“Walang hirap na ‘di n’ya sinuong” (She faced every hardship), a sister wept as she delivered her tribute. “Tita Lina” to young activists or “Lita” to her contemporaries, Myrna is considered a great loss to the rights movement but, as people who extolled and reflected on her role said during her wake, she would remain…
Ronalyn V. Olea
New DENR Order: A ‘Recipe for Destruction’ Fishers group to stage nationwide fluvial protest vs order opening coastal areas to investors
Leaders of the fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) vowed to launch a nationally-coordinated fluvial protest on Feb. 24 against a new order from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) allowing the 25-year lease of idle coastal areas all over the country to big investors. By Gerry Albert Corpuz…
Charter Change Causing Rift in Arroyo Camp
The appearance of pictures of former President Fidel V. Ramos meeting with opposition leaders Senate President Franklin Drilon, former Sen. Vicente Sotto III, and former Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. days after the New Year sparked speculation about an emerging rift within the political camp supporting the embattled President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. BY ALEXANDER MARTIN REMOLLINO…
March to Congress: Workers To Press for Wage Hike, Tax Exemption
Hundreds of workers are set to troop to the gates of the House of Representatives in Quezon City when Congress resumes session on Jan. 16. They will press for the immediate passage of wage increase bill in the face of escalating prices and government promise of tax exemptions and other non-wage benefits. BY DABET CASTAÑEDA…
Canadian Gov’t Rejects Call to Stop Deportation of Filipino Caregivers
In Canada, 95 percent of those under the live-in caregive program are Filipino women. Some of them are now being threatened with deportation due to failure to comply with the rules set by the Canadian government which even its citizens find unjust. Not surprisingly, concerned groups and individuals in Canada have shown solidarity with the…
Baguio City’s Panagbenga Festival Kicks Off January 30
The 11th Baguio Flower Festival or Panagbenga opens on January 30 and the revelry is highlighted by the parade of flowers on February 25 and 26. Visitors to Baguio City (246 kms from Manila) will be very excited about the various activities lined up this year. Equally interesting, however, is the political bickering that surrounds…
DA Employees Reject Privatization, Rationalization of Gov’t Agencies
Government employees under the National Federation of Employees’ Associations of the Department of Agriculture joined calls against the privatization policy of the Arroyo administration. It vowed to fight against the rationalization of government agencies and to push for a P3,000 ($56.65) across-the-board monthly salary increase. BY FLORENCE BATAWANG AND KATHERING DEL ROSARIO Northern Dispatch Posted…
Politics Eyed in Abra Town Mayor’s Slay NPA involvement least of the police’s concern
A young and outspoken town mayor in Abra was murdered on Friday the 13th. Investigators are looking into various angles, and they think that politics could be the reason for the killing. While they have raised the possibility that the New People’s Army (NPA) could be involved, this is the least of their concern. BY…
Mindanao Lumads Defend Ancestral Land vs Large-scale Mining
Leaders of Lumad organizations from six regional federations representing some 10 major tribes in Mindanao vowed to defend the last of their ancestral lands against the assault of large-scale mining. BY TYRONE VELEZ Bulatlat.com Dipolog City— Leaders of Lumad organizations from six regional federations representing some 10 major indigenous tribes in Mindanao vowed to defend…
More than 80% dissatisfied with GMA’s performance – IBON
Bulatlat.com Based on the latest survey of an independent research think-tank, it appears that four out of every five Filipinos are dissatisfied with Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s performance as President while three out of every five Filipinos think that the economy has gotten worse. Majority of Filipinos think that the economy has gotten worse and an…
CAP Employees Unite with Plan Holders, Prepare Protests
BY MAUREEN A. HERMITANIO Bulatlat.com Plan holders are up in arms over the failure of a pre-need company to give them their hard-earned money. Surprisingly, the company’s employees are now behind them in their struggle. Employees of College Assurance Plan (CAP) are preparing for protests over a series of retrenchments, violation of their collective bargaining…