Activists score Malacañang’s cancellation of backchannel talks with Reds
The peace talks must continue even under conditions of intense fighting between the New People’s Army (NPA) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Bagong Alyansang Makabayan said in response to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines’ (GRP) cancellation of its scheduled backchannel talks with the the National Democratic Front of the […]
Drivers, workers protest jeepney phaseout
Thousands of public utility jeepney drivers under the No to Jeepeney Phaseout Coalition were joined by workers of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) in a protest rally at Mendiola a week before the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte. Among the workers are miners and banana plantation workers from Mindanao regions. They […]
Rights violations victims ask Duterte, ‘Where is change?’
Human rights violations remain rampant during Duterte’s first year in office, people’s rights alliance Karapatan said in a press briefing last July 14 in Quezon City. Two mothers of drug war victims–Djastin Lopez, 25, and Emer Soriano, 16–Michelle Campos, daughter of slain lumad leader Dionel Campos, and Rodolofo Tagalog Sr., father of peasant killed in […]
Group says Duterte’s LGBT promises ’empty’
By Mark Kevin Reginio of UP-CMC for Kodao Productions The Rodrigo Duterte government has done little for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) sector a year into its term, a group said in a forum held at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman Gender Office Friday. LGBT group Bahaghari-Metro Manila said Duterte’s campaign […]
OFW ID is not free after all
By Angel L. Tesorero of Khaleej Times for Kodao Productions DUBAI, United Arab Emirates–Filipino expats were disappointed to discover that the OFW (overseas Filipino worker) ID, touted as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s ‘best gift’ to millions of OFWs, is not actually free, as earlier announced. Duterte led the soft launching of the OFW ID on […]
Bayan releases 20-point wish list for Duterte’s 2nd SONA
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) announced its list of 20 “urgent people’s demands” it urges President Rodrigo Duterte’s to address on his second State of the Nation Address on July 24. Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said their list aims to push the year-old Duterte government to “address the worsening crisis confronting the nation and […]
Streetwise by Carol Pagaduan-Araullo: Dealing with Duterte
We have been getting “I-told-you-so” and “why-do-you-still-put-up-with-him” reactions from quite a number of well-meaning people here and abroad after President Rodrigo Roa Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao and withdrew the government negotiating panel form the 5th round of peace talks with the NDFP effectively causing its collapse. As far as they are concerned, President […]
No free tuition yet under Duterte, students say
Majority of University of the Philippines (UP) students will still be asked to pay matriculation fees despite the Rodrigo Duterte government’s announcement of an additional P8.3 billion funding to make tuition free in state universities and colleges (SUCs) next school year. This is according to CHED and the Department of Budget and Management’s (DBM) April […]
Do Filipinos think Duterte has brought change?
The Rodrigo Duterte government turned a year old last June 30. Students and other ordinary Filipinos were asked if the reforms the President promised when he was still a candidate and new in office are already being felt. Watch this video and learn what they have to say. (Video by Gabby Endona of UP-CMC for […]
Activists to Duterte: Is this the change you promised?
Marking Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s first year in office, people’s organizations from the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) evaluated his performance using emoticons in a rally in Manila last June 30. While acknowledging that the Duterte government delivered on some of his promises, the activists said the president promised so much more but has yet to deliver. […]