Gerry Albert Corpuz presents

This is Gerry Albert Corpuz and this is my life and political journey to the world of class struggle and class emancipation

Militant group optimistic on GMA’s ouster next year

Rabid critics of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are optimistic that another popular uprising next year would oust the Chief Executive from Malacañang.

In a press statement, leftwing activists belonging to Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said President Arroyo is highly isolated from the Filipino people based on their social investigation among the grassroots and majority of Filipinos in the countryside want to see her out in Malacañang next year.

“They are angry with the ruling Macapagal-Arroyo clique. That’s the prevailing sentiment among our people, especially the poor. It is the basis of our optimism that the puppet, corrupt, brutal and anti-people regime of Ms Arroyo and her husband Atty. Mike Arroyo would be deposed in 2006,” says Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap.

“ We are hoping for the best. Poverty and hunger, political killings and oppression would escalate unless Ms Arroyo is removed from the Office of the President through another popular uprising in the tradition of Edsa 1 and Edsa 2,” Hicap added.

The militant leader observed that President Arroyo was merely depending on the support of military and police generals who are loyal to her in exchange for political accommodations, promotions and lion’s share on state funds made available for bureaucratic corruption.

“ Aside from giving in to the political and material requests of pro-Arroyo generals in the military and police establishments, Ms Arroyo is pampering her allies in the House of Representatives by showering them with juicy posts and financial rewards. But this kind of set up had long been exposed to and opposed by the people,” Hicap said.

Hicap said the implementation of the expanded-value added tax (E-VAT), the expected series in the surge of oil price hikes and other anti-Filipino and anti-national economic measures of the regime would further agitate the people and stir waves of protests that might culminate into another popular uprising.

“ Ms Arroyo is presenting himself as a strong leader of her own Strong Republic. But the truth is her Republic was in total shambles and she is just picking up the pieces by relying on military and police forces loyal to her and her paid mercenaries dressed as lawmakers in the House of Representatives. But it won’t last long,” Pamalakaya said.

The militant group said 2006 might be the start of the preparations and undeclared election campaign and political positioning for the 2007 national elections. But Pamalakaya said the ouster of Ms Arroyo and the official stance of politicians on the issue would decide the fate of the politician’s chances in 2007 elections.

“ Those would stick with Ms Arroyo would have a hard time winning the 2007 elections. That is the rule of the game in 2007 elections. Anti-Arroyo politicians and forces would dominate the 2007 elections unless pro-Arroyo generals and the bankrupt Commission on Elections manipulate the 2007 polls in favor of Ms. Arroyo’s lapdogs,” Pamalakaya added.

The militant group politicians who would seek their support and endorsement next year would have to agree on their position on number of issues or selection of issues like the ouster of Ms Arroyo, the fight against the anti-terrorism bill, charter change, state repression and political killings, E-VAT, oil price hikes, electricity and water hikes, globalization to cite a few. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 11:45 | link | comments (1) |

Militants on round-the-clock guard against possible new appointees this holiday season
GMA asked: “ What is so special about 2 new presidential appointees?”

Leftwing activists belonging to Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Christmas eve asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo what was so special about Napoleon Morales and Arthur Yap that made her decide to keep these officials and re-appoint as deputy customs commissioner and presidential adviser on job creation respectively.

“ It seems to us that the Macapagal-Arroyo ruling syndicate in Malacañang is planning to stage another super crime of corruption or grand robbery in broad daylight by re-appointing people with checkered pasts and who figured in previous scams and scandals authored by people closed to the Macapagal-Arroyo bubble gang,” says Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz in a press statement.

Corpuz said: “ What is so special about Morales and Yap? We refuse to buy Malacañang’s hard sell of the two officials that they hold exemplary records in public governance, that’s a big baloney.”

On Thursday, President Macapagal-Arroyo swore in Morales, former chief of Batangas customs, as officer in charge of Bureau of Customs replacing Alexander Arevalo, a protégé of former President Fidel Ramos, who earlier threatened to withdraw his support to the Chief Executive if she decides in favor of 2007 election postponement.

Yap’s appointment as special adviser on job creation was released on the same day, but Corpuz stressed that Morales was facing a graft charge before the Office of the Ombudsman, while former agriculture secretary Yap was implicated in the proposed use of P 8 billion coconut levy funds for an undertaking in Mindanao which has nothing to do with the improvement of the coconut industry in the country and that also resulted to the sacking of former Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) chair Evangeline Valbuena.

“ Give us a break. This government is being ruled and surrounded by people implicated in many scams, scandals and crimes of corruption. We are loosing this country to thieves. Like a thief in the night, Ms Arroyo sneaked in the appointments of Morales and Yap. This is the grandmother of all corruption,” Corpuz added.

Pamalakaya warned that President Arroyo might exploit the holiday break to appoint more people with questionable backgrounds or execute orders that would be detrimental to the interests of the Filipino people. “ She is good in that department,” the group said. However, Pamalakaya said its' activists are on the round-the-clock, 24 hour mode to expose and oppose Malacañang's new appointments and executive orders during the holiday season.

The militant group said Ms Arroyo’s appointment of Morales and Yap was not only immoral because it was done in the name of a sinister agenda which is in every mind of all the members of the Macapagal-Arroyo gangland. “ We are not born yesterday not to understand this kind of political roadshow presentation. Something bad is being pushed to accomplish something evil in the name of the ruling mafia in Malacañang,” Pamalakaya added.

Pamalakaya asked both the mainstream opposition to question the morality, political correctness and even legality of Malacañang’s appointment of Morales and Yap to the Macapagal-Arroyo cabinet, saying people with dubious past, questionable backgrounds and shady characters like First Gentleman Atty. Jose Miguel Arroyo and his associates. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 05:41 | link | comments |

Pro-GMA diplomats living like “modern day aristocrats” in foreign lands, says militant group

P 500,000 to 600,000 monthly allowances
Pro-GMA diplomats living like “modern day aristocrats” in foreign lands, says militant group

Philippine diplomats identified with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo are living like modern day aristocrats, according to reports sourced by the militant group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) from its’ staunch ally group Migrante International.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said Philippine consul generals and ambassadors identified with the Macapagal-Arroyo ruling clique are regularly receiving monthly allowances ranging from $ 10,000 to $ 12,000 US or P 550,000 to P 660,000 at the expense of taxpayers money.

Earlier Migrante international chairperson Connie Regalado-Bragas said Philippine consul general to New York Cecille Rebong had been receiving a monthly allowance of 10,000 US dollars and was living like a full-time New Yorker.

Quoting the same Migrante International document, Pamalakaya said Consul General Corazon Belmonte in Hong Kong was allowed by the Macapagal-Arroyo government to spend one-and-half Hong Kong dollars ($ HK 1.5 M or P 10.5 M) to renovate her residence in the former British colony.

“ Diplomats loyal to President Arroyo are living like modern day aristocrats in foreign countries at the expense of taxpayers money. This is their reward for peddling lies to cover up the crimes of the cheating executive and immoral occupant in Malacañang,” Hicap said.

According to Hicap, the Philippine ambassador to Italy Philippe Lhuillier receives a monthly allowance of 10,000 to 12,000 US dollars or equivalent to P 550,000 to P 660,000. He said Marciano Paynor Jr., the country’s consulate general in Los Angeles, California receives a monthly living allowance of $ US 10,500 or P 577,500.

“ The Macapagal-Arroyo government is spending huge sum of tax payers money to promote the legitimacy of the illegitimate, corrupt and puppet administration. This illegal, detestable and gross malversation of public funds must be put to an end,” the militant leader said.

Aside from Rebong, Lhuillier and Payno Jr., four other pro-Gloria diplomats are also spending huge sum of taxpayers’ money in foreign countries. They are Consul General Minerva Jean Falcon in Berlin Germany ($ US 11,000 or P 605,000), Consul General Hector Villaroel ($ US 11,000 or P 605,000) in Paris, France, Consul General Victor Garcia ($US 10,000 or P 550,000) and Consul General Aladin Villacorte ($ US 10,000 or P 550,000) in Seoul, South Korea.

Pamalakaya sought an immediate investigation, including lifestyle checks on the government diplomats mentioned in the elite list of consulate generals and ambassadors whom they accused of spending public funds in foreign countries.

“ Pro-Arroyo oligarchs and aristocrats passing themselves off as consulate generals and ambassadors should be stopped from wasting taxpayers’ money. This kind of puppetry and political arrogance in the name of the ruling Macapagal-Arroyo syndicate must be put to an end,” the group added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 02:41 | link | comments |

GMA asked: Are Hong Kong bound Filipino activists covered by Palace CPR?

GMA asked: Are Hong Kong bound Filipino
activists covered by Palace CPR?

Is the monster known as calibrated preemptive response (CPR) is being used by Malacañang to stop Filipino activists from joining the anti-WTO protest activities in Hong Kong?

The 64-dollar question came to the mind of and raised by Gerry Albert Corpuz, Public information officer of leftwing fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), one of the groups invited to join the anti-WTO parallel activities in the former British colony from December 13-18.

“ Last week three of my colleagues were detained for 6 hours by Hong Kong immigration officials without no legal basis. Yesterday, another anti-WTO activist was detained for three hours, again without any legal basis,” Corpuz said in a press statement.

Last week, three Filipino activists- Dr. Carol Araullo, chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Elisa Tita Lubi of Gabriela and Norma Biñas, KMU’s vice chair for international relations were detained and interrogated by Hong Kong immigration officials for six hours.

Yesterday, KMP Secretary General Danilo Ramos was detained by Hong Kong immigration officials for three hours and was asked several questions related to the anti-WTO parallel actions in the former British colony.

These cases of illegal detention came at the time Pamalakaya learned from a highly placed source that the Philippine government had covertly engaged in exchange of information with the Hong Kong government regarding Filipino groups and activists that would take part in the anti-WTO protest in China’s special administrative region (SRA).

“ The CPR is very much in effect, extending its repressive tentacles in Hong Kong courtesy of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration. The extreme harassment, illegal detention and interrogation done on Hong Kong bound Filipino activists by Hong Kong immigration officials was initiated and pushed by the Arroyo government in partnership with the host of the 6th WTO Ministerial Meeting currently, which currently in state of paranoia,” Corpuz asserted

Pamalakaya said the Macapagal-Arroyo government had demonized and vilified anti-WTO activists in Manila as troublemakers who should be watched by the Hong Kong government, immigration officials and local police force.

But the group appealed to Hong Kong immigration officials to be just, fair and rational in dealing with anti-WTO activists staging their conferences, seminars and creative and peaceful protests in Hong Kong.

“ We appeal to the Hong Kong authorities to allow us to exercise our legitimate rights as covered and upheld by the United Nations and international laws. We ask them to cease and desist from performing this campaign of repression and vilification pushed by WTO-obsessed and puppet regimes,” Pamalakaya stressed.

The militant group said it would join several activities in Hong Kong like the conference on War and Trade sponsored by the International League of People’s Struggles (ILPS), the International Rural People’s Tribunal (IRPT), the Rice Festival and the workshops on Trade Related Intellectual Property System (TRIPS) and Non-Agricultural Market Access (NAMA). #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 14:32 | link | comments |

GMA asked: Did you order Isafp to wiretap you and Garci?

GMA asked: Did you order Isafp to wiretap you and Garci?

All we want is a categorical yes or no from the Commander-in-chief. Did she ask Isafp to wiretap her and former Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano?

Leaders of the leftwing activist group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Saturday insisted President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to answer a national inquiry on allegations that she instructed the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Isafp) to wiretap her conversations with ex-Comelec commissioner to test the loyalty of the former top poll official implicated in election fraud to ensure the victory of Ms Arroyo in May 2004 elections.

“ The political-military animals in Isafp won’t perform the wiretapping without the consent of the ruling clique in Malacañang. This truth is currently being suppressed by Malacañang and Ms Arroyo’s gang in the Isafp for obvious reason,” says Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap.

“ Let’s call a spade a spade. Isafp will not proceed with the wiretapping crimes without any order coming from the top honchos of the Macapagal-Arroyo group. Ms Arroyo is the principal actor behind this round-the-clock game of lies, deceptions and betrayals,” Hicap added.

The militant leader said President Arroyo was not only a willing victim of the wiretapping controversy involving election fraud, but the decisive brain behind the Hello Garci scandal. Hicap said Malacañang was evading the issue because the logical conclusion would pinpoint Ms Arroyo and military generals and intelligence officials loyal to the President as culprits.

“ Isafp’s wiretapping of the President and her favorite Comelec official had the blessings of Ms Arroyo and the ruling syndicate in Malacañang. No amount of denial can save Ms Arroyo, the Isafp and the entire gang of the President,” Hicap added.

The military refused to comment on the wiretapping issue, asserting that the proper venue is the courts and that proper charges should be filed first against Isafp before they attend to the Hello Garci wiretapping scandal.

For his part, Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz supported the senators’ move to cut the budget of Isafp and stall the confirmation of AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Generoso Senga by the powerful Commission on Appointment if concerned military officials refuse to shed light and pinpoint the mastermind behind the Hello Garci wiretapping scandal.

“ The death of the military careers of Gen. Senga and his boys in Isafp, the cut in the intelligence budget and the possible abolition of Isafp are the most logical and just punishments for those who connived to hide the truth behind the Gloriagate brouhaha,” Corpuz asserted.

The group’s information chief said Gen. Senga and the intelligence officials of Isafp have no choice but to cooperate with the Senate investigation, allow implicated officers to attend the hearings and testify on what they know about the Hello Garci wiretapping scandal or face imminent death of their respective military and political careers in the near future.

“ As if they have a choice. It is now time to turn the tables around against Ms Arroyo and toe the line of national interest and collective sentiment of the people,” Corpuz said. “ The Isafp has two choose between their loyalty to Ms Arroyo or the Filipino people demanding the truth and nothing but the truth on the Hello Garci wiretapping controversy,” he added. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 14:30 | link | comments |

Why Filipino Fisherfolk Want WTO junked?

A Briefing Paper prepared by Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya-National Federation of Small Fisherfolk Organizations in the Philippines) on the occasion of the International Rural People’s Tribunal on WTO
Hong Kong, SAR, December 15, 2005

I. Introduction

The progressive Filipino fisherfolk under the banner of Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya-National Federation of Small Fisherfolk Organizations in the Philippines), an alliance of 43 provincial organizations in the Philippines is one of the basic sectoral organizations that composed the Philippine frontline in opposing the corporate regime of World Trade Organization (WTO), the main instrument of global exploiting economies for imperialist plunder and economic component of US reinvigorated campaign on wars of aggression.

Since this US-led re-intensified economic invasion of underdeveloped and poor economies came into existence in 1995 through the ratification of the Uruguay Round of the General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) protests and other forms of resistance have been lodged both domestic and offshore to defeat the evil, immoral and exploitative campaign of global monopoly powers.

Pamalakaya together with other rural-based groups in the Philippines has been calling for the junking and abolition of WTO, an advocacy that was brought to a number of international gatherings, global lobby groups and conferences over the last 10 years, exposing the evil empire of WTO engineered by the global fishing interests in the world led by imperialist nations—the United States, Japan and fishing capitalists of continental Europe.

As early as 1994, Pamalakaya along with staunch allies in the Philippines---- the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP-National Peasant Movement of the Philippines) and the National Federation of Sugar Workers in the Philippines (NFSW), two of the biggest rural-based organizations in the country established the Pambansang Ugnayan ng mga Mamamayan laban sa GATT or PUMALAG (National People’s Network Against GATT), a national coordinating campaign body tasked to undertake a national and international campaign against the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the predecessor of WTO.

The rest was history---- despite the Philippine Senate’s ratification of GATT in early 1995 that paved way for the membership of the Philippine government to WTO, the regime of imperialist trade was totally exposed to and opposed by the Filipino people with a sounding verdict of national rejection and wholesale condemnation before the court of public opinion due to the active opposition of Pamalakaya and other opposition groups in the Philippines.
The campaign undertaken by Pamalakaya and other Philippine groups against WTO and imperialist globalization illustrates a brilliant 10-year record of resistance against this regime of global exploitation, across-the-sea corporate takeover and imperialist denial of global fisher people’s rights and welfare and wanton destruction of national patrimony and environment in the name of super monopoly profits under the emblem of WTO and “ borderless economy and free trade”.

II. A Decade of Economic Chaos, Modern Day Slavery and Unbridled Exploitation Imposed on Filipino fisherfolk

US taking away country's best fish products from Filipinos

The United States, the biggest economic super power in the world is taking away the best fish products produced by local Filipino fishermen and fish workers. From 2000 to 2003, American import fishing companies had been shipping out an average of 35,000 metric tons or 35 million kilos of high valued fishery products per year, depriving 84 million Filipinos of the country’s best catch.

In 2002, the United States cornered 35,563 metric tons of high-valued fish products harvested in the Philippines. The US was followed by Japan (30,065 metric tons), Hong Kong (16,115 metric tons), Taiwan (14,928 metric tons), Korea (9,423 metric tons), Canada (9, 334 metric tons), Germany (6,159 metric tons), Singapore (6,062 metric tons), United Kingdom (5,908 metric tons) and Denmark (3,505 metric tons).

Filipino fisherfolk and other local fish producers are reduced by the Macapagal-Arroyo administration as modern day slaves, who are tasked to harvest and produce the best of our fishery products to please the corporate lords of WTO and globalization," Hicap lamented.

The country's top exports include tuna, shrimp and prawn, seaweeds, octopus and squid. In 2002, the country's total exports grossed over 180,000 metric tons. In the same year, the country imported 218,000 metric tons of various fish products mostly from Canary Islands (31, 519 metric tons), US (29,585 metric tons), Peru (25,101 metric tons), China (16,505 metric tons), Mauritania (14,949 metric tons), Taiwan (11,271 metric tons), Thailand (10,232 metric tons), Indonesia (9,471 metric tons), Japan (6,765 metric tons) and Chile (5,252 metric tons).

The anarchic dumping of foreign fish surplus resulted to one-sided trade. Hundreds of thousands of fisherfolk were economically displaced by the massive influx of cheap, surplus fish and other-based products resulting to tremendous fall in income levels from a high of P 500 per catch to
P 50-100 per catch or a gross reduction of 80 percent to 90 percent daily income.

In the case of Tuna fish catchers in Genera Santos City in Far South Mindanao, strong opposition had been lodged against perpetual dumping of Taiwanese are dumping non-export grade tuna at the Davao Fish Port.


The Taiwanese and other international fishing fleets' dumping of imported tuna is killing the local tuna industry in the Philippines to the detriment of Filipino catch tuna operators and 40,000 small tuna fisherfolk in General Santos City and Sarangani province because the imported tunas are sold in the wet markets of Davao and General Santos.

The government's passive address on this homegrown economic undertaking in the South is slowly but surely killing the P 4.5 billion tuna industry. Under Fisheries Administrative Order 195 Taiwanese tuna and other foreign fisheries products transported to the Philippines are supposed to be sold to institutional buyers, but the exporters and their local contacts managed to escape monitoring to bring the imported tuna to domestic markets.

A total of 1.2 metric tons or 120 thousand kilos are being carried by 3- 4 Taiwanese fishing boats daily in Davao Fish Port and these thousands of Taiwanese tuna find their way in the wet markets of Davao, General Santos and Sarangani provinces.

Small tuna catchers said Taiwanese tuna is sold at P 60 per kilo in the wet market compared to P 120 per kilo price of local tuna. They stressed that the massive dumping of heavily subsidized tuna imports would soon displace 40,000 tuna fishermen and over 200,000 people dependents.

The European Union for instance had pegged its tariff on Philippine tuna between 12 to 24 percent to protect its own tuna industry, while the Philippine government had drastically reduced tariffs for imported tuna between 5 to l2 percent to accommodate surplus tuna from other countries under the Early Voluntary Sectoral Program (EVSL) under the WTO.

While the corporate fishing monopolies and the puppet government of President Arroyo are joining forces to reduce tariffs imposed on fishery products to facilitate the unbridled influx of cheap fish surplus abroad to the country, these fishing giants controlling the WTO empire and the Macapagal-Arroyo administration are into covert and overt agreements to deny small Filipino fisherfolk the much-deserved subsidy for fish catch production.

A report said between 14 to 20 billion US dollars in total subsidies are granted to fishers in such nations as the United States, European Union, Japan and Taiwan to boost their competitiveness in the global arena, while municipal fishers in the Philippines do not receive a single centavo worth of production subsidy from the Philippine government, a shocking reality that was never admitted by the present Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

At present WTO practice, the fisheries sector is not part of Agreement on Agriculture (AoA, but illogically placed along industrial products such as cement and ceramics and therefore included in non-market access agreement (NAMA).

Privatization and conversion of fishing grounds

The country’s major fishing grounds are massively appropriated for industrial, eco-tourism and other commercial purposes as long as these would yield super profits or promising returns on investments to clients of the ruling syndicate controlling political power in Malacañang Palace.
A case in point is the ongoing oil exploration in Tañon Strait, a protected seascape separating the island provinces of Cebu and Negros. The Macapagal-Arroyo government through Department of Energy (DoE) awarded a 7-year oil and gas exploration contract to Forum Exploration Incorporated of Canada and Japanese Petroleum Exploration (Japex) to tap the 1 billion barrel of oil reserves.

The Macapagal-Arroyo government was planning to declare a five-year fish ban in the Visayas sea that would include not only Cebu and Negros, but also Samar and Leyte provinces, Panay Island, Bohol and Masbate to allow oil drilling and gas explorations in the Visayas sea, which the government said has vast potentials for oil and natural gas.

From an average of 20-30 kilos of fish catch a day, small fisherfolk are now only catching an average of 3 to 5 kilos a day since the joint oil exploration kicked off last May, according to an environmental mission sponsored by Pamalakaya chapter in Cebu last September. Prior to oil exploration, small fisherfolk had been earning an average of P 1,500 a day but when Forum and Japex started oil drilling in May, daily income fell to an average of P 150 to
P 250/day.

The WTO-instigated invasion of the Visayan Sea in the name of liberalized investment policy would result to reduction of the country’s annual fish production of 600,000 metric tons per year, thus endangering not only the food security of the people, but also would stir a major environmental destruction in the Visayan archipelago.

Small fishermen in the Philippines are also against the mushrooming of so-called fish sanctuaries all over the country. The government says the establishment of fish sanctuaries was meant to protect the country’s fishing grounds from over fishing and other forms of marine destruction only to privatize these sanctuaries and make these structures available for business groups interested in eco-tourism industry. This kind of ‘ monkey business’ is prevalent across the archipelago.

It is interesting to note that the Macapagal-Arroyo government in vain attempt to please the corporate lords of WTO and globalization had offered 543 hectares of shallow waters along the coast of Manila Bay to give way for the construction of casinos in the Philippines.

Over the last 10 years since the re-intensification of free trade regime under the rallying call of WTO, liberalization and globalization, the Philippine government widened the coverage of reclaiming water shores for commercial and industrial undertakings—Cordova Reclamation Project and South Reclamation Project (SRP) in Cebu cities, which cover 3,500 hectares and another 3,000 hectares of coastal areas respectively. The same is being done in several towns surrounding Laguna Lake covering the National Capital Region (NCR), Rizal and Laguna provinces.

The practice of reclaiming shallow waters in Manila Bay for industrial and commercial purposes had evicted 18, 500 families in Manila Bay since early 70s.

In Laguna Lake, the desire of the government to double aquaculture production for export facilitated the mush rooming of fish pens and fish cages in the 20,000-hectare lake. As of now, aquaculture activities in the lake cover over 10,000 hectares of the lake, and this has prevented lake fisherfolk from exploring the bounty of one of the world’s protected lakes

In addition to this lake-wide catastrophe, the government plans to source out and sell over 1.48 billion liters of lake waters to private water supply groups. The government intends to privatize the use of lake by 2025 under the Laguna Lake Master Development Program, a spin off of Calabarzon industrial project initiated since the time of the Marcos dictatorship. This project continues to threaten the livelihood of 18,000 lake fishing families surrounding the lake, aside from the expected environmental holocaust it would bring to Laguna Lake.

III. Abolish WTO is our verdict

The abolition of WTO is what we believe as the most appropriate resolution to end this across-the globe plunder and exploitation. The Filipino fisherfolk, rich in experience and documented accounts on the crimes and follies of WTO render a collective judgment calling for an end to this one-sided, unfair and pro-monopoly set up.

The bases for such verdict as presented before the International Rural People’s Tribunal (IRPT) are as follows:

1. Globalization aggravated the Filipino farmers and fisherfolk problem of landlessness and loss communal fishing grounds to the transnational corporations, local big businesses and big landlords.
2. WTO and globalization promoted unprecedented plunder and private appropriation of lands and fishery resources to allow idle capital of WTO controlling interests to accumulate more through production of export crops, eco-tourism, industrial and commercial projects in the name of super monopoly profits and at the expense of national patrimony and fisher people’s economic, political, cultural and social rights.
3. The liberalized trade regime further exacerbate the indiscriminate dumping of surplus fish and eater-based products from US, Japan, European Union, Taiwan and other nations that resulted to unprecedented bankruptcy of Filipino fisherfolk and other rural producers.
4. Millions of fisherfolk and rural producers in the countryside have joined the ranks of jobless people in the country. To date, over 1 million farmers, fishermen and small agricultural producers were added to the growing list of jobless people in the Philippines.
5. The WTO and liberalization engineered sweeping destruction of fishing grounds and the marine environment over the last 10 years. Aside from reclamation, privatization and conversion of fishing areas into havens for commerce and industry, oil drilling and exploration.

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 08:39 | link | comments |

Eskapista ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros?

Napanood ko kamakailan ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros sa SM Sta. Mesa. Curious ako na panoorin dahil sa sunod-sunod na international award na tinanggap ng nasabing obra mula sa Montreal at Singapore filmfest.

Si Max, ang 12 anyos na bading na kinakalinga at minamahal ng isang hoodlum na pamilya at na-inlove sa isang ideyalistang pulis.  Bagong presentasyon ng isang pelikulang inugat sa metapisikal na pananaw ng mga taong nasa likod ng Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros. Pero malayo sa katotohanan, eskapista at tila walang galit sa  mundo ng modernong era ng pang-aalipin at pagsasamantala.

Nasayang ang isang materyal na sana'y napaunlad at higit pang nailapat sa lupa. Sa halip na makapag-ahita at maging tuntungan ng paglalantad at pagkasuklam, nanatiling bulag, pipi at bingi ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros at uminog lamang ang buhay niya sa pamilyang sanggano na eksperto sa  pagmamahal sa isang bading at sa imahe at laman ng ideyalistang pulis na ang tingin sa kolonya ng squatter sa Maynila ay pugad ng mga pangunahing mandarambong at manggagantso ng lipunan.

Ganap na magiging dalaga si Maxi ilang taon mula ngayon. Sana'y may lumikha uli ng pelikula tungkol sa kanya pero sana sa pagkakataong ito, ay ganap nang mabago ang kanyang pananaw sa buhay tulad ng mga taong naunang lumikha ng kanyang pagdadalaga.

Sana nahintay ni Lino Brocka ang pagdadalaga ni Maxi, para maipakilala nya ito kay Insiang, kay Kuala, kay Bona at kay Miguelito..

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 10:03 | link | comments |

US taking away country’s best fish products from Pinoys

10 years of WTO
US taking away country’s best fish products from Pinoys

The United States, the biggest economic super power in the world is taking away the best fish products produced by local Filipino fishermen and fish workers, according the a study made by the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya).

Pamalakaya, one of the groups calling for the abolition of the World Trade Organization (WTO) said from 2000 to 2003, American fishing companies had been shipping out an average of 35,000 metric tons or 35 million kilos of high valued fishery products per year, depriving Filipinos of our best catch.

“ Under the WTO trade regime, US corporate fishing interests summarily deny 80 million Filipinos of their rights to enjoy the fruits of our own hard labor in the name of monopoly profits,” says Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

In 2002, Pamalakaya said the United States cornered 35,563 metric tons of high-valued fish products harvested in the Philippines. The US was followed by Japan (30,065 metric tons), Hong Kong (16,115 metric tons), Taiwan (14,928 metric tons), Korea (9,423 metric tons), Canada (9, 334 metric tons), Germany (6,159 metric tons), Singapore (6,062 metric tons), United Kingdom (5,908 metric tons) and Denmark (3,505 metric tons).

“ Filipino fisherfolk and other local fish producers are reduced by the Macapagal-Arroyo administration as modern day slaves, who are tasked to harvest and produce the best of our fishery products to please the corporate lords of WTO and globalization,” Hicap lamented.

The country’s top exports include tuna, shrimp and prawn, seaweeds, octopus and squid. In 2002, the country’s total exports grossed over 180,000 metric tons. In the same year, the country imported 218,000 metric tons of various fish products mostly from Canary Islands (31, 519 metric tons), US (29,585 metric tons), Peru ( 25,101 metric tons), China (16,505 metric tons), Mauritania (14,949 metric tons), Taiwan (11,271 metric tons), Thailand (10,232 metric tons), Indonesia (9,471 metric tons), Japan (6,765 metric tons) and Chile (5,252 metric tons).

“ We produce the best for big controlling interests in WTO, but we are at the receiving end of this incorrigible dumping of surplus fish products all over the world,” Hicap lamented. Most of the country’s imports, the militant leader said were the same fish produced by local fishers in the country like galunggong (round scad) and bangus (milkfish) and other fish meals from US, Japan, Chile, Peru and Taiwan.

“ The 10 years of WTO is an economic nightmare and national destruction for small fisherfolk in the country. Something must be done to end this game of the monopolies,” Pamalakaya stressed.

Pamalakaya is set to present their cases and charges against WTO and its ruling monopoly stakeholders like US, Japan and the continental Europe on December 15 in Hong Kong before the International Rural People’s Tribunal. The group said the Macapagal-Arroyo administration would be included in their charge sheet once they present their case before the tribunal.

“ Let’s call a spade a spade. Ms Arroyo, the undisputed no.1 apologist of WTO, trade liberalization, monopoly trade and globalization in Asia was instrumental in creating national destruction of the country’s agrarian and agricultural landscape due to her obsession to ‘ free trade’,” Pamalakaya added.

The International Rural People’s Tribunal (IRPT) against the World Trade Organization (WTO) on December 15 in Hong Kong would have over 200 farmers and fisherfolk representatives from the Philippines, Malaysia, France, Indonesia, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Africa, Cuba, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Kenya and other countries in Latin America.

“ This is going to be the trial of the millennium. Farmers and fisherfolk organizations representing the continents of Asia, Europe and Latin America will try WTO and its leading corporate controllers for their economic, agricultural and agrarian crimes against farmers, fisherfolk and rural producers worldwide,” Hicap said.

Pamalakaya said the IRPT would be composed of presidium of judges headed by UN ad litem Romeo Capulong and 2005 Nobel Peace Prize nominee Malaysian social activist Irene Fernandez. The college of jurors, Hicap said would come from peasant representatives from Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Africa, Cuba, France, Philippines and Hong Kong.

The panel of prosecutors would come from the Philippines, Bangladesh, France, India and from global activist groups like the International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS) and the Hong Kong-based Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM.).

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 07:31 | link | comments |

Militant groups set international tribunal against WTO on Dec. 15

Militant groups set international tribunal against WTO on Dec. 15

Militant rural organizations in the Philippines will lead the International Rural People’s Tribunal (IRPT) against the World Trade Organization (WTO) on December 15 in Hong Kong, the host of the 6th Ministerial Meeting of the WTO slated on December 13 to 18 in the former British colony.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap, one of the groups participating in the IRPT said farmers and fishermen organizations from the Philippines, Malaysia, France, Indonesia, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Africa, Cuba, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Kenya and other countries in Latin America will spearhead the tribunal sponsored by the Asian Peasant Coalition (APC), the largest international rural network in Asia opposed to globalization.

Hicap said over 200 farmers and fisherfolk leaders across Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America are expected to witness and participate in the first all rural people’s international tribunal against WTO on Dec.15.

The Pamalakaya leader said he would present the mining case of Lafayette and oil drilling and oil exploration activities in Tañon Strait, the Navotas Controlled Disposal Facility (NDCF), the massive destruction of Manila Bay and Laguna Lake as concrete examples on how WTO made life miserable for the Filipino fisherfolk and the environment.

“ This is going to be the trial of the millennium. Farmers and fisherfolk organizations representing the continents of Asia, Europe and Latin America will try WTO and its leading corporate controllers for their economic, agricultural and agrarian crimes against farmers, fisherfolk and rural producers worldwide,” Hicap said.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said the IRPT would be composed of presidium of judges headed by UN ad litem Romeo Capulong and 2005 Nobel Peace Prize nominee Malaysian social activist Irene Fernandez. The college of jurors, Hicap said would come from peasant representatives from Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Africa, Cuba, France, Philippines and Hong Kong.

The panel of prosecutors would come from the Philippines, Bangladesh, France, India and from global activist groups like the International League of People’s Struggle (ILPS) and the Hong Kong-based Asia Pacific Mission for Migrants (APMM).

The witness panel, Hicap said would come from peasant and agricultural workers groups in India, Philippines, Mexico, France and other Latin American countries. The militant leader said his colleague Danilo Ramos, secretary general of the leftwing peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and APC secretary general was invited to present the Philippine experience and strong case against the 10 years of WTO.

“ The verdict and the judgment against the WTO will be circulated through e-mail groups and would be submitted to concerned agencies of the United Nations like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and International Labor Organization (ILO),” Hicap said.

Pamalakaya said it might also propose for the creation of International Criminal Court (ICC) that would try governments, corporate groups and other entities for performing economic crimes arising or emanating from the execution of the “ free trade” agreement under WTO.

“ There must be an independent court that should address economic and social crimes emanating from WTO. We cannot expect this world body to render justice to victims of economic crimes, because WTO is nothing but a global syndicate of big corporate interests and their domestic and international puppets,” the group said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 06:31 | link | comments |

Militants on RP’s int’l mining award: Nothing to celebrate

Militants on RP’s int’l mining award: Nothing to celebrate

There’s nothing to celebrate.

This was the reaction of the leftwing fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) after an international mining and investment community named the country as the best place to invest in mining for 2005.

“ It is short of saying that the country’s national patrimony is cheaper by the dozen and grossly reserved for any kind of open, massive and destructive mining,” the group said in a press statement.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said the award given to the country was a direct affront to the people’s collective interest against large-scale corporate mining and plunder of national wealth.

“ The award is not for the Filipino people, but for the Macapagal-Arroyo government which champions the cause of mining giants, corporate takeover and plunder of national patrimony. It was given by the mining clients of Ms Arroyo for being a true puppet of mining monopolies,” Hicap added.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Michael Defensor received the country award during the Mines and Money World Congress in London. The controversial secretary likened the award to Oscars of Hollywood and Famas of the local movie industry. 1,200 industry leaders attended the Congress from 120 countries involved in mining.

But the leftwing leader assailed Defensor for dragging the people’s name before the international community in vain attempt to convince investors that mining is widely accepted by the Filipino people and the Macapagal-Arroyo government was doing the right thing in declaring the country as ‘ haven for mining investments’.

“ Defensor is lying on his teeth when he said that mining as a flagship industry would generate revenues for the country, investments and development of upland communities. He is a certified liar and global apologist for all-time plunderers in the mining sector,” Hicap said.

To disprove the government’s claim that mining is welcomed by Filipinos, Pamalakaya chapters in Bohol. Cebu, Panay Island, Negros Island, Samar, Leyte and Masbate is set to conduct a Visayan-wide petition signing campaign in January next year in opposition to oil drilling and gas exploration in Tañon Strait, a protected seascape separating the islands of Cebu and Negros.

Pamalakaya said a Visayas-wide fluvial rally against the oil exploration in Tañon Strait will be conducted also early next year to dramatize their opposition the against the oil mining activity of Forum and Japex in the protected seascape.

Two foreign mining investors—the Forum Exploration Incorporated of Canada and the Petroleum Corporation (Japex) invested 10 million dollars for the oil exploration and gas mining in Tañon Strait, which according to initial findings could yield at least 1 billion liters of oil.

The militant group that conducted an environmental investigative mission held last September 9-12 said the oil drilling in Tañon Strait which began operating in May this year resulted to mass reduction of fish catch by an average of 25 kilos per day, from 30 kilos of fish to 5 kilos of fish per day. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 14:15 | link | comments |

Rabid anti-GMA group wants 15 SC justices to pick next chief

Outgoing SC Chief Justice Davide pressed to pursue a Palace free-selection of replacement
Rabid anti-GMA group wants 15 SC justices to pick next chief

Critics of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Friday urged the 15 justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines to choose among themselves the successor of Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. and disregard the practice of empowering the President from performing the job of choosing the next head of highest tribunal.

“ Why allow Ms Arroyo to choose from the short list of nominees? She is in no moral position,” the rabid anti-group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said in a press statement.

“ This is a serious matter that demands the collective spirit and wisdom of the justices. This is not all about corruption and betrayal, so why give the corrupt and anti-people President the final say on who would be the next SC Chief Justice,” said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap asked the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to allow the 15 judges of the high tribunal to process the selection process and deny President Arroyo the right to choose the replacement of soon-to-retire SC chief Justice Davide.

“ The court of public opinion and the national sentiment and collective interest of the Filipino people command the JBC not to submit the short list of nominees to President Arroyo for approval because she is corrupt, bogus and the country’s no.1 violator of social justice,” the militant leader added.

Pamalakaya said outgoing SC chief Justice Davide should pursue a Palace-free selection of the next chief of the highest court in the land to prevent Malacañang and the ruling Macapagal-Arroyo clique from enforcing its’ policy of political accommodation.

“ What if the next SC chief justice becomes beholden to the illegitimate and anti-people president in Malacañang? What is the assurance that the next highest court official of the land would not toe Malacañang’s line given the fact that he or she is an appointee of Ms Arroyo?” Pamalakaya said.

Earlier, voting 6-2, the JBC narrowed down its choices for the SC chief Justice post to Associate Justices Artemio Panganiban, Reynato Puno and Leonardo Quisumbing. Other Associate Justices, who could have qualified as nominees, being senior members of the court, have chosen to give way to the three.

The JBC also denied administration Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s bid to replace Davide. Reports confirmed that the administration senator was the original choice of President Arroyo to become the first woman SC Chief Justice.

The group hailed the decision as a major slap on Ms Arroyo’s face, but cautioned the JBC not to submit the narrowed list of nominees to Malacañang for approval, saying the council is entitled to form a selection committee among those nominees in its’ short list.

“ If the judiciary is really independent from the Executive Branch of the government, then why allow Ms Arroyo to have the final say? Is it immoral and grossly insulting to the people to have a SC chief justice who is loyal to any ruling clique in Malacañang and its big business and political clients and not to the people of the Philippines?” Pamalakaya said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 14:13 | link | comments |

Manila Archbishop told: “Pls. return Gloria’s P 1 million donation, it’s against the Gospel”- militant group

Manila Archbishop told: “Pls. return Gloria’s P 1 million donation, it’s against the Gospel”- militant group

Leftwing activists belonging to Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Thursday asked Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales to return the P 1-million contribution donated by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the prelate’s ‘Pondo ng Pinoy’ project.

“ Please return the P 1 million peso donation from Ms Arroyo. It is against the gospel,” said Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz in reaction to statement issued by Peachy Yamsuan, communications director of the Archdiocese of Manila that the President did nothing wrong when she donated a million peso to the pro-poor project of Archbishop Rosales.

“ Accepting money or any kind of contribution from an illegitimate, corrupt, puppet and fascist government is a direct affront to the gospel of truth, justice, fair play and objectivity. We hope the Manila Archbishop will take our advise seriously because we don’t want him to be implicated in this Palace-bred bribery system,” the group’s spokesperson said.

The one million peso donation to Rosales’ Pondo ng Pinoy project came from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) fund and was received by Rosales less than a month after the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) came up with a statement that did not call for the president’s resignation.

The occasion took place at the relaunching on August 4 of the Church-owned Radio Veritas in Makati, where President Arroyo was the guest of honor, according to two Church insiders who are senior priests.

“ Ms Arroyo has cruel intentions when she donated P 1 million peso of PCSO funds to Rosales’ Pondo ng Pinoy project. We will not buy her story that all she wants is to help the poor. That’s is totally ridiculous and grossly insulting to the collective minds of church people and the Filipino public in general,” Corpuz said.

While Pamalakaya’s Corpuz mode on Archbishop’s Rosales was more of an appeal and expressed in compassionate manner, his attack against President Arroyo was scathing and highly combative.

“ Ms Arroyo’s obsession to remain in power is the root cause of all this evil. The president’s desire to retain her illegally acquired mandate in last year’s elections is the key element behind this act of bribery and corruption victimizing the top leaders of the Roman Catholic faith,” he said.

Pamalakaya asked leaders of the CBCP to denounce President Arroyo’s immoral invasion of the Church, using state pension funds and taxpayers money to divide and rule the ranks of top religious leaders and the church people’s communities critical and highly opposed to Ms Macapagal-Arroyo’s anti-Church, anti-people and immoral rule.

“ The CBCP should not only expose this presidential operations in the name of the ruling mafia in Malacañang, it must vigorously oppose this immoral and syndicated campaign of the Palace,” the group said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 09:18 | link | comments |

Obando fishers elevate case vs. Navotas dumpsite to NDFP, GRP peace panels

Obando fishers elevate case vs. Navotas dumpsite
to NDFP, GRP peace panels

Obando fishermen and residents affected by the operations of Navotas Controlled Disposal Facility (NDCF) had both sought the help of the communist-led National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) to resolve the ongoing dispute between them and the Philippine Ecology System Incorporation (Phileco).

Leaders and mass members of the activist fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) chapter in Obando, Bulacan kicked off a petition signing campaign asking both the NDFP and the GRP to stop Phileco from dumping garbage into the controversial dumpsite due to it’s destructive effects on fisherfolk livelihood, residents’ health and environment.

“ It is the first of its’ kind, but we have to try other venues to stop this corporate madness pursued at the expense of people’s livelihood, health and environment. An beside, the dumpsite paved way for the violation of all aspects of human life from human rights to socio-economic rights,” Pamalakaya said in a press statement.

Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap learned that two weeks ago, its’ chapter Pamalakaya-Bulacan filed before the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC) of the NDFP and GRP a petition signed by 2,000 fisherfolk and residents asking both panels to immediately resolve the case.

“ They are asking the two governments to discuss and put forward a resolution that would stop the garbage contractor and Navotas Mayor Toby Tiangco from dumping several hundreds of tons of metro garbage to NCDF,” Hicap said.

“ It’s an objective move. It has sound political and moral basis. We support the initiative in the name of the collective interest of Obando fisherfolk and residents long been victimized by this stupid race for super profits at the expense of the people and the environment,” added Hicap.

He said last November 13, a 100 combined striking force composed of Obando police, SWAT, maritime police, Cafgu, marines and coastguards accompanied the barge carrying tons of garbage enroute to NCDF so it could pass through Binuangan River in Obando. The fishermen with the help of residents tried to block the barge and were hit by police and military forces.

Hicap said authorities in uniform had tried to arrest two Pamalakaya leaders Ricardo de Armas, chair of Pamalakaya-Bulacan and brother Sonny de Armas for leading the barricade against Phileco barges.

From April to October this year, Obando fishermen and residents had successfully blocked the attempt of the garbage contractor and Mayor Tiangco to let the barge pass Salambao and Binuangan River systems.

The petition letter submitted to communist and government peace panels lamented President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s inaction and gross failure to address the dumpsite issue.

“ Two years ago, the petitioners asked President Arroyo to address the issue but she snubbed their plea and refused to make a necessary correcting measure. That’s why we forward our request to the NDFP and the GRP for appropriate action,” Pamalakaya’s letter-petition said.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap said Obando fishermen and residents assert that Phileco, Mayor Tiangco and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) even violated a provision of the Republic Act 9003, which prohibits any dumpsite structure located near any water systems in the country.

According to Pamalakaya, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Reform (BFAR) had recommended the closure of Navotas dumpsite after a water sampling it conducted two years ago revealed that garbage facility was the culprit behind the pollution and chemical contamination of Binuangan River, but the DENR refused to acknowledge the findings and instead extended Phileco operations till December 2005. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 00:45 | link | comments |

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