OFWs take on the fight for the “ST 72″

Middle East-based overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) has recently launched a petition denouncing the Arroyo regime’s continuing persecution of political dissenters as evidenced in the arbitrary arrest of 72 political activists in the Southern Tagalog region.
Initiated by Migrante Middle East, the petition read in part, thus:
We oppose and will act against the tyrannical hand of Arroyo [...]

US heart Gloria

A call center in each province. This is Gloria Arroyo’s vision for the country as told in her speech before the League of Municipalities in the Philippines in Manila Hotel last week.
“Gusto natin magkaroon ng maraming call center sa bansa, hindi natin kayang maglagay sa lahat ng inyong bayan, pero sana naman, lahat ng inyong [...]

OFWs to boycott Globe

Below is a press release from the biggest OFW group worldwide saying that they are “in the thick of preparing for a boycott of all Globe Telecommunication products and services that caters to the OFW and their families’ market.” This call  stemmed after the telecom giant filed false charges against a known labor lawyer Atty. [...]

Feel-good stories

Early this week, Deputy Presidential Spokesman Anthony Golez implored the members of the media to come up with more ‘feel-good stories’ about Mrs. Gloria Arroyo in light of the global financial crisis.

“What our country needs today are feel-good stories, those that touch the heart,” he said in Filipino in an interview on [...]

Freudian slip

Following the obvious Palace instigated Senate coup that saw the removal of Sen. Manny Villar from the Senate Presidency, Press Secretary Jesus Dureza’s prayer at the start of today’s cabinet meeting provides us a hint of what’s in store for us under the new Senate leadership.

“Bless the President so we will have forbearance, [...]

Hangga’t may Mendiola

Here’s another one of my poems for the Hacienda Luisita massacre martyrs.

Hangga’t may Mendiola

Sa pagbulwak ng dagat ng mga kuyom na kamao
Tangan ang katwiran at diwang di yuyuko
Sa Mendiola ang pakay, Sa Mendiola hahantong
Sa Mendiola ang larangan, Sa Mendiola ang paghuhukom

Ang di magmamaliw na inspirasyon
Ng mga buhay na nabuwal, sa dambana mo’y
Ningas [...]

Justice for the Hacienda Luisita Martyrs!

In the afternoon of November 16, four years ago, armed agents of the state carried out a brutal massacre of 14 striking farm workers including women and children in the sprawling sugar plantation, Hacienda Luisita. Aside from those dead, more than 200 were also wounded during the incident.

I wrote this poem a day after the [...]

Migrante International’s new set of leaders

Kudos to Migrante International, the biggest umbrella alliance of overseas Filipino workers’ groups worldwide, for successfully holding its 5th Congress last week at the Communication Foundation for Asia in Manila.
Migrante leaders from North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East elected Garry Martinez as Chairman; Roy Anunciacion as Vice-Chairman; Gina Esguerra, Secretary-General; Gina Gaborni, Deputy [...]

No time for Gloria

While Gloria Arroyo got repeated snubs from US President-elect Barack Obama, an eight year old Filipina girl living in Missouri is pen pals with the new leader of the “free world.”
Fourth grader Karina Encarnacion wrote Obama to suggest what type of dog he should give his two daughters once they move in to the White [...]

When did Bohol become part of Metro Manila?

At first, I saw nothing wrong with the planned inauguration in Bohol of a monument to honor the late President Carlos P. Garcia. In fact I am of the belief that it is but fitting that we honor one of Bohol’s greatest sons who was an ardent nationalist and a staunch defender of our nation’s [...]