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By MARYA SALAMAT
“The labor department itself has maneuvered to deceive workers with a supposed wage hike whose determination the capitalists hold now even more firmly in their hands.” – PAMANTIK–KMU
2nd part: In Calabarzon, workers get first taste of wage cuts via two-tier wage system
Sidebar: Latest poverty measure: excluding the poor from the poverty count
By SONNY AFRICA/IBON Foundation
In closing the 2012 SONA, President Aquino asked rhetorically: “Isn’t the agenda for change moving forward?” Unfortunately after two years, there is clearly no fundamental change and no systematic economic reforms taking place.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Aquino’s 90-minute speech, said to be one of the longest SONAs in recent memory, highlighted achievements that progressive groups shot down either as just a deception, a half-truth at best, or simply meaningless.
Sidebar: Groups press for release of activist, condemn violent dispersal of anti-SONA protests
Sidebar: Anti-SONA 2012 protests in regions against privatization, rights violations
Sidebar: Southern Tagalog, Central Luzon march vs land grabbing, militarization
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 RAYMUND B. VILLANUEVA
The Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) was a landmark agreement unique in the history of civil wars worldwide. But 13 years hence, its implementation has barely passed through the first stage and the peace talks continue to flounder.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Despite the promises of devolution, funding for health services is unable to keep up with local needs.
Sidebar: Not enough doctors, and nurses, in
Sidebar: Where do the sick go?
SECOND PART: LGUs try enterprise to cure shortage in health funding
By INA ALLECO R. SILVERIO
In an interview with Bulatlat.com, Rodolfo Bejar from the PhilPost's Domestic Operations and Services Department said that the last decade has seen the PhilPost as being a "virtual bastion of corruption," and that despite the efforts of the employees to bring the various corruption issues to the attention of the national government, nothing has happened.
By KARL G. OMBION
Finding it difficult to cope with the spike in prices of oil and rates of electricity? These NGOs have been working with their partner communities in developing renewable energy sources to power their needs and their development.
By JANESS ANN J. ELLAO
Denial of their rightful claim to the land they have been tilling for generations, forcible eviction, killings, and harassments continue to plague the peasantry even after the Aquino administration replaced the much-hated Arroyo administration.
By ANNE MARXZE D. UMIL
The Aquino government, during its first six months in office, does not provide any indication that it is serious in addressing the problem of degradation of the environment and in mitigating the effects of climate change because it is leaning toward failed market-based solutions.
By MARYA SALAMAT
“Health is about people, not profits. The provision of health services should never be contingent on the patient’s ability to pay or the public hospital’s capacity to generate its own income. The provision of health services should be guaranteed by government to its people." –- Health Alliance for Democracy
Public utility drivers in the Philippines lament the seeming lack of government support and regard for their sector, but the country’s statisticians at least seem to give them due credit.
For the bigger bus companies plying the provincial routes to and from the National Capital Region, safety appears important enough that their regular drivers and conductors are given periodic trainings on road and driving safety. The regularity ranges from monthly to quarterly to twice a year.
By MARYA SALAMAT
SPECIAL REPORT The public and government officials, among them President Aquino, always blame drivers each time a deadly bus accident happens. What they don’t know or chose to ignore is that bus drivers and conductors are working under severe conditions imposed by greedy operators and ignored by government regulators, thus allowing these mishaps to happen in the first place. Sidebar: For Provincial Buses, Physical Condition of Drivers -- and Their Buses -- Are Key to Safe Travel | More Motorcycles Mean More Mishaps
The Versolas continue to support the strike, visiting the picket line to watch documentaries on the massacre, help in the kitchen chores or just exchange views with anyone.
By MARYA SALAMAT
Special Report As the Philippine military continues to wage Oplan Bantay Laya, its so-called “dirty war” against communists as well as activists, peasants and workers, more and more innocent children are not only being caught in the crossfire but have become targets as well of human-rights violations.
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