This story
was taken from Bulatlat, the Philippines's alternative weekly
newsmagazine (www.bulatlat.com, www.bulatlat.net, www.bulatlat.org).
Vol. V, No. 32, September 18-24, 2005
NEWS AT A GLANCE
Beltran asks ex-budget secretary
to reveal Arroyo’s foreign PR, lobby
groups spending
Anakpawis (toiling masses) Rep.
Crispin Beltran said Sept. 15 that former Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin
should “be summoned (by Congress) to reveal all her knowledge” regarding reports
that the Arroyo administration spent almost P100 million for U.S. lobbyists and
public relations consultants from September 2001 to October 2003.
Beltran recalled that none of
these expenses came up in the budget deliberations in connection with the Office
of the President and its adjunct agencies.
Referring to media reports, the
militant congressman cited the $1.2 million (P66 million) paid to
Burson-Marsteller PR firm for promoting investments and travel to the
Philippines and developing a "public relations program including media relations
and research,” and $154,056 (P8.2 million) paid to Rhoads-Weber Shandwick for
assisting the Philippine Embassy in Washington and its defense attaché in
meetings with "members of legislative branch communities in regard to matters
related to Asia-Pacific security issues and military cooperation."
Together with Anakpawis Rep.
Rafael Mariano, Beltran filed House Resolution 945 calling for an inquiry into
the Philippine government’s $900,000 contract with U.S.-based firm Venable LLP
to lobby for the charter change agenda. “All the
while Macapagal-Arroyo has been demanding that the Filipino people scrimp and
save, exhorting them to do their share in solving the economic crisis yet now
it’s again being exposed that she herself has been wasting public funds on mere
PR management and relations,” said Beltran. Bulatlat
Labor center condemns
shooting of strikers Kilusang Mayo Uno (May
First Movement) last week condemned the alleged shooting of strikers at the
Schneider Packaging Company in Caloocan City on Sept. 13. One worker was killed
while six others were wounded. KMU reported that the aside
from the alleged strafing of the strikers who were preparing for a symposium
that same day, the company’s guards also shouted at the workers with invectives
words while pushing them outside the gate. The workers struck for higher wages,
benefits from the Social Security System (SSS), and a stop to the “arbitrary”
lay offs. The company’s owner,
Filipina Mandap, ordered the guards to fire at the strikers, with threats that
they will be laid off if they failed to follow her order, KMU also said.
* * * Party-list congressman says
charter change lobby deal ‘treasonous, impeachable’ © 2005 Bulatlat
■
Alipato Publications Permission is granted to reprint or redistribute this article, provided its author/s and Bulatlat are properly credited and notified.
KMU’s secretary general Joel Maglunsod called on the Department of Labor and
Employment (DoLE) to investigate the violence and file charges against the
perpetrators. Bulatlat
”It’s treason, a high crime and an impeachable offense,” said Bayan Muna Rep.
Teddy Casiño Sept. 15 in reaction to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's
blessings on the lobbying deal secretly signed by National Security Adviser
Norberto Gonzales and the U.S. firm Venable LLC.
Casiño said the agreement is yet another clear basis for Arroyo's immediate
removal from office.
"It is treason to even try to sell the Constitution and constitutional changes
to any alien power, especially the U.S. which has strategic interests in
exploiting our economy, natural resources and patrimony," said the
representative from Bayan Muna.
Casiño stressed that the Constitution, as the highest written law of the land,
should be spared from any foreign interference to preserve the national
security, dignity and integrity. Bulatlat