With President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s enforcement of the calibrated preemptive response policy, more and more Catholic bishops and even lay leaders are coming out with statements opposed to her government’s actions. Is the country’s most influential church then headed for a collision with the present administration? BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO With President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s enforcement of…
Month: October 2005
Mines over Citrus in Nueva Vizcaya
10,000 rights violations reported due to mining To the farmers, Ifugao communities, some business leaders and government officials of Didipio, Nueva Vizcaya, northern Philippines a far worthy treasure more than mines exists in a budding citrus fruit industry in their province blessed with fertile land, a hospitable climate and lush forests. BY FELICISIMO MANALANSAN Citrus…
Cordillera – Still the Main Hub of Transnational Mining
First of three parts The December 2004 Supreme Court decision declaring as constitutional the Mining Act of 1995 paves the way for the entry of foreign mining companies in the Philippines. The Cordillera region in Northern Luzon where 25 percent of gold and 39 percent of copper ore reserves of the whole country are found…
Foreign TNCs Dominate Mining Industry
Second of three parts Recent applications for mining exploration and extraction cover 66 percent of the Cordillera land area. By Windel Bolinget Northern Dispatch BAGUIO CITY – The Macapagal-Arroyo government’s aggressive mining policy to attract new investors in the mining industry and hence to boost government revenues appears to be paying off. In the Cordillera…
Arroyo’s Priority Mining Projects a Boon to TNCs
But small-scale miners will be displaced Conclusion Of the Macapagal-Arroyo’s 23 “priority development projects,” five are in the Cordillera region. BY WINDEL BOLINGET Northern Dispatch BAGUIO CITY – President Macapagal-Arroyo’s 10-Point Legacy names 23 priority mineral resource development projects and 37 priority mining exploration projects for investment by foreign transnational corporations (TNCs). Of the 23…
Buaya Tribe Resists Mineral Exploration
The Buaya tribe of Kalinga province affirmed their opposition to the mineral exploration venture by Cordillera Exploration Inc. (CEXI) in their ancestral domain in both Kalinga and Apayao provinces. By Abigail T. Bengwayan Northern Dispatch BALBALAN, Kalinga – The Buaya tribe of Kalinga province last week affirmed their opposition to the mineral exploration venture by…
37 Soldiers Killed, 42 Others Wounded in Fresh NPA Offensives
But AFP in tit-for-tat with armed guerrillas Recent military and NPA reports reveal escalation of armed hostilities in many provinces across the country. BY BULATLAT The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recently revealed a number of successful raids on suspected camps abandoned by the Marxist New People’s Army (NPA) in Aurora and other provinces.…
Europeans Pledge to Defend Civil Liberties and Democracy
“We are living at a moment in history when civil liberties and democracy are under attack as never before and the need for a collective response to counter these threats has never been greater.” By D. L. MONDELO Political Correspondent for Europe BRUSSELS, Belgium – “We are living at a moment in history when civil…
4,775 Filipinos in Foreign Jails
1,103 are women At least 4,775 Filipinos were languishing in foreign jails as of end of 2004, based on a report of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Of these, 1,103 were women. Posted by Bulatlat At least 4,775 Filipinos were languishing in foreign jails as of end of 2004, based on a report of…
50 Minors in Cordillera Jails
At least 50 minors are languishing in different jails in the Cordillera region, Northern Luzon, jail officials revealed last week. Of these, 26 are undergoing trial in Baguio City’s courts for crimes with some cases as heinous as rape. By Lyn V. Ramo Northern Dispatch BAGUIO CITY – At least 50 juveniles are languishing in…
Arroyo Satisfaction Rating Lowest since May 2004
Even in Region VII, regarded as an Arroyo bailiwick because she supposedly won the majority of the presidential vote in Cebu, some 78 percent of respondents were not satisfied with her performance. By IBON Foundation The Filipino people’s satisfaction with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s performance dropped to its lowest rating of -74.7 percent in the IBON’s…