Category: Journalism

GFMD and IAMR: Opposing views on overseas Filipino workers and worldwide migration

This is a heads up to all journalists, bloggers and pundits.

Much has been said about overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) being “modern-day heroes” but perhaps mostly because of the billions of dollars they remit back home. Meanwhile, a growing number of people have grown desensitized by endless sad stories of OFW being beaten, deprived just wages, condemned to die, or just suddenly falling off buildings. In the immediate aftermath of the US economic meltdown, some of the “bright” economists as the Bangko Sentral said the Philippines will survive the crisis — but neither because of strong economic fundamentals or of unflagging investor confidence in the Philippines but by the billions of dollars in OFW remittances to which the Arroyo government has been addicted to.

These and other issues will take centerstage in October as Manila hosts the Global Forum on Migration and Development on Oct. 27-30, 

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Sexually-harassed workers win strike vs. company that makes Advan shoes

Minimum wage earners already work very hard only to get paid lowly pay. But this one just makes anyone angry.

Workers at Bleustar Manufacturing & Marketing Corp., the company making Advan shoes (formerly Rubberworld, which makes Grosbee and Kaypee) also had to contend with a boss who flashes his “thing” or who fondles them, among other despicable acts of sexual harassment.

Good thing, these workers fought back with a strike — and won!

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22 sacks of ancient cultural artifacts recovered

This is definitely good news for students of pre-historic arts and culture.

The seizure and recovery of these artifacts will add to existing body of evidence on the existence of developed cultures in pre-colonial southern Philippines.

ANCIENT MINDANAWON: Shards seized last month in Maitum, Sarangani, are remnants from yet another Mindanawon tribe. MindaNews file photo by Rene B. Lumawag.
ANCIENT MINDANAWON: Shards seized last month in Maitum, Sarangani, are remnants from yet another Mindanawon tribe. MindaNews file photo by Rene B. Lumawag.
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Philippine Blog Awards 2008: A Report

Applause, cheers and the never-ending flicker of camera lights welcomed the country’s top bloggers at the 2nd Philippine Blog Awards held Sunday at glitzy rites held at 1Esplanade near SM Mall of Asia.

Some bloggers came in formal attire, while others came in smart casual wear, but no one seemed to mind. Everyone was up on their toes on who were chosen by the judges, mostly bloggers too, as the best across 36 categories.

A number of attendees twittered and plurked and liveblogged, while those who were not present watched the proceedings through webcasts.

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Dear correspondent

Dear Correspondent:

You are so insightful and I think I will reward you with something, perhaps soon.

But you know, dear Correspondent, a blogger obviously felt alluded to and has hidden behind lotsa verbal deadwood. I will leave Dana to defend herself and her views because I have 100% confidence that she can competently do so in the face of fact-twisting and misrepresentation. I think a blogger saw so many things in her blog post, so many goblins, and went to even more absurd lengths to twist stuff even further — and made the makers of Alaxan FR so giddy (parang masel na pinili-pilipit).

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Philippine networks, ‘Ka Roger’ pay tribute to ‘Tiya Dely’

Philippine TV networks ABS-CBN and GMANews paid tribute to Fidela “Tiya Dely” Magpayo who passed away Monday after she suffered a stroke days ago while doing what she loved best: speaking to and offering advice to her listeners over DZRH.

Also paying his last respects is Communist Party spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal.

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‘Tagaytay 5’ now free after court trashes false raps

As expected, the court freed the Tagaytay 5 after finding the rebellion charges without merit and spurious.

I am so very happy for the family of poet and activist Alex Pinpin, one of the five who were abducted, jailed and falsely charged, and also for the others. I mention Alex because I’ve met his sister Cyrine and saw in her eyes the pain of losing her brother to political vendetta. But now, Cyrine is happy and could only express her profound and sincere thanks to everyone who made the freedom of the Tagaytay 5 possible.

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Plagiarism in focus

Last week, I was invited to guest in ANC’s Media in Focus as a resource person on the topic “plagiarism”. The program took off from the CMFR report penned by Hector Bryant Macale.

For those who missed it, ABS-CBNNews.com has come out with the story below:

Plagiarism and the ‘ponente’ system

When former broadsheet reporter Anthony Ian Cruz wrote an exclusive on a US journal’s assessment of the Arroyo administration, he had no idea that his story would be copied by a rival publication a day later.

Cruz, a former Malaya reporter who now writes for the Asahi Shimbun, said he published his story “Influential US journal says GMA sank RP into morass of corruption” on the January 28 issue of Malaya. That evening, he said he was surprised to see an article on the same topic appear on the Web site of The Daily Tribune.

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Poor Filipinos pay 90 percent of VAT collections

President Arroyo claims that more than 80 percent of VAT revenues are paid by the rick and at the same time, it is the poor that benefit from the onerous, regressive tax.

Bulatlat has a story contradicting this claim, quoting heavily from an expert whose study of government data has showed the exact opposite. Blogger/electrical engineer/activist Monram lighted the way for the Bulatlat report.

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TXTPower in the news over Arroyo’s 50-centavo text gimmick

Here are news items published since Tuesday, regarding TXTPower’s views on President Arroyo’s claim that she has lowered text rates to a mere 50 centavos:

Westmincom chief wants to hide US soldiers from media, public view

The policy of omerta is gripping many parts of government. The lack of transparency is a playground for bacteria and viruses called unconstitutional and criminal acts. It also shows great disrespect to the Filipino people and the media.

The policy of silence has reached absurd heights with statements attributed to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Westmincom chief Major General Nelson Allaga and which were reported by Inquirer.net’s Julie Alipala.

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NUJP to mark 22nd anniversary amid ‘pressing times’

Mabuhay to all Filipino journalists as we celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the national union.

Check out the announcement/invitation for two commemorative events:

To all our beloved friends,

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines is celebrating its 22nd anniversary on July 30 (Wednesday).

We are taking the opportunity to thank all the people and organizations whose unwavering and generous support have helped the NUJP survive being listed by the military as an “enemy of the state”, grow to 55 chapters nationwide, and earn recognition as an organization that genuinely represents the interests of the working press and our aspirations for press freedom.

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Scums in Singapore

I just recently came from Singapore where I joined a good number of journalists cover the 41st Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM) and related gatherings.

I went there to take a good look at the event and get some good dose of on-the-job training. As a journalist, it was my maiden foreign assignment and I did not plan to waste it. My employer, one of the Japan’s leading newspapers, would perhaps have been very disappointed had I failed them.

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