Press Release
June 18, 2010
The Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) expressed support for Robin Padilla in the case filed against him for promoting the use of condoms through advertisements. “Robin Padilla is a good boy for endorsing the use of condoms which is traditionally shunned in the macho culture of Filipino males. Condoms are a reproductive health concern not a moral issue,” declared Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general.
Miranda called on the Ang Kapatiran Party (AKP) that filed the case against Padilla to face a debate on condom promotion and reproductive health. “We challenge pro-lifers such as AKP and Buhay, who all stand against the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, to a public forum to discuss the merits of the issue,” she added.
PM is the group that backed the Department of Health in its controversial condom distribution campaign and trooped to the office of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines last March 8 as part of the group’s campaign for the RH bill. The Calabarzon chapter of PM also held a motorcade last March 14 that offered condoms for free.
Miranda appealed to Padilla to stand firm in the face of the case. “Women workers ask Robin not to retreat in his endorsement of condom use. While we know Robin is not a saint, he is a positive role model for Muslim-Christian dialogue through his various projects and advocacies.”
The group however called on the government to assume the responsibility for massively distributing and promoting condoms. “It is should not be principally the business of the private sector but the task of the State to provide access to reproductive health services. We ask the incoming government of Noynoy Aquino to certify as urgent and priority legislation the proposed RH bill. It is the right of women to control their bodies and it is the responsibility of the State to defend the freedom of women to choose,” Miranda explained.
She cited a research (“The Incidence of Induced Abortion in the Philippines: Current Level and Recent Trends” by Fatima Juarez, Josefina Cabigon, Susheeia Singh and Rubina Hussain, published by Guttmacher Institute, New York, 2005) that concluded “one of every two married women did not want a child soon or wanted no more children, but were not using a contraceptive method.” Miranda insisted that “Filipinos want to reduce the number of children but do not have the means to do so. In poor communities, one condom amounts to a pack of noodles. To millions of half-starved families, basic survival definitely comes first over safe sex. Thus the RH bill provides that government must step in by providing access to reproductive health services.”
Showing posts with label Mike Velarde. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mike Velarde. Show all posts
Friday, June 18, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Robin Padilla suportado ng kababaihang manggagawa sa kaso sa condom ad
Press Release
May 8, 2010
Nagpahayag ng suporta ang grupong party-list na Partido ng Manggagawa kay Robin Padilla sa kinakaharap nitong kaso sa pag-endurso ng condom sa advertisement. “Si Robin Padilla ay isang good boy sa kanyang pag-endurso ng paggamit ng condom na kadalasang iniiwasan ng mga machong Pilipino. Ang paggamit ng condom ay isang usaping reproductive health hindi isang isyung moral,” paninindigan ni Judy Ann Miranda, secretary-general ng Partido ng Manggagawa.
Nanawagan din si Miranda kay Jo Ambong, kandidatong pagkasenador ng Ang Kapatiran Party na nagsampa ng kaso, na humarap na lang sa isang debate. “Hinahamon namin si Ambong at iba pang kandidato, gaya ni Mike Velarde na isang party-list nominee, na ipagtanggol ang kanilang posisyon laban sa condom at kontra sa Reproductive Health bill sa isang public forum,” aniya.
Dati nang sinuportahan ng Partido ng Manggagawa ang Department of Health sa kontrobersyal nitong programa ng pamamahagi ng condom. Ang Partido ng Manggagawa din ang grupong nagprotesta sa opisina ng Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines noong Araw ng Kababaihan. Tumatakbo ang Partido ng Manggagawa sa halalan sa party-list sa platapormang “Apat na Dapat” na ang ibig sabihin ay regular na trabaho, sapat na sweldo, murang pabahay at reproductive health.
“Nananawagan ang kababaihang manggagawa kay Robin na huwag umatras sa pag-endurso sa paggamit ng condom. Alam naming hindi santo si Robin pero magandang role model siya para sa mga isyu gaya ng pagkakaisa ng mga Muslim at Kristyano,” paliwanag ni Miranda.
Nanindigan naman ang Partido ng Manggagawa na trabaho ng gobyerno ang promosyon ng condom. “Sa halip na gawing negosyo ng pribadong sektor, pangunahing responsibilidad ng gobyerno ang paglalaan ng reproductive health services. Hinihiling namin sa uupong bagong gobyernong na gawing urgent and priority legislation ang panukalang RH bill. Karapatan ng kababaihan ang mapasya sa kanilang mga katawan at tungkulin ng estado na ipagtanggol ang kalayaan ng mga babae na pumili sang-ayon sa kanilang kagustuhan,” giit ni Miranda.
May 8, 2010
Nagpahayag ng suporta ang grupong party-list na Partido ng Manggagawa kay Robin Padilla sa kinakaharap nitong kaso sa pag-endurso ng condom sa advertisement. “Si Robin Padilla ay isang good boy sa kanyang pag-endurso ng paggamit ng condom na kadalasang iniiwasan ng mga machong Pilipino. Ang paggamit ng condom ay isang usaping reproductive health hindi isang isyung moral,” paninindigan ni Judy Ann Miranda, secretary-general ng Partido ng Manggagawa.
Nanawagan din si Miranda kay Jo Ambong, kandidatong pagkasenador ng Ang Kapatiran Party na nagsampa ng kaso, na humarap na lang sa isang debate. “Hinahamon namin si Ambong at iba pang kandidato, gaya ni Mike Velarde na isang party-list nominee, na ipagtanggol ang kanilang posisyon laban sa condom at kontra sa Reproductive Health bill sa isang public forum,” aniya.
Dati nang sinuportahan ng Partido ng Manggagawa ang Department of Health sa kontrobersyal nitong programa ng pamamahagi ng condom. Ang Partido ng Manggagawa din ang grupong nagprotesta sa opisina ng Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines noong Araw ng Kababaihan. Tumatakbo ang Partido ng Manggagawa sa halalan sa party-list sa platapormang “Apat na Dapat” na ang ibig sabihin ay regular na trabaho, sapat na sweldo, murang pabahay at reproductive health.
“Nananawagan ang kababaihang manggagawa kay Robin na huwag umatras sa pag-endurso sa paggamit ng condom. Alam naming hindi santo si Robin pero magandang role model siya para sa mga isyu gaya ng pagkakaisa ng mga Muslim at Kristyano,” paliwanag ni Miranda.
Nanindigan naman ang Partido ng Manggagawa na trabaho ng gobyerno ang promosyon ng condom. “Sa halip na gawing negosyo ng pribadong sektor, pangunahing responsibilidad ng gobyerno ang paglalaan ng reproductive health services. Hinihiling namin sa uupong bagong gobyernong na gawing urgent and priority legislation ang panukalang RH bill. Karapatan ng kababaihan ang mapasya sa kanilang mga katawan at tungkulin ng estado na ipagtanggol ang kalayaan ng mga babae na pumili sang-ayon sa kanilang kagustuhan,” giit ni Miranda.
Women workers express support for Robin Padilla in condom ad case
Press Release
May 8, 2010
The labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) expressed support for Robin Padilla in a case filed against him by a senatorial candidate for promoting the use of condoms through advertisements. “Robin Padilla is a good boy for endorsing the use of condoms which is traditionally shunned in the macho culture of Filipino males. Condoms are a reproductive health concern not a moral issue,” declared Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general.
Padilla was the subject of a case filed yesterday by a senatorial candidate of the Ang Kapatiran Party (AKP) that sought to stop the ads of Trust Condoms. AKP candidate Jo Ambong argued that the ads are an affront to “public decency and morality.”
Miranda called on Ambong to face a debate on condom promotion and reproductive health instead of filing a case. “We challenge Ambong and other candidates such as Mike Velarde, nominee of Buhay party-list, who stand against the Reproductive Health (RH) bill to a public forum to discuss the merits of the issue,” she added.
PM is the group that backed the Department of Health in its controversial condom distribution campaign and trooped to the office of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines last March 8 as part of the group’s campaign for the RH bill. The Calabarzon chapter of PM also held a motorcade last March 14 that offered condoms for free. PM is also running for the party-list elections on an “Apat na Dapat” platform of regular jobs, living wage, affordable housing and reproductive health.
Miranda appealed to Padilla to stand firm in the face of the case. “Women workers ask Robin not to retreat in his endorsement of condom use. While we know Robin is not a saint, he is a positive role model for Muslim-Christian dialogue through his various projects and advocacies,” she said.
The group however called on the government to assume the responsibility for massively distributing and promoting condoms. “It is should not be principally the business of the private sector but the task of the State to provide access to reproductive health services. We demand that the new government that will assume power certify as urgent and priority legislation the proposed RH bill. It is the right of women to control their bodies and it is the responsibility of the State to defend the freedom of women to choose,” Miranda explained.
She cited a research (“The Incidence of Induced Abortion in the Philippines: Current Level and Recent Trends” by Fatima Juarez, Josefina Cabigon, Susheeia Singh and Rubina Hussain, published by Guttmacher Institute, New York, 2005) that concluded “one of every two married women did not want a child soon or wanted no more children, but were not using a contraceptive method.” Miranda insisted that “Filipinos want to reduce the number of children but do not have the means to do so. In poor communities, one condom amounts to a pack of noodles. To millions of half-starved families, basic survival definitely comes first over safe sex. Thus the RH bill provides that government must step in by providing access to reproductive health services.”
May 8, 2010
The labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) expressed support for Robin Padilla in a case filed against him by a senatorial candidate for promoting the use of condoms through advertisements. “Robin Padilla is a good boy for endorsing the use of condoms which is traditionally shunned in the macho culture of Filipino males. Condoms are a reproductive health concern not a moral issue,” declared Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general.
Padilla was the subject of a case filed yesterday by a senatorial candidate of the Ang Kapatiran Party (AKP) that sought to stop the ads of Trust Condoms. AKP candidate Jo Ambong argued that the ads are an affront to “public decency and morality.”
Miranda called on Ambong to face a debate on condom promotion and reproductive health instead of filing a case. “We challenge Ambong and other candidates such as Mike Velarde, nominee of Buhay party-list, who stand against the Reproductive Health (RH) bill to a public forum to discuss the merits of the issue,” she added.
PM is the group that backed the Department of Health in its controversial condom distribution campaign and trooped to the office of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines last March 8 as part of the group’s campaign for the RH bill. The Calabarzon chapter of PM also held a motorcade last March 14 that offered condoms for free. PM is also running for the party-list elections on an “Apat na Dapat” platform of regular jobs, living wage, affordable housing and reproductive health.
Miranda appealed to Padilla to stand firm in the face of the case. “Women workers ask Robin not to retreat in his endorsement of condom use. While we know Robin is not a saint, he is a positive role model for Muslim-Christian dialogue through his various projects and advocacies,” she said.
The group however called on the government to assume the responsibility for massively distributing and promoting condoms. “It is should not be principally the business of the private sector but the task of the State to provide access to reproductive health services. We demand that the new government that will assume power certify as urgent and priority legislation the proposed RH bill. It is the right of women to control their bodies and it is the responsibility of the State to defend the freedom of women to choose,” Miranda explained.
She cited a research (“The Incidence of Induced Abortion in the Philippines: Current Level and Recent Trends” by Fatima Juarez, Josefina Cabigon, Susheeia Singh and Rubina Hussain, published by Guttmacher Institute, New York, 2005) that concluded “one of every two married women did not want a child soon or wanted no more children, but were not using a contraceptive method.” Miranda insisted that “Filipinos want to reduce the number of children but do not have the means to do so. In poor communities, one condom amounts to a pack of noodles. To millions of half-starved families, basic survival definitely comes first over safe sex. Thus the RH bill provides that government must step in by providing access to reproductive health services.”
Monday, March 29, 2010
Urban poor suffering highlighted in “Kalbaryo ng Maralita”
Press Release
March 30, 2010
Poverty, hunger, homelessness and unemployment were highlighted in a “Kalbaryo ng Maralita” held today by militant urban poor. “There are more than 18 million urban poor out of 90 million Filipinos and their numbers keep growing due to migration from rural areas and grinding poverty in the cities. The social volcano will explode unless government on the grievances of millions of poor and hungry,” warned Renato Magtubo, chairperson of the labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).
More than a 100 members of PM and Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino participated in the yearly ritual of “Kalbaryo ng Maralita.” AMP is a network of urban poor organizations in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog. The march started at 9:00 a.m. from Palasan along Sucat Road in Parañaque and ended in a program at the Baclaran Church around 12:00 noon. Some of the marchers carried makeshift crosses and wore symbolic crown of thorns on their heads. The program was conducted like a traditional “pasyon.”
The urban poor challenged the presidentiables to present appropriate platforms to address the demands of the urban poor. “We are tired of motherhood statements about ending poverty or fighting corruption as the root of poverty. We want concrete programs that will resolve the lack of jobs, lack of food, lack of housing and lack of earnings that plague the lives of the poor. These are the heavy crosses that the poor bear daily,” said Robert Labrador, an AMP. The group cited government estimates of some 300,000 homeless families living in so-called danger zones and thus threatened with demolition.
“Palasan is the starting point of the Kalbaryo because it is symbolic of the sufferings of the urban poor. The residents of Palasan recently had to endure a series of violent demolitions spearheaded by the Parañaque police and private guards of the Amvel Subdivision which is owned by El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde. Palasan reflects the eviction and militarization that plagues the urban poor,” added Romy Cabugnason, a PM leader in Parañaque.
In the Kalbaryo, the Parañaque police and Amvel guards will be caricatured as Roman centurions while Velarde will be depicted as a hypocritical Pharisee. After several demolition attempts that included arson and arrests, the residents of Palasan were finally evicted and their community buried under a meter of soil.
Magtubo asserted that “There are many more Palasans. There are millions of urban poor who survive but endure without decent housing. There are masses of Filipinos whose search for their daily bread is a matter of life and death. If their poverty will end, it will need a critical analysis that goes beyond simply blaming corruption and it will need the political will to implement redistribution of wealth and radical reforms.”
The former community of Palasan was situated beside the Amvel Subdivision owned by Velarde who recently admitted to proposing the controversial rerouting of the C5 extension road. The Palasan residents accuse Velarde of landgrabbing and being the mastermind behind the demolition.
March 30, 2010
Poverty, hunger, homelessness and unemployment were highlighted in a “Kalbaryo ng Maralita” held today by militant urban poor. “There are more than 18 million urban poor out of 90 million Filipinos and their numbers keep growing due to migration from rural areas and grinding poverty in the cities. The social volcano will explode unless government on the grievances of millions of poor and hungry,” warned Renato Magtubo, chairperson of the labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).
More than a 100 members of PM and Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino participated in the yearly ritual of “Kalbaryo ng Maralita.” AMP is a network of urban poor organizations in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog. The march started at 9:00 a.m. from Palasan along Sucat Road in Parañaque and ended in a program at the Baclaran Church around 12:00 noon. Some of the marchers carried makeshift crosses and wore symbolic crown of thorns on their heads. The program was conducted like a traditional “pasyon.”
The urban poor challenged the presidentiables to present appropriate platforms to address the demands of the urban poor. “We are tired of motherhood statements about ending poverty or fighting corruption as the root of poverty. We want concrete programs that will resolve the lack of jobs, lack of food, lack of housing and lack of earnings that plague the lives of the poor. These are the heavy crosses that the poor bear daily,” said Robert Labrador, an AMP. The group cited government estimates of some 300,000 homeless families living in so-called danger zones and thus threatened with demolition.
“Palasan is the starting point of the Kalbaryo because it is symbolic of the sufferings of the urban poor. The residents of Palasan recently had to endure a series of violent demolitions spearheaded by the Parañaque police and private guards of the Amvel Subdivision which is owned by El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde. Palasan reflects the eviction and militarization that plagues the urban poor,” added Romy Cabugnason, a PM leader in Parañaque.
In the Kalbaryo, the Parañaque police and Amvel guards will be caricatured as Roman centurions while Velarde will be depicted as a hypocritical Pharisee. After several demolition attempts that included arson and arrests, the residents of Palasan were finally evicted and their community buried under a meter of soil.
Magtubo asserted that “There are many more Palasans. There are millions of urban poor who survive but endure without decent housing. There are masses of Filipinos whose search for their daily bread is a matter of life and death. If their poverty will end, it will need a critical analysis that goes beyond simply blaming corruption and it will need the political will to implement redistribution of wealth and radical reforms.”
The former community of Palasan was situated beside the Amvel Subdivision owned by Velarde who recently admitted to proposing the controversial rerouting of the C5 extension road. The Palasan residents accuse Velarde of landgrabbing and being the mastermind behind the demolition.
Pagdurusa ng mahihirap ilalahad bukas sa “Kalbaryo ng Maralita”
Radio Release
March 29, 2010
Kahirapan, kagutuman, kawalan ng pabahay at trabaho ang pinatingkad na mga suliranin sa isang “Kalbaryo ng Maralita” na ilulunsad ng militanteng mga grupo bukas ng umaga. “May lagpas 18 milyong maralitang tagalungsod at bawat araw ay lumalaki ang kanilang bilang bunga ng migrasyon mula sa mga probinsya at ng grabeng kahirapan sa kalunsuran,” paliwanag ni Renato Magtubo, tagapangulo ng party-list na Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).
Higit sa 100 kasapi ng PM at Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP) ang sasama sa taunang “Kalbaryo ng Maralita.” Ang AMP ay isang network ng mga samahan ng maralita sa Metro Manila, Central Luzon at Southern Tagalog. Ang martsa ay magsisimula ng 9:00 nu sa McDonald’s Kabihasnan sa Parañaque at magtatapos sa Simbahan ng Baclaran bandang alas dose. Magdadala ang ilang militante na mga krus na gawa sa karton at mga koronang tinik na gawa sa papel. Ang programa sa Simbahan ng Baclaran ay itutulad naman sa isang pasyon.
Hinamon ng mga maralita ang mga presidentiables na maglahad ng plataporma na tutugon sa mga karaingan ng maralita. “Sawa na kami sa abstraktong mga islogan tungkol sa pagtatapos ng kahirapan at paglaban sa korupsyon bilang ugat ng kahirapan. Ang gusto namin ay konkretong programa na tutugon sa kawalan ng trabaho, pagkain, pabahay at kita na pasaning mga krus ng mahihirap,” dagdag ni Robert Labrador, isang lider ng AMP.
Sa Kalbaryo ay ilalahad bilang mga sundalong Romano ang mga pulis ng Parañaque at mga gwardya ng Amvel Subdivision habang itutulad sa mga Pariseo si Mike Velarde ng El Shaddai. Pagsasalarawan ito ng serye ng demolisyong naganap kung kailan lamang sa Palasan sa Parañaque, isang komunidad malapit sa lugar na pinagsimulan ng Kalbaryo. Pinangunahan ng mga pulis ng Parañaque at gwardya ng Amvel ang demolisyon habang inaakusahan ng mga residente ng Palasan si Velarde bilang utak ng demolisyon. Ang Amvel ang inamin ni Velarde na siyang dahilan kung bakit ipinalihis niya ang kontrobersyal na C5 extension road.
March 29, 2010
Kahirapan, kagutuman, kawalan ng pabahay at trabaho ang pinatingkad na mga suliranin sa isang “Kalbaryo ng Maralita” na ilulunsad ng militanteng mga grupo bukas ng umaga. “May lagpas 18 milyong maralitang tagalungsod at bawat araw ay lumalaki ang kanilang bilang bunga ng migrasyon mula sa mga probinsya at ng grabeng kahirapan sa kalunsuran,” paliwanag ni Renato Magtubo, tagapangulo ng party-list na Partido ng Manggagawa (PM).
Higit sa 100 kasapi ng PM at Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP) ang sasama sa taunang “Kalbaryo ng Maralita.” Ang AMP ay isang network ng mga samahan ng maralita sa Metro Manila, Central Luzon at Southern Tagalog. Ang martsa ay magsisimula ng 9:00 nu sa McDonald’s Kabihasnan sa Parañaque at magtatapos sa Simbahan ng Baclaran bandang alas dose. Magdadala ang ilang militante na mga krus na gawa sa karton at mga koronang tinik na gawa sa papel. Ang programa sa Simbahan ng Baclaran ay itutulad naman sa isang pasyon.
Hinamon ng mga maralita ang mga presidentiables na maglahad ng plataporma na tutugon sa mga karaingan ng maralita. “Sawa na kami sa abstraktong mga islogan tungkol sa pagtatapos ng kahirapan at paglaban sa korupsyon bilang ugat ng kahirapan. Ang gusto namin ay konkretong programa na tutugon sa kawalan ng trabaho, pagkain, pabahay at kita na pasaning mga krus ng mahihirap,” dagdag ni Robert Labrador, isang lider ng AMP.
Sa Kalbaryo ay ilalahad bilang mga sundalong Romano ang mga pulis ng Parañaque at mga gwardya ng Amvel Subdivision habang itutulad sa mga Pariseo si Mike Velarde ng El Shaddai. Pagsasalarawan ito ng serye ng demolisyong naganap kung kailan lamang sa Palasan sa Parañaque, isang komunidad malapit sa lugar na pinagsimulan ng Kalbaryo. Pinangunahan ng mga pulis ng Parañaque at gwardya ng Amvel ang demolisyon habang inaakusahan ng mga residente ng Palasan si Velarde bilang utak ng demolisyon. Ang Amvel ang inamin ni Velarde na siyang dahilan kung bakit ipinalihis niya ang kontrobersyal na C5 extension road.
Urban poor to challenge presidentiables in “Kalbaryo ng Maralita” tomorrow
Press Release
March 29, 2010
Militant urban poor will hold tomorrow a “Kalbaryo ng Maralita” to air their grievances about poverty, hunger, homelessness and unemployment. They will also challenge the presidentiables to present appropriate platforms to address the demands of the millions of poor and hungry Filipinos.
“We are tired of motherhood statements about ending poverty and corruption as the root of poverty. We want concrete programs that will resolve the lack of jobs, lack of food, lack of housing and lack of earnings that plague the lives of the poor. These are the heavy crosses that the poor bear daily,” said Robert Labrador, a leader of the Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP). AMP is a network of urban poor organizations in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.
More than a 100 members of AMP and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) will hold the yearly tradition of a “Kalbaryo ng Maralita.” They will march tomorrow morning Palasan in Parañaque to the Baclaran Church.
“Palasan is the starting point of the Kalbaryo because it is symbolic of the sufferings of the urban poor. The residents of Palasan recently had to endure a series of violent demolitions spearheaded by the Parañaque police and private guards of the Amvel Subdivision which is owned by El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde. Palasan reflects the eviction and militarization that plagues the urban poor,” added Romy Cabugnason, a PM leader in Parañaque.
Renato Magtubo, PM chairperson, asserted that “There are many more Palasans. There are millions of urban poor who survive but endure without decent housing. There are masses of Filipinos whose search for their daily bread is a matter of life and death. If their poverty will end, it will need a critical analysis that goes beyond simply blaming corruption and it will need the political will to implement redistribution of wealth and radical reforms.”
In the Kalbaryo, the Parañaque police and Amvel guards will be caricatured as Roman centurions while Velarde will be depicted as a hypocritical Pharisee. After several demolition attempts that included arson and arrests, the residents of Palasan were finally evicted and their community buried under a meter of soil.
The former community of Palasan was situated beside the Amvel Subdivision owned by Velarde who recently admitted to proposing the controversial rerouting of the C5 extension road. The Palasan residents accuse Velarde of landgrabbing and being the mastermind behind the demolition.
March 29, 2010
Militant urban poor will hold tomorrow a “Kalbaryo ng Maralita” to air their grievances about poverty, hunger, homelessness and unemployment. They will also challenge the presidentiables to present appropriate platforms to address the demands of the millions of poor and hungry Filipinos.
“We are tired of motherhood statements about ending poverty and corruption as the root of poverty. We want concrete programs that will resolve the lack of jobs, lack of food, lack of housing and lack of earnings that plague the lives of the poor. These are the heavy crosses that the poor bear daily,” said Robert Labrador, a leader of the Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP). AMP is a network of urban poor organizations in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog.
More than a 100 members of AMP and Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) will hold the yearly tradition of a “Kalbaryo ng Maralita.” They will march tomorrow morning Palasan in Parañaque to the Baclaran Church.
“Palasan is the starting point of the Kalbaryo because it is symbolic of the sufferings of the urban poor. The residents of Palasan recently had to endure a series of violent demolitions spearheaded by the Parañaque police and private guards of the Amvel Subdivision which is owned by El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde. Palasan reflects the eviction and militarization that plagues the urban poor,” added Romy Cabugnason, a PM leader in Parañaque.
Renato Magtubo, PM chairperson, asserted that “There are many more Palasans. There are millions of urban poor who survive but endure without decent housing. There are masses of Filipinos whose search for their daily bread is a matter of life and death. If their poverty will end, it will need a critical analysis that goes beyond simply blaming corruption and it will need the political will to implement redistribution of wealth and radical reforms.”
In the Kalbaryo, the Parañaque police and Amvel guards will be caricatured as Roman centurions while Velarde will be depicted as a hypocritical Pharisee. After several demolition attempts that included arson and arrests, the residents of Palasan were finally evicted and their community buried under a meter of soil.
The former community of Palasan was situated beside the Amvel Subdivision owned by Velarde who recently admitted to proposing the controversial rerouting of the C5 extension road. The Palasan residents accuse Velarde of landgrabbing and being the mastermind behind the demolition.
Party-list campaigns on RH platform, dares Buhay’s Velarde to a debate
Press Release
March 29, 2010
Amidst the electoral carnival that puts a premium on personalities rather than platforms, the labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) enters the second half of the national campaign by stressing its advocacies on issues such as the Reproductive Health (RH) bill. As an example of its platform-based campaign, PM held today an assembly of more than a hundred urban poor women in a depressed community in Quezon City in which reproductive health was the main agenda.
While discussing the RH bill, Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general and a nominee of the group, issued a challenge to El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde for a debate on the issue. The dare was in reaction to Velarde’s announcement that he decided to run as a party-list nominee in order to oppose the RH bill.
Miranda announced that “So that the voters can have an informed choice for the party-list based on platforms, we are open to a public discussion on the Reproductive Health bill with Velarde as Buhay nominee.”
PM also expressed its support for the plan to teach sex education in the public schools. Miranda said that “In the context of fighting the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and preventing teenage pregnancies, teaching sex education to the youth is a no-brainer. This is a topic that cannot be left only to parents and their children since this is also a public concern given the social dimensions of the issues.”
PM is the group that presented baskets of condoms to the Catholic Bishops Conference Office last March 8. PM is running for the party-list elections on a platform of “Apat ng Dapat” which includes working class concerns such as universal healthcare coverage, regular jobs, affordable housing and a wage hike.
“Similar to the planned debate between Health Secretary Cabral and the Catholic bishops, a public discussion between PM and Buhay on the pros and cons of the RH bill will educate the public in general and the voters in particular. A debate on issues is certainly much better for the voters than being entertained by dancing girls on stage or being barraged by self-serving political ads,” insisted Miranda.
In a preview of her position in a debate, Miranda added that “Reproductive health is not a moral issue but a public health concern of women. Women must have the freedom to make informed choices concerning their bodies and their welfare.”
Miranda is a former UP Manila student council officer with two decades of experience as organizer of workers and the urban poor. The other nominees of PM are Renato Magtubo, former union president of Fortune Tobacco; Gerry Rivera, current president of PAL Employees Association; Wilson Fortaleza, former student activist who also became an organizer; and Malou Parroco, union vice-president of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative.
March 29, 2010
Amidst the electoral carnival that puts a premium on personalities rather than platforms, the labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) enters the second half of the national campaign by stressing its advocacies on issues such as the Reproductive Health (RH) bill. As an example of its platform-based campaign, PM held today an assembly of more than a hundred urban poor women in a depressed community in Quezon City in which reproductive health was the main agenda.
While discussing the RH bill, Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general and a nominee of the group, issued a challenge to El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde for a debate on the issue. The dare was in reaction to Velarde’s announcement that he decided to run as a party-list nominee in order to oppose the RH bill.
Miranda announced that “So that the voters can have an informed choice for the party-list based on platforms, we are open to a public discussion on the Reproductive Health bill with Velarde as Buhay nominee.”
PM also expressed its support for the plan to teach sex education in the public schools. Miranda said that “In the context of fighting the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and preventing teenage pregnancies, teaching sex education to the youth is a no-brainer. This is a topic that cannot be left only to parents and their children since this is also a public concern given the social dimensions of the issues.”
PM is the group that presented baskets of condoms to the Catholic Bishops Conference Office last March 8. PM is running for the party-list elections on a platform of “Apat ng Dapat” which includes working class concerns such as universal healthcare coverage, regular jobs, affordable housing and a wage hike.
“Similar to the planned debate between Health Secretary Cabral and the Catholic bishops, a public discussion between PM and Buhay on the pros and cons of the RH bill will educate the public in general and the voters in particular. A debate on issues is certainly much better for the voters than being entertained by dancing girls on stage or being barraged by self-serving political ads,” insisted Miranda.
In a preview of her position in a debate, Miranda added that “Reproductive health is not a moral issue but a public health concern of women. Women must have the freedom to make informed choices concerning their bodies and their welfare.”
Miranda is a former UP Manila student council officer with two decades of experience as organizer of workers and the urban poor. The other nominees of PM are Renato Magtubo, former union president of Fortune Tobacco; Gerry Rivera, current president of PAL Employees Association; Wilson Fortaleza, former student activist who also became an organizer; and Malou Parroco, union vice-president of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Party-list nominees challenge Mike Velarde to debate on RH
Press Release
March 25, 2010
In reaction to El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde’s announcement that he decided to run as a party-list nominee in order to oppose the Reproductive Health bill, the two women nominees of the labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) today declared that they are challenging him to a debate on the issue. “So that the voters can have an informed choice for the party-list based on platforms, we are open to a public discussion on the Reproductive Health bill with Velarde as Buhay nominee,” announced Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general and a nominee of the group.
PM is the group that presented baskets of condoms to the Catholic Bishops Conference Office last March 8 as part of their advocacy for reproductive health. PM is running for the party-list elections on a platform of “Apat ng Dapat” which includes working women’s concerns such as universal healthcare coverage, regular jobs, affordable housing and a wage hike.
“Similar to the planned debate between Health Secretary Cabral and the Catholic bishops, a public discussion between PM and Buhay on the pros and cons of the Reproductive Health bill will educate the public in general and the voters in particular. A debate on issues is certainly much better for the voters than being entertained by dancing girls on stage or being barraged by self-serving political ads,” insisted Malou Parroco, another PM nominee based in Bacolod. Parroco said that the debate with Velarde could be held either in Manila with Miranda or in Visayas with her.
In a preview of her position in a debate, Parroco added that “Reproductive health is not a moral issue but a public health concern of women. Women must have the freedom to make informed choices concerning their bodies and their welfare.”
While PM supports Sec. Cabral in her initiative to distribute condoms, the group is asking the Department of Health to make the distribution of contraceptives not just a publicity stunt but a regular program via the barangay health centers. “The public provision of contraceptives should go hand in hand with education on prevention of HIV-AIDS, unwanted pregnancies and teenage pregnancies among others,” Miranda clarified.
PM also expressed its support for the plan to teach sex education in the public schools. Miranda said that “In the context of fighting the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and preventing teenage pregnancies, teaching sex education to the youth is a no-brainer. This is a topic that cannot be left to parents and their children since this is also a public concern given the social dimensions of the issues.”
Miranda is a former UP Manila student council officer with two decades of experience as organizer of workers and the urban poor while Parroco is union vice-president of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative. The other nominees of PM are Renato Magtubo, former union president of Fortune Tobacco; Gerry Rivera, current president of PAL Employees Association and Wilson Fortaleza, former student activist who also became an organizer.
March 25, 2010
In reaction to El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde’s announcement that he decided to run as a party-list nominee in order to oppose the Reproductive Health bill, the two women nominees of the labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) today declared that they are challenging him to a debate on the issue. “So that the voters can have an informed choice for the party-list based on platforms, we are open to a public discussion on the Reproductive Health bill with Velarde as Buhay nominee,” announced Judy Ann Miranda, PM secretary-general and a nominee of the group.
PM is the group that presented baskets of condoms to the Catholic Bishops Conference Office last March 8 as part of their advocacy for reproductive health. PM is running for the party-list elections on a platform of “Apat ng Dapat” which includes working women’s concerns such as universal healthcare coverage, regular jobs, affordable housing and a wage hike.
“Similar to the planned debate between Health Secretary Cabral and the Catholic bishops, a public discussion between PM and Buhay on the pros and cons of the Reproductive Health bill will educate the public in general and the voters in particular. A debate on issues is certainly much better for the voters than being entertained by dancing girls on stage or being barraged by self-serving political ads,” insisted Malou Parroco, another PM nominee based in Bacolod. Parroco said that the debate with Velarde could be held either in Manila with Miranda or in Visayas with her.
In a preview of her position in a debate, Parroco added that “Reproductive health is not a moral issue but a public health concern of women. Women must have the freedom to make informed choices concerning their bodies and their welfare.”
While PM supports Sec. Cabral in her initiative to distribute condoms, the group is asking the Department of Health to make the distribution of contraceptives not just a publicity stunt but a regular program via the barangay health centers. “The public provision of contraceptives should go hand in hand with education on prevention of HIV-AIDS, unwanted pregnancies and teenage pregnancies among others,” Miranda clarified.
PM also expressed its support for the plan to teach sex education in the public schools. Miranda said that “In the context of fighting the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and preventing teenage pregnancies, teaching sex education to the youth is a no-brainer. This is a topic that cannot be left to parents and their children since this is also a public concern given the social dimensions of the issues.”
Miranda is a former UP Manila student council officer with two decades of experience as organizer of workers and the urban poor while Parroco is union vice-president of the Central Negros Electric Cooperative. The other nominees of PM are Renato Magtubo, former union president of Fortune Tobacco; Gerry Rivera, current president of PAL Employees Association and Wilson Fortaleza, former student activist who also became an organizer.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Land dispute in Parañaque escalates as community burned to ground
Press Release
March 2, 2010
The land dispute at the depressed community of Palasan continues to escalate as the remaining houses were burned to the ground for the second time yesterday. More than 20 residents and their supporters were also arrested yesterday for resisting the demolition and detained in the Parañaque police precinct along Coastal Road in Brgy. La Huerta. The labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa slammed the demolition as not just illegal but inhuman.
For the third time in two weeks, leaders of the Palasan Neighborhood Association together with scores of supporters among the Parañaque affiliates of Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP)—a network of urban poor organizations in Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon—and the labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) marched at 9:00 a.m. on the city hall of Paranaque to seek a dialogue with Mayor Florencio “Jun” Bernabe. Early this morning protesters picketed the police precinct were the Palasan residents and their supporters were detained.
“The demolition is illegal because there no order of demolition has been issued by any court. Moreover the eviction is very inhuman. They did not just use heavy equipment but also put our houses on fire. Finally they arrested us like terrorists. But fighting for rights and defending our homes is not a crime,” explained Rodrigo Bautista, president of the Palasan Neighborhood Association.
The Palasan residents criticize even the issuance of writ of possession since the ownership of the land is still pending at the Land Registration Authority as LRA Case No. 97-0111. Some 50 people remain at the disputed land despite repeated attempts at demolition that started last February 11.
Robert Labrador of AMP, which is supporting the Palasan residents, added, “We ask Mayor Florencio Bernabe to mediate and communicate with Mr. Mike Velarde for a peaceful and negotiated resolution to the land dispute.” AMP condemned El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde, whose Amvel subdivision is right beside Palasan, as the mastermind behind the illegal and inhuman demolition.
The Palasan residents revealed that the demolition team was backed by the Parañaque SWAT and the PNP. Since the urban poor settlers kept their ground, private security guards of the Manila Shooter agency together with the police burned the remaining houses to forcibly remove the legitimate residents of the disputed land.
Renato Magtubo, PM Chairperson stated that, “This demolition is in utter violation of human rights. The government must engage in honest negotiation and pursue decent relocation. Demolition and militarization are not the answer to land disputes.”
The AMP provided legal assistance to the Palasan Neighborhood Association as they trooped to the Ombudsman yesterday to file a complaint government officials implicated in the illegal demolition.
March 2, 2010
The land dispute at the depressed community of Palasan continues to escalate as the remaining houses were burned to the ground for the second time yesterday. More than 20 residents and their supporters were also arrested yesterday for resisting the demolition and detained in the Parañaque police precinct along Coastal Road in Brgy. La Huerta. The labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa slammed the demolition as not just illegal but inhuman.
For the third time in two weeks, leaders of the Palasan Neighborhood Association together with scores of supporters among the Parañaque affiliates of Alyansa ng Maralitang Pilipino (AMP)—a network of urban poor organizations in Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon—and the labor party-list Partido ng Manggagawa (PM) marched at 9:00 a.m. on the city hall of Paranaque to seek a dialogue with Mayor Florencio “Jun” Bernabe. Early this morning protesters picketed the police precinct were the Palasan residents and their supporters were detained.
“The demolition is illegal because there no order of demolition has been issued by any court. Moreover the eviction is very inhuman. They did not just use heavy equipment but also put our houses on fire. Finally they arrested us like terrorists. But fighting for rights and defending our homes is not a crime,” explained Rodrigo Bautista, president of the Palasan Neighborhood Association.
The Palasan residents criticize even the issuance of writ of possession since the ownership of the land is still pending at the Land Registration Authority as LRA Case No. 97-0111. Some 50 people remain at the disputed land despite repeated attempts at demolition that started last February 11.
Robert Labrador of AMP, which is supporting the Palasan residents, added, “We ask Mayor Florencio Bernabe to mediate and communicate with Mr. Mike Velarde for a peaceful and negotiated resolution to the land dispute.” AMP condemned El Shaddai leader Mike Velarde, whose Amvel subdivision is right beside Palasan, as the mastermind behind the illegal and inhuman demolition.
The Palasan residents revealed that the demolition team was backed by the Parañaque SWAT and the PNP. Since the urban poor settlers kept their ground, private security guards of the Manila Shooter agency together with the police burned the remaining houses to forcibly remove the legitimate residents of the disputed land.
Renato Magtubo, PM Chairperson stated that, “This demolition is in utter violation of human rights. The government must engage in honest negotiation and pursue decent relocation. Demolition and militarization are not the answer to land disputes.”
The AMP provided legal assistance to the Palasan Neighborhood Association as they trooped to the Ombudsman yesterday to file a complaint government officials implicated in the illegal demolition.
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