Farmgate prices of palay, onion and other local agricultural products continued to decline during the first quarter of 2019. This is due to the unimpeded importation of these products under trade liberalization. Local palay prices were at P14/kilo in March, down from more or less P20/kilo last year. This is a direct consequence of the […]
PROTEST VS. CYBER-ATTACKS. Various alternative media groups, digital rights activists and their supporters marked the World Day Against Cyber-Censorship last March 12 with a protest action in front of the Department of Information and Communications Technology. The protesters condemned the agency’s inaction over the demand of the groups to address the attacks on their websites, […]
The scourge of SEMPO in Negros Police and military forces successively killed 14 farmers just within a few hours on March 30 in Negros Oriental. The victims add to the seven farmers killed from December 2018 to January under the campaign of suppression dubbed as SEMPO. Starting from 1 a.m., the latest killings were perpetrated […]
Three peasants were illegally arrested in Barangay Mulangan, Igbaras, Iloilo last March 18. The three were identified as Roberto Elamparo, 50, Ruperto Enar, 51 and Ramon Enar, 49. The AFP claimed that an encounter ensued near the area and accused the three as members of the NPA. In Iloilo, three Tumandok minorities were also illegally […]
Five battalions of the Armed Foces of the Philippines (AFP) are currently conducting focused operations in 12 communities situated in the boundaries of Cabanglasan and San Fernando, Bukidnon since January this year. No less than 1,400 soldiers from the 60th IB, 56th IB, 57th IB, 58th IB, 88th IB, Scout Rangers and Division Reconnaissance Company […]
More than 300 families or 1,409 individuals evacuated from Hagbay, Can-aponte, San Nicolas and San Pedro in San Jose de Buan, Samar on March 17-25 due to the three-month long operation of the 87th IB in their communities. Among the evacuees are 424 children, 66 elderly individuals and 11 pregnant women. Last March 25, soldiers […]
Half a million residents suffered a limited six- to 18-hour supply of water per day for almost two weeks last month. Although water supply is gradually stabilizing, water supply interruptions are expected to continue in the coming months. People bear the brunt of inefficient water distribution services under greedy private operators. This experience directly contradicts […]
This year, 11 Mindanao provinces will experience drought (Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Misamis Occidental, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Maguindanao, Sulu at Tawi-Tawi), alongside 26 provinces in Luzon (Abra, Benguet, Kalinga, Apayao, Mountain Province, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, […]
American military presence and operations—under the guise of joint military exercises, port calls, visits and other activities—are escalating in the Philippines. Last March, at least 9,000 American troops were simultaneously on Philippine soil. This April 2 to 12, the US is launching the 35th Balikatan in South and Central Luzon. This is being directly managed […]
The Communist Party of India (CPI)-Maoist called on the Indian people to resist the Operation Samadhan (“solution” in Indian), the reactionary Indian state’s latest suppression campaign. Contrary to its declared objectives, the operation will not bring in “solutions” such as irrigation, education, health and other services to Indian communities. Instead, Operation Samadhan will displace the […]