“Jesus Christ, himself, taught us to provide protection to his flock, away from wolves and robbers who seek to come and destroy.“ By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO Bulatlat.com MANILA – As the democratic space continues to shrink in the Philippines, sanctuaries for the marginalized and the persecuted have been under siege. Bolo-wielding members of paramilitary…
As with the Haran standoff and the tensions in Taliptip, state security forces were linked to at least 57 percent of the victims we recorded. It must be thus questioned why the military and other state security forces are zeroing in on these areas, with crosshairs trained at defenders. Are these really peace and order operations, or deadly investment guarantees?
By TYRONE VELEZ I wrote verses on a wall And I got thrown to jail I am told to lick this graffiti clean And be a good citizen Why, I haven’t tasted good food lately Because I’m surviving You see I came down from the mountains Where forests once gave me shelter But that forest…
“Wanting to educate ourselves is our way of fighting those who threaten the environment we vowed to protect.”
Kung magiging katulad na ng iba pang mga taga-patag na Kristiyano ang mga katutubo sanhi ng ‘pag-unlad’ o ‘development’ na ipinapahayag ng mga nasa pamahalaan, ano na ang mangyayari sa katutubong kultura, paniniwala, kalinangan, wika, at pamamaraan ng pamumuhay ng mga lumad, ng mga Moro, ng mga taga-Kordilyera at ng mga Mangyan? Ano ang pag-unlad kung mabubura naman ang kanilang lipunan dahil lalamunin lamang ito ng mga kalinangang kanluranin?
The film made by Mindanaons (Director Arbi Barbarona hails from Davao) and portrayed by the Lumad themselves is enough representative of the Southern Filipino narrative located amid the hotbed of rebellion.
She doesn’t fear Duterte’s threat of killing them all; she fears more the threat of seeing our natural resources, and the virgin forest, destroyed.
But hope springs eternal. Environmental defenders everywhere are tirelessly working to protect the last frontiers of nature and restore our despoiled environment.
The family of slain Lumad youth Obello Bay-ao is appealing to the Department of Justice to investigate the case of his murder.
“As much as you, migrant workers all around the world are dreaming of coming back home with your families, we share with you our dreams, for our right to education, right to self-determination, a democratic government, and a just society.”
Julito Otacan’s work is crucial for the project to take hold and help the lives of the Lumad communities