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

Resignation of MTRCB chief sought
over X-rating of anti-GMA films

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Wednesday sought the resignation of Ms Marissa Laguardia, chair of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) for giving X ratings to short films critical of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her administration.

“The MTRCB Chief is guilty beyond reasonable doubt of extra judicial killing in murdering the artist and people’s right to free speech and expression. She has no political, legal and moral right to prevent the public showing of meaningful films,” said Pamalakaya national chairperson Fernando Hicap.

Laguardia said she was standing by the decision of the review committees in disallowing short films “Mendiola”, “ A Day in the Life of Gloria Arroyo” and “ Rights”, a compilation of “public service announcements on human rights, extrajudicial killings and disappearances.

“Who is she? What political, moral and legal authority does she have to tell the public what is good and what is bad for them? She’s nothing but a second rate copy cat of Mrs. Arroyo and an apologist of the brutal national security group in Malacañang,” Pamalakaya’s Hicap added.

The Pamalakaya chair said, instead of giving X ratings to these short films, the MTRCB should have encouraged the public to view it and let the people discuss about the merits and demerits of the short films depicting the worst human rights situation across the country.

“Again like the proposed Anti-Subversion Law, this one is another Jurassic step, a major throwback to the days of Martial Law,” Hicap said.

Pamalakaya supported the House Resolution jointly filed by Gabriela party list congresswomen Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan asking for a congressional inquiry into the rating. The militant group said it his high time for Congress to do a major legislative work preventing the MTRCB from massacring the rights of the people to free speech and information.

“If the inquiry finds MTRCB has violated the Bill of Rights of the people as enshrined in the 1987 Constitution, then let it be abolished or die like a natural death. This institution has been used as an instrument of repression since the dark days of martial rule. It is time to score a giant kill against this national security oriented office,” the militant group asserted.

On the other hand, Pamalakaya said the move of the MTRCB against these three films will not stop the group from showing it to communities, schools and other venues. “These short films tell the truth, and we should encourage the messengers of truth to come out and do their task in informing the people to make them further aware and awake that this regime has always that criminal business in mind,” the group said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 09:21 | link | comments |

Leftists insist: Tell Danding to leave Sumilao

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Wednesday reiterated its challenge to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to order business tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco to immediately leave Sumilao and allow farmers to get back the 144-hectare estate.

Likewise, Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap pressed Malacañang to immediately order the dismantling of the 40 structures built by San Miguel Foods Inc. (SMFI) which it constructed for the ambitious multi-billion state of the art vertically integrated agro-industrial estate in Sumilao.

“This is not a tough task to follow. Mrs. Arroyo can do this in less than a week’s time if she has the political will to confront Mr. Cojuangco, her no.1 closet crony and political benefactor,” Hicap said.

Likewise, Pamalakaya’s Hicap told Malacañang not to use taxpayers’ money in paying Cojuangco the amount of P 2.4 B, the sum of money the business tycoon paid to former Sumilao landowner Norberto Quisumbing, nor pass the burden of paying the compensation to the struggling farmers of Sumilao.

“Not a single centavo of taxpayers’ money should be spent for compensation of Cojuangco. The Sumilao farmers should get it for free, that’s the essence of true-blue genuine agrarian reform program and justice,” the Pamalakaya leader said.

Pamalakaya said the decision of President Arroyo to place the 144-hectare under what it called a bogus Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) and thus-revoking the land-use conversion of the Sumilao estate remains an empty promise and a toothless tiger.

“Mrs. Arroyo is aware that her decision can be contested easily before any regular court, because under Republic Act 7881 lands classified or re-classified by the national government through the Department of Agrarian Reform as commercial farms or agro-industrial lands cannot be covered by the inutile CARP,” the group said.

Pamalakaya said Mrs. Arroyo is also aware that the Supreme Court in 1999 had upheld the conversion of Sumilao for agro-industrial and commercial purposes based on the previous decision of DAR to re-classify and exempt the 144-hectare estate from CARP. The group said what Mrs. Arroyo did was to pacify the angry farmers and further prolong their agonies by locking them to scores of court battles they will face in the next 8 months to one year.

“In reality, Malacañang merely treated the Sumilao farmers into a merry go-round of waiting, waiting and waiting only to learn one day that what Mrs. Arroyo delivered during their meeting were empty promises, false hopes and class betrayal,” the militant group said.

Pamalakaya said Mrs. Arroyo should have instead issued a categorical statement and in black and white ordering Cojuangco to give up the land and respect the rights of the tillers in the 144-hectare Sumilao estate. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 09:20 | link | comments |

Sumilao farmers warned: Beware of Palace false hopes, empty promises

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Monday warned the Bukidnon farmers scheduled to meet President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today in Malacañang that they could be victimized by false hopes and empty promises which are usually offered by the Macapagal-Arroyo government to appease angry landless farmers.

“President Arroyo is the undisputed Queen of Make Believe and a certified liar. We ask our struggling Sumilao farmers not to put premium or political weight on her statements. She might just use the meeting as another political event for all-out publicity stunt,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

The Pamalakaya leader said the root of the current predicament amount the farmers of Sumilao is the “unholy political alliance” between President Arroyo and business tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco, the powerful persons behind the decision of Department of Agrarian Reform to allow San Miguel Foods Inc. (SMFI), a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation to convert the 144 hectare Sumilao land into a hog farm.

“President Arroyo currently in political partnership with Danding camp is behind the present predicament faced by struggling Sumilao farmers. The peasants’ right to land is again sacrificed at the altar of political accommodation that is championed by the corrupt regime in Malacañang,” Hicap added. “Cojuangco is the biggest comprador-landlord client of Malacañang. He is one of the closet cronies and political benefactors of Mrs. Arroyo, nothing more, nothing less,” Pamalakaya said.

Pamalakaya said President Arroyo can’t say no to Cojuangco’s plan to takeover the 144 hectare Sumilao farms because the former Marcos crony has been supporting her administration, and that the Cojuangco-led Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) bloc in the House of Representatives is instrumental in killing the three impeachment complaints filed against Mrs. Arroyo over the last three years. The militant group said Sumilao farmers are facing their biggest class battle this time, because they have to smash a powerful political collaboration between the Arroyo clique and the Cojuangco camp.

“That’s why Malacañang and DAR can’t decide on the case of Sumilao farmers, because they honor their syndicated agreement with Danding over the 144 hectare property. Whatever meeting will take place between President Arroyo and the Sumilao peasants will have no bearing at all or will not affect the decision of the agrarian department to allow the conversion of the contested land into a hog farm for Cojuangco’s food industry,” Pamalakaya stressed.

The 55 farmers who walked 1,700 kilometers from Barangay San Vicente in Sumilao to convince the government to stop the conversion of the 144 hectare Sumilao property into a hog farm by SMFI have been camping out in front of DAR national office in Quezon City since reaching Manila on Dec.3.

Today, President Arroyo will meet them in Malacañang, but DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman said the Palace had not indicated what the agenda for tomorrow’s dialogue would be, stressing that the merits of the Sumilao farmers’ case would not be discuss in the meeting with the President since the case is still pending with the agrarian reform department.

The Sumilao farmers’ lawyer Atty. Arlene Bag-ao said, they would ask President Arroyo to reverse the status quo order released by Secretary Pangandaman issued Wednesday last week ordering the farmers to respect SMFI’s ownership and possession of the land and allows the Cojuangco food company to proceed with the ongoing activities. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 02:26 | link | comments |

Fishers urge Senate, House to
probe alleged secret dumping of drilling waste in Tañon Strait

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Sunday pressed Senator Pia Cayetano and Negros Occidental Rep. Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo to immediately conduct a joint or separate inquiry into the alleged dumping of an undisclosed cargo of waste materials in Aloguinsan town in West Cebu coming from the sea drilling operations in Tañon Strait.

“We strongly urge Senator Cayetano and Congressman Arroyo to immediately look into this act of environmental terrorism in Western Cebu. The disposal of hazardous wastes is posing extreme danger to the people and this protected seascape,” Pamalakaya vice chairperson Salvador France said in a press statement.

Pamalakaya’s France also pressed Cayetano and Arroyo to immediately conduct a spot check and fact-finding mission in Aloguinsan town and ask the affected fishing communities what took place beginning November 15, the day when the Department of Energy (DoE) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources allowed the ambitious oil drilling operations to resume in the protected seascape separating the island provinces of Cebu and Negros.

“The Filipino public needs a through investigation. Aside from alleged dumping of toxic materials, the impact of the oil drilling to livelihood and health of the people is really disturbing. We have received reports that fish catch since last month dwindled from an average of 4 kilos to 8 kilos of fish to zero fish catch,” the Pamalakaya leader said.

In report dispatched to Pamalakaya’s national headquarters in Quezon City, the Cebu City based NGO- Central Visayas Fisherfolk Development Center said the cargo believed to contain toxic materials were loaded form the oil rig and taken to the port of Toledo City. The toxic materials were then trucked to a pit in Aloguinsan town reportedly owned by the town’s vice mayor Augustus Caesar Moreno.

But Department of Energy (DoE) Director Antonio Labios said he has yet receive any complaint about the toxic waste, saying the equipment used by Japan Exploration Corporation has no toxic substance and that the Japanese oil drilling firm has complied all the requirements needed to ensure its safety.

Pamalakaya said their members in Aloguinsan, together with marine scientists and environmental exports from Cebu City will come to Manila on Tuesday and will file a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court, hoping the high tribunal will execute a cease and desist order against Japex oil and gas exploration in Tañon Strait.

“This is just the beginning of more legal intervention against Japex destructive offshore mining in Tañon Strait. More and more charges will be filed against them and against government officials who connived with this Japanese exploring giant in destroying the marine environment and the people’s source of livelihood,” the group said. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 03:05 | link | comments |

GMA- Danding unholy alliance keeping off Sumilao farmers
from 144-hectare land

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Sunday said the “unholy political alliance” between President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and business tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco is the key reason why the Department of Agrarian Reform allowed the landgrabbing staged by San Miguel Foods Inc. (SMFI), a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation, currently owned by the former Marcos crony.

“President Arroyo currently in political partnership with Danding camp is behind the present predicament faced by struggling Sumilao farmers. The peasants’ right to land is again sacrificed at the altar of political accommodation that is championed by the corrupt regime in Malacañang,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

“Cojuangco is the biggest comprador-landlord client of Malacañang. He is one of the closet cronies and political benefactors of Mrs. Arroyo, nothing more, nothing less,” Hicap added.

The Pamalakaya leader said President Arroyo can’t say no to Cojuangco’s plan to takeover the 144 hectare Sumilao farms because the former Marcos crony has been supporting her administration, and that the Cojuangco-led Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) bloc in the House of Representatives is instrumental in killing the three impeachment complaints filed against Mrs. Arroyo over the last three years.

Hicap said Sumilao farmers are facing their biggest class battle this time, because they have to smash a powerful political collaboration between the Arroyo clique and the Cojuangco camp.

“That’s why Malacañang and DAR can’t decide on the case of Sumilao farmers, because they honor their syndicated agreement with Danding over the 144 hectare property. Whatever meeting will take place between President Arroyo and the Sumilao peasants will have no bearing at all or will not affect the decision of the agrarian department to allow the conversion of the contested land into a hog farm for Cojuangco’s food industry,” the Pamalakaya leader stressed.

The 55 farmers who walked 1,700 kilometers from Barangay San Vicente in Sumilao to convince the government to stop the conversion of the 144 hectare Sumilao property into a hog farm by SMFI have been camping out in front of DAR national office in Quezon City since reaching Manila on Dec.3.

Tomorrow, President Arroyo will meet them in Malacañang, but DAR Secretary Nasser Pangandaman said the Palace had not indicated what the agenda for tomorrow’s dialogue would be, stressing that the merits of the Sumilao farmers’ case would not be discuss in the meeting with the President since the case is still pending with the agrarian reform department.

The Sumilao farmers’ lawyer Atty. Arlene Bag-ao said, they would ask President Arroyo to reverse the status quo order released by Secretary Pangandaman issued Wednesday last week ordering the farmers to respect SMFI’s ownership and possession of the land and allows the Cojuangco food company to proceed with the ongoing activities. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 03:04 | link | comments |

Bicolanos urged to disown Rep. Solis for authoring revival of Anti-Subversion Law

Leaders of the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Saturday urged Bicolanos to disown Sorsogon Rep. Jose Solis for sponsoring the house bill seeking the revival of the repealed Anti-Subversion Law.

In a joint statement, Sorsogon based fisherfolk leaders Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya national chairperson and Salvador France, Pamalakaya vice-chairperson for Luzon called on their fellow Bicolanos to condemn congressman Solis for sponsoring a House Bill that seeks to restore an instrument used by former dictator Ferdinand Marcos to crush the communist insurgency in the country.

“It is time for the Bicolanos to say no this aging militarist politician who has not outlived his penchant for blood and gross massacre of human rights and basic liberties since the gory days of Marcos dictatorship,” the Pamalakaya leaders said.

Hicap and France are both residents of Castilla town, one of the most militarized towns in Sorsogon. Together with their families, the two Pamalakaya leaders were forced to leave their homes since last year because of an alleged plan by the military to abduct or liquidate them for their involvement in Pamalakaya, which the military tagged as a front organization of the Communist Party of the Philippines in the fisherfolk sector.

The Pamalakaya leaders said the Anti-Subversion Law, although was repealed in 1992, is still very much in effect in Sorsogon and in the entire country because leaders of progressive organizations are religiously tagged by the Armed Forces of the Philippines as officers and members of the CPP, and therefore legitimate targets of military counter insurgency operations.

“Hundreds of thousands of people in the Bicol region suffered so much under the 14 years of Marcos dictatorship. The same extreme condition still exist in the region because of the de facto Martial Law being implemented by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and military generals associated with her bankrupt and criminal regime. Now this has-been congressman wants more blood and gross violations of human rights. This is unpardonable,” the Pamalakaya leaders added.

The militant group further called Rep. Solis a puppet of President Arroyo and the National Security Council in Malacañang. The two leaders vowed to campaign against Rep. Solis in the 2010 elections.

“We will let him savor the taste of political defeat in May 2010 elections. Rep. Solis is a national, regional and provincial disgrace to the people of Sorsogon, the Bicol region and to the entire 87 million Filipinos,” Pamalakaya said.

Pamalakaya also said the proposal to revive the Anti-Subversion law is an indication that the Macapagal-Arroyo government will no longer the pursue the peace talks with the communist-led National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), and on the other hand, will push the militarist approach as orchestrated by the national security syndicate in Malacañang headed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzalez.

The law resulted to the gross violations of human rights of over 10,000 activists who fought the 14 year old Marcos dictatorship. The Anti-Subversion law was repealed in 1992 through Republic Act 7636 resulting to the legalization of CPP. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 01:53 | link | comments |

Militants slam GMA move to revive anti-subversion law
Insane, incorrigible and horrible, says Pamalakaya

The proposal of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to revive the Anti-Subversion Law, which punishes membership in the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) was condemned by the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya).

Dismissing the proposal as “insane, incorrigible and horrible”, Pamalakaya national chairperson Fernando Hicap urged lawmakers to cross party lines and reject Malacañang eternal thirst for political persecution of staunch critics of President Arroyo and the military establishment.

“The revival of the Anti-Subversion Law is part of the game plan for the survival of the criminal, corrupt and detested regime in Malacañang. President Arroyo is endorsing this shotgun piece of legislation to justify extrajudicial killings and massive persecution of political foes and critics exposing her crimes against the Filipino people, and against those championing the cause of truth and justice in the country,” Hicap said.

Hicap said:” President Arroyo and the members of her terrorist council in Malacañang are really blood thirsty political animals. Not contented with the 887 victims of extrajudicial killings, 187 victims of forced disappearances, they want more people to be summarily killed and jailed in the name of political survival.”

The Pamalakaya leader also said the proposal to revive the Anti-Subversion law is an indication that the Macapagal-Arroyo government will no longer the pursue the peace talks with the communist-led National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), and on the other hand, will push the militarist approach as orchestrated by the national security syndicate in Malacañang headed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita and National Security Adviser Norberto Gonzalez.

“The idea of reviving the Anti-Subversion Law was the brainchild of Mrs. Arroyo, Secretary Ermita and Secretary Gonzalez in consultation with Washington D.C. On the other hand, Sorsogon Rep. Jose Solis merely performed his role to the hilt as struggling bit player in this agenda by filing a bill in the House of Representatives that seeks to restore the US-backed Marcosian law,” Hicap said.

The Anti-Subversion Law was used by the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos as one of the principal weapons in fighting communist insurgency. Under the law, anybody could be arrested on mere suspicion of being a communist sympathizer.

The law resulted to the gross violations of human rights of over 10,000 activists who fought the 14 year old Marcos dictatorship. The Anti-Subversion law was repealed in 1992 through Republic Act 7636 resulting to the legalization of CPP. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 01:53 | link | comments |

International fishers group urges Senate to reject Jpepa

The Sri Lankan- based international fishers group World Forum of Fisher People (WFFP) on Wednesday urged the Philippine Senate to reject the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) stressing that the Philippines will surrender its national sovereignty and patrimony to Japan through the one-sided agreement.

The forum issued and approved a resolution against the Senate approval of Jpepa, after the Philippine fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), a member of WFFP, presented the ill effects and devastating impact of Jpepa on Filipino fisherfolk’s livelihood and marine environment.

During the 4th General Assembly of the WFFP held in Negombo, Sri Lanka last November 29 to Dec. 3, Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz led his group’s offensive against Jpepa and called on fisherfolk delegates to approve and sign the resolution urging Philippine senators to junk Jpepa.

“The WFFP is opposed to any kind of agreement which is one-sided, and would only offer the people’s rights to livelihood, food security and environmental protection at the altar of corporate greed and corporate globalization,” the worldwide fisher folk movement said in a resolution signed by 36 fisherfolk organizations and support groups in 23 countries.

Among those who signed the resolution were the National Fish Workers Forum in India, the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), Southern Fisherfolk Organization of Thailand, Sustainable Development Foundation (Thailand), the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement, Women Development Foundation, the United Fishers and Fish Workers Congress, United Federation of Labor, Southern Fisheries Organization, the Ruhunu Diriya, Dheewara Organization, Puttlam District Fisheries Solidarity all in Sir Lanka, the Union des Professionnels de la Peche Artisanale in Benin, the Budalangi Health and Development in Kenya.

Also those who signed the resolution were the Association des Pecheurs Et Du in Mali, the Federation Nationale de Peche in Mauritania, the Union National Des Pecheurs in Guinea, Sierra Leone Artisan Fishers Union in Sierra Leone, the Comite para la Defensa y Desarrollo de la Flora y Fauna del Golfo de Fonseca in Honduras, the Bear River First Nation in Canada and other fisher groups in Indonesia, Australia, United Kingdom, Spain, Guadalupe, France, Martinique, Mauritania and South Africa.

The WFFP added: “We express our sense against the ratification of Jpepa, and call on the Philippine lawmaking body to legislate better laws that would address the real need of 87 million Filipinos, including the fisher people.”

During the forum, Pamalakaya’s Corpuz said Japan’s fishing giants are just after the country’s rich tuna deposits. He said Japan, which is known to the world as the no.1 consumer of tuna is eager to exploit the country’s tuna to meet the increasing demand of its own domestic market currently pegged at 630,000 metric tons per year or 11 pounds of tuna per person per year.

“We are so happy. The WFFP resolution calling for the Senate rejection of Jpepa is a landmark achievement in our solidarity work against foreign exploitation and oppression. This is just the beginning and we hope to accomplish more,” the Pamalakaya spokesperson said.

Corpuz said the fishing aspect of Jpepa is meant to benefit and for the survival of Japan’s tuna fishing industry. The Pamalakaya information chief said with the scarcity of tuna supply all over the world, Japan is so eager to corner the catch of tuna and make huge profits from production catch, distribution and marketing of tuna.

Pamalakaya said under Jpepa, Japan would drain the country’s tuna deposits by an average of 200,000 metric tons per year, which cost $ 970 US or P 43.B a year. On the other hand, the pact would affect the P 18-B local tuna industry and would result to displacement of 180,000 small tuna fishermen and fish workers in Mindanao. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 11:13 | link | comments |

DepEd urged to tackle Unicef report on military abuses
against minors in schools

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 09:04 | link | comments |

Fishermen may resort to “fish strike” if oil price hikes won’t stop

The spate of oil price hikes in the country may push fisherfolk to go on fish strike if the government to push President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to stop the oil cartel from raising and overpricing the prices of petroleum products in the country.

“If fish strikes across the country are necessary to compel the Macapagal-Arroyo government and the oil mafia composed Petron, Shell and Caltex to stop, rollback and put an end to corporate practices of price manipulation and overpricing, then we will call our colleagues to go on a nationwide fish holiday,” the left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said in a press statement.

The proposed fish strikes will call on the municipal fisherfolk owners of 177,627 motorized bancas not to fish during the December 13 National Day of Protest Against Oil Price Increases initiated by the People’s Unity Against Oil Price Increase, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Anakpawis party list and the transport group Piston.

“President Arroyo and the oil cartel should be taught a lesson of a lifetime. They must be stopped from killing all people from walks of life through corporate exploitation and plunder,” said Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap.

Pamalakaya’s Hicap has given President Arroyo one month to implement the following demands: 1). Stop oil price hikes. 2). Roll back prices of petroleum products by an average of P 3-4 per liter, 3). Repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law, 4). Nationalize the oil industry 5). Probe, prosecute and punish the oil cartel in the country.

The militant leader said in case Malacañang failed to give in to their demands, Pamalakaya will call on all its 43 provincial chapters and six regional chapters all over the country- Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Negros Island, Panay Island and Far South Mindanao to stage a nationally coordinated fish strike January next year.

Hicap said fisherfolk owners of 177, 627 motorized small fishing boats across the country could no longer bear the brunt of rising prices of petroleum products, and such scenario may soon compel to abandon their 4 to 16 horsepower motors, and go back to wood paddles to fish.

"That's because they could no longer afford the cost of fuel, particularly regular gasoline now pegged at not less than P 47 per liter," the Pamalakaya leader said. At present, there are 292,180 non-motorized boats out of 469,807 registered bancas in all the country's municipalities or 62% of all registered municipal bancas all over the country.

Small Filipino fisherfolk use at least 8 liters of regular gasoline, costing them P 375 to P 400 per
fishing operation based on current prices of petroleum products in the country. As per fishing operation, the normal average fish catch is 10 kilos at P 40 per kilo of fish or roughly P 400.

"The oil cartel is making money from our fisherfolk oil consumers, by making them slaves and perpetual buyers of their overpriced and highly taxed regular gasoline, courtesy of their cartelistic operations, the Oil Deregulation Law, and their patented practice of corporate exploitation," Hicap added.

Pamalakaya pressed the government to immediately impose price controls on prices to caution the impact of rising prices of petroleum products in the world market. The group said the next step is to repeal the Oil Deregulation Law that allows oil companies like Petron Corp., Shell and Caltex Corp. to jack up prices of petroleum products whenever these oil companies want. The next step is to proceed with the nationalization of oil industry to make it service oriented, rather than super profit oriented. Pamalakaya said all the three steps can be done in less than a month, if the government will exact political will.

Quoting data from the research think tank Ibon Foundation, Pamalakaya said oil companies Petron, Shell and Caltex have taken advantage of the oil deregulation law and had used the developments in the sharp increases in the prices of oil products abroad as a price barometer to justify successive oil price increases since 1996.

Quoting the same data from Ibon, Pamalakaya said from April 1996 to January 2007, there had been 81 rounds of oil price hikes for diesel or an average of 8 oil price hikes per year. In 2005 and 2006, at least 36 rounds of oil price hikes for diesel have been recorded. Using the same Ibon data, Pamalakaya said the three oil companies still owe the public P 1.39 liter in overpricing in January 2007, and P 1.28 per liter in overpricing in 2006. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 09:00 | link | comments |

Leftists slam US marines in Santa Claus outfit:
“WE ARE NOT DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS”- Pamalakaya

Leftwing fisherfolk activists belonging to Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Saturday assailed the plan of the US Embassy in Manila to have United States Marines currently in the country to play Santa Claus to children in several communities the whole month of December.

"We are not dreaming of a White Christmas, just like the one US Ambassador Kristie Kenny used to know. Imagine ,these white US military mercenaries roaming around our communities projecting the capitalist motivated and way of celebrating the holiday season," Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz said in a press statement.

The Pamalakaya information officer said the US Embassy in Manila and the US military command in the Pacific are again in psy war mode to deluge the suffering Filipino people with the Great American Dream to forget the chronic economic crisis and extreme brutality their puppet regime has inflicted to the Filipino people in the last six years.

"This is a propaganda orchestrated by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's big boss in Washington D.C. The US will politically prostitute the celebration of Christmas in this country to further advance their agenda and tell Mrs. Arroyo that her government is still safe as of now," Pamalakaya's Corpuz added.

Pamalakaya said US Ambassador Kenny is playing her role to the hilt as the protector and grand mother of all Filipino children. The group said Ambassador Kenny is into role playing to fulfill her psy way assignment in the country.

“Sometimes she is a teacher, sometimes she is a celebrity guest in magazine shows and morning shows, and sometimes she plays mother on the political screen. What's next? A guest role in Marimar or in Lastikman? Give us a break," Pamalakaya said.

The American Embassy announced last Friday that Marines from the Japan-based Third Marine
Expeditionary Force (III MEF) would visit children in Pampanga, Palawan, and Parañaque City starting today.

In a statement, the US Embassy said “Operation Goodwill” would visit communities around the Basa Air Base in Pampanga and in Puerto Princesa City on Saturday.

Ambassador Kenney said the Marines will also visit the Our Lady of Peace Mission Hospital in Parañaque City at past noon on Dec. 10. Joining the mission will be Lieutenant General Richard Zilmer, commanding general of III MEF.

The US Embassy in Manila said Operation Goodwill started in 2003 as a gesture of friendship by US personnel and their families based in Okinawa to share the holiday spirit of giving with children and their families in the Philippines. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 09:25 | link | comments |

Militants say “que horror” on Spanish rights champion award to GMA

Que horror.

This was the immediate reaction coming from leftwing activists belonging to the militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) upon learning yesterday that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was honored by a Spanish university for championing human rights in the country.

“The honor given to President Arroyo is an insult to the collective intelligence of 87 million Filipinos. The Spanish aristocracy and oligarchy mocked us again after putting our country under Spain’s colonial rule for 333 years. This is revolting and highly inflammatory,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

President Arroyo received the Medalla de Oro (Gold Medal) from the Alcala de Henares University late Tuesday for championing human rights. University Rector Virgilio Zapatero praised the Philippine president for abolishing capital punishment in June 2006 and seeking international help last year to put an end to extrajudicial killings in the country.

After accepting the award and taking her place at the seat of honor at the Paranifo (Ceremonial Hall), the President displayed the medal while a choir sang,” Hellelujah”. Earlier, Spanish King Juan Carlos I hailed President Arroyo for her role as a staunch human rights defender with the abolition of death penalty and for opening the way to democracy in Asia.

“We are calling the Spanish people to condemn what the King and the church oligarchy in Spain did in honoring the no.1 human rights violator, the no.1 US puppet and first-rate terrorist and dictator President in Southeast Asia. This is too much,” Hicap added.

While President Arroyo was making most of her trip to Spain and other parts of Europe to clear her name on charges of human rights violations, extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances of leftwing activists all over the country, Pamalakaya used the occasion of the 4th General Assembly of World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP) in Colombo, Sri Lanka from November 26-December 4 to expose the human rights crimes of the Macapagal-Arroyo administration.




Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz ,who represented the militant fisherfolk group in the international fisherfolk forum participated by over 100 delegates from USA, Asia, South Africa, Europe Union and Latin America rallied his colleagues to condemn President Arroyo over the spate of political killings and environmental destruction in the country.

In the 10 page-Philippine report presented by Corpuz to delegates of Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Mali, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, Martinique, Benin, Guinea, Senegal, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Spain, Guadalupe, Canada, USA and Honduras, Pamalakaya said the Filipino people is suffering from extreme poverty and danger of political annihilation from a terrorist Philippine president.

“The terrorist president and her national security syndicate are behind the killings of 887 political activists and disappearance of 187 activists over the last six years. She and her military are responsible for the brutal murder of 14 Pamalakaya leaders since this government assumed political power in 2001,” the Pamalakaya country report said.

Aside from the killings, Pamalakaya likewise caught the attention of the participants in the 4th General Assembly of the Sri Lankan-based WFFP when the group reported the widespread offshore mining in Central Visayas, particularly in Tañon Strait, a protected seascape separating the island provinces of Cebu and Negros.

“The widespread offshore mining in the Philippines has become a new phenomenon of destruction orchestrated by the transnational clients of President Arroyo. We have a president who is keen in selling protected seascapes and fishing waters rich in marine biodiversities to global oil hunters at the expense of the environment and the fisher people of the Philippines,” the Pamalakaya country report added.

The Pamalakaya country report also assailed the Macapagal-Arroyo government for pushing the Philippine Senate to ratify the one-sided Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), the unstoppable oil price hikes, the issues of corruption, the prevailing de facto Martial Law in the country, the privatization and conversion of fishing grounds in the name of corporate interests and the militarization in coastal communities and the country side.

Reacting to Pamalakaya-country report, the WFFP said it would support the cause of Pamalakaya on various issues raised in the country report, including the filing of charges against the government before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the killing of 14 Pamalakaya leaders.

The WFFP also welcomed the proposal of Pamalakaya to conduct an international fact finding mission next year on the widespread offshore mining, saying it is the moral duty of the international fishers group to look into the aggressive hunt for oil of rich nations to the protected seascapes and marine waters of the Philippines. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 03:14 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya stuns international fishers’ forum for calling
GMA a terrorist president

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) used the occasion of the 4th General Assembly of World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP) in Colombo, Sri Lanka from November 26-December 4 to convict President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her crimes against the Filipino fisherfolk, and for her crimes against the environment.

Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz ,who represented the militant fisherfolk group in the international fisherfolk forum participated by over 100 delegates from USA, Asia, South Africa, Europe Union and Latin America rallied his colleagues to condemn President Arroyo over the spate of political killings and environmental destruction in the country.

In the 10 page-Philippine report presented by Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz to delegates of Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Mali, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, Martinique, Benin, Guinea, Senegal, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Spain, Guadalupe, Canada, USA and Honduras, the militant group said the Filipino people is suffering extreme poverty and danger of political annihilation from a terrorist Philippine president.

“The terrorist president and her national security syndicate are behind the killings of 887 political activists and disappearance of 187 activists over the last six years. She and her military are responsible for the brutal murder of 14 Pamalakaya leaders since this government assumed political power in 2001,” the Pamalakaya country report said.

Aside from the killings, Pamalakaya likewise caught the attention of the participants in the 4th General Assembly of the Sri Lankan-based WFFP when the group reported the widespread offshore mining in Central Visayas, particularly in Tañon Strait, a protected seascape separating the island provinces of Cebu and Negros.

“The widespread offshore mining in the Philippines has become a new phenomenon of destruction orchestrated by the transnational clients of President Arroyo. We have a president who is keen in selling protected seascapes and fishing waters rich in marine biodiversities to global oil hunters at the expense of the environment and the fisher people of the Philippines,” the Pamalakaya country report added.

The Pamalakaya country report also assailed the Macapagal-Arroyo government for pushing the Philippine Senate to ratify the one-sided Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA), the unstoppable oil price hikes, the issues of corruption, the prevailing de facto Martial Law in the country, the privatization and conversion of fishing grounds in the name of corporate interests and the militarization in coastal communities and the country side.

Reacting to Pamalakaya-country report, the WFFP said it would support the cause of Pamalakaya on various issues raised in the country report, including the filing of charges against the government before the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for the killing of 14 Pamalakaya leaders.

The WFFP also welcomed the proposal of Pamalakaya to conduct an international fact finding mission next year on the widespread offshore mining, saying it is the moral duty of the international fishers group to look into the aggressive hunt for oil of rich nations to the protected seascapes and marine waters of the Philippines.





The WFFP and Sri Lankan non-government organizations also awarded Pamalakaya the WFFP Grazias Merci Award for the Philipppine fisherfolk group’s support and advocacy to the survivors of Tsunami in Sri Lanka in December 26, 2004.

Pamalakaya’s Corpuz, along with three fisherfolk leaders from Pakistan and India was tasked to draft the constitution of the Asian Forum of Fisher People in preparation for its assembly in October 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 03:14 | link | comments |

Pamalakaya to present anti- Jpepa advocacy at fishers world assembly in Sri Lanka

The left-leaning fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) will present its campaign and advocacy against the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (Jpepa) at the 4th General Assembly of World Forum of Fisher Peoples (WFFP) in Colombo, Sri Lanka this week.

Pamalakaya information officer Gerry Albert Corpuz said a prepared resolution urging fisherfolk movements and non-government organizations in Latin America, European Union, South Africa, Central Asia, Western Asia, North Asia, South Asia, East Asia and Oceania, including Southeast Asian countries to support the Filipino fisherfolk opposition against the one-sided economic treaty favoring Japanese transnational interests in the fishing industry.

“We are launching and raising our anti-Jpepa advocacy at the international level by attending this world gathering of fisher people and submitting the Filipino fisherfolk declaration against Jpepa for adoption and approval,” Corpuz said in a statement.

Corpuz said once the global leaders of fisherfolk movement signed the resolution, Pamalakaya will submit the document to the Philippine Senate, with each senator to be given a copy of the signed declaration during the next hearing on Jpepa set on December 13.

Earlier, the group had warned senators, specially presidentiables and re-electionist senators in 2010 that they would suffer electoral backlash if they vote in favor the economic agreement. The group said it could influence between 1 million to 3 million fisherfolk voters in the May 2010 elections.

Pamalakaya has been asserting that Jpepa is a one-sided agreement aimed at addressing the current predicament facing the fisheries sector of Japan. The group said under Jpepa, Japan factory ships will enter into the country’s fishing waters to source tuna and other high value fish crops in the Philippines exclusive economic zone.

The group said Japanese factory ships are capable of harvesting not less than 200,000 metric tons of tuna worth $ 947 million or P 43.5 B, and this would affect the P 18-B local tuna industry, including 180,000 tuna workers and tuna fishermen in Mindanao.

Pamalakaya’s Corpuz said aside from Jpepa, the issues of offshore mining in the Visayan Sea particularly in Tañon Strait, a protected seascape separating the island provinces of Cebu and Negros, and Cebu-Bohol Strait, a body of water separating the island provinces of Cebu and Bohol, and the issue of Guimaras oil spill victims will also be brought for resolutions during the assembly.

The group’s information chief will represent the militant fisherfolk group in WFFP 4th General Assembly to be held on November 29 to December 3, 2007. Corpuz said over 100 delegates from Brazil, Honduras, Canada, the United States, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Mali, Pakistan, India, France, Spain, New Zealand, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Papua New Guinea, Martinique, Mauritania, Uganda, Sri Lanka and Philippines. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 03:13 | link | comments |

RP militants happy with defeat of Aussie premier in latest polls

Leftwing activists belonging to the militant fisherfolk alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Sunday congratulated the Australian people for successfully removing Australian Prime Minister John Howard at the polls, ending the conservative leader’s 11-year old rule in this East Asia and Oceania continent.

“The President George W. Bush of East Asia and Oceania was defeated decisively at the box-office for supporting the US-led war of aggression in Iraq. This is a lesson of a lifetime for Howard and stern warning to those leaders in Asia who would continue to toe the militarist line of Bush and Washington,” Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said in a press statement.

Australia’s center-left opposition Kevin Rudd swept into power in a landslide victory as the 26th prime minister of the country. While officials are still tallying the votes, Howard, US President Bush’s staunch ally in the US-led war on terror accepted full responsibility for his party- Liberal-National Coalition’s stunning defeat in the elections.

“The victory of Rudd over Howard is a strong indication that all Bush puppets abroad will taste the same political humiliation at the political box-office if they continue worshipping Washington’s global campaign of aggression and terror. Rudd won the Australian elections because of his promise to pull out Australian troops out of Iraq,” Pamalakaya’s Hicap stressed.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation vote tally predicted the when the final vote was counted, Rudd’s party would win with 53.5% of the vote, compared to Howard party’s 46.7%. The results would give Labor 86 seats in the 150-seats House of Representatives over Liberal-National Coalition’s 62 seats. The independents will continue to hold their 2 seats in the Australian parliament.

Meanwhile, Pamalakaya urged the newly elected Australian Prime Minister to recall the RP-US Status of Forces Agreement which was approved by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Prime Minister Howard during Mrs. Arroyo’s visit in Australia on May 30-31 this year.

“A good start for Prime Minister Rudd is to recall the RP-Australia Status of Forces Agreement, as well as the recall of all mining investments of Australia in the Philippines like Lafayette Mining in Rapu-Rapu, Albay and the offshore mining activities in Cebu-Bohol Strait and Palawan waters,” the militant group said.

Pamalakaya said the SOFA was intended to protect Australian business interests, particularly its mining operations, in the Philippines. “This is a clear case of political and military intervention, and economic and environmental sabotage rolled into one,” the group added.

The group said BHP Billiton, the world’s largest mining corporation based in Melbourne, was planning a multimillion-dollar nickel project in Pujada Peninsula, Davao Oriental, in partnership with local mining firms Hallmark Mining Corp. and AustraAsia Link Mining Corp.
Pamalakaya added that other Australian mining companies -- like the Medusa Mining in Eastern Mindanao, Red 5 in Siana in Surigao del Norte, Indophil in South Cotabato and Climax-Arimco in Surigao del Norte -- wanted to expand operations. #

posted by: GerryCorpuz at 03:12 | link | comments |

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