When Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) was ratified, I think we have already sold our country piece by piece. Imagine being the toxic burial place of the Japanese. just like liberalizing our trade in agricultural products, we have also opened our doors for zero tariff on waste to b dumped here in our shores. Economic in expense of what?



















Sadly, our fellow Mindanaoan legislator who holds an important position in the Congress--being a house Speaker, (Davao, 1st District) Rep. Prospero Nograles aims to open Mindanao for investors. The catch, we have to let these foreign investors to have a full ownership of our lands. He passed House Resolution 737 . It assails the constitutional provision, particularly sections 2 and 3, Article 12 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution on national patrimony by allowing foreign investors to operate vast tracts of agricultural lands. Furthermore, plantations which are under labor administration, cultivated, and developed for exports crops, and it will be excluded from Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) Compulsory Acquisition scheme. He claims that for 20 years of CARP implementation, Mindanao has not moved on. He claims that

“Many people are still poor in Mindanao because of the insurgency problem and we have an insurgency problem because there are no investments coming in to help the poor. We have been trapped into this kind of situation for long a time now and there’s nothing we can do about it just because of two provisions in the Constitution"

What a myopic analysis of the problem. Insurgency is a product of landlessness, of unequal distribution of wealth and resources, Mr. house Speaker. He added that by repelling the ownership restriction of the Constitution, it would be possible for Mindanao to move forward because of investment especially coming from Arab investors. He also added that

“Arab investments can be best situated in Mindanao because the insurgency problem in the region is mainly Muslim-related. I think that even members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Abu Sayyaf will not attack any Arab investment."

Wow! Is that how you view the Mindanao situation? Is that your solve all remedy to the historical injustices committed to our Lumad and Moro brothers and sisters and continuing poverty in the island?

Mindanao is continually hailed as the country’s food basket wherein we contribute 45 to 60% of the national export economy. Ironically, only few rural elites carry this basket, while millions of members of rural poor population filled it up. Being a land of abundance, the stark reality remains that six (6) out of the ten poorest provinces nationwide is here.

Rank Probinsiya Rehiyon Poverty incidence
1 Tawi-Tawi ARMM 78.9
2 Zamboanga del Norte Western Mindanao/ Zamboanga Peninsula 63.0
3 Maguindanao ARMM 62.0
4 Apayao CAR 57.5
5 Surigao del Norte Caraga 53.2
6 Lanao del Sur ARMM 52.5
7 Northern Samar Eastern Visayas 52.2
8 Masbate Bicol 51.0
9 Abra CAR 50.1
10 Misamis Occidental Northern Mindanao 48.8
Source: Philippjne Poverty Statistics, National Statistical Coordination Board.




Not until poverty and inequalities are addressed, insurgency will continue. Giving full ownership to the foreigners will only compound the already very complex problem.

Starting today, members coming from civil society groups join hands to reinstate the call to end the ongoing war in parts of Mindanao. Just right after the controversial Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) was declared as "unconstitutional" by Supreme Court, strife way South has escalated leaving children and women vulnerable.

In time also for the Celebration of Mindanao Week of Peace (MWOP) from Nov. 27- Dec.3 , different activities will be conducted to air our voices to the public. There are no victors in war. We lose everything on it- life, properties and our dignity. Lucky for us who sits comfortably on our comfort zones, while the rest of the conflict- affected villages fear for their lives-- always on the look-out to run.

Take action. Take part in MWOP activities. For the list of activities, click here.

Now, the "bakwits" (refugees) themselves have talked and called for the cessation of armed conflict. It is time that peace talks must be resumed. And the government must have learned it lessons now in negotiations . I personally call for a better, more transparent and right tri-people composition of Mindanao in the peace talks. And it must resume NOW!!

Prayers are powerful. It is our open communication to the Great Being. But when it was used by Press Secretary to pray for the health of the President to be able to rule this country until 2010 AND even beyond, the prayer becomes a blunder, a political tool, a self- serving utterance.


In this highly volatile political scenario of our country, I could not help but grimace at Dureza. I mean, is that his "prayers from the heart"? To have the current administration continue its rule beyond 2010?

And Dureza coming from the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace PRocess (OPPAP) before becoming the Press Secretary, it made me wonder, does he know their REAL motive behind the now aborted MOA-AD-- not for lasting peace but for political reasons?

Shame.

Partying in CLub Watt without the guilt. Read why.
(Picture taken from NY TImes)







For the youngbloods (The twenty something) who loves to party and gyrate on the dance floor, here's another way not to be guilty. Aside from sweating it out while swigging some beer, how about contributing electricity by dancing?


No don't raise your eyebrows. The Club Watt in Rotterdam, Netherlands discovered a way for sustainable dancing-- a dance floor that harvests the energy emitted by the jumps and bodily movements and convert it to energy.

According to the Club Owner, the electricity is used to power the light show. But if you want to power it for your own oven toaster, you can do so. Based on their calculations, two average people by dancing can light a bulb!

This is another way of reducing electricity consumption. Indirectly, this is another way of mitigating climate change. Tagged as "greener clubbing" , Club Watt owner Mr. Tieleman says it is his own way of raising consciousness, energy experiment but without sacrificing entertainment.

It is still on experimental stage but the concept is really great.

Now with so many disco bars here in the country and yuppies (who likes to party every Friday nights or week-ends), this is should be replicated here.

I grew up in a barrio and one mode of transportation is a motorcycle called skylab.I ride the skylab only every NOv.1 or 2 everytime we visit the cemetery (it’s an uphill affair that no jeepney or other vehicle would like to stuck its tires into) or visiting my classmates in sitios. My grandmother forbade us to ride this “dangerous ride to hell” as she called it.

In some areas here in Mindanao, a plank of wood is put across behind the driver to accommodate more passengers.Just like this below.
















In some areas, they have made some improvements. They no longer put woods, but steel bar to make it more sturdy. They even added umbrellas to protect its passengers against blistering heat or heavy rain. Recently, I snapped this photo for an improved invention of the habal-habal in Davao Oriental.























I decided to take my undergraduate degree in UP Mindanao (located in the serene boondock of MIntal, Bago Oshiro), and I never thought I’ll be encountering the skylab or habal-habal (as the Bisaya calls it), Everyday!


And every time I see this mode of transportation, it reminded of an incident during college. On one fateful day, I was waiting for my (guy) friend to share a ride and to save some money, of course.

I: “Ali, maghabal ta.” (Come, let’s take a ride.I just shorten the term, habal pertaining to the vehicle).

Then I heard laughter from other HH drivers and some bystanders. Confused, I asked them.

I: “Ngano diay?” (Why ?)

Manong: In Bisaya, Habal means sex.


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The nuances of language.*Sigh

So much for the ride. (--,)