October2011ktibo!

Pahayagan ng mamamayanAVol. 1Issue # 1

ActiveCitizenship

Table of contents

Active Citizenship as Remedy to National Crisis: Some Sketch Notes........ 3

Mayor Daus: Simple pero rock....... 5

Desisyon ng Korte Suprema sa Hacienda Luisita, Panalo ba o Talo?........... 7

Akbayan National Council meeting ........... 9

Pamumunong tatak Akbayan.......... 10

Akbayan sa Buong Kapuluan ........... 11

Rough and rugged road toward change.......... 12

Pagasa: An Unlikely Paradise........................ 15

Tuloy tuloy. Isulong ang mga progresibong batas............ 17

MODA Akbayan........... 18

ktibo!Pahayagan ng mamamayanA

Conrad Catillo

Perry Legaspi

Aaron Moralina

Sabrina GacadEdwin ChavezKaka Bag-aoCarlo Vargas

Edz Ayson

Editor in chief

Managing editor

Contributing editor

Contributing Writers

Graphic Artist

Aktibo! Pahayagang Akbayan:36-B Madasalin St., Sikatuna Village,

Quezon City(02) 433-6933 / (02) 433-6831

secretariat@akbayan.org.ph www.akbayan.org.ph

twitter.com/ AkbayanParty

Brain(washing) for Aktibo?

Brainstorming for Aktibo!

Inspiring???

team building???

Paano kaya???

employee of the year?

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Editor’s Note

Pagpupugay sa lahat ng Aktibo! readers,

Andito na ang natatanging PAHAYAGAN NG MAMAMAYAN. Ang Aktibo ay isa sa mga proyekto ng partidong Akbayan upang ihatid ang mga maiinit at malamang isyu na kinahaharap ng ating bansa. Nais nitong ipaabot sa taong bayan ang mga opinyon, kuro-kuro at posisyon ng Partido sa mga iba’t ibang usapin.

Subalit hindi lamang ito talaan ng mga batas na ating ipinaglalaban sa Kongreso, ito rin ay nagpapakita ng mga pangaraw-araw na buhay Akbayan. Mula sa pamamahala ng isang munisipalidad hangang sa “leadership training”.

Ang mga bumubuo ng Aktibo ay taos pusong nagpapasalamat sa inyong pagnanais na patuloy na kumalap ng impormasyon, paglalaan ng oras at panahon para basahin ito at higit sa lahat ang patuloy na pagiging Aktibo! ninyo.

Mabuhay tayong lahat, mabuhay ang partidong Akbayan,

CONRAD CASTILLOEditor in chiefAktibo!

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ActiveCitizenshipAs Remedy to National Crisis: Some Sketch Notesby Aaron Moralina

Comrades, I wrote this piece for Aktibo, originally set to be released in time for our National Council Meeting (but because of logistical issues, was released much later). Here, I've drawn on the ideas of citizenship, socialism, and democracy by Martell, Laclau and Mouffe, and Hirst. I wish the essay could still be developed by incorporating other writings on act ive c i t izenship and by sharpening the reference to Philippines. Since this is by no means a definitive piece on active citizenship, I hope it could jump start conversations regarding this important aspect of our party narrative. – A.R.M.

We are all too familiar with Philippine politics. While formally a democracy, the deficit in democratic accountability is very much palpable in various levels. Much of the conduct in government is influenced by exchange of favors, dispensation of spoils, and formations of clientelist alliances. A handful of families with their extended kin and clients dominate politics. While universal adult suffrage is practiced and elections serve as chief source of political legitimacy in the country, people's participation in government remains limited and superficial. Save for some surges of EDSA-esque mobilizations, the people have no meaningful and substantial role in political decision-making. It is no longer surprising that a big segment of our population has been resigned to cynicism vis-à-vis socio-politico issues. Such attitude is even compounded by the value systems promoted by popular cultural forms: on one hand, a culture of mendicancy is promoted by game shows which peddle the promise of quick riches; on the other hand, one can sense a general feeling of apathy among the slightly monied who are resolved to leave everything in favor of migrating abroad. Hence, the country seems to suffer from a chronic crisis in accountability and social conscience among the people. There is an exceptional need for

rethinking new forms of people's s t r u g g l e s , m o b i l i z a t i o n , a n d empowerment. We need a culture of active citizenship that addresses the democratic deficit in the country, and the stasis in political motion among the people.

Active Citizenship and the Aspiration for Empowerment

The aim of active citizenship is to empower. Hence, it aspires to engage governmental institutions. This is done through proposing various ways to place public goods under greater democratic control. It does not aspire to relieve the state from its conventional responsibilities, rather, it prods on the state to perform its responsibilities through meaningful participation from the people. At present, the role of defining and actualizing public goods are in the hands of private interests (e.g., corporations, the economic elites, powerful families embedded in state institutions, among others, whose chief aim is to accumulate wealth and produce profit). It is a challenge to advocates of active citizenship to contribute to the creation of a culture transcending the formal institutions of democracy in the country. The present structure will not be allowed to continue, rather, measures are carried out to change it. Advocates of active citizenship promote reforms to the political, economic, as well as social structure of the country, in the hope that it will culminate in a more pluralist and participatory democracy.

A key feature of active citizenship is the strong presence of civil society. Here individuals could look for meaningful ways to participate and have a stake in political decision-making. Voluntary organizations, unions, and cause-oriented groups are made to pursue their particular advocacies based on their particular interests. Still, due to the commitment to a general social good, organizations pursue their interests while meaningfully interacting with each other: this is to prevent the actualization of their interests at the expense of others' interests. A common good is shared by all and should respond to everyone's needs, and this should be forged through continuous interaction with each other. Since a plurality of interests is involved in setting social priorities, any kind of centralization of power is prevented. In this way, political decision-making is brought down to the local level where people are able to participate more freely and more meaningfully. This is not to say that active citizenship strives to bring ALL political decisions outside formal representational structures of the state. The present system of representation is retained whereby multitude of parties of various colors, traditions, etc. continues to pursue their politics. But on top of the formal political structures, public forums are created and allowed to thrive so that organizations participate in identifying their common needs. Although the present formal democracy in the country has so many flaws, a lot of its components still need to exist to

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continue the existence of mechanisms for accountability and other forms of check and balance to political authority. Nevertheless, they should not be separated from forms of direct participation. Aside from formal involvement in elections, pluralist interests could influence political decision-making.

Active Citizenship as an Answer to Old Socialist Thought

It seems that active citizenship is no longer new as there has been a plethora of political groups who advocate similar ends. It is clear that active citizenship addresses the deficit in accountability of the present political system in the country. Likewise, active citizenship aspires to propose an alternative to Marxism-Leninism-Maoism pushed forward by the National Democratic movement, whose goal is to establish a society whereby decision-making and political actions are all centralized to the state. Within this paradigm, no discursive space is created for the existence of pluralist interests, aside from those who express the aspirations of the vanguard party. The community is a collective without plurality: it is assumed that the people have a “singular form” of interest, which is by and large actualized by the vanguard party. A society built on this premise does not draw its strength from cooperation and plurality. On the contrary, diversity is conflated into a “unitary” decision, which is imposed by a vanguard party that purports to “represent” all peoples. In this sense, diverse interests are disempowered as they are not allowed to come together, negotiate with each other, and reach a settlement among them. Hence, even in the outset, there seems to be a great likelihood to resort to violence and excess, most especially if this was to be advanced in large and highly complex societies characterized by fractions and diverse interests (there's enough historical precedence that attests to this). To actualize its pursued “good,” the vanguard state does not allow the participation of the people because the state itself expresses, represents, and carries out unitary decisions. On the contrary, in a society inspired by active citizenship, mutually inclusive interactions between diverse interests are strongly encouraged and not suppressed. Active citizenship is founded in values like egalitarianism, cooperation, and unity. But it is firmly based in a deep sense of plurality, and it unequivocally opposes any form of centralization of state power.

Active Citizenship and Individual Freedom

Since active citizenship holds plurality in highest regard, it aspires to create a culture that places utmost respect to individual freedom. An individual's expression of selfhood is sacred, hence it is also protected. Expression of diverse individualities is also allowed to flourish in a free environment where no kind of force—physical, ideological, etc.—can suppress the individual in favor of a collective identity. Hence, people are called on to raise their level of consciousness so that they become aware of any force that could stifle individuality—from the most manifest forms of repression such as totalitarian regimes that aims to impose one-dimensional thinking, to the most concealed such as structural bases for skewed distribution of power and wealth, unequal opportunities for personal growth, unevenness in the production of knowledge, among others. People are called on to act in order to change or outright remove these obstacles to the actualization of individual freedom, and propose or establish alternatives.

As much as advocates of active citizens promote freedom at the level of the individual, they also strive for a society with a clear sense of social good which is over and above the individual's desire. One cannot be allowed to pursue individual freedom without any sense of common good or else it would only promote the competition of individual interests. Competitive individualism is actually promoted by neo-liberal thought. Within the neo-l iberal paradigm, all forms of obstacles to individual freedoms have to be removed—chief among them is the state—and the concept of a general good is left to the consideration of the individual. This kind of thinking is opposed because of its danger: without attempts to negotiate a common good, there would emerge a vicious culture where self-interests are pursued at the cost of other individual freedoms. A “dog-eat-dog” culture is no longer new to the Philippines where there's a wide gap between a few rich and an impoverished mass. Thus, there is utmost need to create an environment that is genuinely caring and nurturing to all, not only to a few. So while active

citizenship promotes a strong sense of individual freedom, it also promotes solidarity among diverse experiences and plural interests. Hence, advocates of active citizenship have a strong sense of egalitarianism.

Active Citizenship and the Market

Within an active citizenship framework, people are empowered producers and consumers. They strive to sway enterprises to respond to the real needs of the citizens, not only to the demands of the market. Needs should not defined by the enterprises or market forces, but by the people themselves through the recognition of their diverse interests. External forces are not allowed to impose a unitary decision of what should be produced or sold, because the people themselves should be able to identify and acknowledge genuine social needs through mutually inclusive political forums. In a society inspired by active citizenship, people engage in both entrepreneurial and governmental decision-making through individual actions and trade unions, workers associations, consumer action groups, cooperatives, etc. Through these

organizations, enterprises are swayed, if not pressured, to do consultations and dialogues with the people, whose inputs become integral in production and sale of commodities. In support of this venture, people also strive to create communal structures that promote coordination and cooperation between enterprises and government agencies.

Conclusion We must emphasize that at the core of active citizenship lies the aspiration for unity, cooperation, and equality. It intends to promote genuine democracy anchored in a deep and strong sense of pluralism. While it recognizes the primacy of pursuing individual interests, it does not aim to essentialize the individual over the collective. Truly, in the face of crisis of accountability in the country, alongside the general feeling of hopelessness harbored by the people, there is sore need for active citizenship.

“Active citizenship is founded in values like egalitarianism, cooperation, and unity. But it is firmly based in a deep sense of plurality, and it unequivocally opposes any form of

centralization of state power.”

photo on the other page: Janela Arcos Lelis during typhoon “juaning”, July 26,

2011(taken by and property of Frank Lurzano)

end

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“Simpleng tao si Mayor.”Yan ang unang sagot sa iyo ng mga tao sa Laur, Nueva Ecija kapag iyong tatanunging kung ano ang pagkakakilala nila sa kanilang alkalde, si Mayor G. Alvaro Daus. Kaya naman hindi katakataka na malapit si Mayor sa mga tao ng Laur. Sa katunayan, pangalawang termino na niya ito ng paninilbihan sa bayan. Pero higit sa pagiging malapit sa taumbayan, kasama na rin sa kanyang pamumuno ang tatak ng pagiging tapat at matuwid sa panunungkulan.Masdan lang ng sinuman ang daan papasok sa Bayan ng Laur sa Nueva Ecija, mababatid ang ilang hirap ng pangangasiwa sa lugar na i to. Sementado naman ang kalsada pero malaking problema tuwing tag-ulan ang baha. Agrikultura ang pangunahing pinagkakakitaan ng Laur partikular ang pagtatanim ng palay at sibuyas. Hindi naman malaki ang populasyon ng Laur na nasa humigit-kumulang sa 30,000 katao. Dito rin matatagpuan ang Fort Magsaysay ng Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Sa maliit na bayang ito hindi mo aakalain na may tinatago silang yaman sa maayos at tapat na pamumuno sa katauhan ni Mayor Daus na “orig” na mayor ng Akbayan (nakatala siya sa COMELEC na ang kanyang partido ay Akbayan). Pag pupuntahan mo siya sa kanyang bahay, siguradong mabibigla ka na lang na ang alkalde ay simple sa kanyang pananamit, malayong malayo sa marangyarng imahe na meron ang mga mayor o pulitiko dito sa ating bansa. Bagaman hindi maituturing na baguhan sa pulitika si Mayor Daus, ikalawang termino na niya ito ngayon at ang kanyang ama ay dating mayor ng Laur,

hindi bakas sa kanya ang ugali ng pagiging “trapo” o traditional politician.

Sa katunayan, payak ang pamumuhay ni Mayor magmula noong bata pa siya kahit ngayon. Sa pagsasaka ang hanapbuhay ng kaniyang pamilya bagaman mas mataas ang antas ng buhay ni la kumpara sa ibang kababayan. Gayunpaman, hindi ito naging handlang sa pagiging malapit ng ama niya at ng pamilya sa mga ordinaryong tao.

“Tinuruan kami ng mga magulang namin na laging tumulong sa masa,” ayon kay Mayor. Ito ang naging tatak ng pamumuno ng kanyang ama bilang alkalde ng bayan mula 1960 hanggang 1986. Noong 1986, lumipat si Mayor sa Estados Unidos kasama ang pamilya at doon piniling maghanapbuhay. Doon, naging tsuper ng trak sa Jersey city ng halos 18 na taon at naging miyembro ng unyong International Brotherhood of Teamsters na kilala bilang isa sa pinakamalaking unyon sa Estados Unidos. Bumalik si Mayor sa Pilipinas noong 2003 upang balikan ang iniwang bayan at bumalik sa dating simpleng pamumuhay ng pagsasaka. Bagaman huli ang pulitika sa dahilan ng kanyang pagbalik. Aniya, “Hindi ko plano ang pagpasok sa pulitika. Malayo yun sa aking isipan”.

Gayunpaman, napasabak na rin siya dito dahil na rin sa paguudyok ng isang ka ib i gan a t supo r ta ng mga mamamayan. Noon, napasali siya sa BALANE party bilang isang local chairman nito dahil na rin sa nakitang pagiging likas na malapit ni Mayor sa taumbayan. “Naging chairman ako sa local area ng partido BALANE (Bagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija) dito sa Nueva Ecija dahil na rin kay Voltaire Chua na congressional candidate noon ng partido. Kaya ako nakumbinsi ay dahil nakita ko na rin na mabuting tao itong si

Voltaire,” ayon kay Mayor Daus.

Pagsabak sa Pulitika at sa Partidong Akbayan

Sa pagpasok ni Mayor sa pulitika bilang chairperson ng isang lokal na partido, di kalaunan nakilala din niya ang iba't ibang grupo at personalidad na aktibo sa lokal na pulitika ng Nueva Ecija. Isa na rito si RG Escuejo na lokal na pinuno ng Akbayan sa Nueva Ecija. Bagama't hindi pa siya tahasang sumasali sa Akbayan, nasaksihan na ni Mayor ang katapatan sa paninilbihan sa kapwa ang ginagawa ng Partido.

Nang tanungin si Mayor kung wala ba siyang alinlangan nang makilala ang Akbayan, “Siyempre sa ibang tao na 'di nakaaaalam sa Akbayan may pananaw na ang Akbayan ay makakaliwa, mga aktibista, o di kaya NPA. Pero noong makilala ko ang Akbayan nagustuhan ko ito dahil reporma ang pangunahing naisin.”

Dahil na rin sa responsibilidad na dala-dala ni Mayor Daus at sa pagkakakilala ng tao sa kanya at sa kaniyang pamilya, di naglaon na maraming tao na nasa poder ang nagkaroon ng haka-hakang maaaring ninanais na rin niyang tumakbo sa isang lokal na puwesto.

“Sa katunayan, wala talaga sa aking isipan ang tumakbo. Hindi mo naman kailangan maging pulit iko para tumulong e. Nagkataon lang na yung kapatid ng naging kalaban ko sa halalan, inakala na tatakbo ako siguro. Pinagsasabi pa nga na hindi raw ako mananalo dahil wala nga akong pera o yaman para ipanggugugol. Parang nahamon ako, eh 'di syempre tumakbo na ako para sa pagka-alkalde.” wika ni Mayor Daus.

Sa unang pagtakbo ni Mayor sa halalan, malinaw sa lahat na kredibilidad ang pangunahing puhunan ni Mayor at hindi pera o makinarya na meron ang kanyang kalaban. 'Di naglaon nang umusbong rin ang relasyon nya sa Partidong Akbayan at tuluyan na siyang naging miyembro.

“Kaya ko pinili ang Akbayan, dahil sa katangian nitong magsulong ng matinong pulitika. Hindi kagaya ng ibang pulitiko na pagpapayaman ang iniisip. Kita naman sa partido na hindi t a y o m a y a m a n a t g u s t o n g magpayaman.”

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Ang ganitong pananaw ni Mayor ang nagdala sa kanya sa pagkapanalo at ang pagkakakilala sa Akbayan sa Laur. Sa katunayan, maliban sa isang konsehal, ang buong sangguniang bayan ng Laur ay pawang mga miyembro at kasapi ng Partido.

“Talagang kinampanya namin ang Akbayan dito sa Laur. Dito kilala ang Akbayan sa maayos na pamumuno.”

Tatak Mayor Daus

Di maikukubli ang pagiging malapit sa puso ng mga taga-Laur si Mayor Daus. Bukod sa pagkakakilala nila sa kanya bilang mabait at tapat na pinuno, kilala din siya sa pagiging isang epektibo na lokal na ehekutibo. Sa katunayan, sa ilalim ni Mayor Daus napasementuhan ang dating mga lubak lubak na kalsada sa bayan at nakabili na rin ng mga makinarya't kagamitan ang lokal na pamahalaan. Ang dati nilang health center na walang doktor ay mayroon nang isang regular na doktor at isang medical technician. Nang matanong siya kung paano niya nagagawa ito para sa bayan ng Laur gayong ang ilang serbisyo at proyekto na mayroon siya ay wala sa ibang mas mayaman na lungsod at bayan, sagot ni Mayor ay, “'Yung pondo lang talaga na binibigay sa bayan ay g i n a g a s t o s a g a d p a r a s a pangangailangan ng mga tao. 'Yung ibang nasa pwesto kasi, siguro sarili ang iniisip sa halip na sa nakararami.”

Naipamamalas din ni Mayor sa panahon ng kalamidad ang kanyang pagmamahal sa mga kinasasakupan. Sa katunayan, bago pa man sumapit ang panahon ng tag-ulan o bagyo, inihahanda na ni Mayor ang mga kakailanganin ng mga tao. “Kapag alam mong magtatagulan na, inihahanda na naming yung gamit para sa mga maapektuhan. Bahain kasi ang lugar namin kaya kailangan laging handa. Kung tag-ulan nga, uunahan ko na sa pagronda sa mga lugar na tatamaan ng baha para matugunan agad.”

Nagpapatupad din ng isang programang Universal Healthcare sa Laur ang lokal na pamaha laan . Sa i l a l im ng programang ito, kahit ang mga kapos palad ay maaaring mabigyan ng mga serbisyong medikal nang 'di na kailangan pang gumastos ng malaki.

Pagtingin sa pulitka

Ayon na rin kay Mayor Daus, likas sa kanyang pagkatao ang tumulong sa masa. Palibhasa ganito na raw siya pinalaki ng mga magulang niya. Halata rin ang pagiging iba ni Mayor sa tradisyunal na pagtingin ng mga Pilipino sa mga pulitiko. Kung bibisita sa tahanan ni Mayor, mapapansing ang lagi niyang pag-aalala sa mga isyung pampamahalaan. Sa tuwina'y usapan ni Mayor sampu ng ibang lokal na opisyal at mga mamamayan ng Laur ang problema ng bayan at mga proyektong ipatutupad.

Kabaliktaran ng tradisyunal na pulitiko, si mayor ay araw-araw na pumapasok sa munisipyo para magopisina at laging pwedeng lapitan ng mga taong humihingi ng tulong. Nagsisimula siya ng ika-8 ng umaga hanggang dapit-hapon, hangga't may mga tao pa ring dumudulog sa kanyang tanggapan.

“Dapat diretso ang utak at matinong mag-isip,” ang bukang-bibig ni Mayor nang tanungin kung ano ang katangiang meron dapat ang isang pampublikong opisyal. Itong pagiging “diretso” at “matino” ang siyang pinakapilosopiya ni Mayor sa pagsilbi sa kapwa. Kitang kita ito sa pamamalakad ni Mayor sa munisipyo. Mismong mga kawani ng lokal na pamahalaan ang saksi sa diretso at matinong pamumuno ni Mayor sa Laur.

Dahil na rin sa mga prinsipyong ito ni Mayor, di maiiwasan na mapagmuni si Mayor sa pagkakaiba niya sa mga ibang pulitiko. Saksi siya sa karangyaan ng ilang pulitiko gayong naghihikahos ang nakararami. Kaya payo ni Mayor sa Par t ido a t sa mga kasamang naninilbihan sa tao ang pagpatuloy sa tapat na serbisyo. Aniya, “Yung ibang pulitiko perang ipanggagastos na lang sa mga tao, ibubulsa pa. Kung papayuhan ko ang mga sasabak sa pulitika sa Partido, tandaan lagi na maging honest. Huwag dapat tularan yung ibang mayor at pulitiko. ”

Ibang-iba talaga ang uri ng pamumuno ni Mayor Daus sa Laur, kaya nga't ganoon na lang ang pagmamalaki ng Akbayan na may isang mayor na nagsasabuhay ng mga prinsipyo ng Partido at ipinamamalas ang tatak ng pamumuno ng Akbayan. Sana nga'y marami pang mayor, gobernador, bokal at konsehal ang magsabuhay ng tatak Akbayan sa pamumuno ng kanilang sinasakupan.

* May populasyon na 30,997 ang Laur, Nueva Ecija.3 na lang 31,000 na!

* 1917 ng tinatagang bayan Laur.

* Ang opsiyal na selyo ng bayanng Laur ay nagpapakita ng mgabundok, pananim at kalabaw.

lahat ng larawan aymula sa kuha at pananaliksik

ni Carlo Angelo Vargas atEdz Ayson

end

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Desisyon ng Korte Suprema sa Hacienda Luisita,

Sinasabing ang kaso ng Hacienda Luisita ay isa sa mga mahahalagang kaso sa repormang agraryo. Naging malaking usapin ito noong naging Pangulo si Cory Aquino at ngayong Pangulo na ang anak niyang si Noynoy. Ang mangyayari sa Hda. Luisita ay magbibigay ng isang napakalaking pulitikal na senyales sa pagpapatupad ng administrasyong ito sa programang repormang agraryo.

Ang kasong nakasampa sa Korte Suprema ay bunsod ng resolusyon ng Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) noong 2005 na pinapawalang-bisa ang SDO ng Hacienda Luisita Inc. (HLI) at nag-utos sa DAR na ipamahagi na ang lupa ng hacienda sa mga benepisyaryo. Kinuwestyong ng HLI and resolusyong ito ng PARC sa Korte Suprema at nakakuha sila ng temporary restraining order (TRO) na nagpahinto sa DAR na ipatupad ang desisyon ng PARC. Nagkaroon lamang ng pagkilos sa kasong ito nitong nakaraang taon kung saan nagsagawa ang Korte Suprema ng oral arguments sa kaso. Nagsubok pa ang Korte Suprema na magkaroon ng negosasyon sa mga partido sa kaso subalit walang inabot na kasunduan ang prosesong ito.

. Pagkatapos ng halos isang taong paghihintay, naglabas ang Korte Suprema ng kanilang resolusyon.

Noong lumabas ang desisyong ito sa kasong pagpapawalang-bisa ng Stock Distribution Option (SDO) ng Hda. Luisita, marami ang nalito. Inakala ng marami na magbubunyi ang mga magsasaka at manggagawang-bukid ng hacienda dahil pinawalang-bisa ng Korte ang kinekwestyong Stock Distribution Plan (SDP) ng HLI. Kaya nagtataka ang marami kung bakit lubos ang pagkadismaya nila at ang nagbunyi ay ang management ng hacienda.Tunay ngang nakakalito ang desisyong ito dahil sa katunayan ito ay nagpapanggap na panalo ng mga magsasaka ng hacienda subalit ito ay totoong panalo ng hacienda at ng mga Cojuangco. Ang mga positibong bahagi ng desisyon ay nilamon ng mga bahaging nagbibigay ng malalaking banta at ligal na implikasyon sa pagpapatupad ng repormang agraryo hindi lamang sa Hacienda Luisita at iba pang mga katulad nitong isinailalim sa SDO kundi pati na rin sa kabuuang pagpapatupad ng programa.

Sa isang banda, kinilala ng Korte Suprema na may legal standing ang mga magsasaka at manggagawang-bukid sa kasong ito. Kinilala rin ng Kortena sangkot sa kasong ito ang interes ng publiko at ito ay hindi simpleng sigalot sa pagitan ng mga stockholders ng korporasyon kung kaya't ito ay usaping sakop ng mga probisyon ng mga batas sa repormang agraryo.

Bahagyang kinatigan ng Korte ang batayan ng desisyon ng Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC) na ipawalang-bisa ang SDO ng hacienda. Sinabi ng Korte Suprema na mali ang g inawang proseso ng HLI sa pamamahagi nito ng shares of stocks sa mga magsasaka at manggagawang-bukid. Anila, sa ginawa ng HLI na pagtakda ng 30-taon na pautay-utay na pamamahagi ng stocks at ang pagtakda ng shares batay sa man-days (na katumbas ng bilang ng mga araw sa pagtratrabaho ng isang manggagawa sa hacienda), lumabnaw ang halaga ng shares of stock ng mga magsasaka at manggagawang-bukid. Sinabi rin ng Korte Suprema na lumabag din sa SDO ang HLI nung hindi nito lubusang

naipatupad ang pamamahagi ng mga homelots sa mga magsasaka.

Sa kabilang banda, hindi sinang-ayunan ng Korte ang tatlo pang batayan ng PARC sa kanilang pagsasawalang-bisa sa SDO ng HLI.

Ayon sa Korte hindi ligal na obligasyon ng HLI ang paunlarin ang kabuhayan n g m g a m a g s a s a k a a t manggagawang-bukid. Sapat na raw na nabigyan sila ng HLI ng posibilidad na umangat ang kanilang kabuhayan. Dinagdag pa ng desisyon ng Korte na hindi obligasyon ng HLI na panatilihing buo ang mga lupang agrikultural na sakop ng SDO kaya't sinususugan nito ang conversion ng mahigit 500 ektaryang lupang agrikultural sa loob ng hacienda. Sinabi pa ng korte na hindi ito labag sa SDP.

Dinagdag pa ng Korte na hindi nilabag ng HLI ang SDP noong hindi nito naipamahagi ang mga shares of stocks na ayon sa batas.

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Pang-apat, naninindigan tayo na walang kahit anuman ligal na batayan ang inutos ng Korte Suprema na referendum. Hindi ito nakasaad sa kahit anumang batas pang-agraryo. Pinawalan ng bisa ang SDP dahil naagrabyado ang magsasaka, bakit pa hinahayaan ng Korte Suprema na ipagpatuloy ang SDP?

Ito ay ilan lamang sa mga pangunahing punto ng ating mga argumento laban sa desisyon ng Korte Suprema. Kasama ng FARM-Luista at mga kasama nating mga abugado sa repormang agraryo, tayo ay nagsampa ng Motion for Reconsideration sa desisyon ng Korte.

Patuloy tayong maninindigan at magtutulak na ipamahagi na ang mga lupain ng Hacienda Luisita sa mga kwalipikadong benepisyrayo nito. Patuloy nating ipagtatanggol ang kagalingan at kapakanan ng mga magsasaka sa Hda. Luisita, sa iba pang mga hacienda at sa buong bansa. Kapag Akbayan ang lumaban, panalo ang mamamayan.

above photos are property ofinquirer.net, UCAnews and lng12blog respectively

Photo (left): the supreme court of the Philippines(right): Chief Justice Renato Corona

Photo (left): farmers of the Hacienda

(right): Court hearingthe case of Hacienda

Luisita

end

Sabi ng Korte ang dalawang taong nakasaad sa batas ay tumutukoy lamang sa proseso ng aplikasyon para sa SDO at hindi yung aktwal na pamamahagi nito.

Bagamang dineklara ng Korte na “unconstitutional” ang SDP sa Hda. Lusita, ginamit ng Korte Suprema ang prinsipyo ng “operative fact” para mabigyan ng ligal na batayan ang pagpapatuloy nito. Ayon sa prinsipyo ng “operative fact” kapag ang isang batas ay dineklarang “unconstitutional” ang mga epekto ng batas na ito bago pinawalang-bisa ay dapat irespeto. Ito ang ginamit nilang pundasyon para sa posibleng pagpapatuloy ng SDP sa pamamagitan ng isang referendum sa mga origihinal na mang benepisyaryo sa loob ng hacienda.

Ang mga deklarasyong ito ng Korte Suprema ay hindi naaayon sa paninindigan ng Akbayan at ng m a r a m i n g m g a c i v i l s o c i e t y organizations.

Una, hindi tayo sang-ayon na walang obligasyon ang HLI na paunlarin ang buhay ng mga benepisyaryo. Ang batas ng repormang agraryo ay isang social legislation na ang pakay ay paunlarin ang buhay ng mga mahihirap. Kaya't dapat lang na ang lahat ng hantungan ng mga programa sa ilalim ng CARP ay

dapat patungo sa adhikaing ito. Hindi dapat iniiwan ang kapakanan ng mga magsasaka para sa panig ng isang palubog na korporasyon at kapag hindi nito kayang gampanan ang pagpapa-angat ng kabuhayan ng mga benepisyaryo ng reporma naniniwala tayong dapat ipamahagi na ang lupa sa kanila.

Pangalawa, naniniwala tayo na hindi dapat kinatigan ng Korte Suprema ang konbersyon ng mga lupang agrikultural sa loob ng hacienda. Kung papayagan natin na maconvert at maibenta ang mga lupa, malaki ang posibilidad na h ind i l amang ma lu lusaw ang pagmamay-ari ng mga magsasaka kundi mawalan pa sila ng kabuhayan. Ang puso ng repormang agraryo ay ang pagmamay-ari ng mga magsasaka ng lupa.

Pangatlo, naniniwala din tayo na kapag pinawalang bisa ang SDP, napawalan na rin ng bisa ang SDO dahil hindi naman magkaiba ang dalawang ito. Naniniwala tayo na ang prinsipyo ng “operative fact” ay magagamit lamang kung may naiwang legal vacuum ang pagsasawalang-bisa ng isang batas. Sa kaso ng Hda. Luisita walang ganitong puwang dahil ayon sa Sec. 31 ng CARP, kapag hindi natapos ang pamamahagi ng stocks dapat direktang ipapamahagi ang lupa.

8

National

MeetingAug. 2011

Council

Political officers and political organizers conference - brainstorming and status report.

Roll call of the members of the National Council NC members

Rep. Walden Bello presenting the Economic Platform of the Party

Crazy as Pinoy performing

for the Solidarity Night

Committees and Units report

Kiko Isaac presenting

Terms of Engagement

Political Report from

Akbayan acting President Machris Cabreros

9

Pamumunong Tatak-Akbayanby Edwin ChavezMagandang araw mga kasama! Sa unang labas ng Aktibo, minabuti kong paksain ang PAMUMUNO. Naniniwala akong ang lakas at tagumpay ng partido ay nakasandig sa uri ng pamumuno na mayroon ito. Ang pamumuno ng partido ay hindi lamang yaong nasa pambansang antas, kundi katumbas na mahalaga ang pamumuno sa lokal na antas.

Mahalaga sa partido ang pagpapaunlad ng mga lider. Kaya nga't naglunsad tayo ngayon ng programang kung tawagin ay ALAMAT o Akbayan Leadership and Party Management Training upang sanayin ang mga pangunahing lider mula sa mga dibisyon at seksyon ng partido, gayundin ang mga sektoral na lider.

Kahulugan at Kahalagahan ng Pamumuno

Ayon sa mga iba't-ibang babasahin, ang pamumuno ay IMPLUWENSYA. Ito ang kakayahan ng isang tao o grupo na impluwensyahan ang iba upang kumilos tungo sa pagkamit ng layunin. Ang sinumang pangunahing nakakapag-impluwensya sa grupo o mga tao ang siyang maituturing na lider. Ang pamumuno ay isang proseso kung s a a n a n g i s a n g t a o a y nakakaimpluwensya sa iba upang abutin ang isang layunin at nagbibigay direksyon sa isang samahan o grupo upang mas maging matibay at higit na nagkakaisa.

Bilang lider ng partido, mahalagang mapalakas natin ang ating kakahayang impluwensyahan ang ating mga kasapi, mga ka-alyado, at ang mamamayang ating inoorganisa at pinapakilos.

Ang tagumpay o kabiguan ng isang pangarap o layunin, o kahit na anong plano o gawain, ay nakabatay sa pinuno at pamumuno. Makikita ito sa iba't-ibang halimbawa at larangan—sa pamilya, m g a p a n l i p u n a n g i n s t i t u s y o n , palakasan, mga samahan, estado, at kahit saan pa man.

Maraming mga organisasyon ang bumagsak at nasira dahil sa masamang uri ng pamumuno. Marami ring mga bansa ang patuloy na nasasadlak sa kahirapan at nananatiling atrasado dahil sa mga lider na naluklok. Sa kabilang banda, marami ring mga organisasyon, gobyerno at iba pang institusyon ang naging matagumpay dahil sa kanilang mga naging pinuno.

Mga Pinanggagalingan ng Impluwensya

Kung ang pamumuno ay impluwensya, a n o a n g m g a p a n g u n a h i n g pinanggagalingan nito? Bilang isang demokratiko at mapagkalingang partido, kinikilala natin na ang impluwensya ay pangunahing nagmumula sa ating kaalaman, kamalayan, kasanayan, mga asal at pagpapahalaga.

Pinagmumulan rin ng impluwensya ang salapi, materyal na bagay, armas, posisyon o estado sa buhay. Para sa atin, hindi ito ang mga tunay na pinagmumulan ng impluwensya. Sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas, maraming naging lider na naluklok at sinusunod ng mga tao dahil lamang sa kanilang posisyon, o dahil sa suporta ng padrong pulitiko. Ginagamit rin nila ang kapangyarihan ng pera, pabor, posisyon, o armas para mapalawig ang pagsunod ng mga tao sa kanila.

Tinutuligsa ng mga lider ng partido ang g a n i t o n g k a l a k a r a n . U p a n g maisakatuparan ang demokratikong adhikain, pangunahing pinagmumulan ng impluwensya ng lider ang kanyang kakayanan at kaalaman. Gayunpaman, mahalaga ring sandigan ng pamumuno ang ugali at pagpapahalagang pinaunlad at patuloy na pinauunlad ng isang lider bilang isang aktibong kasama at kasapi ng partido.

Kung babalikan lamang natin ang karanasan ng Katipunan ng huling ika-19 na dantaon, mahalaga ang naging papel ng Kart i lya ng ki lusang rebolusyonaryo sa pagpapanday ng wastong pagpapahalaga sa pamumuno at pagsapi sa kilusan.

Narito ang anim sa 13 puntong nakasaad sa Kartilya:

Ÿ Ang buhay na hindi ginugugol sa isang malaki at banal na kadahilanan ay puno na walang lilim, kundi man damong makamandag.

Ÿ Ang gawang magaling na nagbubuhat sa paghahambog o paghahangad na makasarili at hindi talagang nasang gumawa ng kagalingan, ay 'di kabaitan.

Ÿ Ang tunay na kabanalan ay ang pagkakawang-gawa, ang pag-ibig sa kapwa, at ang isukat ang bawat kilos, gawa't pangungusap sa talagang katuwiran.

Ÿ Maitim man o maputi ang kulay ng balat, lahat ng tao'y magkakapantay; mangyaring ang isa'y higitan sa dunong, sa yaman, sa ganda; ngunit 'di mahihigitan sa pagkatao.

Ÿ Ang may mataas na kalooban, inuuna ang dangal o puri kaysa sa paghahangad na makasarili; ang may hamak na kalooban, inuuna ang paghahangad na makasarili kaysa puri.

Ÿ Ipagtanggol ang inaapi; labanan ang umaapi.

Makikita rito ang mga batayang katangian at pagpapahalagang tunay na makabuluhan noon hanggang sa ngayon. Ang Kartilya ang gabay sa pang-araw-araw na pamumuhay ng mga kasapi at lider ng Katipunan. Walang sapat na armas at yamang materyal ang Katipunan katumbas ng mga Kastila, subalit may mga lider at kasaping may ningas at rubdob para sa pagbabago at kalayaan.

Lider sa Lider

Ang laban para sa pagbabago ay maihahantulad din sa labanan ng mga lider. Kung tayo na naghahangad ng pagbabago ay may mga lider, sila na nais manatili ang kasalukuyang sistema ay nagpapaunlad rin ng kanilang mga lider. May tagisan sa pagitan ng mga lider para sa pagbabago at mga lider para sa kasalukuyang sistema. Sa dulo, sino ang mananalo? Huwag nating hayaang ang mga lider ng reaksyon at mga pwersa ng pang-aapi ang manalo. Tayo ang kailangang magwagi.

Ito ang malaking hamon sa mga lider ng partido. May malalaking laban tayong h inaharap ngayon a t haharapin sa mga darating na taon.

end

10

11

Nards Dapitan

Akbayan Party’s Statement on the First Year of the Aquino Government

The country just marked the first year of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III’s administration, a government put into power by the Filipino’s hope for a better future, an administration that the people hoped would be radically different from the despotic nine-year reign of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The people’s expectation for this new administration to perform is naturally high, since the previous government systematically stripped us of our political, civil, and economic rights, that horrid experience taught us to value democratic entitlements all the more. It also reminded us how to hope, leading us to recover our collective desire for change.

Stains of the Past: Arroyo’s Decade of Corrupt and Ineffective Governance

For this reason, it is not surprising that the Filipino people welcome the Aquino government’s first year with feelings of disappointment and anxiety coupled with a more cautious hope, sentiments the Aquino government must learn to embrace and keep near its heart. The people are disappointed because they believe that this government is different from the previous one and capable of effecting needed change. However, the public is still hopeful albeit now in a more cautious way because they know too much is already at stake for them to slide back into the dark years of Arroyo past.

Truly, the change we are direly working for does not happen overnight,

Anti-corruption and political reforms

Together with the Filipino people, Akbayan celebrates it victory in removing an inept ombudsman, who chose to serve the interests of the corrupt over that of the people. Her removal cleared the way for the people to call erring public officials to account, leaving Ms. Arroyo, her family and cohorts no other choice but to face the music.

We also express joy in the advances we made in prosecuting the corrupt. Justice Secretary Leila De Lima’s swift, yet judicious, handling of the plunder charge against Ms. Arroyo and the criminal case we filed against the Sandiganbayan Justices who approved the lopsided Garcia plea bargain deal is laudable. The same goes for the Bureau of Internal Revenue’s courageous pursuit of big-time tax evaders including Mikey Arroyo.

Furthermore, we commend the Aquino government for heeding the Filipino people in its decision not to give the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos a hero’s burial. We support President Aquino’s decision on the matter, which is firmly based on the truth and consistent with the just struggle of the people against tyranny and oppression.

We also celebrate the passing of the GOCC Governance Act of 2011, which is a step in the right direction to end endemic cronyism and political patronage in government-owned and

ROUGH & RUGGED ROAD CHANGE

toward

especially because of the legacy of corrupt and ineffective governance that was put into practice by the previous government, which like a stubborn stain, is hard to wash off. Arroyo’s henchmen are now busy subverting our aspirations for reforms by making the journey toward change more difficult and the straight path crooked.

First Year: Planting the Seeds of Change, Winning Important Battles

Truth is, not all is unwell. A year has passed and the Aquino government has already planted the seeds of meaningful change, won important battles in order to reverse Arroyo’s brand of corrupt and as such, Akbayan joins the administration in celebrating the significant gains we made in cleansing the bureaucracy of erring public officials who were glaring symbols of corruption and obstacles in the dispensation of justice.

crooked governance, and begun reclaiming our lost political and economic gains. These are major accomplishments, which Akbayan Party, being a coalition partner of the g o v e r n m e n t h a s c o n t r i b u t e d significantly.

“The people must not be seduced by their political rancor and lies. The people must not let them

exploit our occasional impatience and distract us from the straight

path toward change. We must not let Gloria Macapagal Arroyo win in

the end.”

12

but also crucial in a period when climate change is a grim reality. It also demonstrated that the hue of the Aquino government’s politics is not only yellow but could also be green.

Definitely, we have planted the seeds of change, and have emerged victorious in important battles against corruption. However, the seeds need proper nurturing and the war against corruption is yet to be won. As much as we celebrate our triumphs in the struggle for reforms, more work are yet to be accomplished.

Being a member of the coalition government serious in its reform agenda, Akbayan Party would like to make the following recommendations to the Aquino administration to sustain the momentum of change. We believe now is the time for President Aquino to enter into a social contract with the people to implement broader and deeper reforms in the political and economic fronts. Here are some proposals:

The Aquino government must not lower its guard against corruption. The public demands no less than the prosecution of big-time corrupt public officials starting with Ms. Arroyo, her family and cronies. President Aquino must also see to it that all ill-gotten wealth amassed by the previous regime is expropriated. The same must go for the illicit wealth accumulated by the re-emergent yet still unrepentant Marcos family.

Concurrently, we call on President Aquino to certify as urgent the Marcos Compensation bill that would give indemnification to all human rights victims under the brutal Marcos dictatorship.

We also urge the government to step up its drive against state and non-state human rights violators. Particularly, the Aquino administration must curb the alarming incidents of extrajudicial killings of journalists and political advocates.

We ask President Aquino to certify the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill as urgent to address

Social Contract to Broaden and Deepen Reforms

Prosecution of the Corrupt and Recovery of Ill-gotten Wealth

Human Rights

Political Modernity

the state’s deficit in transparency and accountability.

Similarly, Congress must pursue legislation that would drastically reform the party-list system and transform it into a viable arena for proportional representation.

With only 2 years left before the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program- Extension with Reforms (CARPER) expires, there remains around 1 mi l l ion hectares o f undistributed agricultural lands. It is therefore urgent for the government to ensure the swift distribution of all lands.

Also, it is incumbent on President Aquino to use his moral and political suasion to resolve the Hacienda Luisita issue in the event the Supreme Court fails to render a just decision. The HLI issue strikes at the very heart of the every Filipino farmer. If they cannot obtain justice from the court of last resort or anywhere else in this country, then it is the onus of the President to put right this historical injustice.

Agrarian Reform and Justice

controlled corporations, something practiced capriciously by the previous regime.

Likewise, we recognize President Aquino’s firm support for the passage of the Reproductive Health bill, an important legislative measure, which Akbayan is resolutely pushing for its passage. Despite the strong opposition of the Catholic church hierarchy and its threat to withdraw support from his administration, Aquino’s decision to advance women’s rights and Filipino families’ just claim to have another chance in life is remarkable.

The same can be said of our victory in synchronizing the election of the Autonomous Region of Musl im Mindanao (ARMM) with that of the national in 2013. Now the region has ample time to implement essential reforms to promote peace and political modernity and work towards the elimination of warlordism and electoral violence that was hideously exemplified by the Ampatuan massacre.

In the international scene, we welcome the Aquino government’s firm stand on the Spratlys conflict. We laud its effort using diplomatic channels in fighting for our sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. However, we caut ion the government in relying on the United States to help resolve the issue. We believe the conflict is a regional issue and any intervention from another superpower will only complicate matters.

In the economic front, we support the government’s effort to address the country’s poverty problem. Its swift and bold implementation of the conditional cash transfer (CCT) program as a poverty-containment measure points to its sensitivity to the needs of the poor, who for the longest time have been told to wait for the promises of trickle-down economics.

This poverty containment measure is reinforced by the subsidies the state provided to mitigate the series of economic c r i ses such as the skyrocketing prices of oil, which fell hardest on the ordinary people.

Lastly, we celebrate the issuance of Executive Order No. 23, which provides for an indefinite log ban in all national and residual forests. Such executive directive is not only timely

Foreign Policy

Addressing the immediate needs of the poor

13

Challenges beyond the first year

While one year is too short to judge the performance of any respectable government, it is already enough to give a fair appraisal of its commitment to meet the promises it made to the Filipino people. From planting the seeds of change and winning several important battles, the Aquino government, in its first year has proven its sincerity and resolve in accomplishing the challenging tasks of restoring the integrity of democratic institutions, social justice and ensuring the economic welfare of the people.

The next step is to build on the initial gains and lead the people into a vision of a better future where it can reap the fruits of what they sowed.

Akbayan Party, being a coalition partner of this government and with the support of the Filipino people will strive to significantly contribute in this endeavor by helping sustain the momentum of effecting change.

The straight path may be a rough and rugged road and could indeed be the hardest path, but that is what the straight path is, a road less traveled, but a path that we must necessarily take to realize the change we want.

We are alarmed by the growing violations on the rights of workers such as those demonstrated in Hanjin shipyard. We therefore urge President Aquino to certify the Security of Tenure bill pending in Congress as urgent.

We call on the Aquino government to impose an inde f in i te na t iona l moratorium on the demolition of all informal settlements. The duration of the moratorium must be used to develop comprehensive state policy on mass housing, which will lead to the realization of state-subsidized, onsite and in-city low-cost housing programs.

We likewise call on President Aquino to support House Bill No. 4022 mandating all private developers of subdivisions to allot 20% of the total subdivision area for socialized housing.

Lastly, we must put a premium on ensuring the universal coverage of improved publicly provided health care. For this, it is important to expand the membership of PhilHealth towards universal coverage, and ensure the adequate access and upgrade of health facilities. Accordingly, the government must step up on its capacity-building, particularly in enhancing barangay health workers’ skills that is crucial for the implementation of public health programs in poorer municipalities across the nation.

These are some of the daunting tasks we face in the coming years.

Urban Poor

Universal Health Care

Economic Development

Now that CCT is in place, it is imperative to implement more strategic economic programs to complement its tactical ones.

Primarily, labor-intensive infrastructure programs must be implemented to generate more jobs and give the economy a boost. This must go hand in hand with emergency employment provided to poor households that were not included in the CCT to complement the initial poverty-containment strategy.

Strong regulation on oil prices must also be imposed to stop the erosion of the people’s welfare. We need a group that would d i rect the government ’s intervention comprised of the Energy secretary, independent technical experts, consumers and representatives of the big oil companies. The mission of this team: to keep fuel prices at a reasonable, minimum price to allow the people respite from the economic hardships of today.

Consequently, we request President Aquino to craft an energy policy relying on renewables rather than depending heavily on dirty technologies such as coal and fossil fuel.

Moreover, the country’s debt problem must be seriously addressed. A comprehensive debt audit starting with the illegitimate debts accumulated by the previous administration is a good way to begin this endeavor.

We also need to redesign the rules governing contractual work and ensure workers’ security of tenure.

“Sa tuwid na landas, ang dulo dapat maaliwalas!”

Akbayan Party on Pres. Aquino’s 2nd State of the Nation Address

July 24, 2011

end

14

It was in the early morning of July 20 when we flew with the sun rising at our back. Destination: Pag-asa Island, Municipality of Kalayaan. The members of the Peace and Sovereignty Mission to the West Philippine Sea, the first-ever civilian undertaking to the island composed of a handful of Congressional Representatives, local government officials, military personnel and press, touched-down on the grass-strewn runway at half-past 10 in the morning. We were received by the warmth of the sun and the mild breeze from the sea.

Pag-asa is a 37.2-hectare island in the middle of the West Philippine Sea, a little over 200 nautical miles from Palawan. Year-round the weather on the island is sunny, with the sea breeze blowing in. The island experiences occasional rains when the monsoon season rolls in, but, because it sits outside the typhoon belt, never the storms that ravage other sea-side municipalities in the country. And because the Kalayaan Island Group, like Palawan, is situated outside the Pacific Ring of Fire, the island is spared the destructive wrath of earthquakes and tsunamis.

The sea, we were told, teems with marine diversity. Coral reef formations are home to different species of fish and other sea creatures. Out on the sea, one would easily encounter dolphins and other migratory sea animals; people would occasionally come across a pawikan's nest on the shore. 10 meters from the shore all around the island, the waters of the West Philippine Sea reach only below the neck of an average-height grown individual. Perfect for swimming, and cultivating seaweeds and other marine flora for livelihood.

Pretty much like paradise, indeed.

At the time of the mission, Pag-asa was inhabited by only 69 people; 44 civilians, including children, that made up seven families, and 25 armed personnel. The people live a simple life. They live in nipa-huts fortified by concrete slabs. Their main source of livelihood is fishing and a little bit of subsistence farming. Soldiers and civilians alike share the multipurpose hall, and recreation facilities: a billiards table and a basketball court. The people shared that on clear nights, some of them would lay mats under the trees by the seashore to exchange stories under the moonlight.

But even in this paradise, much is left to be desired.

The quarterly shipments of food rations and other basic commodities, as well as civilian reinforcements, are sometimes disrupted by the high waves and strong winds during the monsoon. Kalayaan Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon told of the people's experience years back, when the shipments were delayed, and people had to subsist on papaya cooked in all sorts of ways due to the unavailability of rice. Electricity is only available for a couple of hours every day. Fresh water is likewise limited due to the lack of personnel capable of operating a water desalinization system. A cellular communication satellite, their sole window to the outside world, is only powered a couple of hours per day to make what a military personnel described as “necessary communication.” As Pag-asa does not have schools, the handful of children on the island would have to return to Palawan to receive formal education. While the island has bare-minimum medical facilities,

there are no doctors or health workers to look after the health concerns of the community. Indeed that there have been two live-births recently is a miracle. The people had also asked for a multicab that the community could use to transport goods around the island, engine- powered grasscutter or lawnmower to faci l i tate easier maintenance of the airstrip and the grass, and improve recreation facilities to ward off the boredom.

Trouble in paradise

Listening to the various stories about their simple life on the island, one almost forgets the most crucial point of the people's existence. Why are they given P3,000.00 every month to live on an island in the middle of the West Philippine Sea?

The Philippines first staked its claim over the Spratly Islands in the late -1950s, when navigator Thomas Cloma discovered them during his exploration of the West Philippine Sea and he decided to establish the Kalayaan state composed of some 50 isla nds and rock formations that he found. It was only in 1968, however, that the Philippine government, led by former dictator Ferdinand Marcos, sent troops to Pag-asa Island and a handful of other big rock formations.

Since then, we have engaged Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan in asserting our authority over the various rocks and reefs in the area. Today, the Philippines claims seven islands or islets and three reefs.

But why all the fuss?

Pag-asa: An Unlikely Paradiseby Sabrina Gacad

15

All the government has to do is take development one step further: provide for the welfare of the Filipinos living in Pag-asa.

Mayor Bito-onon has exactly that on his mind. Plans for creating a greenhouse to meet some of the food needs of the community are already in the pipeline. He is also looking at the development of a marina in the medium-term to jump-start economic activity on the island, and a longer-term aspiration of developing Pag-asa tourism, among others. The national government must support these efforts, and they must prioritize Pag-asa's unimpeded access to basic services—health, education, water, communication, and electricity.

While the Philippine military could easily be overcome by the Chinese, effective civilian authority and Filipino settlements are harder to dislodge. In fact, an attack on Filipinos living peacefully on an island would constitute genocide. Clearly, the best way for the Philippines to cement its claims on Kalayaan is by propping up the community. And for the longest time that civilians have been living on meager resources on the island just to keep the Chinese or the other nation-states claiming the island. At bay, the government owes them that much.

On that day, we spent four hours trying to understand the life that people lived in Pag-asa, how they deal with the news of territorial disputes, how they relate to foreign soldiers that they come across fishing in the seas, and how they ward off boredom that is a staple in daily island life. And upon leaving that unlikely paradise, I am sure we had each felt we needed to fulfill a greater purpose than that which we carried that morning that we came, and that was to let the rest of the nation know Pag-asa's hopes for a more peaceful tomorrow.

It was Commission on Maritime and Ocean Affairs Secretary General Henry Bensurto that pointed out the significance of ownership of the Spratlys: “(S)he who owns the land, owns the sea.”

As stipulated in the United Nations Convention on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) a country gets authority over the waters surrounding its land and the resources found in the same waters. And owning the sea in the case of the Spratlys means having complete control over the passage of vessels and owning rights to exploit marine resources in the area and the alleged fossil fuel deposits in the sub-sea terrain.

This is precisely why the People's Republic of China has declared the entire sea, almost up to the coast of Palawan, as theirs based on ridiculously formulated historical arguments. This is why the Chinese are scrambling to build an aircraft carrier to patrol “their” seas. This is why they held live-fire exercises against the Vietnamese just in the past month. And this is why China raised its “great concern” with the mission to the Department of Foreign Affairs and said that the mission would ”undermine peace and stability in the region and s a b o t a g e C h i n a - P h i l i p p i n e s relationship.”

It is both to ward off China's imperialist ambitions and maintain our authority over currently occupied islands, islets, and rock formations that Pag-asa Island and the nine other formations that the call to fortify Kalayaan Island Group becomes important.

Gen. Sabban couldn't have said it better: Pag-asa Island, being the sole island in the Spratlys Archipelago that has an airstrip, is a floating aircraft carrier in the West Philippine Sea, and that the Philippines is in possession of it is a clear strategic advantage. At this point, we need to match this strategic advantage with adequate military facilities and improved naval and patrol capacities to maintain authority .

Hope in Paradise

But nothing spells out Philippine territory over the Kalayaan Island Group more clearly than the development of the Filipino civilian community in Pag-asa. Already, the local government hierarchy is in place—you have a barangay, a municipality, and the corresponding leaders. They have been holding elections since 1992, and were delivered a fully-functioning PCOS machine in May 2010.

end

16

Tuloy-tuloy.

by Perry Legaspi

Tatlong panukalang batas mula sa mga inihain ng Akbayan Party sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso ang kasama sa priority bills ng administrasyon ni Pang. Noynoy Aquino.

Napagka i sahan sa pu long ng Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) na isama sa mga priority bills ang Reproductive Health Bill, amendments sa Balanced Housing Development Act (HB 4022) at ang Kasambahay Bill.

“Aktibong isinusulong ng Akbayan na maisabatas ang Reproductive Health B i l l , a n g B a l a n c e d H o u s i n g Development Act, at ang Kasambahay Bill sa Kongreso bilang bahagi ng makamamamayang agenda ng Partido. Nagpupugay kami sa Pangulo dahil idineklara niyang mga priority bills ang mga ito,” wika ni Akbayan Rep. Walden Bello at ni Rep. Kaka Bag-ao.

Hindi kaila sa lahat na ang layunin ng Reproductive Health Bill ay mabigyan ng ayuda ang mga mamamayan hinggil sa pagpili ng mga pamamaraan ng pagpaplano ng pamilya. Tinutugunan naman ng amendments sa Balance Housing Development Act ang kakulangan ng pabahay sa bansa sa pagtatakda na 20 porsiyento sa ide-develop na mga lupa para sa pabahay ay italaga para sa socialized mass housing bilang relokasyon ng mga informal settlers.

H a b a n g i s i n u s u l a t i t o , pinagdedebatehan sa Senado ang RH Bill at nasa plenary na ang nais nating s u s o g s a B a l a n c e d H o u s i n g Development Act.

Layunin naman ng Kasambahay Bill na kilalanin bilang trabaho ang kanilang ginagampang pagbabanat ng buto at maprotektahan ang mga karapatan ng domestic workers sa bansa. Kasama sa nais itakda ng batas na ito ang minimum wage para sa mga kasambahay.

“Maraming mga pang-aabusong dinaranas ang mga kababayan nating domest ic workers , la lo na sa conservative countries tulad ng mga nasa Middle East. Paano nga ba natin sila mapuprotektahan kung mismong dito sa bansa natin ay hindi sapat ang pagpapahalaga sa karapatan ng mga kasambahay?” punto ni Rep. Bello.

Ilan pang batas na isinusulong ng Akbayan na umabot sa plenary ay ang Security of Tenure Bill (HB 4853) at ang Marcos Victims Compensation Bill (HB 00302).

Naaprubahan naman ng Mababang Kapulungan ang Credit Assistance for OFWs (HB 5439) habang nasa iba't ibang antas ng pagsasabatas ang mga sumusunod: Anti-Trafficking (HB 4212), I r r iga t ion (HB 4231) , Rescue Olympics— “Disaster Preparedness Thru Sports” (HB 4397), Food Sovereignty (HB 4626), SILIP SALN (Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth) (HB 2827), Overseas Absentee Voting Amendments (HB 3201), Anti-Trafficking Amendments (HB 4212), Land Use Bill (wala pang bilang dahil hinihintay pa ang komento mula sa Appropriations), Asbestos Ban (HB 896), Sangguniang Kabataaan (SK) Reform Bill, Minerals Management Bi l l (HB 3763), Bio-fuels Law amendment (HB 2809), Bibong BHW (Barangay Health Worker) (HB514), Generics-only (HB 2101), Healthy Beverage Options Act (HB 4268), Fresh Graduates Assistance (HB 472), Board of Claims (HB 470), Human Rights Resource Center (HB 471), Rights of the Accused (HB 482), Anti-Discrimination Bill (HB 515) at Gender Quota (HB 2100).

“The wealth of our country is not buried under our grounds. It is what we can plow from our lands and drink from our rivers. It is with this vision that the immediate passage of the Philippine Mineral Resources Act of 2011 is earnestly sought,” wika ni Bag-ao sa kanyang sponsorship speech ng Minerals Management Bill.

Naisabatas din ang panukala ng Akbayan na isabay ang halalan sa Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao sa 2013 elections. Ang Republic Act 10152 o ang ARMM Election Synchronization law ay naglalayong linisin ang mga voters list sa ARMM at magtakda ng mga repormang panghala lan upang m a s i g u r o n g d e m o k r a t i k o a n g pamamaraan nito.

Isulong ang mga progresibong batas.

end

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AkbayanMODKaraniwang makikita ang mga kasama natin sa Akbayan, na umiiikot o nakikipagmeeting sa mga Barangay na may presensya tayo. Iba’t iba ang porma o kasootan. Ang tanong meron ba talagang MODA, tatak Akbayan?

Sa artikulong ito, hihimay-himayin ang mga japorms na may pagkakakilanlan sa mga taga-Akbayan.

Sa tag-init.

Sa tagulan.

Shirt: Cotton na T-shirt ang madalas na gamitupang maspresko at komportable.

Jeans:Maong na pantalon ang gamit kapag mainit lalo na kapag may mobilisasyon. Masmadaling gumalaw, masmadalingtumakbo.

Sunglass:Sa iba, pamorma ang “shades”. Pero dahil alam ng mga taga-Akbayan na mahalaga ang proteksyon sa mata, gumagamit sila nito.

Bag:Belt bag o sling bag ang gamit nila kapag tag-init, masmagaan pero lahat ng kailangan ay kasya.

Shirt: Polo shirt o medyo makapal na T-shirt ang gamit kapag tagulan.

Jeans: Maong o Cargo pants ang gamit nila sa tuwing tagulan para hindi mabilis mabasa.

Jacket: Ang No. 1 na panlaban sa lamig at ulan ng mga taga-Akbayan ay jacket.

Bag: Backpack. Terno sa jacket ang backpack at masmadaming pwedeng ilagay.

Alam ninyo ba?

Walang opisyal na “porma” ang mgataga-Akbayan. Subalit sa tuwingMay mahahalagang okasyon o

pagpupulong, sila ay nakaputi atnakamaong?

18

Akbayan Party

AYAW NAMIN SA

COAL