Escape From The Philippines??? [BAYAN-Canada endorses MSP #96 and Teddy #6]

Poster designed by Ysh Cabaña

*** The below was delivered as a spoken endorsement at the “Formal Launching of Electoral Campaign in Toronto: Migrante Partylist and Teddy Casiño” ***

I’ve been giving thought as to what to say tonight in support of Migrante Sectoral Partylist (#96 on your ballot) and Teddy Casiño of Bayan-Muna for Senator (#6).

I considered talking about how human rights violations are still rampant in the Philippines.  How over 1300 extrajudicial killings have taken place since the regime of Gloria Arroyo and have not slowed during the term of Mr ‘Matuid Na Daan’ Aquino.  Included here is the killing of Christina Jose just a couple weeks ago.  She was a human rights defender fighting for the rights of the survivors of Typhoon Pablo, survivors so neglected that they were forced to bravely take actions to claim the relief goods owed to them.

I considered talking about the fact that illegal detention, disappearances and torture are still rampant in our country.

I considered talking about how the fact that there is no national industrialization policy and mass poverty are combining with all the other factors to drive our people out.

 

Ideology Today: From Gangnam Style to Obama…

22 October 2012

Gangnam Style.  You’ve seen it I’m sure (I mean it’s in the Guinness Book for highest number of likes on Youtube).  At first I just dismissed it as just some fad, completely harmless and at most just the latest weirdly ironic thing people picked up on to pass the time.  And yet… in retrospect it’s a lot more than that, it’s a great excuse to write about ideology today.

Ideology.  The word is most commonly used these days to refer to ideas (usually “evil” or at least misguided) that we disagree with.  Western society likes to think of itself as ideologically neutral—you know, in the same way that White people are the default type in the West—but a serious look at pop culture and the evening news is all you need to see that ideology is alive and kicking.

 

Faces of the Faceless

Catherine Hernandez, actor, dancer, and playwrite.

If you’ve noticed all the blank profile pics today on Facebook, it’s all because of the Conservative government.  In this blog post I’ll show you some of the faces of the faceless.

Over 8000 people have joined the “Faceless” group on Facebook to protest the cuts in arts and culture funding by the Stephen Harper government. 

 

Philippine Politics: Just as Insane Locally

An onlooker watches the wackiness taking place at the baragay hall.

Barangay madness. [*a “barangay” is the smallest form of municipal demarcation]

Former Chairman Jimmy DeGuzman in Blumentritt, Manila refuses to surrender the key to the barangay hall to new Chair Len-Len for weeks after the election.

 

Around the Neighbourhood

These are images from around my grandmother’s place in Manila.