By RONALYN V. OLEA
“We are watching very closely. The present administration must demonstrate that the Philippines has turned the page and a new chapter where freedom and justice prevail has begun.” – Beaconsfield United Church of Canada

By RONALYN V. OLEA
“Undermining [of previous agreements] is the strongest evidence that the Aquino regime has no desire or intention to engage in serious peace negotiations to address the roots of the armed conflict.” — NDFP peace panel chairman Luis Jalandoni

By SONNY AFRICA
The Philippines can’t rely on the world economy and old globalization policies to drive economic growth and development.

By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO Bulatlat.com The country’s urban poor have one more reason to consider President Benigno S. Aquino III an enemy of the poor: he vetoed a provision inserted by the House of Representatives into the 2012 national budget that would have forced the government to put a limit on borrowing funds from [...]

By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
In his veto message on the 2011 national budget, President Aquino said the P5 billion calamity fund should be mainly used by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) for “actual calamities”and not for “preparation of relocation sites/facilities, and training personnel engaged in direct disaster.”

By MARYA SALAMAT
“At this point any increase in transport fares will be rendered insignificant amid continuing oil price increases.” – Lana Linaban, Gabriela

By MARYA SALAMAT Bulatlat.com Main story: Approved 2012 budget skewed vs peoples’ needs MANILA — Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raymond “Mong” Palatino criticized the Congress-ratified 2012 national budget of P1.816 trillion ($41.61 billion) as “unhealthy and ignorant” because it gave Filipino a mere P1.25 ($.03) for health and P6.55 ($.15) for education per day.   “The [...]

By RONALYN V. OLEA
“Somehow, we see justice for our martyrs who struggled hard for this day to come.” – Lito Bais, Unyon ng Manggagawa sa Agrikultura

By RONALYN V. OLEA
“The Cojuangcos have long benefited from their illegal and immoral stranglehold of Hacienda Luisita and the farmworkers’ have long paid for the land.”– Randall Echanis, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas

By RONALYN V. OLEA
“Now that the SC has decided in favor of Luisita farmers and farm workers, the burden of implementation is with the President’s family the Cojuangco-Aquinos and the Department of Agrarian Reform.” – Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano

By Satur C. Ocampo At Ground Level | The Philippine Star Like many others, I welcomed Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s action on Gloria M. Arroyo’s request to be allowed to travel abroad for medical treatment, and appreciated her reasons for denying it. But I feel uneasy with the source of her authority to decide [...]