NEWS RELEASE
08 March 2008

For Reference: REP. LIZA LARGOZA MAZA 0920-9134540
REP. LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN 0920-9213221
Jang Monte (Public Information Officer) 0915-6463009

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY:

OUT WITH GLORIA, THE BIGGEST WOE FOR FILIPINO WOMEN

Militant women's partylist group, GABRIELA today joined thousands of women in commemorating International Women's day, calling on Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the country's second woman president to step down.

"Gloria Arroyo, has become the biggest hindrance to women's empowerment in this country. In the midst of worsening poverty, one corruption scandal after another hounds her administration. Women find her governance culpable of plunder, electoral fraud, and with the latest controversy on the sell-out of the Spratlys—treason," said Gabriela Women's Party Representative Liza Maza.

“Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ahs put our country on the map of human rights violations and corruption. Women have found ourselves in a much deeper pit seven years after Mrs. Arroyo took over. Women want her out now!”

Maza also said that even recent government data, where 27.6 M Filipinos suffer from poverty belies the economic growth that Mrs. Arroyo boasts to have brought this country to. "While GDP growth averaged 5.4% in 2003-2006, the number of poor Filipinos increased by 3.8 million. Around 70%-80% of Filipinos live off around P100 or less every day. Filipino women and our families have become jobless, landless and homeless while the First family swims in the muck of greed, lies and scandals."

Rep. Ilagan meanwhile said that the recent $130B and the $70B kickbacks from the ZTE and Southrail projects alone are enough to build over 100,000 homes, ensure the college scholarships of more than 14,000 college students and build 300,000 classrooms. Even the bribes distributed in Malacanang last year could ensure decent living for 200 families for one year, with the daily cost of living pegged at P670 per day.

"The shameless chain scandals, anomalous contracts, lies and bribes just don't stop. As these continue more and more Filipino women will rush to the streets, not just today, women's day but on succeeding protest actions for a change in leadership and governance."#

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NEWS RELEASE
03 March 2008

For Reference: REP. LIZA LARGOZA MAZA 0920-9134540
REP. LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN 0920-9213221
Jang Monte (Public Information Officer) 0915-6463009

WOMEN'S PARTYLIST MARKS GMA A FAILURE IN GOVERNANCE

"Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is a huge failure. She has, in several ways,
failed the lot of Filipino women in her seven years of governance. As
it is, Filipino women feel that we have nothing to lose should the one
Filipino woman in the highest position of power in this country, step
down now."

Thus assessed the women's partylist group GABRIELA as the week long commemoration of women's month at the House of Representatives kicked off today.

Gabriela Women's Party Representative Liza Maza explained, "With lies, bribes and violence, Mrs. Arroyo's governance has effectively spared government officials and the first family from scrutiny and public
accountability. This is true even in government institutions, such as
Congress and the Ombudsman that should be actively exercising its
oversight and prosecutorial functions in these trying times."

 

Maza explained that, "Clearly, it is the Arroyo administration that
benefits tremendously from the unbridled corruption pervading the
political and economic system and the series of corruption scandals
rocking the administration is the clearest indication. It is no wonder
that Mrs. Arroyo's administration consciously protects such a flawed
system by weakening institutions meant to provide transparency and
oversight and curtailing the people's rights to truth and accountability with media repression, abductions and killings."
 

Rep. Luz Ilagan meanwhile laments that the Arroyo administration has
repeatedly ignored appeals to prioritize much needed poverty relief
measures such as the repeal of the Value Added Tax, legislated wage
hike, genuine agrarian reform bill and the repeal of the oil
deregulation law. "At the very least, these are measures that could
have given Filipino women and our families the much needed respite
from the high prices of oil, commodities and health services and
education"

Ilagan stressed that "Mrs. Arroyo claims economic growth while women
and our families are bombarded with demolition, hunger and war."
.
"The impudence with which Mrs. Arroyo condones anomalous multi-million
dollar deals in the midst worsening poverty is tantamount to
successive, uninterrupted slaps on women's faces, compelling women to
step up and join calls to end Mrs. Arroyo's corrupt leadership."

Gabriela Women's Party is set to join protests on March 8 which will
mark the biggest women's protest against Mrs. Arroyo. #
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Passing on copies of the press statements

 and summary guides on current issues

Ang Babae Sa Ilog Pasig

(Para Sa Ika-8 ng Marso 2008)
NI JOI BARRIOS

Ang babae sa Ilog Pasig
Ay isa raw mutya, na sawi sa pag-ibig,
kung kaya’t sa gabing madilim ay umaawit
ng kaylumbay na himig
mula sa pusod ng ilog na marikit.
Ngunit ang huling larawan ng mutya
Ay hindi sirena,
Di multo, o maligno,
Kundi ina,
Inang sa anak na nabuwal
Ay kumakalinga, at nagbibigay-buhay.

Ang babae na nakatira,
Sa palasyo sa tabi ng Ilog Pasig,
Ay hindi tunay na mutya, hindi sinta,
Hindi paralumang may pusong dakila,
Pagkat babaeng mandaraya!
Umaawit ng kasinungalingan,
Nalulunod sa kasakiman,
Babaeng gahaman!
Patay na ang Ilog Pasig!
Lason at basura ang lumulutang sa tubig,
Tulad ng lason at basura
Na hatid ng sirenang malansa.
Babaeng mapamuksa!

Tayong mga babae, na ngayon ay nakatindig
Sa tarangkahan ng palasyo
Sa tabi ng Ilog Pasig,
Tayong mga ina, na nagbibigay-buhay.
Tayong nagsisikhay sa paggawa,
Ngunit lubog pa rin sa kahirapan.
Tayong gising, kumakalampag, sa gabing anong dilim,
Hanap ay liwanag! Hanap ay katarungan!
Ang kadalisayan ng Ilog Pasig, ay di na muling mababalik,
Ngunit ayon sa alamat, ang lakas ng mutya ay nalilipat sa lahat.
Tayo ang umaawit, agos ng tubig ang ating mga tinig.
Tayo ang mga babaeng magkakapit-bisig,
Mga babaeng mapagkalinga kung kaya’t nakikibaka,
At nakikibaka, nakikibaka,
Pagkat ang bayan ay ating minumutya!

Carmen Diuneda, KADAMAY chair, delivers with passion

a speech on taking the road to revolution

Deliver Us From Evil:
A Prophetic Call for Societal Change and Church Unity

 

We in the Sisters' Association in Mindanao, an aggrupation of some 360 nuns coming from more than 40 congregations in Mindanao, renew our call for Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to step down.

We have been unequivocal in the past. We continue to be unwavering in spite of the perceptible absence of a uniting spirit within the Church. But we are inspired by the Church as people of God where the Spirit permeates to bring about righteousness and morality in governance and in our communal life.

Our assertions in previous statements remain true until today, in the light of the ZTE-National Broadband Network scandal. We stand by our belief that “President Arroyo has committed the grave sin of stealing her legitimacy from the people. She has committed a serious immoral act in governance… like the rulers of old whom God had banished from their thrones for violating covenants with His people to uphold truth, justice, and peace.”

As soon as Mrs. Arroyo betrayed the 10-point Agenda she signed with people's organizations when People Power 2 catapulted her to power, she had broken her covenant with her people and had already lost the moral ascendancy to govern. When she refused to heed the people's clamor for her resignation following the “Hello Garci” controversy, she has morphed into a more vicious sinner. With the ZTE-NBN deal and the serial corruption dipped into by the First Family, and the various conspiracies to suppress the truth, Mrs. Arroyo has become a recidivist sinner. 'Evil' has been her ultimate transformation as illegitimacy, corruption, idolatry of foreign powers and globalization, and tyranny have merged and is now responsible for the malevolent spirit of poverty, hunger, extrajudicial killings and human rights violations, and serious moral bankruptcy that has engulfed our nation.

The rottenness starts from the core of our country's leadership.

There is no equivocation in our minds and in our hearts, therefore, that Mrs. Arroyo should be removed from power NOW. We lose our own self-dignity and righteousness if we tolerate Mrs. Arroyo's sins until she finishes her term in 2010. We waver in our faithfulness to God if we allow the regime to further commit sins that are a direct affront to the Gospel values of truth, justice, and peace.

We also assert that the brokenness of the Church as People of God has been brought about by this 'evil' in the helm of our country's leadership. We and our people are yearning for Church unity anchored on the upholding of truth and justice so that reconciliation and national renewal can begin. Systemic corruption has erupted in almost all facets of our society like wounds and sores on the Body of Christ. It is time for social renewal, starting with a cleansing from the top coupled with a conversion in the culture of corruption that visits our daily individual and communal life.

Aware that the Church hierarchy can not as yet make a definitive call for Mrs. Arroyo's ouster or voluntary relinquishing of power, we nevertheless take the cue from the CBCP statements that empower the laity to assert their sovereign will and take “communal action.” “Citizens are not obligated in conscience to follow the prescriptions of civil authorities if their precepts are contrary to the demands of the moral order, to the fundamental rights of persons or to the teachings of the Gospel” (#399 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church).

There is HOPE and LIFE after Mrs. Arroyo. The continuing history of our salvation gains valuable learnings from our struggle to remove her from power. It provides us a momentous opportunity to put forward a people-centered program for national renewal.
It is our prophetic imperative as religious, and doubly so as women disciples, who are called to follow Jesus the Good Shepherd, to walk abreast with our people in calling for an end to a morally bankrupt regime.

We reaffirm our pledge to “support our people by joining them in prayer and in action until Mrs. Arroyo is booted out from office.” We take inspiration from Mary who has shown us the way to be truly prophetic and faithful to God. We sing her Magnificat to proclaim the message: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit exults in God my savior… He has shown the strength of His arm, He has scattered the proud in their conceit.” (Luke 1:46-48)

For reference:

Sr. Elsa Compuesto, MSM
Executive Secretary, SAMIN
Mobile No.: 09206670732

February 29, 2008

Download statement
 

NEWS RELEASE
07 March 2008

For Reference: REP. LIZA LARGOZA MAZA 0920-9134540
REP. LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN 0920-9213221
Jang Monte (Public Information Officer) 0915-6463009

WOMEN'S PARTYLIST GROUP CONDEMNS TERROR-POLICE

IN BLOODY DISPERSAL

"Last night's display of police brutality shows clearly who the real
terrorists are in this country."

Thus said Gabriela Women's Party Representative Liza Maza, condemning the brutality with which the Manila Police dispersed protesting workers from Southern Tagalog last night.

"There can be no excuse for this barbaric act that once more puts the
international human rights spotlight into the Philippines. Police
continuously punched and pounded on as they dragged protesters whose hands were already raised and begging for them to stop. Col. Rosales and his dispersing unit should be held accountable, " said Rep.
Maza.

At least 17 were seriously injured and brought to the Philippine
General Hospital and the Ospital ng Maynila. All 5 protesters brought
to the Ospital ng Maynila have been brought to the Manila Police
District. Several others suffered minor cuts and bruises.

Marlon Torres of the Pagkakaisa ng Manggagawa sa Timog Katagalugan (Pamantik-KMU) who was shown on TV footages being dragged by the Manila PNP, was assessed to be under critical condition at the Ospital ng Maynila but was forcibly discharged this morning and taken to the Manila Police District Headquarters.

"The Philippine National Police should explain their standards and
methods of crowd dispersal. Certainly this is not how a healthy
democracy works and forebodes how the PNP could respond to future
rallies, especially since more and more protest actions are being
organized in the midst of calls for Mrs. Arroyo's resignation. "
 

"Last night's violent dispersal will not cow women from participating
in the rally tomorrow, international women's day. On the contrary we
feel this will further fuel the public display of outrage against
social injustices, corruption and human rights violations that Mrs.
Arroyo perpetuates. " #
 

Download statement

A victim of the violent dispersal on March 6 at the DOLE

View GMA video of violent dispersal

■  Gabriela-ST: Pulis Maynila, pananagutin sa madugong dispersal

■  Rep. Liza Maza: The Impact of Widespread Corruption on the Worsening Situation of Filipino Women

■  Rep. Luz Ilagan: State exactions, corruption and lack of services:The Philippine government's culpability in worsening the plight of migrant workers

■  Statement of MAKIBAKA

Student Christian Movement of the Philippines
NCCP Compound, 879 EDSA Quezon City
Mobile Number: 09289526973 E-mail: scmp.infomedia@gmail.com

Women's Day 2008
News Release
March 8, 2008

Students tell Arroyo to "do a Magdalene"
Women students join rally on International Women's Day

"It would be best for Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to do a Mary Magdalene."

Thus said Biyaya Quizon of the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, as they joined fellow women in commemorating International Women's Day at Plaza Miranda today.

According to Quizon, the woman follower of Jesus is a very good example of repentance from one's sins.

"When Jesus told to let the first stone be cast from a non-sinner, nobody did not only because they know they are also sinners. Nobody threw a single stone at Mary Magdalene because all of them know that she has repented," Quizon explained.

The group said, however, that Arroyo can never be compared to Magdalene because she never admitted her sins.

"As long as Arroyo turns her back from the people's clamor for truth and accountability, she will always be "stoned." As long as she does not repent from her sins to the Filipino people, especially to us young women, she will remain unclean," Quizon said.

No genuine women's rights under a woman president

The group said they joined today's rally believing that "there are no genuine women's rights even under the present woman president."

Students brought with them pictures of Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan, the two abducted students who are proofs that there is no difference in having a woman president if she herself "violates the rights of fellow women."

"They (Karen and Sherlyn) remind us that many decades after women began the struggle for liberty and democratic rights, women remain exploited and persecuted. We say, Arroyo is no less than invalid to defend her fellow women," Quizon said.

Women members of SCMP vowed to continue searching for truth, accountability and justice.

"We commit to join the many voices of women who stand up and say, go away Gloria!" Quizon said. ###


Reference: Ma. Cristina Guevarra,

secretary general and information officer, 09186106275

Biyaya Quizon

chairperson, 09289526973

Download statement
 

International Women's Day in Baguio

Nordis Weekly -Cordi women move for GMA’s ouster

Photos by Noel Godinez/NORDIS

Mensahe ng Karapatan

sa Okasyon ng Pandaigdigang Araw ng Kababaihan

Marso 8, 2008, Welcome Rotonda

Binigkas ni Ruth Cervantes, Public Information Officer ng Karapatan

Talagang maganda ang  lahat ng babaeng naririto.  Bigyan natin sila ng tatlong bagsak!  At lahat ng lalaking katuwang ng kababaihan, bigyan natin ng isang bagsak.

Ang kagandahan ay hindi lamang sa panlabas na anyo, kundi higit sa lahat ay nasa  kalooban.  Ang magandang babae ay may malasakit sa kapwa, may pag-ibig sa bayan at higit sa lahat ay kasama ng mamamayan sa pagsisikap na makamit ang isang magandang Pilipinas. 

Ano naman ang pangit? O, sino ang pangit?  Ang pangit ay yung babaeng 'evil,' kurakot at human rights violator doon sa Malakanyang.  Sa ilalim ng rehimen ni Gng. Arroyo, mula noong ito'y manungkulan simula 2001 hanggang 2007 ay 888 Pilipino na ang pinapaslang at 180 ang dinudukot, hanggang sa ngayo'y di pa nakikita.

Ngayong Araw ng Kababaihan, pinupuri natin ang kadakilaan ng mga babaeng nag-alay ng buhay sa pagtatanggol sa karapatan ng mamamayan – Milagros Belga, Eden Marcellana, Benjaline Hernandez, Leima Fortu, Atty. Juvy Magsino, Melita Carvajal, Prof. Vicky Samonte, at marami pang ibang kababaihang martir ng bayan.  Ipinagdiriwang natin ang kanilang kabayanihan habang tayo'y humihiyaw para sa katarungan.

Sa araw ding ito, nagpapasalamat tayo sa lahat ng mga babaeng naging bahagi ng ating buhay.  ►

Salamat sa inyong mabuting turo, gaya ng magpahalaga sa buhay at wag pumatay o manakit lalo na sa walang kalaban-laban.  wag kukunin ang hindi sa iyo, humingi ng tawad kung nakasakit o kung nagkakamali, wag manlamang sa iba.  Salamat sa inyong mabuting turo, gaya ng dumaing kung nasaktan, magsalita kung may gustong sabihin, magsabi kung may kailangan, bumangon kung nadapa, tumindig sa sariling paa,  lumaban kung dinuduhagi.

Mga kabaro, mga kababayan, gusto ba natin ng isang bansang malaya sa dayuhang dikta at iginagalang sa pandaigdigang komunidad? Kung gayon ay gusto rin natin ng isang bansang may kaunlaran, may marangal na hanapbuhay, may pantay na karapatan ang mga lalaki at babae, may dangal ang bawat Pilipino. 

Sa kasalukuyan, habang tayong mga Pilipino ay nangangamatay sa gutom ay nabubuhay naman tayo sa pangamba.  Yan ang sitwasyong ibig nating baguhin, dapat nating baguhin.

Kaya't isabuhay sa araw-araw ang mga aral na itinuro ng kababaihan sa ating buhay.

Lalo na sa panahong ito.  Higit lalo sa panahong ito ng terorismo ng estado. 

Kung tayo'y nilalapastangan, dapat bang ngumiti na lamang tayo at magtiis?  Makatwiran kung gayon ang mag-alsa para sa pagbabago, para sa katarungan.  Maging ang UN ay hindi maitatanggi ang karapatang ito ng mamamayan.

At ang unang hakbang sa pagbabago, unang hakbang sa katarungan, palayasin sa Malakanyang ang babaeng lapastangan!

Salamat at mabuhay tayong lahat!

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She wanted to join the celebration of the International Women's Day. Since nobody could take care of the 3-month old baby at home, she brought the baby along to the Mabuhay Rotonda, Plaza Miranda and Mendiola which are some kind of  Day Care Centers

Kids

at the Early Learning Centres of Plaza Miranda, Mendiola, Liwasang Bonifacio and the streets of Metro Manila

You know that things are heating up when items like these are selling like hotcakes.

Vendors of various items populate the streets around Plaza Miranda. It is summer and we have these fruits of summer. The sign, "Pakiusap: Bawal na po ang UTANG", shows the tight credit situation and the fact that the vendor has to take home cash so that she could live another day. She does not believe in the GMA hype on the economy. Read: Myths, Lies and Half-truths by Dr. Carol Araullo

The Quiapo Church of the Black Nazarene at Plaza Miranda

For many it is a place for seeking spiritual help and so they go there to pray. But just in case they need police help too, there is a signboard with names and phone numbers to call.

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