War and Militarism and the Scourge of Rape and Trading of Women

The wars that the US and its allies carried out after WWII until now in the early 21^st century have brought untold sufferings to millions of people and swathes of destruction in different countries.  Despite this, the Trump government is further boosting its war industry, is urging NATO countries and his allies in Asia to raise their military budgets and to join him in more wars against what they consider as primary threats to global security.

KAISA KA, a women’s organization working for women’s liberation and social change, heeds the call of the World March of Women for solidarity against these wars and war threats that further engender the scourge of sexual assault, trafficking and prostitution of women.

The continuing wars and destruction

The purportedly “humanitarian” US-led wars that aimed to get rid of Iraq’s “weapons of mass destruction,” stop Libya’s autocratic rule that “authorized military mass orgies,” and get rid of President Assad who “ran a death machine” and “used chemical weapons” against Syrian citizens, are still raging.  Investigations have unraveled the imperialist designs of the US and its allies.   They aimed for oil, gas, minerals, billons in gold and cash, Libya’s great source of fresh, precious water that could be lucrative business for foreign companies.  Led by the US, imperialist powers wanted these countries and several others as new markets.

These are ruthless wars.  The US, Britain and other allies have used weapons that were among the most lethal and destructive.  They exploit racial, religious, ethnic, economic and other differences to help build, arm and train terrorist groups and sway them to create mayhem in countries where governments are not subservient to the dictates of the US and EU, thereby justifying their armed intervention while saving US and the EU from getting blamed for the atrocities. 

As these wars turn large areas into barren land, hostile to all living things, they demolish livelihoods, destroy communities, deprive people of clean drinking water, maim, kill and displace millions of people.  These wars ever increase the number of refugees in modern history, bigger than during WWII.

In Syria, death toll until 2016 has reached 470,000.  This is the biggest in the so-called Middle East-North Africa (MENA) area.  Its displaced population is also the biggest.  More than 4.2 million have become refugees outside the Syrian border while 8 million more were internally displaced. 

Rape, trafficking and prostitution worsen under war conditions

The wars that came out of the “Arab Spring” are causing menace to women and girls.  Women, when still in the areas of conflict, aside from suffering what the men endure, are often victims of rape, kidnapping and forced marriages especially to members of terrorist groups.  Those who are kidnapped are often sold as slaves or to be wives even at very young age of eight or nine years. Thousands of young girls get married and divorced and remarried, with marriage becoming mere “legal” cover for prostitution.

A big number of those who escape to other countries, even to Europe become victims of trafficking. While men also get raped or traded, women and girls are more prone to sexual assault, trafficking, prostitution and enslavement especially now when governments have made the process of accepting and integrating refugees extra difficult.  

Threat of More Wars

It is revolting that while the US, Britain and leading EU states that pushed and manipulated information in order to justify intervention in these 21^st century wars and are, therefore, answerable for the creation of the refugee crisis, are the ones that taking a strong position against accepting and integrating more refugees.

It is horrible that despite the catastrophic level of the problems their wars created, they, especially the US are prolonging their involvement in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen while doing actual preparations to open new war fronts to rein in North Korea and Iran and prevent the growth of Russia and China.  Peoples in the region should take the danger of war seriously as the US did not withdraw the Asia-Pacific pivot that primarily aims at China.  Trump has revealed, two nuclear submarines are in Korea.  Two naval fleets patrol the China Sea closest to China and within the contested area of South China Sea.  US forces in Japan are in their strongest level.   

War at home and open threats to women

The Filipino people, particularly those in Mindanao, including the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are in war situation presently, particularly for the residents of Marawi City and adjoining towns in Lanao Sur. 

Without factual basis and despite the assessment by both the police and armed forces that the terrorist threat is under check and that it can be contained without declaring martial law, Rodrigo Duterte imposed martial law and suspended the privilege of writ of habeas corpus in the whole of Mindanao starting May 23. This is a de facto declaration of war on over 22 million Filipinos living there. Moreover, Duterte threatens to place under martial law the entire Philippines even just on mere report of terrorist presence in the islands of Luzon and Visayas.

As thousands have left Marawi City to seek refuge elsewhere, the president and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is exhorting and cajoling soldiers to exercise their martial law powers, assuring them that he would answer for those who may be accused of committing abuses and other crimes, including rape.  

He enjoined the soldiers to his lust for power and his contempt for women, unmindful of the fact that those before him were men and women in uniform.  He was in his natural shameless, misogynistic self when he said, “If anyone among you rape three women, I will own responsibility for it.” This is how Duterte, the commander-in-chief revs up “his soldiers” for war against women and men who oppose his drive towards dictatorial rule and everyone who would fall prey to Duterte’s lust for absolute power.

Now, more than ever, as we join the global fight against US war and militarism, we raise our vigilance and resist the open attempt to establish one-man tyrannical rule, threatening to make terrorism real in the Philippines.   

No to war and militarism!

No to martial law!

Let us affirm our global solidarity against war and militarism on June 3, 2017. 

Pagkakaisa ng Kababaihan para sa Kalayaan (Kaisa Ka)

Martial Law in Mindanao, Overkill

May 24, 2017

Like the State of National Emergency,

Martial Law in Mindanao, Overkill

Following clashes between government troops and alleged members of the Maute Group in Marawi City, President Rodrigo Duterte has made good his earlier threats to declare Martial Rule over the region. 

The 60 day declaration came as the Maute group was said to have “set ablaze establishments” and the firefight with government troops which started 3:20 pm, Tuesday, May 23. 

A closer perusal of the news brings up critical questions.

Four minutes (9:56PM) before the ten pm declaration by President Duterte, Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra was reported to have been pleading with authorities, especially the AFP to send reinforcements despite assurances that “help was on their way”.

Another report featuring Mayor Gandamra said that by 7:32 PM, the local government still has all control of the government establishments and the streets are quiet.

Mayor Gandamra’s statement is consistent with that released by AFP Public Affairs Office Chief Marine Colonel Edgard A. Arevalo in social media, declaring that “the situation (in Marawi) has stabilized” and there is “no truth to the earlier reports that Amai Pakpak Hospital has been occupied and that the people there were held hostage”, the “City Hall was not occupied” and that the “sporadic firefight heard was harassment actions by terrorist sympathizers”.

In the same statement, the AFP pointed out that reports linking ISIS to Maute are “spurious” and characterized them as a “ small, local terror group”, which is opposite of the statement made in the impromptu Press Conference in Moscow by government officials announcing the 60 day Martial Law of Mindanao branding Maute as part of or affiliated with ISIS.

Like the unjustified declaration of a State of National Emergency following the bombing in Davao Market last year which have yet to be lifted, the declaration of Martial Law for an entire region is another overkill move as the clash cannot be imagined to be either invasion or rebellion, the necessary Constitutional Basis for declaring Martial Law.  

In more than a dozen instances, the President himself has articulated his preference to impose Martial Law for varying reasons, the latest of which was in the event that the conflict in Mindanao will spiral out of control. The situation has already stabilized says the AFP, logically the declaration is superfluous.  

In fact, no armed group is posing as a threat against government and one cannot help but think that the Maute threat is being blown up way out of proportion.  

We view this declaration as a confirmation of Duterte's obsession with strong hand rule which he has always threatened to do every time his plans and decisions, his exercise of presidential authority, are questioned. He has said before that if he is pushed he would do. Now finding even a flimsy reason he declares martial law.   

The declaration is arbitrary having not considered the report and assessment by the AFP and the local government that the situation is under control.

Furthermore, just as the open-ended "state of emergency", this martial law declaration was announced by the presidential spokesperson not by Duterte himself. The declaration was made while the president was in Russia underscoring the fact that there was no serious and objective study of the situation. Such arbitrariness betrays Duterte's tendency to abuse authority.

Though the declaration cited the constitutional provision stating the basis for imposing martial law, such situation however does not exist, even in Marawi city.

The declaration is too vague and therefore open to abuses. It dangerously threatens the people's democratic and legal rights, the functions of the civilian government and the courts. In fact, it will surely further the culture of fear and impunity already besetting the nation and not to mention open doors to rights abuses that would befall the citizens of Mindanao.

We demand that this declaration be recalled immediately and make the president answer for his action.

####

D.O. 174: Isa pa sa mga Pakana sa Nagpapatuloy na Tiranikong Atake sa Paggawa

Muling bigo ang mga manggagawa sa inaasam na paglaya sa salot na kontraktwalisasyon. Minsan pa, napatunayang walang maasahan sa nakaluklok sa kapangyarihan.  Tulad ng mga naunang rehimen,  tagapagtaguyod din ang administrasyong Duterte ng neo-liberalismo at ng interes ng mga kapitalista. Sa pamamagitan ng Department Order # 174, ginawang lehitimo ang kalakaran ng kontraktuwal na pag-empleyo ng manggagawa para sa kailangan (necessary) at esensyal (essential) na trabaho.

Ang kontraktuwalisasyon ng paggawa ay isa sa mga mayor na salik sa paglaya ng kapital o pag-aalis ng mga sagabal sa malayang paggalaw at paglago ng kapital na siyang kahulugan ng neoliberalismo. Ang paglaya ng capital, sa gayon, ay nangangahulugan ng pagsupil sa paggawa.

Pangako ni Duterte nuong kumampanya na kanyang wawakasan ang bulok na sistema ng kontraktwalisasyon sa bansa. Matatandaan na buong yabang na isinumpa niya ito na “anti-people”.  Marami sa ating kamanggagawa ang nanalig sa pangakong ito.  Hanggang mabulgar mismo ang kahungkagan ng pangakong ito ni Duterte nang ianunsyo, Abril 15, ang paglabas ng D.O. 174, pamalit sa D.O. 18-A.

Hindi na ikinagulat ng mulat na sekyon ng mga manggagawa ang kinalabasan ng bagong DO.  Sa serye pa lamang ng mga kumperensyang ipinatawag upang dinggin diumano ang tinig ng manggagawa, malinaw na ang posisyon ng Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), wala ito sa panig ng mga manggagawa.

Paglinlang at pagsupil sa manggagawa

ANG D.O. 174 ay halos pag-uulit ng D.O. 18-A. Niligalisa at pinagtibay lamang nito ang kontraktwalisasyon na pumapawi sa mga karapatan ng manggagawa sa permanente at regular na trabaho at mga benepisyo.

Itinaas ng D.O. 174 ang minimum na kapital ng labor agencies mula sa tatlong milyong piso (P 3M) tungong limang milyon (P 5M). Ito diumano ang pinakamababang sukatan para sabihing may kapasidad ang labor agency na mag-opereyt. Ngunit alam naman nating nandiyan lagi ang kutsabahan ng prinsipal at agency at kadalasan, ang prinsipal din ang nasa likod o siyang may-ari ng mga labor agency.

Itinakda rin ng bagong D.O. ang qualifiers na “specific”, “work for a definite and pre-determined period” at “identifiable jobs” para umano maging malinaw at tiyak ang mga trabahong ipapakontrata.

Ngunit ang mga terminong ito ay dati nang gamit ng mga kapitalista para ipatungkol sa “job orders”, “project” at iba pang iskema upang ikutan ang batas at maipakontrata ang mga trabahong “essential and/or desirable to the principal business operation.”  Sa gayon, lalong pinagtibay ng bagong D.O. ang kinasusuklaman nating sistemang kontraktuwal.

Sa bagong D.O. ay malinaw na ire-regular ang manggagawa sa agency, hindi sa principal. Isa itong katayuan na napaka-bulnerable dahil sa oras na habulin nating manggagawa ang karapatan sa pag-u-unyon at iba pang karapatan sa trabaho, tulad ng dagdag na sahod,  ay napakadali tayong tanggalin sa trabaho.

Magkukutsabahan lamang ang principal at agency at kunwang hindi na bibigyan ng bagong kontrata ng una ang huli.  Wala na tayong trabaho.   Nakatali ang ating pamamasukan sa kontratang namamagitan sa prinsipal at ahensya.  Separation pay lamang ang katapat ng ating panunungkulan.

Sa pagsusuma, ang D.O. 174 sa panahon ni Duterte ay pagpipino at pagkikinis lamang ng iskema ng kontraktwalisasyon na institusyunalisado na sa ilalim ng mga naunang rehimeng naluklok sa Malakanyang. Kumpletong pakete ang D.O. 174 ng tiranikong atake ng rehimeng Duterte sa paggawa. Papawiin nito ang natitirang pag-asa para sa regular/permanenteng trabaho, at sapagkat hindi regular o permanente ang pag-empleyo ng manggagawa, wala silang karapatang mag-organisa, mag-unyon at sama-samang makipagtawaran.

Muli mabibigo tayong manggagawa kung iaasa lamang sa iba ang ating paglaya sa pagsasamantala at pang-aapi ng uring kapitalista at sa sistema ng paghaharing nagtataguyod ng kanilang interes. Tuwirang salungat ang interes nating manggagawa sa interes ng uring kapitalista. Ipinakikita sa nakaraang kasaysayan at sa kasalukuyang sitwasyon ang katunayan ng tunggaliang ito.

Hungkag ang pagpapanggap ng Panguluhang Duterte na ito’y maka-manggagawa at maka-kaliwa. Katunayan, bukod sa D.O. 174 ay pinagbabantaan nito ng ibayong karahasan ang mga organisado o unyonisadong manggagawa, laluna sa mga economic zones. Sapagkat wala ngang pangimi sa karahasan at tahasang paglabag sa mga karapatang pantao, ang rehimeng Duterte ay banta ng ibayong pagsupil sa mga manggagawa at mamamayan, sa pangkalahatan.

Pandaigdigang paglaban sa pagsasamantala at pang-aapi   

Pandaigdigan ang pag-iral ng neoliberalismo at sa gayon ng kontraktuwalisasyon. Pinasiyaan ito sa United States of America (USA o US) at sa United Kingdom (UK) o Britain umpisa ng dekada 80 sa sistematikong pag-atake sa karapatan ng manggagawang mag-unyon at magwelga at pag-uumpisa ng patakaran at sistema ng pleksibleng paggawa (flexible labor)—pleksible o hindi pirmi/di-istable ang katayuan sa empleyo at panahon/oras ng trabaho.  Pagsalakay at pagpawi sa mga dating karapatan ng paggawa ang susi sa liberalisasyon o pagpapalaya ng kapital.

Itinulak ang neoliberalismo at kaakibat nitong pleksibleng paggawa upang maiwasan ng pandaigdigang

kapitalismo ang krisis. Kararaos lang ng kapitalismo sa krisis ng makatambal na resesyon at labis na tantos ng implasyon na humambalos, laluna sa US at Britain, nuong ikalawang hati ng dekada 70.

Ngunit ang ibayong pagpapalaya ng kapital ay humantong sa lalong krisis. Muli’t muling pumutok ang krisis ng kapitalismo. Mula nang huling pagsiklab ng pinansyal na krisis nuong 2008 ay hindi pa nakakaalpas ang pandaigdigang kapitalismo sa krisis nito na kinatatampukan ngayon ng malaganap na resesyon; pagkalubog sa utang ng mga gubyerno, pribadong korporasyon at mga pamilya; malaganap na kawalang trabaho; at, mababang sahod at hindi istableng empleyo para sa mga may trabaho.

Isinabatas na ang pagpapahaba ng oras-paggawa, nang walang dagdag sa sahod, sa hindi iilang bayan, kabilang ang mga abantenng kapitalistang bayan tulad ng France. Sa US, pinakamarami sa mga bagong nagkakatrabaho ay pansamantala o temporary (temps). Ang pansamantalang trabaho ay maaaring tatlong buwan o ilang linggo lamang. Ipinapatupad sa buong mundo ang ibayong pagpapababa ng sahod katambal ang pagpapahaba ng oras-paggawa.

Isulong at patalasin ang paglaban ng masang manggagawa, sa unahan ng mamamayan

Malinaw na hindi kontraktuwal na paggawa lamang ang problema. Katunayan, isa lamang ito sa mga anyo ng pagsasasmantala at pang-aapi sa manggagawa. Isa lamang ito sa mga pamamaraan sa tangkang ibayong pagpiga ng tubo o pagpapalago ng kapital sa kabila ng krisis ng kapitalismo. Isa lamang ito sa mga patakaran ng neoliberal na disenyo para sagipin ang kapitalismo sa angkin o likas na krisis nito.

Kailangang kung gayon na lampasan ng mga manggagawa sa bawat bayan ang paglaban lamang sa mga particular na anyo at paraan ng pagsasamantala at pang-aapi. Kailangang itaas at isulong ang paglaban sa kapitalismo, laluna ang pinakasukdulang inabot nito na monopolyo at tiranikong kapitalismo na pangunahing kinakatawan ng imperyalismong US. Ito rin ang principal na manggigera at ngayon ay pinapasaklaw ang pananalakay nito sa iba’t-ibang panig ng daigdig.

Manggagawa ng bawat bayan magkaisa, pangunahan ang mamamayan sa paglaban sa imperyalismong US!

WORKERS FOR PEOPLE’S LIBERATION

1 Mayo 2017

Statement in Support of Venezuelan People Against US Intervention

Statement

April 17,2017             

Reference: Atty. Virgie Suarez, Secretary- General, KILUSAN

We Condemn US Eagerness for Force

 vs. Government of Venezuela

It is not just Luis Almagro of the Organization of American States (OAS) threatening the government of Venezuela.   Now, it is Admiral Kurt W. Tidd, commander of the United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) warning that “the crisis in Venezuela could eventually compel a regional response.”

We view such a warning from Admiral Tiddas dangerous and alarming. KILUSAN, an anti-imperialist and a democratic movement in the Philippines, strongly denounces it.

To Unseat a Democratically Elected Government

It was a statement made as Admiral Tidd presented a report last April 6 in front of the US Senate wherein he cites shortage in supplies, political uncertainty and economic crisis as conditions meriting a “regional response” from the US.

Such a statement clearly telegraphs US’ eagerness for immediate action, aimed at unseating a democratically elected sovereign government, which has refused to kowtow to its hegemonic dictates and directives.

Though short of pronouncing direct intervention, the warning comes at a time that US President Trump has consistently and repeatedly warned the rest of the world of its keenness to show its “might”, which can be understood to mean military action.

By citing shortage, political uncertainty and crisis, Admiral Tidd conveniently covers up the big role played by his country’s operatives in the current predicament facing the Bolivarian movement in Venezuela and its people.

Winds of War

His report, however, betrayed a more plausible reason for US to send in its military forces to Venezuela. He mentioned the relationships fostered by Russia, China and Iran with Venezuela and the rest of the region. We believe that in this light, the US is raring to get back what were once under his dominion—markets and sources of raw materials and compliant labor especially in the light of its inability to recover from the economic slump since 2008, along with other imperialist nations.

Peoples in Latin America and around the world should be alarmed by this threat from the USSOUTHCOM. 

The failure of the US and its imperialist allies to recover from the crisis further fans the winds of war and conflict across resource-rich and strategic regions.

 Let us not forget that Trump believing his military is “the greatest in the world” has recently used GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast containing 11 tonnes of explosives, a 20,000 pound bomb worth $16 Million and developed for $300 Million christened the “mother of all bombs” in Afghanistan with a blast radius of a mile in each direction[1].

Trump has further relaxed rules for preventing civilian casualties. Already, civilian casualties have jumped from 1,782 in February to 3,471 in March according to Airwars, a group that tracks bombings.

It is provoking a full-blown war with Russia by using 59 Tomahawk missiles aimed against Shayrat Airbase of the Syrian government. It is set for war in Korea. NATO forces and aircraft deploy close to Russia's borders, along with the missile defense shield in Romania, and missiles still aim against China.

Freedom-loving peoples must resist such moves by the US and its allies by others who for their own interests push the rest of the world to a time of never-ending and perpetual war and chaos.

It takes people of free and sovereign nations to protect peace and promote social justice by resisting war and escalation of conflict. We demand respect for Venezuela’s sovereignty and oppose intervention of the US in that country! ###

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[1] One mile is equivalent to 1.609344 kilometers or 1,609.344 meters

A statement by the United Small Vendors and Traders of Cebu City (USVTCC) commending the city government for dutifully demanding the right taxes from the big and moneyed bank like BDO

In the light of the issue between Banco de Oro Magallanes Branch and Cebu City Government regarding the former’s non-payment of correct business taxes to the latter, contrains us vendors of Cebu (United Small Vendors and Traders of Cebu City, USVTCC) to put forward our view and stand on the matter inasmuch as the issue involves not only between the LGU and BDO but covers the City’s constituents and law abiding citizens as well. For, if the assertion of the City is true - that BDO pays six pesos a day in business tax or 2,000 pesos a year, considering that the location of the bank is right at the heart of a commercially busy downtown area where trading is teeming and thus earns much from “other peoples’ money” – it is a must that the city collect the right rates from the bank. 

 For, if we vendors pay P10 day or P3,600 in a year, individually, to the city as a form of business tax, in order to sell our goods and items to people under the heat of the sun and other natural elements; and a city hall janitor pays around 5,000 pesos a year in taxes, there is something terribly wrong here.  It is simply unfair and unjust. Not only does the bank cheat the government, it also deprives the small and poor people like us vendors of the city of the needed basic services that government is supposed to extend to us and other struggling people of cebu. The more money the city can collect in taxes from business establishments, the more the city is enabled to deliver social services to the people.

We commend the city government for dutifully demanding the right taxes from the big and moneyed bank like BDO. It is for us, an eloquent statement that the city can be fair and just if it wants to. Acts of government like this deserve good feedback for we vendors had been victims of harrassments and demolitions/clearings in the past while earnestly striving to survive by vending while paying dues to the government. May more of this kind of move by the city visit the big, moneyed and powerful businesses.  May the city government become really a state of, by and for the people – by being considerate and compassionate to the small and weak of our urban community/citizenry – most of the time.  It is our ardent wish that it is about time that the city begin to be inclusive of the least and weak like us by looking after our welfare not only in the short term but especially on the long term.

(Original transcript is in the vernacular translated and proof-read by the moderator of this blog site)

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USVTCC is an aggrupation of small sidewalk and ambulant vendors along N. Bacalso St., Leon Kilat St and was formed after the anti-poor policies and clearing operations of then mayor Mike Rama under the city's "beautification drive" paving way for more foreign investors in the city, inconsiderate and non-inclusive of the poor people's plight.

Ang Pagpanaug-daug, Babagan! Militarismo, Pakigbisugan! Gyera, Tapuson, Karon Na!

caricature by: Matthew Karaan (YND)

Sa Pagsaulog sa International Women's Day

Karong adlawa, Marso 8, 2016, gisaulog ang adlaw sa mga Kababaenhan kun ang International Women’s Day.   Usa ka gatos ug 2 ka tuig (102) nang kasumaran sa pag-ila sa katungod sa kababaenhan nga makabot’o ug ang pag-ila sa kamahinungdanun nga papel sa katilingban sa mga kababenhan. 

Sulod sa usa ka gatos ka tuig na kining gisaulog, kumusta ang mga kababaenhan sa kalibutan? 

Ang kalibutan karon gilibutan sa mga hulga sa krisis ug gyera.  Wala pa lum-i ang katawhan sa kalibutan apil ang mga kababaenhan sa lapdos sa krisis sa kawad-on bunga sa duwa’ sa salapi ug hinubrang katigayunan nga nalikom sa kamot sa mga pipila.  Nagpadayon ang pinakaulahing bunal sa krisis nga nibuto’ sa tuig 2008 ug nagkagrabe kini  nga nagsugod sa US ug nikatag sa tibuok kalibutan ug naapektuhan ang tanan, apil na ang mga nagpabiling lig-on nga ekonomiya susama sa Tsina. 

Ang US, mga nasud sa European Union, Japan, China—ang mga nag-unang mga ekonomiya sa kalibutan, nalukop sa utang.  Gikan sa pagkalubog sa utang sa mga bangko niining mga nasura, latas na ang pagkalubog sa utang sa mga katawhan niini ug ang pinakagrabe, ang gubyerno mismo niining mga nasura ang lubog sa utang karon.  Ang US, $19.3 trillion ang pagkakautang niini, 102.98% kung ikumpara sa iyang GDP.  Halos kini nangutang para makasugakud sa iyang mga pagagastusan.  Ang EU, 87.8% sa suma-total sa tanang mga nasud niini kumpara sa GDP.  Sa Japan 247.82% ang pagkakautang  sa GDP.  Samtang ang Tsina, adunay $28 trillion nga pagkakautang, 230% kung ikumpara sa GDP.  Buot ipasabot lang niini, wala na sa matarong nga barug ang dagkong ekonomiya sa kalibutan nga maoy nagdala sa ekomiya sa kinatibuk-an.

Ang epekto niini sa katawhan nagkadaiya, ang pinakamahinungdanon nga mga epekto mao ang pagkapiot sa nakuha nga serbisyo sa gubyerno sigon sa Austerity measure (pagdaginot sa Gubyerno) ug nawad-an sa trabaho bunga sa pagpanaktak.  Sayod kita nga kung kini ang maapektuhan, atong panginabuhi ug kalidad sa kinabuhi ang mukunhod pa sa pinakubos nga ang-ang.

Apan ang pangutana, ingon usab ba ang nahitabo sa mga adunahan?  Karong tuig 2016, samtang igû sa grabeng krisis ang kalibutan ug mas nagkaubos ang kalidad sa kinabuhi sa mga katawhan, 62 ka mga indibidwal sa kalibutan ang giila karong sobra-sobrang adunahan (richest).  Adunay naitala nga $1.76 trillion nga katigayunan! Katumbas ang 3.6 billion ka pinaka-kabus nga tawo kung ipunon ang mga katigayunan niini.  Halos katunga sa kalibutan ang katumbas nga pagpanag-iya sa 62 ka mga pinaka-adunahan nga mga indibidawal, samtang ang 3.6 billion ka mga pinakakabus nga katawhan gisaw-an ang ubos sa katunga nga katigayunan sa kalibutan.  Kadakong katingalahan!  70% sa pinaka-kabus sa kalibutan, mga kababenhan!

Kini nahitabo gumikan sa wala nay undang nga pagkahakug ug paghinangol ning sistema sa salapi ug ginansya kapuli ang dignidad ug kinabuhi sa katawhan.  Dungan pa sa kini nga kapait ang epekto sa gyera sa nagkalain-laing parte sa kalibutan.

Sobra na sa 3 ka tuig ang gyera sa Syria, nisunod kini nga gyera human sa Ukraine (2013).  Sa Ukraine, 9, 167 na ang namatay (suma-total sa mga civilian, sundalo ug mga rebelde).  215,000 sa 1.6 million sa mga napalayas nunot sa gyera ang dili na makabalik sa ilang kanhing gipuy-an tungod sa grabeng pagkaguba.  1.7 million ka mga bata sa Ukraine ang nakasinati ug grabeng epekto sa gyera hangtod karon ilabi na sa panahon sa ting-tugnaw (winter).   Hangtod karon, wala pay resolusyon para sa kalinaw sa maong nasud.

Sa Syria, 50.5% ang kababaenhan ug 49.5% ang kalalakin-an. Sisyenta isingko (75%) sa mga Syrian refugees, mga kababaenhan ug mga bata, ug 716,492 ang hingkog na ang pangidarun nga kababenhan.  Naitala na ang halos 3 Million ka Syrian refugees ang nahimutang sa mga silingang nasud paglikay sa gyera, nga nahimutang sa Lebanon, Jordan, ug Turkey.  Apan 4.6 million nga Syrians ang refugees, ug 6.6 million ang napalayas na sulod mismo sa Syria; katunga niini mga bata.  SILANG TANAN, NAKATAGAMTAM SA SOBRA-SOBRANG KAGUTOM, KATUGNAW, WALA’Y TUBIG, KAGUOL UG KALISANG!

Likod niini nga mga reyalidad, asa man kita paingon? Dili na nato angayan nga huwaton ang gyera nga mubuto sa mismong atong tugkaran gumikan sa wala pa nahupay ang kaguliyang sa South China Sea.  Ato nang ipaduso sa atong Gubyerno ang pagpakgang sa laing gyera nga mahitabo.  Mahimo kini nato sa pagsiguro sa pagpili sa sunod nga administrasyon nga dili muduot sa Gyera ug mubabag sa EDCA (kasabutan nga magpahimutang sa mga sundalong Amerikano sa atong nasud, pangandam sa gyera tali sa Tsina).  Ituboy nato ang Gubyerno nga nagbaton ug kasayuran sa pagpanalipod sa katawhang Pilipino gikan sa lapdos sa ekonomikanhong krisis, ilabi na sa mga kaigsuonan natong mga OFW.  Usa ka Gubyerno nga mudapig sa katawhan para sa matarong ug kaangayan.

Kung sa lantaw nato, wala kita’y kapilian sa han-ay  sa mga dumadagan karon, panahon na nga kita ang mugunit sa tinuod nga gahum.  Ipakita nato ang esenya sa tiunay nga demokrasya, ang pakigbisug sa kaugmaon nga matarong para sa atong mga anak.

Hinunua nga kini ang esensya ilabi na natong mga kababaenhan nganong adunay giingong International Women’s Day.  Dili kita mahadlok nga mobarug tungod ug alang sa kagawasan ug kaluwasan sa atong nasud!!  Makig bisug ug magtinabangay kitang mga kabus aron atong malumpag ang sistemang walay balatian.  Bangon! Barug! Makigbisug! ###

THE MEANING OF RAMA’S AND LABELLA’S VETOES OF MORATORIUM ON EVICTIONS

In November 2015, Councilor Alvin Dizon filed a proposed resolution to approve an ordinance imposing a moratorium on evictions or demolitions of dwelling in public lands to be undertaken by the Cebu City Government for a period of one year from effectivity of this ordinance within the City of Cebu. The City Council gave due course to the proposal and after having met the required processes and procedures, the proposed ordinance was subjected to a vote. The resolution was passed by a majority of the council.  When it was submitted to Mayor Rama, the latter vetoed it citing as basis the proposed ordinance negates a National Law, the R.A 7279 or the Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992.  The Council attempted to override the Rama veto but failed to get the required numbers because the Councilors who belong to the opposite party but voted in favor of the ordinance either absented or reversed their stand on the issue.  Meanwhile, Rama was suspended for sixty days due to a pending Administrative case. Encouraged by Vice Mayor Labella’s pro vote on the measure in the first filing, Councilor Dizon re-filed the ordinance confident that Labella as Acting Mayor will not veto it.  The re-filed bill again unanimously won the voting but Labella vetoed it on the same basis cited earlier by Rama.

What puzzles and infuriates many about the vetoes is the fact that the proposed ordinance invokes R.A. 7279 or UDHA as impetus, support and enhancement of the latter.  A thorough and cautious reading of the resolution reveals nothing that contravenes UDHA. It is provided in Section 4.4 of the proposed ordinance: Notwitstanding the moratorium, the Cebu City Government may implement eviction or demolition in the areas covered in the following instances:

A.     There is an urgent necessity to immediately relocate families to prevent loss of lives and property.  Provided, that the city may provide temporary relocation but it shall immediately identify those qualified for permanent relocation;

B.      The new structures constructed by informal settlers in the areas covered after the effectivity of this ordinance as certified by the barangay local government unit concerned;

C.      In both instances, the Division for the Welfare of the Urban Poor shall conduct adequate consultation and notice. Provided, that the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (Probe) team shall implement humane demolition.

Thus, the above provisions indicate that in letter and spirit, the proposal is in furtherance of the UDHA.  What the vetoes simply show is that Rama and Labella lacked due diligence and conscientious study of the ordinance for them to have missed the whole point of the measure.  Their actions betray either utter absence of regard for the welfare of the poor and marginalized of Cebu.  Or worse, it is a product of unprincipled partisan electoral patronage politics rearing its ugly head – at the expense of the very people Rama and Labella shamelessly vowed to serve.

The moratorium enjoys broad support from different sectors: the affected “squatters”-urban poor of the city; various cause-oriented NGOs and peoples’ organizations; the academe, professionals and even from the religious nuns, brothers, clerics, as well as pastors and ministers of churches. And yet despite this, Rama and Labella ignored them – opting to be insensitive and callous to the clamor of the people.  Even the just concluded International Eucharistic Congress did not make a dent on the sensibilities and sensitivities of the two officials notwithstanding the clarion calls of the Catholic Church to care and serve the poor and excluded in our society. After all, their attendance and presence at the Congress activities, if anything, were just plain posturing.

Another meaning-gleaning of the veto is the question whose welfare and interests are Rama and Labella really protecting?  Are they abandoning the poor to defend moneyed, powerful, corporate and foreign interests? For whom is development and   general welfare - if it sacrifices the many poor deprived and oppressed in the process. It cannot be anything but sheer misplaced priorities and moral bankruptcy.

We call on the councilors who voted against the measure to rethink and reconsider their position on the matter.  Heed the cries of the disadvantaged and neglected of your constituents. We call on the councilors who voted in favor of the measure: remain steadfast and continue your principled stewardship of the poor and excluded.

We call on the people to assert your rights.  Discern well who to vote for in the coming elections. Resist government assault on the weak, small and poor. Expose and oppose abusive and anti-people practices, policies, programs and projects. Reject massive violation of peoples’ rights.