An independent research institute said that Filipino women are most affected by the economic crisis.
Month: February 2009
Financiers Used “Hotline” to SEC Examiners
In a hearing which exposed failures by the government’s financial police, Congressman Stephen Lynch (D-Massachusetts) highlighted the existence of a “hotline,” which he said could be used by Wall Street firms to call off government inspectors. BY MAT RENNER Truthout INTERNATIONAL Posted by Bulatlat Washington, DC – In a hearing which exposed failures by the…
No Legal Obstacle to Abrogating VFA, Lawyer Says
Amid snowballing calls for the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Malacañang through one of its spokespersons has argued that the said pact cannot be abrogated since doing so would affect the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the Philippines and the US. But lawyer Neri Javier Colmenares, secretary-general of the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), disagrees.
Barely Enough: Disproving the Micro Finance Solution
Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced February 4 that a P1-billion ($20,491,803 at the current exchange rate of $1=P48.80) livelihood support fund for displaced overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) is being made available. The livelihood program is being offered by the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to workers displaced by the economic crisis. Each OFW who applies for…
From Bush to Obama: Seven Years of Wartime Propaganda
Despite the public’s long-standing opposition to the war and support for a short timetable for withdrawal, Obama and his generals continue to defy public wishes as they debate whether the occupation will continue for another three years, six years, or indefinitely into the future. Much of the justification for this obstinacy is based on manipulation…
Court Martial Rape Case vs US Soldier Dismissed
The US Court Martial recently dismissed the rape charges against an American soldier stationed in Okinawa, Japan who was accused of raping a Filipina migrant worker. BY BULATLAT The US Court Martial recently dismissed the rape charges against an American soldier stationed in Okinawa, Japan who was accused of raping a Filipina migrant worker. On…
No Hope for Fair Prices Under Oil Deregulation
The “proper” implementation of RA 8479 or even amendments to it will not address the problem [of overpricing]. It does not have any provision on overpricing because deregulation assumes that the market will set the “fair” price. Government could not penalize the oil firms for overpricing because they do not violate any law. BY ARNOLD…
Freeing Up Resources…For More War
The president’s speech had little to say about the plans for escalation, but the few words will come back to haunt: “With our friends and allies, we will forge a new and comprehensive strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan to defeat Al Qaida and combat extremism, because I will not allow terrorists to plot against the…
Teacher Decries Harassment in Libel Suit Filed by GSIS President
Despite being slapped with libel charges, Antonio Tinio, chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said his group will continue to expose what they deem as ‘exploitative and illegal’ policies of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) under the leadership of Winston Garcia. BY RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat In November last year, Antonio Tinio,…
Murder Case vs. Ladlad, Other Activists Evokes Memories of Martial Law
“This is a revival of martial law years. It’s sickening,” an obviously irate Sen. Joker Arroyo blurted out during a recent hearing on the murder charges against activist Vicente Ladlad. BY RONALYN V. OLEA HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH Bulatlat “This is a revival of martial law years. It’s sickening,” an obviously irate Sen. Joker Arroyo blurted…