By LYN V. RAMO
Why, they asked, are they being made to suffer human rights violations, when they have only been working for the indigenous farmers, laborers, small-scale miners and urban poor and, in the process, traveling long hours to reach far-flung villages, some of which could only be reached on foot?
Environmental activists, indigenous peoples’ leaders and human-rights advocates today lighted green lanterns to pay tribute to the 39 environmental defenders and martyrs who were victims of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. The activity, held in Bulwagang Nicanor Delos Santos in Quezon City, coincided with the commemoration of the 2nd year since the brutal killing of anti-mining and environmental activist Eliezer “Boy” Billanes in Koronadal City on March 9, 2009. (Photos courtesy of Kalikasan-PNE / bulatlat.com)
By ALMA B. SINUMLAG Northern Dispatch BAGUIO CITY – Indigenous peoples’ (IP) partylist Katribu challenged the peace negotiating panels of both parties to look into the violations of IP rights. In an interview, Katribu partylist president Beverly Longid said there were a lot of positive points tackled in the formal talks between the Government of…
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO Bulatlat.com Did President Benigno Aquino get financial support from mining firms? If not, then why is he against regulating the operations of said companies? This was the question raised by an environmental activist during a protest against the Mining Act of 1995 on the occasion of its 15th anniversary. Kalikasan…
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
An essential aspect of the bill is the reorientation of the country’s mining industry based on the principles of social justice, respect for people’s rights and welfare, environmental conservation, defense of national sovereignty and patrimony, national industrialization, and agricultural modernization.
BAGUIO CITY — Hundreds of tourists and spectators trooped to Baguio City on Sunday to watch the Grand Float Parade, the culmination of the month-long Baguio Flower Festival or locally known as Panagbenga, which is now its 16th year. (Photos by Shiela Coo and Artemio A. Dumlao / bulatlat.com)
By ALMA B. SINUMLAG Northern Dispatch BAGUIO CITY — In 1993, then Sangguniang Kabatan Federation president Florence Ibarra declared March 1-5 as the Kaigorotan Youth Week (KYW) in recognition of the valiant Igorot youth in the early 80s who bravely faced police brutallity while expressing their strong opposition against development aggression and cultural prostitution. Geraldine…
By KIMBERLIE OLMAYA NGABIT-QUITASOL Northern Dispatch BAKUN, Benguet — The claims of the residents of village Gambang here regarding the irregularities in the free prior and informed consent (FPIC) process conducted by the National Commission on Indigenous People’s (NCIP) was validated in the recently concluded consultation conducted by the National Cultural Communities (NCC) of the…
By ADELA DEYAEN WAYAS Northern Dispatch BAGUIO CITY — A public official here said that festivals should not be done for the sake of profit but to preserve the culture. Speaking before journalists and students at the Baguio City National High School- Main on February 22, Ramon Dacawi of the Public Information Office of the…
By ALMA B. SINUMLAG Northern Dispatch Posted by Bulatlat.com MANKAYAN, Benguet — In sitio (subvillage) Tabbac, Bulalacao of this town, a month long barricade continues in opposition to the drilling activities of Goldfields. Support from the town’s neighboring villages, people’s organizations, and partylist group continue to reach the barricade site, which, according to residents, made…
Machete, the macho fantasy penned by Pablo S. Gomez that first came out in weekly komiks more than a decade ago and later on spawned two different blockbuster movies in the ’90s, has once again come alive.