50 Truths about Hugo Chavez and the Bolivarian Revolution

President Hugo Chavez, who died on March 5, 2013 of cancer at age 58, marked forever the history of Venezuela and Latin America.

Hugo Chavez

1. Never in the history of Latin America, has a political leader had such incontestable democratic legitimacy. Since coming to power in 1999, there were 16 elections in Venezuela. Hugo Chavez won 15, the last on October 7, 2012. He defeated his rivals with a margin of 10-20 percentage points.

 2. All international bodies, from the European Union to the Organization of American States, to the Union of South American Nations and the Carter Center, were unanimous in recognizing the transparency of the vote counts.

 3. James Carter, former U.S. President, declared that Venezuela's electoral system was "the best in the world."

4. Universal access to education introduced in 1998 had exceptional results. About 1.5 million Venezuelans learned to read and write thanks to the literacy campaign called Mission Robinson I.

 5. In December 2005, UNESCO said that Venezuela had eradicated illiteracy.

6. The number of children attending school increased from 6 million in 1998 to 13 million in 2011 and the enrollment rate is now 93.2%.

7. Mission Robinson II was launched to bring the entire population up to secondary level. Thus, the rate of secondary school enrollment rose from 53.6% in 2000 to 73.3% in 2011.

8. Missions Ribas and Sucre allowed tens of thousands of young adults to undertake university studies. Thus, the number of tertiary students increased from 895,000 in 2000 to 2.3 million in 2011, assisted by the creation of new universities.

 9. With regard to health, they created the National Public System to ensure free access to health care for all Venezuelans. Between 2005 and 2012, 7873 new medical centers were created in Venezuela.

 10. The number of doctors increased from 20 per 100,000 population in 1999 to 80 per 100,000 in 2010, or an increase of 400%.

One Billion Rising (Int'l Womens Day)

Manila, Philippines-- Students from Adamson University danced the One Billion Rising theme song on the International Women's Day program held at the Liwasang Bonifacio.

March 8, 2013.

Barug Katawhan leader shot dead in Davao Oriental

Kagawad Cristina Jose of Brgy. Binondo, Baganga Municipality, Davao Oriental (Kilab Multimedia)

DAVAO CITY, Philippines- A Barangay Kagawad of Binondo, Bagangga Municipality, Davao Oriental and a leader of Barug Katawhan was shot dead Monday evening, March 4.

The victim, CRISTINA JOSE,  was one of those who led the 3-day protest rally outside the regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Davao. Jose is also a member of the party-list group Bayan Muna.

According to human rights advocate, Karapatan Southern Mindanao, Jose and all those who participated in the 'Kampuhan' were allegedly harassed by the Barangay Captain and the military from 67th IBPA.

"Supposedly, she was on her way to Davao City after the session to report the cases of Human Rights Violations, but she was brutally killed", said Karlos Trangia, spokesman of Barug Katawhan.

Meanwhile, Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares, in a text message, condemned the killings and called for an immediate investigation.

Colmenares said that whoever the perpetrators are should be punished.

Balita: Rep. Teddy Casiño naghain na ng kandidatura sa pagkasenador

Larawan kuha niTine Sabillo

Hindi napigil ng walang humpay na pagbuhos ng ulan si Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño upang ituloy ang paghahain ng kandidatura sa pagkasenador. Sa gitna ng malakas na buhos ng ulan, simbolikong tumakbo si Casiño at mga tagasuporta nito mula sa simbahan ng San Agustin patungong Comelec.

"Makabuluhan po ang ating pagtakbo dahil ipinakita po natin na ang labang ito ay hindi lamang kailangang pagpawisan at paghirapan kundi ang labang ito ay laban ng sambayanang Pilino at hindi lang ng iisang tao,' ani Casiño.

Sinamahan ng iba't ibang grupo si Casiño sa kanyang literal na pagtakbo. Ilan sa mga grupong ipinakita ang kanilang suporta sa paghahain ng kandidatura ni Casiño ay ang Bayan Muna partylist, Gabriela Women's party, Anakpawis partylist, Kabataan partylist, Akap-Bata partylist, Piston partylist, Courage partylist, Kalikasan partylist, Migrante partylist, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Kilusang Mayo uno at iba pa.

Pabirong binigkas ng kongresista na tanging sya lamang marahil ang nag-file ng kandidatura na basang-basa at naka-short. Sa kabila nito, seryoso at malinaw umano ang plataporma niya na kumakatawan sa ordinaryong mga mamamayan.

"Ito na po talaga. Wala nang atrasan. Ang masisiguro ko po lamang ay ibubuhos natin ang lahat upang manalo tayo at magkaroon ng boses ang karaniwang tao sa loob ng Senado," sabi ni Casiño, sa harap ng kanyang mga tagasuporta.

“Iba Naman!” ito ang tema ng kandidatura ni Casiño bilang pagtugon sa kahilingan ng nakararami.

“Ang tanong ng marami, wala na bang iba? Kaya nga po ako nangangahas na tumakbong senador ay para may iba naman. For so many decades, the same old political clans and vested interests have dominated the Senate”, ayon kay Casiño.

Dagdag pa ni Casiño, nararapat  bigyan ng ibang pagpipilian ang mamamayan sa darating na eleksyon mula sa nakasanayang ng mga kandidato.

Si Casiño ay tatakbo sa ilalim ng Koalisyong Makabayan ng Mamamayan (Makabayan).

Junk the Cybercrime Prevention Law!

The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 poses serious threats to Internet freedom, the right to privacy and other essential civil liberties including the freedom of speech, expression, and the press.

Photo from PixelOffensive.

Petitioning Pres. Benigno Aquino III, the Supreme Court, and Congress
by: Kabataan Partylist

Petition Letter

Greetings,

We, the youth, journalists, activists, bloggers, and netizens of the Philippines express our outright condemnation to the passage of Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, which poses serious threats to Internet freedom, the right to privacy and other essential civil liberties including the freedom of speech, expression, and the press.

While the Cybercrime Law was supposedly enacted to ward off hacking, identity theft, data manipulation, cybersex and other nefarious activities in the Internet, the insertion of provisions regarding online libel and vague sections on data collection and sanctions have transformed the legislation into an online censorship law.

We express our highest condemnation to the Bicameral Conference, especially to Sen. Vicente Sotto III, for inserting the online libel provisions, which are not present even in the 2001 Budapest Convention on Cybercrime penned by the Council of Europe, which was the basis for RA 10175.

"Torture video" ng AFP, pinaiimbestigahan

Pinaiimbestigahan ng grupong Bagong Alyansang Makabayan ang kumakalat na bidyo sa mga social networking sites na nagpapakita ng umano'y mga miyembro ng Armed Forces of the Philippines training recruits habang pinahihirapan.

Ang mga bidyo ay inilabas ng isang underground video group na Isnayp sa kanilang opisyal na website noong Ika-labing pito ng Marso. Ayon sa Isnayp, ang bidyo ay ibinigay sa National Democratic Front- Bicol ng mga sundalo ng 9th Infantry Division Philippine Army  na nakabase sa Kuta Elias Angeles, Pili, Camarines Sur bilang protesta sa umano’y pang-aabuso at pagmamaltrato sa kanila ng training unit ng 9th IDPA.

Video grab mula sa Isnayp

"The following video exposes various types of torture inflicted by the 9th IDPA Training Unit on the trainees. According to the upset soldiers who submitted the video, the extremely cruel exercises supposedly prepares the trainees in the eventualities that they will be captured by red fighters of the New People's Army. However, the 9th IDPA Training Unit's indoctrination is the exact opposite of the NPA's policies. Moreso, former prisoners of war of the NPA attest to the NPA's humane treatment of captives and adherence to international humanitarian law," pahayag ng Isnayp sa kanilang website.

Ayon naman kay Renato Reyes, Jr., tagapagsalita ng Bayan, nararapat na kilalanin at pagpaliwanagin ang mga taong sangkot sa video. Aniya, ang commanding general ng 9th IDPA maging ang pinuno ng 9th ID training unit ay nararapat na maimbestigahan hinggil sa 'di makataong pagtrato sa mga training recruit ng Philippine Army.

Kodao Productions. Jaime Sanone de Guzman

Ang mga bidyo na inyong mapapanood ay lubhang sensitibo.

 

Exclusive talk with Noynoy

Direct to the point. Hindi ako nasisiyahan sa trabaho ng empleyado kong ito. Nasa 6-month probation pa lamang siya ay puro palpak na ang kanyang performance. Tapos nabalitaan ko pang bumili siya ng kotse. Niloloko niya ba ako? Nakakainsulto din kasi na ako ang boss niya pero ako ang walang kotse. Hayup! E noong panahong nag-aaplay siya sa akin, sabi niya, hindi raw siya tulad ng iba. Yun pa naman ang pinakaayaw ko-- manloloko. Kaya kahapon habang nakikinig ako sa iba pa niyang boss, nabalitaan ko na naman ang mga hinaing ng boss niya. Mukhang nagagalit na rin talaga. Kaya hindi na ako nakatiis at tinawagan ko siya.

Sabi ko, may lilinawin ako sa kanya. Inuna ko na ang isyu hinggil sa MRT/LRT fare hike. At ito ang naging pag-uusap namin.