Palace official thanks prelates for citing PGMA gains, but disagrees with other comments

Manila -- Presidential Deputy Spokesman Gary Olivar today expressed gratitude to members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for recognizing and endorsing in their recent survey the achievements of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in infrastructure development, economic growth and stability and her administration‘s pro-life policy.

But Olivar said Malacanang remains puzzled by the “failing marks” the CBCP members supposedly gave the President in other key national concerns, when surveys and figures he said, showed indicative gains by the Arroyo administration.

In a press briefing in Malacañang today, Olivar said the government is thankful for the CBCP’s “support and recognition of the President’s principled stand against aggressive population management.”

“We wish to thank the bishops of the CBCP (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines) for their recent endorsement of the President’s achievements in infrastructure and economic growth and stability,” Olivar said.

“We also thank them for their support and recognition of the President’s principled stand against aggressive population management which, in turn, is consistent with economic theory about the demographic dividend and the advantages of having a large domestic market of your own—advantages which we saw in practice during the recent global recession when our country was able to maintain positive economic growth throughout,” he added.

Text of Olivar’s statement read during the Malacanang press briefing:

“We wish to thank the bishops of the CBCP (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines) for their recent endorsement of the President’s achievements in infrastructure and economic growth and stability.

We also thank them for their support and recognition of the President’s principled stand against aggressive population management which, in turn, is consistent with economic theory about the demographic dividend and the advantages of having a large domestic market of your own—advantages which we saw in practice during the recent global recession when our country was able to maintain positive economic growth throughout.

We accept the bishops’ criticisms that much remains to be done in education even though the President has already built more classrooms, distributed more textbooks and scholarships, and trained more teachers than any president before her.

Educational outcomes were still mixed as of few years ago which is why the President formed the Presidential Task Force on Education to overhaul the entire educational strategy and also the reason why education reforms is at the very top of her legislative agenda as a neophyte congresswoman in the 15th Congress starting July.

But we are puzzled at the bishops’ failing marks for the President on poverty considering the improvement over the years in poverty statistics with self-rated poverty of 43 percent last quarter at its lowest since the Marcos years as well as the wide array of anti-poverty programs that cushioned our poorest countrymen through the depths of the recent global recession.

I am reminded of all those candidates in the recent campaign who said they couldn’t believe they were behind in the surveys because of all the large crowds they were seeing at their rallies.

Likewise, the daily images we see of hunger and poverty around us can be compelling but they cannot controvert the numbers which tell a different story—one of slow but sure improvement in the lot of the poor.

We are likewise puzzled at the failing marks given by the bishops on environment for our President who sets aside half a day every week on environmental issues, who is building one materials recovery facility (MRF) in each and every one of our barangays, and who has received international acclaim for a strategy of sustainable development in the original advocacy against climate change.

Perhaps it is a case of the bishops being opposed to any kind of exploitation of nature’s resurges such as true large mining projects, no matter how equitable or ecologically-sensitive these projects might be.

If so, if this is in fact the point of view of the bishops who are critical, they should remember that nature exists for the use of man and that denying this truth regarding nature as some kind of earth-mother or Gaia, veers too close to the heresy of pantheism.

Lastly, we will simply have to agree to disagree with the bishops about issues that long-preceded and will long survive the Arroyo presidency such as our political culture of patronage or issues about her personal likeability and popularity.

This is the stuff of transient surveys only and not the impartial judgment of history which even now is already unfolding and will look only at how all the numbers posted under this President brought about a permanent upliftment in the lives of our people.” (PIA9/Pagadian City)

PHILIP JAMES MONGAYA TREMEDAL

Haribon troops, civil society groups start poll mess clean-up

Soldiers under the army’s 103^rd (Haribon) Brigade and members of civil society groups here started cleaning-up the mess left behind by candidates during the first-ever automated national and local elections.

With the theme, “Kawal at Mamamayan, Nagkaisa Para sa Kalinisan,” the clean-up drive is initiated by the 103^rd brigade and the civil society groups to bring back orderliness in the different parts of the city and the province.

BGen. Rey C. Ardo, 103^rd Brigade Commanding Officer, said he directed his troops to remove election posters, streamers, stickers and other campaign paraphernalia left posted along the major roads in their area of responsibility.

The operation also includes tidying-up all the poster-plastered walls, trees, and electric posts.

He added that the cleanliness drive is a continuing operation until the election is over.

Meanwhile, the 55^th IB of the the 1^st Infantry Army Division also showed support to the cleaniliness drive in Misamis Occidental especially in the 1^st District.

Said troopers was also joined by other Non-government organizations and PO’s to clean the environment from posters, traps, paper materials posted on tress, walls and even stones along the highways of the province. (Apipa P. Bagumbaran / PIA-Marawi and PJTremedal-BNDNews Bureau MisOCC

PHILIP JAMES MONGAYA TREMEDALCALL OR TEXT ME : E-MAIL ME : pjtremedal@gmail.comvisit my website: www.pag-enews.tk

World Press Freedom Day: Let us Celebrate

By NUJP

Tomorrow, May 3, is World Press Freedom Day.

Tomorrow, let us not forget how the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has, through sins of commission and omission, laid waste to press freedom and freedom of expression in this country.

Let us not forget that the nine years Arroyo has reigned have been the most murderous for the Philippine media.

Let us not forget that of the 137 journalists and media workers murdered since 1986, 100 were slain under this administration, 32 of them in the November 23 Ampatuan massacre, the worst single attack on the media ever.

Let us not forget that it was under this administration that the Philippines officially became the most murderous for journalists in the world.

Let us not forget that this is the only administration since the Marcos dictatorship that has actually attempted a wholesale clampdown on the press when Arroyo declared a state of national emergency in 2006.

Let us not forget that this is the only administration since the Marcos dictatorship whose security forces have openly branded media organizations as "enemies of the state."

Let us not forget the 46 journalists slapped with libel cases by Arroyo's husband, Jose Miguel, in a brazen abuse of his influence.

Let us not forget the more than 50 journalists unceremoniously cuffed and hauled to jail for the crime of practicing their profession when they covered the Manila Peninsula siege in 2007.

Let us not forget Congress's shameless attempt to control news content through the Right of Reply Bill even as it killed the Freedom of Information Bill and tried to pull a fast one by crafting a bill that is far worse than the already draconian libel law in existence.

Tomorrow, let us commemorate World Press Freedom Day and, yes, let us celebrate it as well. For if the Philippine media are free, it is no thanks to this administration but because Filipino journalists have chosen to be free. Let us celebrate as well the unprecedented unity the media community has found in the face of the continuing threats.

Just as important, let us commemorate World Press Freedom Day with a solemn vow to make this and all other administrations that would seek to trample on the freedom of the press and of free expression accountable.

Let us wear black.

Let us roll a black runner or runner with black ribbon in the lower thirds of tv newscasts, or reserve a black space in the first page of print and online news with text that says, “Today, as we observe world press freedom day, let us remember all media practitioners killed with impunity and vow to fight until justice is achieved."

Let us observe a minute of silence in newsrooms, radio booths, beats, coverages, meetings or assemblies when the clock strikes at 6 pm. For those who cannot attend the different media gatherings, light candles outside media offices.

Let us gather at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani to say a prayer, offer songs and light torches and candles to remember fallen colleagues at 5:30 pm.

NOTE: NUJP CHAPTERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, TOGETHER WITH OTHER LOCAL MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS, WILL BE HOLDING ACTIVITIES TO COMMEMORATE WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY. KINDLY COORDINATE WITH LOCAL NUJP OFFICERS AND MEMBERS FOR DETAILS. SALAMAT!

PHILIP JAMES MONGAYA TREMEDALCALL OR TEXT ME : E-MAIL ME : pjtremedal@gmail.comvisit my website: www.mindanao-online.tk

(POOLED EDITORIAL BY MEDIA PRACTIONERS IN ZAMBOANGA CITY ON THE OCCASION OF THE OBSERVANCE OF WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY ON MAY 3, 2010.)

We Shall Overcome!

TODAY, May 3, societies and democracies around the globe are celebrating World Press Freedom Day, initiated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate for people’s fundamental rights of expression and access to information and to honor the world’s journalists, especially those who experienced or are experiencing extraordinary circumstances in the performance of their work. Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion andexpression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.” This is not an idle or frivolous right, since free expression and access to information are indispensable to people’s right to and realization of their security, welfare, progress and peace.

For media practitioners in the Philippines, and most especially in Mindanao and Zamboanga City, this observance is tremendously important and significant in light of the unresolved murder of 32 of their colleagues in the so-called Maguindanao Massacre last November 2009, plus the still many others in recent years, particularly under the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. This fact manifests the deadly irony that while the Philippine press is said to be one of the freest in the world, the country is also rated today as the second most dangerous, next to Iraq, in terms of journalists killed and injured.

By failing to extend appropriate protection to Filipino mediamen or give justice to their murdered colleagues, by often trampling the exercise of their duty, the Arroyo administration has displayed a total and criminal disregard and disdain for the Filipino people’s human rights, for justice, for our welfare and for our security and peace. This the Zamboanga media community once again takes this opportunity to strongly condemn. On this day, on behalf of ourselves and the Filipino people we serve, we demand an end to this kind of insidious, anti-people government and this shameless governance, as well as this culture of impunity towards the media and other citizens by the powerful in our society.

We appeal to the next Congress to speedily pass the Freedom of Information Act bill still awaiting final approval in the House of Representatives.


We renew our resolve to persevere in our duty and mission to report the truth, to disseminate fair opinion, to connect people in their dreams and aspirations. Exactly a week from today, on May 10, we will vote for our political leaders who will govern our nation and communities for the next several years. This exercise is but an extension our rights to free expression and a civic, democratic duty that mass media have helped to make real, for voters to make really good choices through the ballots. By all this we shall overcome!

PHILIP JAMES MONGAYA TREMEDALCALL OR TEXT ME : E-MAIL ME : pjtremedal@gmail.comvisit my website: www.mindanao-online.tk

AMIN: Wiping out rice imports by 2013 can be done!

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The Anak Mindanao (AMIN) party-list today urged the government to focus its effort in strengthening rice production in Mindanao if it is really determined in wiping out rice imports by 2013.

Although several agricultural experts say that this is an impossible task, AMIN believes otherwise.

“The Philippines is maybe facing an uphill climb in its effort to wipe out rice imports by 2013, but this can be done. The government only have to focus its attention in developing the vast agricultural areas of the country, particularly Mindanao and strengthen the island’s rice production,” said AMIN Rep. Ariel C. Hernandez.

AMIN strongly believes in the capacity of Mindanao to answer the Philippines’ rice needs, considering that Mindanao is now considered as the Philippines’ food basket, accounting for 40 percent of the country’s total agricultural production.

“Compared to other areas of the Philippines, Mindanao also has the most fertile soil in the country. Most of its areas are also shielded from storms that devastate farms in other parts of the country,” AMIN’s first nominee, Rep. Hernandez said.

Mindanao’s rice production is 23 percent of the Philippines’ total output, the highest among the rice producing areas of the country, according to the International Rice Research Institute. Aside from this, Mindanao is also a top producer of other agricultural products like copra, corn and banana.

“With all these statistics pointing us toward Mindanao, it is only reasonable that government must focus on boosting Mindanao’s agriculture. We in AMIN have for a long time been advocating and demanding for Mindanao’s rightful and equitable share of the country’s finances which we can use to develop our island. It is now high time that government heed our call,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez reiterated the dreams of all Mindanawons for the island to get its equal and rightful share of the country’s wealth, which he said will greatly impact on the island’s march towards sustainable development.

“While there is clearly a bias against Mindanao in the sharing of the national wealth, and while we continue to advocate and urged our national leaders to give Mindanao its rightful and equal share of this wealth, we also have to move on our own and not wait for Manila to heed our calls; we have to do our best to make our island economically viable for investors and businesses,” he said.

AMIN, a true Mindanawon party-list group established to advance the dreams and aspirations of all Mindanawons here and abroad, is seeking to reclaim its seat in Congress in the May 10, 2010 synchronized elections.

AMIN is number 81 in the official ballot.

One of AMIN’s objectives is food security through sustainable agricultural productivity.

“One way of sustaining the productivity of the agriculture sector is empowering farmers and other agricultural workers so that they will profit from all their efforts and endeavors. In this way, we are assured of a stable supply of our basic food which will eventually make us become independent from other countries, which ironically, have overtaken us after learning from us the science of increasing agricultural productivity,” Hernandez said.

AMIN’s Hernandez said that government must take the lead but he encourage all other sectors, particularly the agriculture sector to all initiate reforms and practices that can sustain the sector in the midst of climate change and global warming.

He said one of the ways to shield the sector from the effects of El Niño is water impoundment and rain water collection, which can be used to irrigate ricefields and water farms.

PHILIP JAMES MONGAYA TREMEDALCALL OR TEXT ME : E-MAIL ME : pjtremedal@gmail.comvisit my website: www.mindanao on-line.tk

"Red scare tactics and witch-hunting" against progressive candidates denounced by Maza

MAKABAYAN Coalition and Nacionalista Party senatorial candidate Liza Maza condemned what she called a "systematic red scare and witch-hunting campaign" against progressive candidates as the run-up towards the May 2010 elections heats up.

"They try to rehash the old McCarthyist witch-hunting during the Cold War of the 50's-60's in the US, as well as the failed martial law tactics of the 70's-80's, to implicate progressive groups and candidates with the CPP, the NPA and the NDF. This is a desperate move and does not respond to present realities,” Maza said in a press conference on Saturday.

“They tried to use red-scare when we first ran in 2001, but Bayan Muna got more than a million votes. They did it again in the 2004 elections, and three progressive party-lists branded as "red" won with close to two million votes. Again, they repeated the same tactics in the 2007 elections, and close to three million voters elected four progressive party-lists with eight representatives in Congress," Maza pointed out.

Maza said that she, fellow candidate Satur Ocampo and party-lists Gabriela, Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Kabataan, ACT and Katribu have been experiencing massive vilification and hate campaign all over the country, in which documented cases point to state and non-state actors – military and para-military forces, government and "civil society" groups – as perpetrators.

"Such is a desperate move of Arroyo and those who want to replace her with a yellow crowd. As history has taught us, only the big landlords and compradors can benefit from a hyped anti-communist hysteria. The people need genuine change and the only way for that to happen is to end Arroyo and foil state terrorism," Maza said.

Maza cited instances of vilification and hate campaign such as her and Ocampo’s campaign posters being vandalized with anti-communists slogans. This happened in different cities in the National Capital Region as well as in different provinces in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

In Davao City, members of the 69th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army actively campaign in schools and universities against progressive candidates, telling students not to vote for them in the coming elections. In South Cotabato, the 27th IBPA has been airing smear campaign against the progressive groups over radio, and has been conducting meetings in barrios showing documentary films portraying progressive party-lists, Maza and Ocampo as members and supporters of CPP and NPA since January.

The fisherfolk group Pamalakaya reported that the military in Sorsogon are conducting house-to-house campaign in the province calling on all voters not to vote for militant party-lists and candidates. On February 26, volunteers of Makabayan Coalition who are supposed to deliver campaign materials to Masbate from Sorsogon were harassed by four soldiers armed with high powered rifles.

Individuals and groups supporting Maza and Ocampo’s senatorial bids were also assaulted, intimidated, harassed, slapped with trumped up charges, abducted and illegally detained. Re-electionist town councilor Fernando Baldomero, who is a Bayan Muna provincial coordinator in Aklan and is campaigning for senatorial candidates Liza Maza and Satur Ocampo, survived a grenade lobbed at his house by two motorcycle-riding men in Aklan.

Local bets supporting the Makabayan senatorial bets has also been receiving "poison letters and death threats."

PHILIP JAMES MONGAYA TREMEDALCALL OR TEXT ME : E-MAIL ME : pjtremedal@gmail.comvisit my website: www.mindanao on-line.tk