Posts published during April, 2009

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April 30, 2009

Around Old & Downtown Manila (Part 7)

After having lunch at Binondo, we decided to proceed to Divisoria, which was less than a dozen blocks away. I wasn’t planning on purchasing anything, but I ended up buying a pair of inexpensive short-sleeve barongs, one in white and one in red.

After strolling around Divisoria, we went all the way back to Binondo and walked along famed Ongpin Street with all the shops selling Chinese wares and goods. We also dropped by the Estero, a row of eateries beside a creek that crosses Ongpin.

After walking the entire length of Ongpin and beyond, we eventually found ourselves in Quiapo.

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Kabataan party-list rep musters youth support for JLo

“We hope Truth virus sweeps the land.”

Kabataan Party-list Rep. Mong Palatino today called on all youth and students who cheered and rallied for Rodolfo “˜Jun’ Lozada to once again show their support for the ZTE whistleblower.

“Lozada’s accusers are enemies of truth and freedom. His arrest is clearly politically-motivated and Malacanang is at the helm. We call on all youth and students to condemn his arrest and show support for Lozada as they did at the height of the ZTE controversy,” Palatino said.

Palatino also hailed Lozada for refusing to give up the fight. “He has committed himself to the cause for truth and accountability at the expense of his family’s life and his children’s future. Even at the event of his arrest, he refused to bow down to harassment and persecution. The youth admires him for his strength despite his fear and apprehension.”

“During these times, the youth needs more role models like Lozada. May his sacrifice and strength enjoin the youth and the people to carry on with the fight for truth. We hope a Truth virus sweeps the land and inflicts us all,” Palatino said.

“We also appeal to other witnesses in the ZTE broadband controversy to come out now. Lozada’s arrest attempts to send a chilling effect to other whistleblowers but they must not be cowered. They have the youth behind them,” said Palatino.

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April 27, 2009

First elected youth party-list rep in Congress takes oath

Kabataan Rep. Mong Palatino: Youth and student leader, blogger and political journalist, son of migrant workers and father of two

29-year-old Kabataan Partylist Rep. Mong Palatino describes himself in his web blog as an activist, blogger and political journalist, but he is undeniably much more than these. Rep. Palatino now embodies Pinoy youth pride, patriotism and political potential as the first elected youth party-list representative in Congress.

Rep. Palatino took his oath into office today before Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio. He was accompanied by other youth and student leaders from leading national youth organizations, colleges and universities.

“Today is a historic event that we share with all Filipino youth. We have no time to waste. We will immediately address the concerns and issues of our constituents to make up for the years we were deprived of as the sole youth voice in Congress,” he said.

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Around Old & Downtown Manila (Part 6)

From Intramuros, we crossed Jones Bridge another time on foot, this time proceeding to Binondo, where pedestrians will be greeted by the Filipino-Chinese friendship arch at the starting end of Quintin Paredes St.

Upon descending form the Bridge from the Intramuros side of the Pasig, one shall be at Plaza Moraga, which according to this website, was the site of the first ice cream parlor in the Philippines (useless information, sorry). To your right, you will see Escolta, which as many of us might know, was once upon a time the premiere shopping and business center in Manila. That day, the entire place was just deserted.

We passed through the arch and walked along Quintin Paredes till we reached the end where a small plaza and a statue of Roman Ongpin can be found, and of course, where Binondo Church stands. There was a mass baptism going on at the church when we were there.

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April 25, 2009

2009 UP Diliman Code of Student Conduct

Manifesto of unity calling for the junking of the proposed 2009 Code of Student Conduct and for the forwarding of an alternative, democratic Code
Ugnayan ng Mag-aaral Laban sa Komersyalisasyon ng Edukasyon (UMAKSYON)

We, students of the University of the Philippines, firmly denounce the questionable procedures through which the draft of 2009 Code of Student Conduct (CSC) was formulated, as well as oppose its anti-student and repressive character. We firmly believe that the proposed Code runs counter to the student demands that we have long forwarded to the Board of Regents since the start of the academic year, and as such deserves the greatest condemnation from the ranks of students and organizations aspiring to uphold their democratic rights in the University.

The provisions of the Code did not undergo student consultation.

At the onset, the drafting of the Code has already violated the basic right of students to be consulted and represented in the formulation of policies that affect their rights and welfare. The procedure by which it was drafted undermines the capacity of the students to recommend solutions to long-standing student issues in the University.

Moreover, it is unjust that the Code was consulted to College administrators, while the assertion of the University Student Council to participate in the drafting of the Code was deliberately refused.

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April 24, 2009

Not too many congressmen but too many Arroyos in Congress

Kabataan Party-list Representative-elect Raymond “Mong” Palatino today said if there should be a crisis in the House of Representatives, it is “not because there is an overabundance of congressmen but the addition of another spawn from the Arroyo clan in the Lower House.”

This was Palatino’s reaction to statements by House Speaker Prospero Nograles and other like-minded solons who are “inventing trivial concerns over the SC ruling granting 32 more seats to party-list representatives by over-emphasizing the alleged crisis the additional seats would cause Congress.”

“The real and present crisis is that we now have too many Arroyos in power. We cannot have too much congressmen, especially if they genuinely represent the marginalized sectors of society. What is terribly bothersome is that these Arroyos are landlords and compradors. Do they really represent who they claim to represent? That is the one questionable thing in this whole matter,” Palatino said.

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Around Old & Downtown Manila (Part 5)

From Intramuros, we found ourselves along the banks of the Pasig River again, which has been paved by the city government with clay tiles. The riverbanks park is, however, deserted, save for some street dwellers washing their clothes and taking a bath in the river.

Across the river from this side of the Pasig, one can see a handful of old and abandoned buildings in what used to be considered the downtown of Manila, and some other relatively old high-rises in Binondo. One can also see the tall orange cranes of Port Area beyond Tondo.

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April 23, 2009

Kabataan, tayo ang pagbabago

Message of Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino to the Filipino youth on the historical event of seating the first youth representative in Congress

Five years in the making for the country’s sole youth sectoral party-list, but better late than never and victory is still sweet for all Filipino youth.

Kabataan Party-list, the largest youth party in the country, represented the youth sector in the 2007 elections. It was the second time for our organization to run in the party-list elections. In 2004, we ran under our previous name, Anak ng Bayan, and were among the top choices for party-list based on pre-election surveys. Anak ng Bayan, however, fell prey to massive cheating. A significant number of our votes were anomalously counted in favor of another party-list group, thus our change of name in the 2007 party-list elections.

Despite not winning, we went on with our advocacies and continued to carry on with our principles and general program of action with the help of our founding organizations, such as the National Union of Students of the Philippines, College Editors Guild of the Philippines, League of Filipino Students and Anakbayan and other supporters nationwide and abroad.

Now, five years after our first electoral bid, Kabataan Party-list has finally secured a seat in the House of Representatives per SC GR No. 179271, promulgated April 29, 2009.

Now, we are happy to convey the message to all Filipino youth that the SC Resolution, in effect, has once again marked the youth’s rightful place in history by granting the first ever youth sectoral representation in the House of Representatives.

This is truly a historical event and we share this resounding victory to all Filipino youth who voted for and supported Kabataan Party-list. We are overwhelmed but more than ready to take on the task and challenge of being the sole voice of the youth in Congress.

We are youth from different walks of life. We have long-ago advocated for the youth to devote its intellect, energy and courage to building a better society devoid of corruption, inequality and social injustice. We are youth that foster active participation in nation-building, good governance and change.

In this junction in history in light of our recent victory, we, the youth, are change. Kabataan, tayo ang pagbabago.

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Around Old & Downtown Manila (Part 4)

From Manila Cathedral, we walked a few blocks to another historic site, the San Agustin Church, still in Intramuros. San Agustin is the oldest stone church in Manila, and is one of four Filipino baroque churches in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites.

Out of several visits to the church, it was the first time I noticed the Chinese stone lions that guard the church’s entrance, which I found peculiar at first. Upon searching through the internet, I found out that these stone lions were gifts from Catholic-converts among the Chinese.

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April 22, 2009

Kabataan seats first youth-sector Representative in Congress

Late yesterday afternoon, I came to Vinzons Hall to a cheerful crowd of colleagues from STAND-UP and other mass organizations who jubilantly announced to me that we now have a youth-sector representative in Congress in the person of Raymond “Mong” Palatino under the Kabataan Party (Youth Party) which ran in the 2007 elections. Mong, aside from being a notable blogger, was the Chairperson of the UP Diliman University Student Council in 2000.

Due to a now-defunct Supreme Court formula for seat-allocations in Congress, Kabataan Party was not able to seat Mong, who was our first nominee despite garnering more than 220,000 votes. The said formula has recently been overturned by a Supreme Court decision in the case of BANAT vs. COMELEC (G.R. 179271) which effectively grants 32 other partylist nominees their right to sit as Representatives in Congress.

Kabataan Party list

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