By MARYA SALAMAT Bulatlat.com MANILA – Since the labor department admitted early this year, in the face of a growing call for a substantial wage hike, that indeed there were supervening events warranting wage hikes, less than half (or eight out of 17) of the country’s regional wage boards have issued new wage orders. It…
Category: Other Stories
Kabataan representative questions budget for telegrams
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO Bulatlat.com MANILA – The Aquino administration seems to be stuck in the Stone Age. Or at least it hasn’t caught the internet wave yet. Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino expressed skepticism over President Benigno Aquino III’s declaration that he was all for “internet for all Filipinos” and for “e-governance.” Palatino…
Church people, workers to hold national conference to advance labor rights
By MARYA SALAMAT Bulatlat.com MANILA — Church leaders and workers nationwide are preparing to gather in a national conference set for the middle of next month in Cebu City. This, they said in a statement, is also in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Blessed John Paul II’s encyclical Laborem Exercens (on Human Work) which…
MILF asks Aquino gov’t to suspend oil exploration contracts
By MARYA SALAMAT Bulatlat.com MANILA – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has an ongoing ceasefire and peace negotiations with the Philippine government, asked the Aquino administration to freeze the planned exploitation by private foreign and local companies of natural resources such as oil and gas in Bangsamoro homeland. The MILF central committee decided…
NDFP consultant freed, another activist arrested
By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com MANILA – A consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in the peace negotiations was released from prison July 25 after more than three years of detention. A statement sent by Katungod-Sinirangang Bisaya (Katungod-SB) said Jaime Soledad was released from the Leyte Provincial Jail after exactly 40…
Farmers call on new Ombudsman to reopen Hacienda Luisita massacre case
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO Bulatlat.com The new Ombudsman has her work cut out for her. Three days after the appointment of retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales as new Ombudsman, farmworkers of Hacienda Luisita want her to re-open the books on the infamous Hacienda Luisita massacre case. Leaders and members of the Alyansa…
TRO against suspension of Caloocan Mayor disappoints government employees
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO Bulatlat.com P38 million ((US$883,720) is nothing to scoff at. The Confederation for Unity, Recognition and Advancement of Government Employees (Courage) is extremely disappointed over the July 23 decision of the Court of Appeals to grant a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the suspension of Caloocan City Mayor Enrico “Recom” Echiverri.…
Aquino hit for embracing paramilitary group in Cordillera
By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW Northern Dispatch Main Story: Aquino’s Sona, all form, no substance – Bayan Sidebar: “Wang-wang Sona: too much noise, too little substance” – KMU Sona 2011 has little to report, less to look forward to – Ibon BAGUIO CITY – Aside from his total failure to uplift the situation of Cordillera indigenous…
Research Group IBON rated SONA 2010 promises vs performance
By bulatlat.com The public deserves better than a selective presentation of facts and figures in the president’s first year, and is hoping to be given a whole picture of the state of the nation. This is the challenge for President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino issued today by non-government research group IBON. “Pres. Benigno Aquino III’s first…
3 victims add to list of political killings
By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com MANILA – A few days before President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his State of the Nation Address (Sona), three more victims add to the growing list of political killings. Roque Laputan, 59, a member of Anakpawis partylist, Davao del Sur, was murdered by unidentified men, July 10. Laputan, was…
Transport strike paralyzes public transport in key Southern Tagalog localities
By CHRISTIAN RAY BUENDIA Bulatlat.com LOS BANOS, Laguna — Decrying the barrage of oil price hikes under the Aquino administration, militant transport group Southern Tagalog Region Transport Organization-Piston (Starter-Piston) and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Timog Katagalugan (Bayan-TK) held a transport strike last July 20, paralyzing up to 100 percent of public transportation in strategic municipalities in Southern…