An indigenous people’s rights defender and environmentalist the Rodrigo Duterte government wanted labelled as “terrorist” is named winner of the Champions of the Earth Award by the United Nations, one of the international body’s most prestigious awards. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) announced that Joan Carling is the winner of the Champions of the […]
Ang inyong matatamis na ngiti
Ni Ibarra Banaag Sana’y di nagkamali sa treno’ng inyong sinakyan. Nakakaaliw man at nakakabingi ang hagikgikan. Ang sumakay ay di libre bagkus ay babayaran. Ng buwis at inutang sa kawatang dayuhan. Sana ay may preno ito sa pag-arangkada. At ng di rumagasa sa mga barong- barong. Malimas, madambong, pilak, gas at ginto. Habang pinapatag […]
Groups denounce killing of Moro human rights defender
Human Rights group Karapatan and Kawagib Moro Human Rights Alliance held an indignation protest Tuesday, September 25, at the Timog Circle in Quezon City against the recent killing of a Moro human rights worker in Mindanao. Mariam Uy Acob, 43 years old and paralegal of Kawagib, was gunned down by suspected military agents last September […]
CPP: ‘Red October’ plot an AFP invention
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) denied repeated claims by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) of a so-called Red October plot to oust President Rodrigo Duterte by October. The CPP said the AFP conjured the fictional plot only to set the stage for the Duterte government’s draconian measures against the people. “This […]
No to large dams: MWSS water security roadmap may cause more insecurity-WPN
The recent onslaught of Super Typhoon Ompong triggered the release of waters from big Luzon dams and caused flooding in low-lying areas. Water rights group Water for the People Network (WPN) said that because of this and other harmful effects on communities and livelihoods, the government should shift away from building large dams to more viable and sustainable water-sourcing technologies.
Under its water security roadmap, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage Systems (MWSS) earlier announced major dam projects, one of which is the New Centennial Water Source Project (NCWS). This project is expected to provide an additional water supply of 2,400 million liters daily (MLD), as well as generate 50 megawatts of energy to supplement the electricity needs of industries, business and commercial establishments in the National Capital Region (NCR). The Kaliwa Low Dam is one of the three dams to be immediately built under the NCWS and is targeted to supplement the water sourced from the Angat Dam over the next five years.
WPN however said that the promised cheap water and electricity, irrigation and flood control for which existing large dams have been built have largely been unmet. These have also caused displacement and destruction, said the group, which can happen again should dams under the NCWS be constructed.
According to the WPN, siltation minimizes the potential water and electricity large dams were built to deliver. For example, the San Roque Multipurpose Dam only delivers 85 megawatts (MW) or just 27.2% of its rated capacity of 345MW because of heavy siltation. Binga Dam was un-operational for two years also because of heavy siltation.
WPN added that due to the release of waters from major Luzon dams, including those that released waters recently, such as Ambuklao, Binga, Pantabangan, Magat, and San Roque, the country records huge losses in agriculture and fisheries annually during the typhoon season. Such reported losses from 2004 to 2015 alone amounted to some Php34.3 billion in damages to properties, agriculture and fisheries. The recent Karding enhanced Habagat in August wrought massive flooding in over 500 barangays in seven provinces and areas in the National Capital Region.
WPN recalled that in 2003, the San Roque Multipurpose Dam displaced 20,000 Ibaloi villagers, and affected the livelihood of 4,400 farmers and 3,000 gold panners. Today, indigenous peoples, majority of whom are Dumagat and Remontado, oppose the NCWS dams. According to a 2013 feasibility study, an estimated 6,214 households or about 31,070 individuals will be displaced when the building of these dams inundate nine Tanay barangays and one in General Nakar. Agricultural, forest area, wild lands and wildlife habitats comprising 2,239 hectares inside the Kaliwa Watershed Forest Reserve and 113 hectares inside the Real, Infanta, General Nakar (REINA) Natural Park Wildlife Sanctuary and Game Reserve (NPWSG), which are environmentally critical areas, will also be inundated.
Mostly to be funded through official development assistance (ODA), huge infrastructure projects such as these large dams will burden consumers more, WPN added. The Php12.2 billion Kaliwa Low Dam, for example, will be 85% funded by Chinese ODA loan. The cost of the project including the payments on the ODA loan interest, other construction expenses, as well as the incentives provided for private concessionaires and contractors, will all eventually be borne by consumers through high water and electricity user fees. As it is, consumers are still paying off the remaining debt incurred by the government from building large hydropower projects such as the Casecnan and San Roque Dams.
The WPN called on the MWSS, the primary project proponent, and its two private concessionaires, the Manila Water Corporation, Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc., to stop using the alleged water crisis as an excuse for building the NCWS and other large dam projects under the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program. Instead of building infrastructure for profit, much-needed Filipino-owned social and economic infrastructure such as agricultural and industrial facilities including community-based water and renewable energy systems should be built, said the group.###
(WPN will be co-sponsoring “Let the Rivers Flow”, a forum and network launch versus megadams, on October 6, 10 AM-4PM at the Little Theater of Miriam College, Quezon City. There will be photo and interview opportunities starting 230pm.)
Karapatan to the military: Quit giving excuses, transfer Palparan to Bilibid immediately!
“I did not kill them, I just inspired the triggermen” – Jovito Palparan, in an interview with Rappler
“Gone is the arrogant soldier to which the above statement is attributed to. No longer is retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan, Jr. as willing to claim that he “inspired the triggermen”, especially now that victims of rights violations perpetrated by him and soldiers under his command won a case against him. Now, he peddles the image of pure innocence, shamelessly presenting himself as a victim. Truly disgusting!” said Karapatan deputy secretary general Roneo Clamor on Palparan’s continued claim of innocence over the guilty verdict promulgated by the Malolos, Bulacan Regional Trial Court Branch 15 on September 17, 2018 for charges of kidnapping and serious illegal detention of missing UP students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeno.
IN PHOTOS: Makabayan bloc reinforces politics of change against brewing tyranny, introduces sole senatorial bet
In line with the 2019 national elections, the Makabayan Koalisyon ng Mamamayan (Makabayan) bloc sought to strengthen its campaign to deliver politics of change in its recently concluded fourth national convention held at the Quezon City Sports Club (QCSC) on Tuesday, September 25.
The minority bloc is currently composed of eight party-lists from the House of Representatives: incumbent party-lists Anakpawis, Bayan Muna, Gabriela Women’s Partylist, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), and Kabataan were joined by the newly-established People’s Surge, a party-list hailing from the Eastern Visayas geared to represent the people ravaged by disastrous calamities, Aksyon Health Workers (AHW), constituted by health workers, and Manggagawa Party-list (MP), a party-list aimed to represent the campaigns of the workers.
Delegates from Makabayan affirmed to deliver the politics of change geared to stand against the looming dictatorship of the current administration as it also declared Neri Colmenares as its sole senatorial bet for the 2019 elections.
Colmenares, a third-term representative from Bayan Muna, spoke to hundreds of delegates of the convention to manifest his commitment to deliver the mandate of the Makabayan Bloc to the Upper House.
Senatorial bet Neri Colmenares speaks to hundreds of delegates of the Makabayan convention. Photo by Agatha Rabino.
Photos by Agatha Rabino
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Terminated plastic workers return to work after staging week-long protest camp
Exactly a week after terminated workers of Jolly Plastics Molding Corporation mounted their protest camp outside their factory in Valenzuela City, their management has been forced to reinstate them back to work without any conditions.
On the night of September 24, the management and the workers decided to sign a memorandum of agreement stating that workers can report back to work after almost two weeks of mounting protests against the plastic company.
The Samahan ng Manggagawa sa Jolly Plastics Molding Corporation (SMJPMC) said that their reinstatement is a welcome development and is a clear result of their unified actions.
Some twenty-five terminated workers constructed make-shift tents on September 17 outside the gates of their workplace after their management “constructively dismissed” them from going back to work.
The dismissal came after the employees refused the company’s order to tell the Department of Labor and Employment inspectors that they are working eight hours and were receiving minimum wage. The labor inspection took place on September 11 to probe issues of regularization and labor standard violations.
According to the SMJPMC, they have been working for 12 hours daily and were only receiving P430 for the said work hours. The SMJPMC and pro-labor groups Defend Job Philippines and Kilusang Mayo Uno – Metro Manila said that the recent victory of Jolly Plastics workers inspire all other workers in their respective struggles for regularization and for better and humane working conditions.
The groups insisted that the triumph of Jolly Plastic workers only proved that only through militant collective actions can the Filipino working class achieve their legitimate and democratic aspirations.
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