Rebalancing privatization: Keeping public services public by Rene Ofreneo The approval by the House of Representatives of House Bill 7437 prohibiting the privatization of government hospitals is a welcome development. As explained by the bill’s principal author, Angelina Tan, public health institutions “should remain public and should continue to serve the poor.” There are more…
Philippine Police Chief Halts Crime Suspect ‘Perp Walks’ Nod to Due Process Underscores Wider Accountability Deficit in ‘Drug War’ By Carlos H. Conde The Philippine National Police (PNP) did something extraordinary this week: It took action to protect the rights of criminal suspects. On Monday, PNP chief Oscar Albayalde declared that the police will stop…
Fire Tree ni Rene Boy Abiva Patapos na ang taglagas at tag-init at pasibol na ang sunod na siklo’t kabanata ng mundo nang ako’y ‘yong batiin ‘sang masalimuot na hapon sa Kalye Dungon gamit ang mapula’ t manipis mong talulot na ‘alang pag-aatubiling pinitas ng hanging mula Zaragosa sa dikta ng magkasiping n’yong katwiran at…
Duterte administration, worst and harshest to workers’ rights- CTUHR Labor rights NGO Center for Trade Union and Human Rights (CTUHR) affirms the recent report of International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) which ranked the Philippines as among the 10 worst countries for workers’ rights. “The ITUC Global Rights Index 2018 report re-validates CTUHR own findings that…
Priest killings, hindi dapat ipagkibit-balikat ni Reyn Letran Ito ang panawagan sa mga mamamayan ni Diocese of San Jose, Nueva Ecija Bishop Roberto Mallari kasunod ng marahas na pagkamatay ni Fr. Richmond Nilo ng Diocese of Cabanatuan matapos na barilin ng hindi pa nakikilalang salarin noong linggo sa kapilya ng Nuestra Señora de la Nieve…
The Coal Death March: Limay, Bataan’s Case for Climate Justice by Beatrice Tulagan, ClimateStories.ph Once upon a time, there was a fifty-seven-year-old grandmother with kind eyes. She was loved dearly in her community for leading the charge against a coal stockpile in her neighborhood. In her spare time, she manned her family’s karaoke bar and…
Those Fighting and Dying for Filipino Freedoms by Fr. Shay Cullen What is independence but the freedom from the domination and control of others? Freedom is firstly an inner, non-material spiritual value. The desire for it is a natural right and when achieved, it is a joyful experience. The freedom to practice our religious beliefs…
Live Show ni Rene Boy Abiva ” ‘Wag lalaki, may bayad ‘to halik. Handa ka bang makipaghalikan?” – Presidente Duterte “ Ganito na lang, halika, halika ‘di ka ba pwede? alam mo…wala na bang iba?” ‘ika ni Kanor habang nandudumilat ang kanyang mata sa kumpol ng mga tao sa kanyang harapan. Maingay. Sumulpot sa kanyang…
#BabaeAko: Ang Pagsilang ni Jean Enriquez, Rappler.com Ilang buwan din kaming nangarap ng mga kabataang babae sa Coalition Against Trafficking in Women-Asia Pacific (CATW-AP) na magkaroon ng kilusang katulad ng #MeToo sa Pilipinas. Nang magsampa kami ng kaso laban kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte noong Abril 21, 2016, laban sa kanyang pagnonormalisa ng kultura ng panggagahasa,…
T’YAN-SA ni VIC OBINA Hayun ang tambak! May tyansa na bka may pagpag. Tuwang-tuwa ang bitukang agad sumalampak Hinalukay,kinamay, sa tyansang may makain at sa tiya’y mailagay. WALA! WALA! WALA! Walang tyansang tira-tira na sa bituka’y ibabara, basura ng lipunan ni pispis ng isda’y hindi man lang nagtira… Humpak na mukha,impis na sikmura, hindi na…
IN THE CLAWS OF TYRANNY: State of Workers’ Rights under Duterte Administration Genuine Change! Promise that is crystal clear for millions of Filipinos that prompted them to junk the common traditional politicians in 2016 and embraced Rodrigo Roa Duterte as the President of the Republic of the Philippines. His assumption to power earned him the…
Philippine City Passes Law Against LGBT Discrimination Ordinance Should Prod Passage of National Anti-Discrimination Legislation By Carlos H. Conde The Philippine city of Mandaluyong has approved an ordinance to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from discrimination, the latest in a slew of local laws passed across the country. Mandaluyong’s anti-discrimination…
Philippine Police Promotions an Affront to ‘Drug War’ Victims Newly Upgraded Police Chiefs Oversaw Units Implicated in Scores of Killings By Carlos H Conde Mourners display a streamer during a funeral march for Kian delos Santos, a 17-year-old student who was shot during anti-drug operations in Caloocan, Metro Manila, Philippines August 26, 2017. © 2017…
Climate justice group calls Duterte a two-faced hypocrite Quezon City—Climate justice group slams President Rodrigo Duterte for spearheading an inauguration of a 420-MW Pagbilao Energy Corporation (PEC) coal plant in Pagbilao, Quezon last May 31, 2018. In his speech, Pres. Duterte lauded the private sector for its active participation in the government’s goal to empower…
Judicial independence in Philippines is under threat, says UN human rights expert GENEVA (1 June 2018) – A UN human rights expert has expressed grave concerns about public threats issued against the Philippines’ Chief Justice by the country’s President, saying her dismissal, that followed those threats, is sending a chilling message to other supreme court…
Patag Na Ngunit ‘Di Panatag Ang Nayon ni Rene Boy E. Abiva PATAG NA, PATAG NA PINATAG NA ANG NAYON! Unti-unti’y naglalaho na ang bukiring ipininta ni Amorsolo New Clark City na daw ang uso ngayon a city that is truly smart, clean and green a city that is truly smart, clean and green syudad…
South Korea’s Blind Eye to Philippine ‘Drug War’ Abuses Assistance for Police Disregards Role in Summary Killings By Phelim Kine You would think that the kidnapping and murder in 2016 of a South Koreanbusinessman by a Philippine National Police (PNP) anti-drug squad would put the brakes on South Korean government support for the PNP. Think…
Teachers demand salary hike and other benefits “We are ready for the resumption of classes today and we are as excited as our students who anticipate that we will provide their learning needs today and the rest of the school year. However, we are still asking the DepEd and the entire government to provide the…
Peace in Mindanao within our grasp with BBL Balay Rehabilitation Center expressed its hopes for processes of healing, peace and justice in Mindanao at it joins Moro, indigenous peoples and settlers of Mindanao in monitoring Congress deliberations for the targeted passage of a Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in Congress this week. “Peace has been elusive…
Duterte Threatens Summary Execution of Drug Suspects. Again. Philippine President Warns Cebu Detainees to ‘Stay in Jail’ By Deputy Director, Asia Division Human Rights Watch @PhelimKine Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has issued a fresh reminder as to why his murderous “drug war” has earned United Nations and International Criminal Court scrutiny. Duterte issued a televised…
