KASAMA December 2011

KASAMA means friend, companion, comrade...
KASAMA December 2011
(Double Issue) Volume 25 Numbers 3 and 4

Hanapbuhay – Livelihood: The Workers’ Story

By Dee Dicen Hunt

The West End factory that produced Can’t Tear ‘Em™ workwear, had for many years triumphed over tariff cuts and offshore competition. It did so through the determination, adaptability and skill of its largely female, migrant workforce. Despite the workers’ commitment to keeping the factory open, it closed its doors in July 2009 when its parent company, Pacific Brands, sent manufacturing offshore. (“Behind the Seams” exhibition brochure)

Earth Savers’ Day at Little Flower Children’s Home Foundation

Story and photos from J.P. Alipio

Just as the local government units try every means to solve the garbage issue, this three-time winner for clean and healthy private elementary school environment in La Trinidad, continues to find ways to address the community’s environmental concerns.

Peace Maker JOY BALAZO Retires After 20 Years of Service

by STEPHEN WEBB, deputy editor of Insights, the monthly magazine of the Uniting Church in Australia’s Synod of New South Wales and the ACT

After 20 years of travelling across the Asia-Pacific region spreading seeds of peace, the founder of Young Ambassadors for Peace (YAP), Uniting Church Peacemaker Joy Balazo has indicated an intention to retire.

Asian Media Barometer: The Philippines 2011

The 104-page Asian Media Barometer: The Philippines 2011 resulted from a two-day discussion during 8-9 October 2011 with an expert panel of media professionals. The report was launched on December 13th at a forum in Quezon City.

Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Training

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, HUMAN RIGHTS AND ADVOCACY
Diplomacy Training Program, Baguio City, Philippines 6-15 April 2011

Baguio hosts rights training for international IP leaders

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, HUMAN RIGHTS AND ADVOCACY
Diplomacy Training Program, Baguio City, Philippines 6-15 April 2011

Merdeka or Death: Bring Back Our Lands! Liberty! Stop The Abuse!
by Jenny Fraser, Yugambeh of the Bundjalung Nation

These are the cries of Indigenous Peoples all over the world. There are at least 5,000 distinct Indigenous communities that continue to exist today in over 72 countries. Most are eager to retain their lands, governance, economic, cultural and spiritual practices. Though some have been impacted for centuries by global reach of colonizing societies, all now face an ever more aggressive effort by global corporations and bureaucracies seeking access to the resources and lands that they have protected for millennia and on which they depend.

SLAPP Suit Against Ifugaos In Didipio Dismissed

Legal Rights & Natural Resources Center
Press Release — September 9, 2011

“Finally! We can now sleep without fear of being arrested anytime” exclaimed Mr. Jaime Ananayo, one of the nine accused Ifugaos and a member of Didipio Earth Savers Multipurpose Association (DESAMA). After more than 2 years of waiting, Indigenous Ifugaos of Didipio Nueva Vizcaya were euphoric yesterday upon hearing Judge Atorba of the Municipal Trial Court of Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya dismissed the case filed against them by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for allegedly occupying forest lands illegally.

Asian Human Rights Commission Cover of Report 2009

The State of Human Rights in the Philippines in 2011

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission on the Occasion of the International Human Rights Day, December 10, 2011

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) today published its 25-page report containing its analyses on what it has observed as the irreparable ‘social and systemic impact’ of the ongoing violations of human rights in the country. The government remains incapable of providing the most rudimentary forms of protection to its people despite the growing intolerance of the public towards human rights violations. On the other hand the improvements in the legal framework to protect rights, has created the situation where despite the laws being in place to protect the citizens they resort to an emerging ‘parallel system’ from which they now seek remedies and redress.