaign (Manila) Kabataan Partylist 1st Day of Campaign (Manila) Kabataan Partylist 1st Day of Campaign (Manila) Kabataan Partylist 1st Day of Campaign (Manila) Kabataan Partylist 1st Day of Campaign (Manila) Kabataan Partylist 1st Day of Campaign (Manila)

On our first day, we held a motorcade around Manila, starting off at Liwasang Bonifacio, onto Taft, then Espana, Morayta, and Recto through some of Manila’s major universities, distributing campaign flyers to and speaking with students and residents of nearby communities. We also passed through Sampaloc on our way back to Quezon City. Our local chapters in other parts of the country also made their own campaign kick-off activities. Our Quezon City chapter held their own motorcade in the metro’s largest city. In Baguio City, members held “˜Kabataan Fest’ at the Malcolm Square. Meanwhile, Kabataan Partylist in Panay released doves and balloons while Southern Tagalog, Negros, and Davao City chapters held grand caravans to declare the youth’s intent to continue its service to the people.

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