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Foreign endorsers ng Bench at Penshoppe at queer racialization ng kita

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Foreign endorsers ng Bench at Penshoppe at queer racialization ng kita


Ni ROLAND B. TOLENTINO
Bulatlat.com

Ang magkakumpensyang fashion brands ay gumagamit ng kalakhan ay pambalang lalakeng foreign endorsers para higit na magkaroon ng lamang sa kapwa, at para mapatupad ang pangarap na maging isang global brand. Sa corner ng Penshoppe, ang powerhouse team ay kinalalahukan nina Mario Maurer, isang Thai matinee idol; Zac Efron, isa sa pinakasikat na kabataang bituin sa Hollywood; Ed Westwick, Ian Somerhalder, at Leighton Meester, mga kabataang artista sa telebisyon.

Sa kabilang corner, ang Bench na nagpasimuno ng paggamit ng foreign endorsers noon pang 1995 sa hindi pa kilalang bandang Boyzone ay kinabibilangan naman ng mga class B na mang-aawit, sina Joe Jonas at David Archeleta, ng higit pang pasikat na si Liam Hemsworth, at ng Koreanong grupo, ang Super Junior. Ginamit din ng Bench ang mga dayuhang may Filipinong etnisidad, sina Apl d. Ap ng Black Eyed Peas, Nicole Scherzinger ng Pussycat Dolls, at Bruno Mars.

Gamit ang foreign endorsers para magkaroon ng brand recognition sa loob at labas ng bansa ang lokal na fashion stores. Ayon kay Alex Mendoza, Penshoppe brand director, “We are aiming to create a brand that can proudly be sold around the world. We have improved on our products and stores to make them more international in quality. Now that the back end is fixed, we can communicate it to the market. And getting international superstars gives a new sparkle to the brand” (http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/49631/battle-of-celeb-endorsers-heats-up–who-will-blink-first).

Lubhang epektibo ang pagkuha ng foreign endorsers batay sa ilang anekdota ng higit na pagtangkilik sa kanilang produkto, “Almost everything [they] wore on our billboards sold out” (ibid). May dalawang operasyon na naipapatagos ang neokolonyal na mentalidad. Sa lebel ng brands, ang aspirasyong global na kahit pa ang mga outlet ng mga ito sa labas ng bansa ay kakakurampot pa lamang, at sa lugar na mayroon pang OCW na populasyon.

At sa lebel ng lokal na mamimili—ang aspirasyong kasing kisig at “puti” ng mga foreign endorser na ipinapatangkilik. Ang akto ng pagbili ay hindi lamang pagkuha ng komoditi bilang personal na pag-aari kundi pati na rin ang lifestyle at auratikong sinasambit nito: na sa pagbili, ang entitlement na maging aspirasyonal—kabataan, hip, makisig, may kakayanan, at gitnang uring panuntunan.

Ang kaibahan ng foreign endorsers na lalake sa lokal, mula kay Richard Gomez hanggang kina Jake Cuenca at Piolo Pascual, ay balot ang katawan ng foreign endorsers. Ang lokal na endorsers ay may halay dahil iwinawagasiwas ang matitikas, may abs at pecs na pangangatawan. Lumilikha ng dikotonomiya ang fashion brands: sterile wholesomeness kapag foreign endorsers, at primal na sexualidad kapag lokal—pero pawang gitnang uring panuntunan, kahit pa mas mataas ang kalidad na sinasambit ng foreign endorsers.

Ang ginagawa ng akto ng advertisement ay humikayat ng memory recall sa brand recognition, na makakapagbangko sa idea ng pagbili kapag nagkaroon na ng finansyal na kapasidad. Ang ginagawa naman ng memory recall, pati na rin ang akto ng pagbili, ay serye ng displacements ng sarili: ako na tumatangkilik ay tinatangkilik itong damit-underwear-jeans-oil remover na tinatangkilik nitong sikat na dayuhan na representatibo ng global na kabataang pagtangkilik na ipinapatangkilik ng lokal na fashion brand.

Ang identifikasyon ay nagreresulta sa queer racialization: na ang aspirasyong global, maging ng gitnang uri, ay nangangailangan ng afinidad sa lalakeng dayuhan at kung gayon, ng pagkakahiwalay sa sariling nasyonalidad. Nilusaw ang nasyon at nasyonalidad bilang hindi integral na salik ng global na konsumerismo.

Kung tutuusin pa nga, ang nasyon at nasyonalidad ay aside na lamang o insidental sa konsumerismo—nagkataon lang na Filipino tayo, Filipino ang damit, Filipino ang negosyo, Filipino ang tindahan dahil sa totoo lang, mas matimbang at makabuluhan ang global na panuntunan. Ang mukha ng global na panuntunan ay kalakhan lalakeng dayuhan: kundi man puti ay mestizo o may lahi pa rin ng kaputian, o superioridad ng iba pang mas maunlad (mas tumatangkilik at konsumerista, tulad ng Thailand at Korea) na lipunan.

Queer marketing ang nagaganap dahil ang lalakeng dayuhan ay index ng gitnang uring kabataang machismo’t lahing superioridad. Mas mababa ang antas natin sa bansa, kahit pa tayo ang tinatarget na tumangkilik nitong mga produkto. At kung lalakeng dayuhan ang hook para magka-memory recall at mapabili ang lokal na mamamayan, ang projection ng sarili rito ay nagsisiwalat ng sariling kakulangan at ng superiodad ng imahe.

Tumataginting ang imahen, at laging kapag tinimbang, kulang ang sarili sa modelo ng ideal. “Excuse me lang po,” tatangkilik lang me para mag-overcompensate sa aking kakulangan. Wala nang pagtatalong isinasaad, hinulma na ng fashion brands ang kanila at ating pakatalo’t pagkatiklop—ang equivocation ng aktwal na kasalatan at fantasya ng pag-angat.

Na sa global na dibisyon ng pisikal at intelektwal na paggawa, tayo ang mananahi, ang ad agents, ang taga-print at taga-sabit ng tarp sa EDSA at tagatangkilik, pero silang dayuhan ang utak at hulmahan ng kalidad ng paggawa, konsumeristang taktika, at pagpapakita. Sa atin ang kantitatibo at sa dayuhan ang kalitatibo.

Ang nililikha ng foreign endorsers ay estrangement o pagsasaestranghero ng individualidad na ang angkla ay hindi sa potensyalidad ng sarili at kolektibong nasyon kundi ang walang nasyonalidad na kapital. Ang dayuhan at dayuhang aktibidad—kasama ang endorsement ng atleta sa rugby at football na kinatatampukan ng mga halong Filipino—ang natatangi, at ang lokal at lokal na karanasan ay huthutan ng napakahalagang kita. (http://bulatlat.com)

(May pahintulot na pagsipi at muling paglimbag mula sa Bulatlat.com)

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/06/24/foreign-endorsers-ng-bench-at-penshoppe-at-queer-racialization-ng-kita/

Mothers decry electric rates hike

Mothers decry electric rates hike

 “We directly pin the blame on Aquino’s relentless drive to retool all services under the Public Private Partnership, which is really just privatization.” – Gabriela
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Bulatlat.com

MANILA – With prices of basic commodities going up unabated, the last thing Filipino families need is another spike in electric rates. But the government recently allowed an increase in electric charges.
Mothers,who bear the brunt of having to budget their meager income and make sure it covers their daily needs, were at the forefront of the protests against the increase.

Nida Nañoz, 52, a resident of sitio Militar in Project 8, Quezon City, said she remembered how dismayed she was upon seeing this month’s electric bill, now amounting to $70 from only $23. She shares a house with her three siblings and their families and now they are at a loss on where to get money to pay for their bill.
Her husband Solomon, 52, only earns $4 to $6 a day as a pineapple vendor.

Under such predicament, Nañoz expressed her dissatisfaction on how President Benigno “Noynoy” C. Aquino III is handling the welfare of poor Filipino families. “At first, he said that the people are his boss. Where is that promise now?”

The Energy Regulatory Commission has recently approved the petition of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) to allow the maximum average price (MAP) of $0.038 per kilowatt hour for distribution, supply and metering charges. It would reflect on customers’ bills starting this month until June 30, 2013.

Under the increase, a household with an average monthly consumption of 200 kwh should expect a 16.4-percent increase in MAP from $0.024 per kwh to $0.029 per kwh. The Philippine Star reported that “households consuming 201-300 per kilowatts-hour should expect a 12-percent increase to $0.036 per kwh from $0.032 per kwh while those with an average consumption of 301-400 kWh will bear a 9.8-percent increase to $0.043 per kwh from $0.040 per kwh.”

Electricity rate increase

Mothers say they would be electrocuted with the unabated increase in electric rates(Photo courtesy of Rhoda Manglalan / bulatlat.com)
Nañoz said they have several energy-saving measures at home. But it was not enough to keep their electric bill from going beyond what they could afford to pay. To keep from getting their supply cut, Nañoz is pondering on the possibility of borrowing money from loan sharks. She is also clueless on how they would be able to further limit their electric consumption.

The increase in the electricity rates, she added, has brought “headaches” to their family. “Where are we going to get that much money this soon? Since there are four families living in our house, we need to come up with $17 each family.”

“We hardly ever use any of our appliances at home. We do not own a television set or a refrigerator. We only have three electric fans, three fluorescent lamps and four small light bulbs,” Nañoz said, adding that they turn off the lights at night and even their electric fans due to the rainy weather for the past few days..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/07/11/mothers-decry-electric-rates-hike/

Monsanto rider: New bill could make biotech companies immune to courts

Monsanto rider: New bill could make biotech companies immune to courts


If passed, an amendment in the Agricultural Appropriations Bill will not just allow, but require the secretary of agriculture to grant permits for planting or cultivating GM crops – even if a federal court has given an injunction against it.

Basically, all Monsanto and other biotech companies have to do is ask and the industry gets its way. Issues like crop contamination, damage to farmers or consumers, courts orders or USDA studies all go out the window and the biotech industry cashes in.

Organizations like Food Democracy Now are in a panic, calling all to petition against the bill, which they say “fundamentally undermines the concept of judicial review and would strip judges of their constitutional mandate to protect consumer rights and the environment, while opening up the floodgates for the planting of new untested genetically engineered crops, endangering farmers, consumers and the environment.”.... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/usa/news/monsanto-bill-immunity-court-862/

Monsanto rider: New bill could make biotech companies immune to courts

Monsanto rider: New bill could make biotech companies immune to courts


If passed, an amendment in the Agricultural Appropriations Bill will not just allow, but require the secretary of agriculture to grant permits for planting or cultivating GM crops – even if a federal court has given an injunction against it.

Basically, all Monsanto and other biotech companies have to do is ask and the industry gets its way. Issues like crop contamination, damage to farmers or consumers, courts orders or USDA studies all go out the window and the biotech industry cashes in.

Organizations like Food Democracy Now are in a panic, calling all to petition against the bill, which they say “fundamentally undermines the concept of judicial review and would strip judges of their constitutional mandate to protect consumer rights and the environment, while opening up the floodgates for the planting of new untested genetically engineered crops, endangering farmers, consumers and the environment.”.... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/usa/news/monsanto-bill-immunity-court-862/

Sellafield: The dangers of Britain's nuclear dustbin

Sellafield: The dangers of Britain's nuclear dustbin


Britain’s nuclear industry is again the center of controversy. The UK has the biggest stockpile of Plutonium in the world, but there are no definite plans for how to get rid of it – and the delays are costing the UK taxpayer billions.

­A record number of radioactive particles have been found on beaches near the Sellafield nuclear plant, in North West England. The authorities who run it admit it’s the most radioactive place in Western Europe but insist it’s safe.

Sellafield is where all storage of radioactive materials and nuclear reprocessing in the UK takes place. It was once at the heart of plutonium manufacturing for the British atomic weapons program.

Despite the controversy that surrounds the plant, there are plans to build new reactors at Sellafield. The government has approved initial plans to build a fast PRISM reactor on the site. Most locals are against it. They want the UK government to commission a safety study into Sellafield’s effects on the health of the local population..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://www.rt.com/news/sellafield-uk-radioactive-plutonium-843/

Church worker slapped with ‘fabricated’ charges

 Church worker slapped with ‘fabricated’ charges

“The arrest of Agnes was meant to sow fear among the people in the attempt to plunder the rich mineral resources and displace resisting communities for large-scale mining operations. “ – Rural Missionaries of the Philippines

By RONALYN V. OLEA
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – An advocate against large-scale destructive mining was detained and charged with common crimes.

Agnes Mesina, 40, a lay worker of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP) – Cagayan Valley, was arrested July 4 at a coffee shop in Tuguegarao City by elements of the Philippine National Police Region (PNP) 2 together with the Tuguegarao City PNP. The arrest took place in the presence of ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antonio Tinio who, at that time, was meeting with Mesina along with organizers of the local chapter of ACT Teachers Party-List. They had just come from a consultation with public school teachers.
Mesina has been charged with frustrated murder of a certain Ernesto Belen, a barangay captain of Luga, Sta. Teresita, Cagayan. She was detained overnight at the Tuguegarao City police station and was transferred to the Aparri Trial Court the next day. She was released after posting bail amounting to P20,000.

“We believe that the action is devious and related to her public advocacy of people’s rights against mining operations and other developmental projects that destroy the environment and sources of livelihood of peasant folk in Cagayan Valley. In the past months, she helped form alliances of church people, farmers, youth, and professionals to intensify people’s anti-mining advocacy and campaigns in the region that prick the consciences of (the) powers that be,” leaders of various Church denominations said in a joint statement.

Sr. Minela Alvarez of the Religious of the Good Shepherd in Isabela, Fr. Clarence Olat of the Episcopal Diocese of Santiago, Fr. Roderick Labog of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente-Diocese of Isabela, Fr. Candido Adriano, CssR of the Task Force dor the Orientation of Church Personnel
Mission and Fr. Charly Ricafort, MI of the Task Force for Urban Conscientization signed the statement condemning the arrest of Mesina. The last two Church groups are mission partners of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP).

Sr.M. Francis Añover,RSM, RMP national coordinator, described Mesina as a “trusted” lay co-worker of Sister Mela Alvarez, RGS, the RMP-Cagayan Valley coordinator..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/07/11/church-worker-slapped-with-%E2%80%98fabricated%E2%80%99-charges/

Sa ika-120 taon nang pagkatatag ng Katipunan ngayong Hulyo 7, 2012

Sa ika-120 taon nang pagkatatag ng Katipunan ngayong Hulyo 7, 2012


Ni Richard R. Gappi
Bulatlat.com

Pinatay ang kanyang tatay.
Pinatay ang kanyang nanay.
At tulad ng batang makulit
na kinikilala ang daigdig,
nagtanong siya kung bakit.
Nang matutuhan at matanto niya ang mga sagot,
sinagot siya ng ganito: bakit ka nagtatanong?
Kaya para patahimikin, sinuhulan siya.
Pero nang hindi siya makuha sa santong dasalan,
dinaan nila sa santong paspasan:
Kinasuhan siya ng gawa-gawang kaso
(sa korte kung saan sinampahan din
ng gawa-gawang kaso ang kanyang
nanay at tatay bago pinatay)
Saan ngayon hahantong ang kanyang paghahanap?
Nang masumpungan at makita niya
ang nawawala sa puso ng bundok,
pinatag nila ito, sinilaban, pinaglagablab;
bitbit ang dayong aral kung paano
gawing isang humahagulgol na gubat
ang isang payak na komunidad.
Tsaka nila binigyan ng pangalan:
(Oplan Balangiga)
Oplan Bantay Laya
Oplan Bayanihan.
Oplan Teach Me How to Doogie..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/07/07/sa-ika-120-taon-nang-pagkatatag-ng-katipunan-ngayong-hulyo-7-2012/

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