Month: August 2010

Basilan Badjaos now beggars in Ipil

Ellen Leave a comment

by Joseph Arnel Deliverio
Sibugay Express

Homeless Badjaos

IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay.—They fled Basilan to escape the menace of sea bandits, only to live more difficult lives here—as beggars.

Seven impoverished Badjao families have made the streets of Ipil their home after fleeing Maluso town in Basilan to avoid what they said was harassment and terrorism by sea pirates and poachers.

They have been fending off hunger by begging alms from residents at the junction of the roads leading to Pagadian, Dipolog and Zamboanga cities.

Mendicant Badjaos have become a constant picture in the cities of Mindanao, but it is only now that they have reached such big numbers here in the southwestern side of the island.

A nomadic tribe mostly found in the coastal areas of Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Tawi-tawi and Sulu, Badjaos are known as sea gypsies who make their living as fishermen.

Click here (VERA Files) for the rest of the story.

Wait, there’s more!: Send Money to the Philippines Remit2Home – it’s fast, easy and reliable.

Sundan maigi ang Truth Commission

Ellen Leave a comment

Sa mga nagku-kwestyun ng legalidad ng Executive Order No. 1 na nagbubuo ng truth Commission, sinabi ni Pangulong Aquino na pumunta na lang sa Supreme Court.

Sabi ni Aquino,”Iyung sinasabi pong unconstitutional, iyun ang opiyun ng ilang kongresista.Kami po may opinion din. Ang huhusga kung sino ang tama ang opinion, Korte Suprema. Palagay namin ay tama iyung ginagawa namin.”

Hindi naman nakapagtataka na umalma kaagad ang mga kaalyado ni Gloria Arroyo sa pagbuo ng Truth Commission na siyang mag-iimbestiga ng mga corruption at ibang katiwalian na nangyari sa siyam na taon na administrasyon ni Arroyo.

Sinabi ni House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman na kukwestyunin nila sa korte ang legalidad ng Executive Order No. 1 dahil sabi niya, sa pamamagitan lamang ng batas, na ipapasa ng Kongreso, mabubuo ang isang Commission.

Sinabi na rin ito ni Sen. Joker Arroyo. Sabi pa nga niya kung gagawa si P-Noy ng Truth Commission, sayang lang daw ang oras at pera dahil walang ngipin ito. Hindi raw ito maaring mag-subpoena o magpilit ng isang tao na humarap sa imbestigasyon.

Ngunit ang pinirmahan na E.O ni P-Noy at nagsasaad na magkakaroon ng kaparusahan, administrative nga lang, ang sino man na tatanggi sa tawag ng truth Commission.

Siguro naman pinag-aralan ng mabuti nina Justice Secretary Leila de Lima at ng mga abogado ni P-Noy itong E.O No. 1 Kaya bahala sila magdepensa ng legalidad nun sa korte. Ang mahalaga sa akin ay masimulan ang imbestigasyon at mahanap ang katotohanan.

Dalawang taon at anim na buwan ang buhay ng Commission. Tamang-tama yun dahil sa Disyembre 2012 ang retirement ni Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez . Kapag matapos na ang imbestigasyun ng Truth Commission, at isasampa na nila sa Ombudsman ang mga kaso, iba na ang Ombudsman.

Ang inaala-ala ko lang talaga ay ang pagpili ni P-Noy kay dating Chief Justice Hilario Davide para mamuno ng Commission. Wala talaga kasi akong bilib kay Davide. Paano mo naman respetuhin ang isang taong nagpasumpa sa pekeng presendente. Hindi lang yun. Nang nag-retire na siya sa Supreme Court, nagiging tagapatanggol pa siya ni Arroyo sa United Nations.

Nang binabatikos ang pamahalaan ni Arroyo sa extra-judicial killings, si Davide ang kanyang tagapagtanggol kasama ang isa pang sipsip kay Arroyo na nasa gabinete ngayon ni P-Noy: si Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo.

Nakalagay sa E.O na ang mga opisyal ng Commission ang magdesisyon kung anong kaso ang i-imbestigahan. Hindi kasama ang human rights violations. Corruption lang.

Isasama ba nila ang dayaan noong 2004 na eleksyun? Dapat. Ang mga Marines nga na siyang maraming alam sa dayaan noong 2004 dahil sila ang ginamit nina Arroyo at Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano sa kanilang pandaraya, ay atat na atat na magbigay ng pahayag sa kanilang nasaksihan.

Ang “Hello Garci” ang ugat ng maraming corruption na naganap sa administrasyon ni Arroyo. Ang fertilizer scam ay may connection sa Hello Garci kasi ang perang para sa abono na ninakaw nina Arroyo at Jocjoc Bolante ay ginamit para pambayad sa kanilang operasyun daya sa Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao.

Ang NBN-ZTE ay nangyari dahil kailangan bayaran ni Arroyo si Benjamin Abalos, dating Comelec chairman , ng kanyang serbisyo sa dayaan noong 2004.

Ngayon na naitatag na ang Truth Commission, bantayan natin ang mga susunod na hakbang.

Wait, there’s more!: Don’t have Paypal yet? What are you waiting for? Sign up now!

ECHOstore’s Waterless Carwash

Leave a comment
Share

ECHOstore Sustainable Lifestyle offers another green solution to today’s water shortage today—the waterless carwash. While everyone is encouraged to conserve water as we face low water levels, you can still keep your cars clean and still be green. Washing cars not only wastes tons of water every year, but the wastewater from car washing includes lubricants, gasoline, residual toxins in exhausts, and even diluted detergents. All these are emptied out into our driveways, sewage systems, and our seas. The worst part of it is that these chemicals are hazardous to marine life and destroy the balance of aquatic ecosystems.

ECHOstore’s new solution is the Washboi Waterless Carwash, a car cleaning product line that is 100% biodegradable and contains no harmful ingredients. Washboi Waterless does not require water, and is safe for the environment. One bottle can be used for 10 to 15 washes, saving gallons of water. Washboi is especially perfect for condominium dwellers, as it saves time and effort. No need to rinse with buckets of water—just spray, wipe, and buff.

Made out of natural ingredients, Washboi is non-abrasive to your car’s surface. It’s the quickest and easiest way to keep cars free of dust and dirt. No need for extra car polish, because it is combined with a coconut-based wax which leaves the cars’ exterior shining and gleaming after every waterless wash. The Washboi Waterless Tire Cleaner works on the tires’ tough dirt and grime. It can also be used to degrease your car’s engine, and under chassis and tire reams to remove mud or oil deposits. The Washboi Waterless Glass Cleaner solution cleans windshield and windows, and is safe on tinted glass and windows.

The Washboi Waterless line is available exclusively at ECHOstore in Serendra, Podium, and at ECHOVillage Store at 69 Esteban Abada Street, Loyola Heights, Quezon City. For details, e-mail echostore@echostore.ph.

No related posts.