• 6 AUGUST - *1907 - Gen. Macario Sakay, one of the Filipino military leaders who had continued fighting the imperialist United States invaders eight years into the Ph...
    11 years ago

......................................................................................

The Daily Tribune

(Without Fear or Favor)

Specials:

Bulatlat.com

World Wildlife Fund for Nature-Philippines

The Philippines Matrix Project

Bayo ads at mixed-race politics

Thursday, July 12, 2012

Bayo ads at mixed-race politics

NI ROLAND TOLENTINO
Bulatlat.com

Hindi naman sana overkill ito dahil gumawa na ng publikong paumanhin ang Bayo para sa kampanyang “What’s your mix?” Ayon sa pahayag sa kanilang website, “We would like to express our regrets to those who have been offended or felt discriminated against.”

Sa naudlot na kampanya, mga modelong may halong lahi ang itinampok—halimbawa, “30% Indian, 70% Filipino,” at “50% Australian, 50% Filipino.” Kailangang nakaangkla ang anumang dayuhang lahi sa reiterasyon ng pagka-Filipino dahil ang Bayo naman ay Filipino brand. Pero second billing parati ang pagka-Filipino, bakit naman tatangkilikin ito ng karamihang Filipinong mamimili?

Ang 100% American o Japanese na pantukoy sa henerikong bagay (all-American beef, o 100% Japanese technology) ay integral sa paglalatag ng superioridad ng partikular na lahi sa mga produkto, serbisyo at larangan. Hindi hiwalay sa “all-American beef” ang pagkatalaga ng superioridad ng pangangalaga sa hayop, pagpatay dito, manufaktura, preserbasyon, marketing, at advertising sa pagiging Amerikano ng karne.

At kung magpakaganito, ang superioridad ng American-ness sa lahat ng aspektong kinalalahukan ng produksyon ng baka, agrikultura, teknolohiya, kulturang popular, hegemoniya, at globalisasyon. Sa ad ng Bayo, ang kabaligtaran ang isinasaad ng mixed-race politics, ang inferiodidad ng pagiging Filipino—na kailangan itong masaniban ng dayuhang lahi para maging isang komoditi na marketable.



(Photo grabbed from Tsikot.com / bulatlat.com)
Sa anumang konfigurasyon na nagsasambit ng lahi, may pagsasala rin na isinasagawa. Hindi lahat ng lahi ay angkop para sa lantad na designasyon: walang rekognisyon ang 100% Tanzanian fauna o all-Saudi Arabian oil. Ang binabanggit lamang ay ang rekognisyon sa superioridad ng mga partikular na lahi, yaong may antas na geopolitikal na global dominance—may silbi sa politikal at ekonomiyang kaayusan ng mundo.

Sa kaso ng Bayo, ang pagbabawas sa 100% Filipino sa iba’t iba nitong variasyon (basta may minimum at secondary billing ang pagka-Filipino) para mag-“excuse me lang po” sa kanilang pambansa’t global na posisyon sa fashion. Wala itong malaking endorsement budget para sa mga Hollywood star, tulad ng Bench o Penshoppe. Umaasa ang Bayo sa inaakalang makapangyarihang pagsanib ng dayuhan sa nasyonal/lokal para umastang may pag-angat ito.

Sa katunayan, ang dayuhan (o foreign) ang nagiging substansasyon ng lokal (o Filipino). Ang resulta ay panghihiram ng identidad sa dayuhan, kundi man wanna-be na attitude na gawin ang sariling identidad bilang aksesorya ng dayuhan. Ang prinipribilehiyado ay ang mga bagong mestizo’t mestiza, lampas sa dating mix mula sa Tsino, Kastila at Amerikano.

Ang hindi isinasaad ng mixed-race politics ng Bayo ay ang kadalasang literal na karahasan kung bakit nagsanib ang mga lahi: mga Amerasian (na mas mababa ang turing sa may halong African American kaysa sa “American” o purong puti) noong nasa kamay ng mga Amerikano ang Clark at Subic Bases at ginagawang R&R (rest and recreation) ng mga sundalo nito ang red-light district sa labas ng mga base; ang mga “Japino” o Hapon Filipino na karamihan ay hindi kinikilala ng kanilang amang Hapon mula sa inang nagtrabaho sa Japan; at sa mas kontemporaryo, ang dumarami na ring mga anak ng Koreano’t Filipina..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/06/11/bayo-ads-at-mixed-race-politics/

‘Kitchen knife caesarean’ shows women’s ‘un-health’ – Gabriela


‘Kitchen knife caesarean’ shows women’s ‘un-health’ – Gabriela


“The Aquino government is killing poor Filipino women with its failure to deliver the much needed pro-poor and comprehensive health care services to women.” – Gabriela
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com

MANILA — The shocking story of a 28-year old woman who gave herself a caesarian section last week has caught the attention of women’s group Gabriela and the legislators of Gabriela Women’s Party. The women’s rights advocates said the non-existence of a genuinely accessible and pro-poor health care system in the country results in tragedies like this.

““A health care system that truly responds to the needs of women and their children, especially from marginalized families, should show a picture of women in the pink of health. Yet we bear witness to the story of ‘Jane” who performed a caesarean operation on herself using a kitchen knife, personifying a dying health ‘non-care’ system in the country,” said Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Emmi De Jesus.

Late last week, the tabloids were emblazoned with reports about the Manila-based single woman who aborted her baby by cutting herself open with a kitchen knife without the benefit of any numbing agent or anesthesia. Based on reports, the woman operated on herself by slashing the right lower portion of her abdomen some 10 to 15 centimeters and pulled out the baby. The baby who did not survive long after the impromptu operation, was estimated to be between eight to nine months. Relatives reportedly discovered the woman after she had managed to sew her abdomen together with an ordinary needle and thread. she was rushed to the Sampaloc Hospital then immediately transferred to Sta. Ana Hospital.

De Jesus said the story was horrifying to say the least, and that if the country had a better health care system and one that also gives priority to maternal health, no mother would have to go through similar experiences.
She also argued that if the government is going to press charges against the woman for abortion, it should also look into the accountability of government agencies that are mandated to take care of women’s health and who have opted instead to abandon government responsibility and duty where public health care is concerned. She said the failure of the Aquino administration to reduce maternal mortality justifies an immediate review of its health care policies.

“The Aquino government is killing poor Filipino women with its failure to deliver the much needed pro-poor and comprehensive health care services to women. Maternal deaths in Metro Manila alone in 2010 were caused by eclampsia, haemorrhage, medical complication and infection. These are easily preventable complications if only there are enough health care facilities with enough health care providers to deliver the much needed health care for the mothers and infant,” she said.

The 2011 report of Center for Women Resources (CWR) revealed that 90 million Filipinos are served by only 3,050 doctors, 4,600 nurses, and 16,800 midwives.

“The government needs to address the more fundamental questions of joblessness and poverty while making health services accessible and affordable to poor women who are the ones victimized by easily preventable complications that cause maternal deaths. This situation is further aggravated by the government’s continuing neglect of the health sector by passing the responsibility to private business through corporatizing of 26 major regional government hospitals.”

De Jesus said Gabriela continues to campaign for the passage of a reproductive health bill that will provide the Filipino women comprehensive health care.

“Its framework on women’s health goes way beyond the distribution of contraceptives to curb population growth. Enacting a health policy that will help ensure women’s full access to health care will help prevent maternal mortality. But the government must also create programs that will provide for decent local jobs with living wages so the families will have enough income to spend for their health,” she said.

Increase in maternal deaths

In a related development, Gabriela led a protest action in front of the Department of Health (DOH) in Manila to condemn the Aquino administration’s plan to privatize all remaining public hospitals in the country, beginning with 26 public hospitals.

The group’s deputy secretary-general Joms Salvador said there is a direct link between the privatization of public health and the sudden rise in maternal deaths during the past two years of his presidency..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/07/11/kitchen-knife-caesarean-shows-women%E2%80%99s-un-health-gabriela/

Russia will continue to supply weapons to Syria by contracts

Russia will continue to supply weapons to Syria by contracts


In keeping with its contractual obligations, Russia will continue to supply Syria with arms and military hardware, including anti-aircraft defense systems, a top Russian official in charge of military-technical cooperation has told reporters.

“Russia has its obligations to Syria under contracts that had been previously signed,” Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, the head of the Military Technical Cooperation service, told reporters at the Farnborough air show.

Dzirkaln also mentioned contracts related to the “delivery of anti-aircraft weapons,” as well as helicopters serviced in Russia..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://rt.com/politics/russia-syria-arms-farnborough-933/

Over 70 injured as protesters clash with police in Madrid (PHOTOS, VIDEO)



Over 70 injured as protesters clash with police in Madrid (w/ Photos, Videos)

At least 76 people have been injured in Madrid as clashes flared up between protesters and police, the latter using rubber bullets. Thousands of Spaniards turned out against new cuts introduced by the government.
Those injured include 33 police officers and 43 protesters – miners and their supporters.

Minor arrests have been made so far, with eight people being detained. Three of those arrested reportedly threw bricks at police, local El Pais newspaper reported. The police have confirmed that there were no miners among the arrested.

Protesters panicked and sought shelter as police began to disperse the crowd, Olvidio Gonzalez, 67, a retired miner from the northern Asturias region told AP.

“We were walking peacefully to get to where the union leaders were speaking and they started to fire indiscriminately,” said Gonzalez, who was also struck by a rubber bullet..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://www.rt.com/news/fires-bullets-protesting-miners-939/

Thousands rally after death of protester in Saudi Arabia (VIDEO)



Thousands rally after death of protester in Saudi Arabia (VIDEO)

Demonstrators have spilled on to the streets of the eastern Saudi city of Qatif, angered by the death of a man during the latest bout of protests in the country.

Mohamed al-Felfel was one of two men shot dead on July after protests broke out following the arrest of Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

Activists say the two men were killed by police snipers stationed on rooftops – an allegation the Saudi Interior Ministry denies..... MORE

SourceRT.com

URL: http://www.rt.com/news/saudi-arabia-protests-funeral-956/

Fil-Ams join protests against secret US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA)

Fil-Ams join protests against secret US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA)


by INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
Bulatlat.com

From July 2 to 10, government leaders of the Pacific Rim held the 13th round of negotiations for the previously secret United States-led free trade agreement, known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA). The meeting has been met with protests from various sectors from all over the US, including groups led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN-USA) and the International League of Peoples’ Struggles (ILPS-US).

Bayan-USA is an alliance of 18 progressive Filipino organizations in the U.S. representing youth, students, women, workers, artists, and human rights advocates. As the oldest and largest overseas chapter of Bayan in the Philippines.

Lori Wallach, the director of the Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch explains in an article that the TPPA is a trade agreement that will undermine allied countries’ financial regulation, increase their drug prices, flood their economies with unsafe imported food and products and empower corporations to counter environmental and health safeguards before tribunals of corporate lawyers.

According to reports, the agreement has been negotiated in secret since March 2010 by the US and eight other countries, namely Peru, Malaysia, Australia, Chile, Vietnam, New Zealand, Brunei, and Singapore. Critics said the TPPA has one aim: ensure that big American multinationals are able to make more money out of the eight member countries.

On July 7, 2012, member organizations of Bayan-US joined protests where the participants wore aprons and banged on kitchen pots and pans as they marched through the streets of downtown San Diego to the Bayfront Hilton Hotel calling for a stop to the TPPA.

Allies, including members of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA), marched with the Bayan -USA contingent. Speakers from around the US condemned the TPPA, saying that the citizens in the countries covered by the TPPA have already learned their lessons from the North American Free Trade Alliance (NAFTA) whose impositions led to massive migration of US industries to countries with less regulation and cheaper labor..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/07/11/fil-ams-join-protests-against-secret-us-led-trans-pacific-partnership-agreement-tppa/

RMN Davao media workers go on strike

RMN Davao media workers go on strike


“Demands for decent wages cannot be put on hold, especially not with RMN doing good business, raking in huge profits.” –NUJP–Davao
By MARILOU AGUIRRE-TUBURAN and
MARYA SALAMAT

Davaotoday / Bulatlat.com

MANILA — Employees of Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) Davao began a strike yesterday. It is a strike apparently long forewarned by months of fruitless negotiations and series of management refusals to abide by its first signed agreement with the employees.

The employees have been negotiating with RMN for decent wages and benefits since May this year, as stipulated in their first memorandum of agreement, but RMN has reportedly ignored their demands. Instead, it just engaged the workers in “surface bargaining, a token move to appease the workers so that they could get away with ignoring the memorandum of agreement (MOA),” said Dodong Basilio of the National Federation of Labor Union in Davao.

The employees are thus left with no option but to hold a strike, said the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines – Davao City Chapter (NUJP-Davao). Calling RMN a callous employer, NUJP-Davao said the wage hike demand is just a pittance compared to the profits being earned by RMN.

“What we are asking for is very modest, and yet the management is too stingy to give in to the employees’ rightful demands,” said Rey Hernan Fabe, RMN reporter and also president of the RMN Davao Employees Union (RDEU).

RMN’s insincerity

Workers of the Radio Mindanao Network-Davao station launch their strike, Tuesday, scoring the RMN managements’ refusal to give their benefits and failure to negotiate. (davaotoday.com photo by Ace R. Morandante)
The MOA between the RMN employees’ union and management stated that for the first year, union members would be given a graduated lump sum of P 10,000 ($ 239) for those employed more than five years and P6,000 ($143.5) for those employed less than five years. By May this year, the RMN management and RMN Davao employees Union (RDEU) are supposed to have started negotiations on the union’s proposals for P75 ($1.79) wage increase, rice subsidy, meal allowance and a close shop provision.
While the RMN management gave the lump sum, it did not implement other provisions of the MOA; it also discontinued further negotiations. This prompted the RMN Davao Employees Union (RDEU) to file a notice of strike last month.

“We should have started the discussion on wage increase, among others, last May. But no negotiations happened,” Fabe said last week as the union was holding a picket rally in Davao. “This only shows the management’s insincerity to its employees,” he added..... MORE

SourceBulatlat.com

URL: http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/07/11/rmn-davao-media-workers-go-on-strike/

Blog Archive