Criticism greeted Malacañan Palace’s announcement of President Rodrigo Duterte’s planned appointment of Carlito Galvez Jr. as Presidential adviser on the peace process, citing the general’s role in the collapse of the peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). Karapatan Alliance for the Advancement of People’s Rights in a statement said Duterte’s […]
12 lumad children now under parents custody — CTCSM exec says
The 12 out of 14 lumad children from Talaingod, Davao del Norte are now under the custody and care of their parents after a local court issued the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Region 11 (DSWD-11) to release them.
Groups launch “Justice for Sagay Massacre” campaign
A network calling for justice for Sagay massacre victims was formed in Quezon City Wednesday (December 5) nearly two months after the incident. Various groups led by the Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura and the National Federation of Sugar Workers spearheaded the network that also include Karapatan, Promotion of Church for Peoples Response, Gabriela Womens […]
Karapatan hits AFP Chief Galvez’s appointment as presidential adviser on peace process
“Duterte is nailing the door to peace shut with appointing retiring AFP Chief Carlito Galvez Jr. as the next Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. What will a high-ranking military officer contribute to the advancement of the peace process when the same institution has been largely behind the derailment and collapse of the negotiations? Clearly, Galvez will turn OPAPP into the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Preventing Peace. War is business, and the military is adept at profiting from violating people’s rights,” said Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay on Malacanang’s announcement of the appointment of AFP Chief Galvez as OPAPP head.
More cases of illegal arrest, trumped-up charges with martial law extension – Karapatan
“For many lawmakers and justice of the Supreme Court, martial law has become a black or white statement of support for the fascist policies of the Duterte regime. No longer are the situation of the Mindanaoans taken into consideration nor the rights violations happening on the ground. It has become a matter of defining alliances, with the real plight of those affected reduced in the background. It seems that the Duterte government need not follow the conditions set by the Constitution, it only needs to have enough numbers. This looming martial law extension will breed more rights violations, aggravating the already worsening situation in Mindanao,” said Karapatan Deputy Secretary General Roneo Clamor.
Militant solons decry harassment over child abuse raps
Two militant lawmakers denounced as “harassment” the child abuse charges filed against them in relation to the protest action held last October in this city which included the participation of minors.
High prices still burden poor despite inflation slowdown–IBON
On the release of the November 2018 inflation rate, research group IBON said that prices are still high and rising even with the reported slowdown. This remains a burden on poor families trying to live off low and precarious incomes. Substantial and longer-term solutions are still needed, said the group.
Headline inflation slowed to 6.0% in November from 6.7% last month. Inflation slowed in food and non-alcoholic beverages; housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels; and communication. Inflation however worsened in the rest of the commodity groups. Additionally, year-on-year inflation is still double the 3.0% rate in November 2017.
IBON stressed that prices are still higher than before due to the inflationary impact of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion’s (TRAIN) consumption taxes, rising global oil prices and the peso depreciation. Rice, fish, meats, fruits, vegetables and other basic commodities are still more expensive now than a year ago.
The majority of Filipino families who have low incomes are burdened the most. Inflation has eroded the incomes of the poorest 60% households by a total of Php2,650 to as much as Php7,000 from January to November of this year. The Php537 minimum wage in the National Capital Region is the highest nationwide but even this falls far short of the estimated family living wage of Php1,002 for a family of five. Meanwhile, some 2.5 million of the target 10 million beneficiaries of TRAIN’s unconditional cash transfers (UCT) have still not received anything almost a year into TRAIN.
The Duterte administration’s economic managers said that slowing inflation “suggests” the effectiveness of government’s anti-inflationary measures such as Administrative Order No. 13 removing barriers to agricultural imports.
IBON executive director Sonny Africa disputes this: “The government is too quick to take credit and too dishonest to accept blame.” “The inflation slowdown may even be due more to falling global oil prices since October than the Duterte administration’s half-hearted anti-inflation measures,” he said. “On the other hand, government refuses to accept how the higher taxes from TRAIN have driven prices up and will do so again in less than a month.”
Africa said that government’s decision to push through with the next tranche of fuel excise taxes next month in January 2019 shows its insensitivity to the plight of millions of poor Filipinos. He said that real steps to curb inflation begin with stopping TRAIN, and giving meaningful support to domestic agriculture and Filipino industry. ###
Peace group to AFP: Declare holiday truce
A Mindanao-based peace group Sowing the Seeds of Peace (SSP) appealed to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to reciprocate the holiday truce declared earlier by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) as the nation celebrates “most cherished Filipino tradition.”