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Name: mong palatino
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Friday, 16 May 2008
Myanmar and the politics of aid

In the previous post, I mentioned that BBC Radio interviewed me about the food crisis in the Philippines. Now, listen to the interview. Global Voices has a special page on the cyclone disaster in Myanmar. I wrote the following round-ups: Survivors of Cyclone Nargis and Twittering the cyclone disaster.


More than 30,000 people were killed when a destructive cyclone hit Myanmar early this month. But the number of casualties is rising since aid is only slowly reaching the cyclone-ravaged regions. Clean water remains inaccessible. Cholera and other diseases are spreading fast in hundreds of communities. International groups estimate more than 1.5 million people are affected by the disaster.

From the very start, the relief work has been politicized. The ruling junta should be blamed for its stubbornness. Its unwillingness to allow the entry of international relief groups has worsened the conditions inside Myanmar’s refugee camps. It does not help that the junta has problem communicating with the international media, foreign governments and civil society groups.

Initially, the junta refused the entry of foreign aid teams. Then the government granted visas to a few volunteer groups. The junta accepted aid from select countries, namely, China, India and Thailand. But it rejected the aid coming from many rich countries, especially the United States.

It was embarrassing and scandalous that Burmese soldiers were caught changing the labels of aid boxes from other countries. It seems the junta wants to get credit for aiding its constituents by “stealing” foreign relief goods.

Many have already condemned the callousness of the junta for deciding to continue with the constitutional referendum last weekend even though hundreds of thousands of Myanmar residents remained homeless and suffering. It was even reported that the junta forced many people to vote in favor of the government position.

Local residents are beginning to complain about the paltry assistance they are receiving from the government. Many have formed volunteer groups to help fellow Burmese who need food, water, medicines, clothes and other emergency supplies. But it is shocking to learn that even this domestic initiative is being discouraged by the junta. It seems the junta wants to monopolize the relief efforts. It is requiring local groups to seek a permit first before they can give assistance to cyclone victims. Helping a neighbor requires a permit? The junta must be crazy.

The ineptness of the junta is further highlighted when people compare the quick and resolute response of the Bangladesh government when a stronger cyclone hit the country last year. Bangladesh was able to minimize the number of casualties because of the government’s efficient handling of the crisis. Recently, the Chinese government’s rescue efforts in the towns ruined by a catastrophic earthquake were hailed by many as swift and well-organized.

Some have compared the junta’s slow and unreasonable actions to the behavior of the U.S. government when Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans a few years ago. Cuba’s offer of aid was rejected. Mexico was allowed to give a token assistance. It took some time before assistance was accepted from Europe and Canada. The junta has learned something from the U.S. government.

The people of Myanmar are crying for immediate help. Engineers, doctors, health workers and other experts are needed to revive Myanmar’s communities. But the junta won’t allow the entry of foreign aid teams. Since the junta is not cooperating with international groups, many are thinking of bold measures in order to deliver aid in the flooded regions of Myanmar. Some have proposed unilateral air drops by U.S military jets to bring food to the remote villages of Myanmar. Some have proposed an outright invasion of Myanmar.

There is a proposal to invoke the doctrine of “responsibility to protect” and ask the U.N. Security Council to allow a military invasion of Myanmar. The doctrine was passed in 2006 as an instrument to justify military attack on the grounds of preventing genocide, war, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. The doctrine empowers the international community to assume the responsibility of protecting the people against a despotic government.

Is the junta guilty of committing a crime against humanity? Is it right to bypass Myanmar’s government and give direct aid to the local population? Is humanitarian intervention enough reason to trample the sovereignty of Myanmar?

Perhaps the junta is aware that humanitarian intervention is sometimes a euphemism for military strike. In 1999 the situation in Kosovo was exploited by the United States to wage war against Serbia and transform the province into a NATO protectorate. In the same year Australia justified a military intervention in East Timor by citing the violence of local rebels.

The humanitarian crisis in Myanmar could be used as an excuse to invade the poor country and install a new regime which would be sympathetic to the interests of the United States and other Western nations. Is this Myanmar’s punishment for being too close to China?

Meanwhile, as the debate rages on, the people of Myanmar continue to suffer. Aid is not reaching the remotest parts of the country. The junta should begin to realize that foreign assistance is needed to uplift the conditions of its people. The United Nations should resist the temptation of launching a military strike in Myanmar in order to help the victims. Invasion, whether it is called a relief invasion or humanitarian intervention, is still military aggression.

Writer Eric Augenbraun is right to quote historian Winston James who wrote about the hurricanes which hit the Caribbean islands at the start of the 20th century. James pointed out that “The effects of natural catastrophes are profoundly mediated by social, economic, and political relations. Put simply, God may send hurricanes, but their consequences are not God-given. The damage that hurricanes, floods, and droughts do is clearly related to the degree of power one has over the effects of these natural phenomena, and the mechanisms at one’s disposal to cope with their aftermath.”

Related entries:

Myanmar and Cyclone Nargis
Disaster preparedness

posted by: mongpalatino at May 16, 2008 23:02 | link | comments |
places

Sunday, 11 May 2008
Reformist speaker?

BBC-Radio interviewed me about the food crisis and its impact on the Philippines. The interviewer said he is reading my blog. CNN’s Larry King Live emailed me about the articles I wrote on Cyclone Nargis. My reaction to the so-called Young Turks: Bright versus Spice. Tweet Clouds is amusing.


Speaker Prospero C. Nograles is an influential politician in Davao City. He gained national prominence (or notoriety?) when he served as Majority Floor Leader of the House of Representatives in 2004. He made history when he became the first elected Speaker from Mindanao early this year.

His election as Speaker was very controversial. He had to “betray” his political patron, Rep. Jose de Venecia, in order to clinch the support of the ruling coalition. He was perceived to be a stooge of Malacanang. After his victory, critics condemned the continued subservience of the House to the personal agenda of President Gloria Arroyo.

Today Speaker Nograles is still known as a loyal ally of the president. The House is still regarded as a rubber stamp of Malacanang. But the efforts of Speaker Nograles to “reinvent” the House are recognized and appreciated by many groups and individuals. The Speaker’s proposed solutions to some of the country’s problems are innovative (corporate farming), bold (moratorium on land conversions) and sensible (Mindanao Railway System).

It is curious that among the initial acts of the new Speaker was to create a four-man "management team" to implement various image-building projects for the House of Representatives. The team is composed of Virgilio Bugaoisan, a veteran in election-related media campaigns; Reggie Velasco, Secretary-General of Kampi; Ed Malay, spokesman of former President Fidel V. Ramos and Bong Serrano, political officer of Lakas-CMD. It seems the Speaker really wants to overhaul the negative image of the House.

Speaker Nograles bared his program by criticizing the performance of the previous House leadership. Somehow he blamed De Venecia for the low public trust rating of the House. He said in a speech:

"The House leadership is taking steps so that the people may know what their representatives, and not just their Speaker, are doing for them – or to them. This will be a House with no secrets. No secrets payrolls, no secret deals, no secret votes. There will be no more discrimination in the House, whether a member is a member of the majority, or of the minority. The mandate of the new leadership is even clearer. The House wants to work even more and better than in the past. The House wants to work, looking exclusively to the national interest and without looking out for 2010. That is the big difference between the House today and the House before the leadership changed. A Speaker should be seen more often than heard. He is not around to impose his agenda but to move along the agenda of the House.”

Speaker Nograles also took steps to make the people understand the pork barrel system. He published a pamphlet about the legal basis and economic benefits of the pork barrel. This pamphlet will be distributed in schools and communities. The Speaker also mobilized House members to conduct public meetings “to openly explain where their pork barrel funds go.”

Speaker Nograles has also vowed to promote full transparency in the House and transform the institution into a "true house of the people." The Speaker announced that a new website will be created which will contain the details of every congressman's countrywide development fund. Weekly public tour for students, local officials, and tourists in coordination with the Department of Tourism will be organized. The schedules of committee hearings will be also published in newspapers. The House Journal will be transcribed into readable form so that the public will be encouraged to contribute in the legislation process. The proposal for live television coverage of the plenary proceedings has been revived to discourage absenteeism among House members. Finally, nationwide regional consultations were conceived “to bring the House of Representatives directly to the people.”

The Speaker’s social reform agenda focuses on “protecting the environment, people's cultural diversity, health, and promoting mobility to ensure a globally competitive and productive manpower.” The Speaker also wants to make Mindanao the new food basket of the Philippines. Among the priority social reform measures are the following:

1. Creation of the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos;
2. Land Administration Reform;
3. Repeal of the Agri-Agra Law;
4. Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Management Act;
5. Responsible Parenthood and Population Management Act;
6. Amendments to the GASTPE Law; and
7. Creation of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

This summer period, the Speaker said the House will prioritize discussions on the Baselines Bill, Cheaper Medicines Act, tax exemption, agrarian reform extension, corporate farming and anti-hoarding, The Speaker also said the House plans to approve the following measures before June 30:

1. The omnibus proposals to strengthen the Political Parties;
2. The proposal to amend the EPIRA Law;
3. The proposed Access to Information Act
4. The proposed amendments to the Overseas Absentee Voting Act;
5. The amendments to the Cooperative Code of the Philippines;
6. The proposed Magna Carta for Agricultural Development Workers;
7. The proposal to establish the Career Executive System; and
8. The proposal to Establish Personal Equity and Retirement Account or PERA

Also on the agenda for approval are the following proposals:

1. The creation of the Department of Information and Communications Technology;
2. The Sustainable Forest Management Bill;
3. The proposal for Additional Retirement Benefits for the members of the Judiciary;
4. The proposal to grant Special Allowance to Judges of Municipal Trial Courts and Shariah Courts;
5. Compensation for Human Rights Victims;
6. The proposal to grant Old-Age pension for life for senior citizens; and
7. The transfer of Philippine Coast Guard to the Department of Transportation and Communications.

Despite the seemingly pro-people platform of the new House leadership, Speaker Nograles has not veered away from the legislative agenda of President Arroyo. Speaker Nograles remains a reliable ally of Malacanang. He praised the Supreme Court decision on the doctrine of executive privilege which clipped the oversight functions of Congress. He supported the Malacanang-backed proposal to hold public hearings on high power rates which was seen by many as an act of harassment against the Lopez family which owns Meralco and the highly critical ABS-CBN media group. The House is still the House of Gloria, not House of the People.

Speaker Nograles should continue the reform measures which he has already implemented. But he should remember that improving the image of the House is not a simple task. Websites, tours, brochures, grassroots consultations and image management teams are not enough. It is not difficult to explain the high public trust ratings of senators. The senate as an institution has shown its independence from Malacanang by investigating anomalies in the executive department.

If Speaker Nograles wants the people to appreciate the pork barrel, the best thing to do is to remind House members not to use public funds for personal enrichment. Speaker Nograles should punish lawmakers who use the pork barrel for illegal and unethical uses.

In short, there is nothing mysterious in reinventing the House. Follow the Constitution. Serve the people. Promote good governance. Strive to be independent from Malacanang.

The credibility of Speaker Nograles will be tested in the next few months. An impeachment case might be filed again against the president. Charter Change or the Federalism proposal will be tackled soon. Speaker Nograles should not derail the impeachment process. He should not endorse the ChaCha that will extend the term limits of incumbent elected politicians.

What will happen to the public hearings on high energy rates? Will there be a House investigation on corruption cases involving the president?

Related entries:

Brokeback politics
Con-ass
Interview with solons

posted by: mongpalatino at May 11, 2008 23:07 | link | comments |
nation

Friday, 09 May 2008
Cyclone disaster isolates Myanmar's junta

I have written three weblog posts on the cyclone disaster in Myanmar: The perfect storm, Unprecedented cyclone disaster, and Slow relief work. Reuters and the New York Times uploaded the articles in their websites. Oh by the way, join the discussion in the Yehey! Message Boards.


Cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar last weekend. The cyclone devastated several regions which claimed the lives of more than 20,000 people. The number of missing people is even higher. Hundreds of thousands of homes and vital public infrastructures were damaged.

The situation on the ground is heartbreaking. Monasteries are overflowing with refugees. Food prices have already doubled. Water is inaccessible. Sick children are not receiving proper medical attention.

The cyclone could also worsen the global food crisis. Myanmar's rice producing regions were among the badly hit areas. This will affect the capability of Myanmar to feed its own people. Myanmar might be forced to import rice which will make rice prices more expensive.

Reactions of the people around the world were almost unanimous when news broke out that a strong cyclone had hit Myanmar last weekend. Not only do Myanmar residents have to live under military dictatorship, they also have to struggle hard to survive when deadly natural disasters like Cyclone Nargis hit their land.

Indeed, the cyclone disaster was a terrible tragedy. It worsened the sufferings endured by Myanmar's people. It will take some time before the devastated communities of Myanmar can bounce back. But the tragedy could also fuel more hatred against the ruling junta.

More people are expressing anger over the ineptitude of the junta to minimize the damage caused by Cyclone Nargis. People are blaming the junta's lack of decisive leadership as to why the cyclone death toll has reached an alarming level. The cyclone has further isolated the junta from ordinary people.

Rezwan, a blogger from Bangladesh, notes that a stronger cyclone hit Bangladesh last November but the number of casualties was lower. He wrote that Bangladesh did prepare a lot for Cyclone Sidr. He added that "a total of 2 million people in Bangladesh were evacuated to emergency shelters. Otherwise the death toll would be catastrophic. Most of those who were dead defied the warnings and stayed home. The after cyclone relief and rescue operations were also swift. Over 40,000 Red Cross volunteers were deployed to order residents in the 15 affected provinces into special cyclone and flood shelters. In contrast to the Burmese situation, the Bangladeshi military forces played a significant role in providing helicopters and boats to reach the remote locations and of course helping in relief and rescue."

Sophie Lwin of the Burma Global Action Network said that NASA already warned the junta that Cyclone Nargis would hit Myanmar several days before the disaster yet the regime did nothing. The death toll could have been minimized if the junta heeded the warning and instituted emergency measures to prepare for the coming disaster.

The response of the junta after Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar was also slow and deplorable. Blogger Agam's Gecko observed that "very few soldiers have been spotted lately doing any of the recovery work, although state television did show a couple of uniforms pulling branches around. Monks and other citizens have organized themselves, and seem to be doing most of it."

Another ill-advised decision of the junta was to declare that the controversial constitutional referendum, which is scheduled to take place this month, will still push through. This reflects the apathy of the junta to the sufferings of its people. This smacks of insensitivity to the collective grief of the Burmese nation. The junta insists the referendum is part of the democratization process. Well, the junta's version of democracy can wait. Meanwhile, what the people of Myanmar need today are basic necessities of life like food, water, clothing and shelter.

It is also unfortunate that the junta initially restricted the movements of foreign aid volunteers who were assessing the situation in the affected regions. This angered many residents who were in desperate need of immediate relief. Later, the junta allowed international relief organizations to enter the country. Somehow, this reversal of decision on the part of the junta shows the extent of destruction that Cyclone Nargis left on Myanmar.

The entry of foreigners inside Myanmar's poorest provinces is a welcome political development in the struggle against the junta. Foreign volunteers can report the real political and economic situation of Myanmar. They can highlight the cruelties of the junta against Myanmar's poor. They can write about the activities of the resistance movement inside Myanmar. The junta should prepare for stronger international political pressure.

The cyclone tragedy in Myanmar points to the link between good governance and disaster management. A credible leadership is needed to mobilize the people in times of crisis. The junta insists it warned the public about Cyclone Nargis. But people will only trust leaders who are legitimate and trustworthy.

After hearing about the cyclone disaster, hundreds of individuals, groups and governments pledged to deliver aid to Myanmar. However, many individuals are worried that their contributions could end up in the pockets of Myanmar's leaders. Again, this reflects the low reputation of the junta. It emphasizes the role of credibility to sustain effective leadership.

Myanmar is suffering today. Disasters, both man-made and natural, are causing tremendous social and economic dislocation. But there is a chance to turn the recent cyclone tragedy into an opportunity to inspire the resistance against the oppressive junta.

The people are aware that the junta neglected its duty to protect the public. The junta failed to implement decisive actions which could have minimized the cyclone casualties. The people of Myanmar will not forget the incompetence and insensitivity of the junta. In the next few months, further social unrest, bigger than last year's Saffron Revolution, is expected to develop in Myanmar.

Related entries:

Myanmar and Philippines
Human rights and Asean
Rice and Southeast Asia
Refugee nation

posted by: mongpalatino at May 09, 2008 11:56 | link | comments |
places

Monday, 05 May 2008
Festivals and politics

To know more about Kadayawan and Panagbenga, visit Davao Today or Northern Dispatch.

The government has been promoting the Philippines as an exotic tourist destination by highlighting the numerous festivals celebrated in the provinces. There is nothing wrong with this approach. After all, tourism creates jobs and other livelihood opportunities. It can bring substantial investments in the countryside. But profit should not be the only goal of tourism. Respect of local traditions should be highlighted as well.

Over the past years, cultural festivals have been commercialized. Local traditions have been infused with a modern twist to attract and entertain more tourists. This is bastardization of culture. Bureaucrats are now more concerned with the marketability of festivals. Last month, the Department of Tourism conducted a seminar workshop on festival management in Region 8 in order to teach Samarenos the “correct way” of celebrating their own local traditions.

Merrymaking is overemphasized which prevents many people from appreciating the histories of festivals. For example, Flores de Mayo is celebrated every month of May. It is a procession honoring the Virgin Mary. The Santacruzan re-enacts the search of Queen Elena for the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. Today it is reduced into a simple parade of beautiful ladies in many parts of the country.

The Obando Festival is popular among couples who want to bear children. Originally, it was a festival which involved different dance rituals honoring three patron saints: St. Paschal, St. Claire and Our Lady of Salambaw – the patroness of fishermen.

The Ati-Atihan and Dinagyang festivals are celebrated to honor the Infant Jesus. But showbiz stars are grabbing the limelight when they organize shows during these events.

The annual Kadayawan Festival celebrates the good harvest of crops, vegetables, fruits and orchids in Davao City. But Kadayawan used to showcase the Lumad culture of Mindanao. Tribal leaders are complaining that Kadayawan festivities “hardly depict the struggle of Mindanao’s indigenous peoples to pursue their unique way of life and retain control of their ancestral lands.” Even Davao City officials admit that Kadayawan had “lost track of its indigenous beginnings and has turned commercial and too tourist-oriented.”

The Baguio Flower Festival or Panagbenga is celebrated at the time of the year when plants start blossoming in the Cordillera region. Panagbenga was conceived in 1995 to symbolize Baguio’s comeback after the July 16, 1990 earthquake. But Cordillera activists note that over the years, the festival “has destroyed the real essence of the Cordillera peoples’ ethnic culture.” They added that Panagbenga has been reduced “as a profit-driven tourism event capitalizing on the culture of the Cordillera indigenous peoples.”

Even politicians have used the Panagbenga to campaign during elections. Remember the senatoriable who joined the parade by riding on a horse? How about the politician who performed a Cordillera dance ritual to the tune of Boom Tarat Tarat?

Many people have already forgotten the reasons why festivals are organized. The Concerned Artists of the Philippines said “Fiestas are originally celebrations for a good harvest and pleas for a bountiful next. These are community affairs that affirm and reinforce the spirit of bayanihan or collectivity.”

The Pahiyas Festival in Lucban and Sariaya, Quezon is a thanksgiving festival to San Isidro Labrador for the past year's bountiful harvest. The event is popular for the hanging of fruits and vegetables in the houses of residents. The Tinagba Festival in Iloilo City is a harvest-offering activity for Our Lady of Lourdes. Farmers organize a parade using carabao-drawn carts filled with agricultural products while Agtas come down from the mountains to dance.

Festivals also remind us of our colorful past. Cotabato City commemorates the arrival of Shariff Kabunsuan and Islam to Mindanao every December. Binabayani Festival re-enacts the war between the Aetas and the Christians through dance in Olongapo. Sanduguan Festival recaps the first contact between the inhabitants of Mindoro and traders from China. Halaran pays tribute to the history and culture of Capizeños during pre-Hispanic times. Balanghai Festival in Butuan highlights the coming of the early migrants from Borneo and Celebes.

Festivals should showcase the richness of Filipino culture. They celebrate the yearning of Filipinos for a more prosperous living. They depict the people’s struggles to overcome the difficulties of life. Sadly, festivals today are celebrated to make the tourists happy. Profit comes first before culture. Festivities lose their cultural and social relevance as commercialization rears its ugly head. In short, festivals become “organized spectacles.”

Festivals are celebrated “with a sense of surface glitter and transitory participatory pleasure, of display and ephemerality.” They reflect what cultural theorist Fredric Jameson calls the “contrived depthlessness” of modern cultural production. In some way, the Pagoda Festival tragedy in Bocaue, Bulacan during the 1990s symbolically foretold the cultural decline in the Philippines.

Festivals are considered by the government as peaceful, politically-neutral and exotic tourist attractions. But festivals can also be “an essential aspect of a revolutionary movement.” Didn’t Lenin refer to the revolution as the “festival of people?”

Organizing festivals today can radicalize certain segments of the population. What if farmers realized there is no bountiful harvest to celebrate because of the bad agricultural policies of the government? What if the Bicol Food Festival in Naga encouraged the people to ask policymakers to do something about rising food prices? The Baguio Flower Festival could be used to highlight the insane policy of promoting cash crops instead of food production.

The rice and food crisis have provoked food riots in many countries. The government believes no such thing can ever happen in the Philippines. On the other hand, festival protests are distinct possibilities.

Related entries:

Month of May
Tudaya falls
ARMM and the Ampatuans
Politics is local

posted by: mongpalatino at May 05, 2008 22:18 | link | comments |
workers

Saturday, 03 May 2008
Month of May

May is the fifth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. The month is named for the Greek goddess Maia, who was identified with the Roman era goddess of fertility. May is associated with the arrival of spring or summer in many parts of the world. Spring fertility festivals are held in India and Egypt. The Roman festival of Flora, goddess of spring, is celebrated between April 28 and May 3.

In the Philippine context, the month of May represents beginnings and endings. The long hot days of summer give way to sporadic rain showers in the afternoon. The wet season is nearing. Vacation period is about to end as students start enrolling for the incoming school year. Returning Overseas Filipino Workers are preparing to leave the country again.

Harvest season also takes place during the month of May. Hopefully, farmers will celebrate a bountiful harvest this year. Rice supply woes have eased since farmers have begun transporting their goods to the markets. Farmers’ incomes are up which stimulate consumption in the countryside.

Numerous festivals are organized throughout the country in connection to the harvest season. Filipinos also use these occasions to pay homage to their patron saints. For example, Pahiyas Festival in Lucban and Sariaya, Quezon are celebrated to thank San Isidro Labrador for the past year's bountiful harvest. Other notable festivals of the month include the following:

May 1     - Pasalamat Festival, La Carlota, Negros Occidental
                 Magayon Festival, Albay Province
                 Pista'y Dayat Festival, Pangasinan
May 2     - Boa-Boahan, Nabua, Camarines Sur
May 3     - Carabao-Carozza Race Festival, Pavia, Iloilo
May 1-3 - Lanahan Ritual, Balabag, Digos, Davao del Sur
                 Balanghai Festival, Butuan
May 11   - Barangay Boat Festival, Aparri, Cagayan
May 15   - Carabao Festival, Pulilan, Bulacan
May 17-19 - Obando Festival, Obando, Bulacan
May 19-25 - Pahoy-Pahoy Festival, Calbiga, Samar

Festivals are now tourist attractions. They bring cash and media attention to remote towns and villages. But profit-oriented tourism distorts the local cultures of our people. Many people have forgotten the real reasons why agricultural festivals are celebrated. (more on this issue next time)

Flores de Mayo and Santacruzan are conducted throughout the country every May. Mother’s Day is also celebrated this month. The 1987 Constitution has designated the second Monday of the month of May as Election Day every three years.

Various social issues are tackled with symbolic activities every month of May. The world highlights the following issues this month:

May 3 - World Press Freedom Day
May 6 - World Asthma Day
May 8 - World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day
May 10 - World Fair Trade Day
May 12 - International Nurses’ Day
May 15 - International Day of Families
May 21 - World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
May 22 - International Day for Biological Diversity
May 28 - Flag Day
May 29 - International Day of UN Peacekeepers
May 31 - World No-Tobacco Day
               World Fisherfolks’ Day

By the way, it has been proclaimed that the month of May is Anti-Graft and Corruption Awareness Month. This is very timely and appropriate. Politicians should lead the awareness campaign.

Labor Day

The month begins with the celebration of the historic Labor Day, or International Workers’ Day, or simply May Day. This is celebrated to recognize the great contributions of workers to human civilization. Labor Day rallies are held to condemn the anti-poor and anti-worker policies of governments.

Philippine labor groups usually mark this anniversary by demanding better working and living conditions for the working class. Activists are also highlighting the high number of unemployed and underemployed Filipinos today. The government responds by announcing new programs that would improve the welfare of workers. In the past seven years President Gloria Arroyo has yet to unveil a Labor Day package which was unanimously cheered by labor groups.

In 1856 an Australian first conceptualized a workers’ holiday with the demand for an eight-hour working day. The cause became popular in the industrialized world. On May 1, 1886, more than 200,000 American workers issued this demand. The actions continued for several days. Many workers were killed in Chicago when police fired upon a demonstration.

On May 1, 1890, the Second International Workers’ Congress organized an international work stoppage in support of the eight-hour day proposal. The campaign was successful and later May Day was adopted as an official holiday in many countries.

In the Philippines it was Isabelo delos Reyes who institutionalized labor unionism in the country. De Los Reyes organized the first trade union in the country, the Union de Impresores de Filipinas in 1902. In the same year, he established the Union Obrera Democratica, the Philippines’ first labor federation. De los Reyes also organized the first May 1 Labor Day rally at the Plaza Moriones in Tondo, Manila. On April 8, 1908, a law was enacted making May 1 a national holiday.

The camp of former President Joseph Estrada is also marking May 1 as the day when hundreds of thousands of supporters of the popular leader marched towards Malacanang Palace which almost led to the downfall of Arroyo in 2001. The historic rally was later called Edsa Tres.

May Day is a political event in the Philippines. The government is afraid that workers would lead other poor sectors of society in overthrowing the established social order. Labor unrest is minimized by offering token measures to the labor sector. Unfortunately, members of the labor movement are also victims of human rights violations.

Related entries:

Labor education
Batas Kasambahay
Exporting labor

posted by: mongpalatino at May 03, 2008 22:56 | link | comments |
workers

Friday, 02 May 2008
Win Natong Buwang Win

Napapansin ninyo ba ang pagdami ng mga kababayan nating naninirahan sa lansangan. Mas kilala sila sa bansag na taong grasa. Pagkatapos ng sunud-sunod na demolisyon sa Metro Manila, biglang tumaas ang bilang ng mga pulubi sa kalye. Naalala ko na may sinulat akong artikulo para sa Tinig noong 2003 tungkol sa isang “sikat” na “baliw sa kalye.” Ikinuwento ata sa akin ni Apo Alvarez at ng isa naming kasamahan ang buhay ni Natong Buwang….

Marahil nababasa na rin ito ng karamihan. Mahirap itong hindi mapansin dahil nagkalat ito sa Maynila.

Ang tinutukoy ko ay hindi ang MMDA (F)Art ni Bayani Fernando kundi ang naiibang sining o mensahe ni Natong Buwang.

Eto ang ilang halimbawa na talagang mapapaisip ka kung ano ang gusto niyang sabihin: win pres lim win, viva nuestra senora, gma nice jesus ok, viva sto nino, win lacuna win.

Nang una ko itong mabasa sa España habang nakasakay ng dyip, hindi ko ito binigyan ng masyadong pansin. Inisip ko lang na ito’y gawa ng isang fraternity o kaya’y ng mga panatikong taga-suporta ni Mayor Lim.

Pero hindi ko nakalimutan ang nabasa ko. At tinangka kong unawain ang lohika nito at ang layunin ng nagsulat.

Halos lahat ng mga pangunahing kalye ng Maynila ay may tatak nito. Kadalasa’y sa mga billboard ng Rotary (the 4-Way test) ito nakasulat at sa mga sidewalk, poste ng LRT at dingding na gigising sa isang naiinip na pasaherong naipit sa trapik.

Tahimik kong hinangaan ang makinarya ng fraternity o ng pulitikong nasa likod ng graffiti na ito. Ang sinumang magagawi sa Maynila ay tiyak mababasa ito at epektibong magtatagal sa likod ng kanilang isip.

Itinago ko ang obserbasyong ito sa iba dahil nahihiya akong malaman nilang pinagkakainteresan ko ang maliit na bagay na ito. Nabasag ang aking pananahimik nang minsang makakuwentuhan ko ang ilang mga estudyante ng PUP. Katulad ko, nabibighani din sila sa kakaibang sipag at pag-iisip ng nagsusulat nito sa Maynila. Sabi nila, gawa raw ito ng isang baliw gamit ang uling.

Sabi ng mga kaibigan ko sa U-belt, ang nasa likod nito ay isang adik na nabaliw sa Sampaloc. Pero sabi naman ng mga taga-Taft, baka raw si Salenga ang may gawa rin nito. Si Salenga, hinihinalang matalinong nabaliw na estudyante ang naglalagay ng mga karatula sa Taft ng kanyang teorya na negatibo ang proton at positibo ang electron.

Nalaman din namin ang sagot kung sino talaga ang misteryosong baliw nang makasabay siya ng mga aktibista sa UST isang hatinggabi bago ang pasukan sa may Morayta. Habang abala ang mga aktibista sa pagididikit ng kanilang plakard laban sa pagtaas ng matrikula, ang ating bida ay masinop na sinusulat ang kanyang obra sa isang bagong pintang sidewalk.

At dun nga nila nalaman na siya ay si Nato. Taga-Caloocan sa may A. Bonifacio at kilala dun bilang Natong Buwang. Dati siyang taga-buhat ng imahen ni Kristo tuwing pitsa ng Nazareno sa Quiapo. Sabi ng iba, siya raw ay nabaliw dahil iniwan ng asawa. Pero ayon daw sa nakakakilala sa kanya, si Nato ay dating relihiyosong manggagawa na nasira ang bait nang namatay ang anak nitong hindi agad nadala sa ospital.

Siguro hindi natin matutunton ang katotohanan tungkol sa buhay ni Nato o ang kanyang nais sabihin sa atin. Sa kanyang sariling mundo, ang sinusulat niya ay may angking sariling lohika at sining na maaring tanging paraan niya upang makipag-ugnayan sa atin.

Mahirap unawain si Nato at ang kanyang sining lalo na kung ang gagamitin nating pamantayan ay ang namamayaning paraan ng paghuhusga kung ano ang tama at mali, maganda at panget, may kabuluhan at walang kabuluhan.

Kung ang layunin ni Nato ay mag-iwan ng isang bagay na pag-uusapan siya ng marami, siya ay nagtagumpay. Hindi man siya kilala, pero ang obra niya at ang kakaibang mensahe niya ay tumatak, nagpatawa, at naging paksa ng kuwentuhan ng napakaraming tao, aminin man nila o hindi.

Sa ganitong paraan nabubuo ang isang urban legend.

Related entries:

Urban Facelift
Displacement
Recto-Doroteo Jose
Queen of the House

posted by: mongpalatino at May 02, 2008 13:21 | link | comments |
workers

Thursday, 01 May 2008
Population debate

Thanks Tharum and May for referring some of the blogs which I cited in this post - Southeast Asia: Food and Rice price crisis. Check out the new blogs and websites in the Mongster Links section.

The global food price crisis has revived the population debate in the Philippines. Analysts insist the high population growth rate of the Philippines is not sustainable. Food production may be increasing over the years but the number of Filipinos is increasing at a faster rate. Today, the Philippine population is around 90 million.

Policymakers are beginning to realize the importance of providing family planning supplies to poor Filipinos. The government has recently approved the release of additional funds for this purpose. As expected, the powerful Catholic Church is opposing this program. The church equates artificial family planning with abortion.

A Filipino economist notes there are three contending views in the population debate: the population pessimists, the population optimists, and the population revisionists.

The population pessimists do not want a high population growth. They assert that a high population growth rate adversely impacts all indicators of human development: health, education, food security, shelter, employment and environment. They also believe that a high fertility rate also impacts negatively on economic growth. High consumption of families retards savings and increases government expenditures. In short, rapid population growth aggravates and even abets inequality.

The population optimists think that population is the ultimate resource. They point out that high population growth brings tremendous possibilities for technical change since the rate of return in the economy is larger. There are more entrepreneurs, more creators, and more innovators in the economy. Industries benefit from the stable supply of young workers.

The population revisionists believe population growth may or may not be detrimental to economic and human development. High population generates different impact on societies. It depends on time, place and circumstances.

These contending views have influenced government policies over the years. But it is the church which has exercised the greatest power in manipulating the government's population control program. Church intervention has distorted and weakened the capability of the government to manage the country's population.

The government's population policies are inadequate. They contain weak measures to deal with high fertility rates. The programs are couched in vague language in order not to provoke the opposition of the Catholic Bishops.

The Philippine Population Act was enacted in 1971. The Commission on Population was eventually established. A special committee recommended that fertility or family planning policies should be formulated within the context of the family welfare objective.

During the 1980s the right of couples to determine the number of children was emphasized and family planning was packaged as a health intervention. During the early 1990s the link between rapid population growth and poverty was recognized. The family planning function was devolved to local governments.

A decade ago population growth reduction focused on unmet family planning needs. The principle of contraceptive self-reliance was adopted. For the first time, the government allocated subsidies for the purchase of contraceptives.

The current administration recognizes family planning as a component of women's health and as a means to achieve the fertility desires of couples. Four pillars of population policy were identified: responsible parenthood, respect for life, birth spacing and informed choice.

In the last three decades the church has succeeded in preventing the government from completely endorsing artificial family planning methods. The church has used its clout to dilute the government's population programs.

During public hearings in Congress, officials of the Commission on Population rejected a population control bill, since according to them the government is only supporting the natural family planning method. Even Philippine President Gloria Arroyo has ordered the Department of Health to stop procuring artificial family planning commodities.

This has led to disastrous consequences. Condoms and pills were removed from many health centers. Poor women are washing used condoms since the free family planning supplies are no longer available.

An administration lawmaker is irked by the government's insistence on relying solely on the natural family planning method. He said, "For so many poor and uneducated couples, learning the natural family planning method as the only means of family planning is too difficult, cumbersome and needs much discipline and spirituality. Many are not able to make it. The poor are already deprived of so many things. And to deprive them of lovemaking when they spontaneously feel like doing so is to make their lives even more miserable."

Perhaps sensing the futility of convincing lawmakers about the need to pass a national law on population control, some NGOs have directed their lobbying efforts toward local governments.

NGOs are reminding local officials about how population dynamics plays an important role in provincial income growth. They cite studies which show that provinces with a high proportion of young dependents have a high level of poverty.

The traditional thinking is that lower population growth can decrease the tax earnings of local governments. But this can be offset by higher per capita income. Provinces with lower population growth have a higher budget surplus. This means local governments can manage population growth and still be assured of benefits in terms of budget surpluses which can be plowed back into social and economic programs.

Meanwhile, the church and its allies are still exerting strong pressure to prevent national and local politicians from implementing artificial family planning programs. They are also gaining support in their persuasive argument that poverty in the Philippines is caused by corruption and not by overpopulation.

They are also accusing the West of undermining the sovereignty of poor countries by forcing governments to impose population control measures. This accusation is not without basis. According to an article written by Joseph Brewda for the Executive Intelligence Review, the U.S. National Security Council completed a classified study in 1974 which claimed that population growth in poor countries was a grave threat to U.S. national security. Brewda added that the study outlined a covert plan to reduce population growth in poor countries through birth control, and also, implicitly, war and famine.

The study paid special attention to 13 countries in which the U.S. has a special political and strategic interest, namely: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Turkey, Nigeria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mexico, Brazil and Colombia.

The population debate in the Philippines will continue to divide the country. Right now, the population optimists have the upper hand in the government. Things may change once the Philippine population reaches 100 million in the next few years.

Related entries:

Overpopulated Philippines
Church and politics
Sex and youth
Women agenda

posted by: mongpalatino at May 01, 2008 21:30 | link | comments |
workers

Saturday, 26 April 2008
Philippine human rights report inaccurate

Olympic torch relay in Southeast Asia, my blog roundup for Global Voices. Have you read this section of the Antonio Zumel Center for Press Freedom?

The Universal Periodic Review is an innovation established by the United Nations to assess the fulfillment of human rights obligations by all U.N. member states. Early this month, the Philippines participated in such a review.

The Philippine government claimed that members of the U.N. Human Rights Council applauded the report of the Philippines. But reviewing the proceedings of the UPR reveals that this boast is not entirely accurate. The official report of the Philippine government is also full of inconsistencies and unfounded assertions. In short the Philippine government lied to convince the international community that it is doing everything to improve the human rights situation in the country.

The Philippine government reported that it held two national consultations to draft the UPR report. But civil society groups are unaware of these meetings. Recommendations of NGOs were also not integrated into the report.

The head of the Philippine delegation to the UPR highlighted the five major points of the Philippine government's current human rights policy:

1) The creation and strengthening of institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights;

2) The improvement of its human rights record, through strengthening institutions, mainstreaming human rights and improving human rights education;

3) The pursuit of good governance, in accordance with the principle of a rights-based approach to development;

4) Human rights advocacy and programs responding to the demands of vulnerable sectors; and

5) Human rights promotion and protection during the current peace processes.

These are motherhood statements. These policies should be compared to the actual achievements of the government. Human rights violations have persisted in the Philippines despite the official pronouncement of President Gloria Arroyo that her government is respecting the rights of the Filipino people.

Reacting to the presentation of the Philippine government, human rights advocates said they were "outraged by the unrepentant and self-delusional claims by the government of its human rights record before the international community." An activist lawmaker described the report as a "self-serving, selective and totally one-sided depiction of the Philippine human rights situation."

The government stressed that the Philippines is one of the first states to have ratified all of the seven core international human rights treaties. This is correct but not enough proof to assert that human rights are promoted and protected in the country. There may be enough laws, administrative orders and programs to prevent human rights abuses but most of these legal instruments are not implemented properly.

During the review process, the Philippine government argued that it has adopted several mechanisms to promote the welfare of street children, women, child soldiers, migrants, indigenous peoples and other vulnerable sectors of Philippine society. But most of these are token measures which are only good on paper.

For example, the rise in the number of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances in the Philippines provoked an international backlash in 2006. This forced the government to institute several special bodies to investigate and help reduce human rights violations. But the killings continued and high-ranking soldiers accused of committing the crimes were not prosecuted.

Technically speaking, the government did something to minimize human rights abuses. But it was not a sincere effort. It was only meant to ease international and domestic pressure against the government's repressive policies.

The Philippine government told the local media that its UPR presentation was well-applauded. But activists who attended the UPR session insisted that the applause was initiated and came mostly from the rest of the Filipino bureaucrats who formed part of the Philippine government's 40-member team.

Forty-one delegations from U.N. member countries made statements during the UPR. The Philippine government interpreted the "constructive dialogue" as praise for the Philippine report. A lawmaker who was able to observe the proceedings said, "The government failed to recognize that 16 countries expressed concern on the extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances and, in typical diplomatic language used in the U.N., practically told the Philippines it was not doing enough on the matter."

A journal of the U.N. Human Rights Council provides a fair overview of the reaction of different countries to the Philippine presentation. The journal notes that "Several U.N. bodies were concerned about the lack of appropriate measures to deal with crimes allegedly committed by state security forces and agents and the insecurity surrounding journalists, human rights activists, and the overly vague new Human Security Act."

Additional concerns were articulated with respect to labor rights, pollution, increased food insecurity, housing crises, the abortion prohibition and high maternal mortality ratio, health policy, and discrimination against indigenous peoples.

The Philippine government failed to address the inquiry of the Netherlands about the legislative proposal to criminalize torture. The Holy See did not get a satisfactory answer to its query on whether the abolition of the death penalty would extend to an abolition of torture.

Canada recommended "that awareness-raising measures be instituted in the security forces regarding their obligations to protect the population." Canada made this suggestion after France and Switzerland expressed concern that there had been few convictions regarding the issue of extrajudicial killings.

The Philippine government claimed that its UPR report was comprehensive and transparent. But why were many countries asking for more information, elaboration of details, and additional reports on key human rights issues like torture, poverty-reduction measures and killings? Other delegates were able to recognize that the Philippine government failed to give a balanced picture of the human rights situation in the Philippines.

The U.N. Human Rights Council will issue a final report in June. There is enough time for human rights advocates to lobby and pressure U.N. member states about the urgent need to protect, promote and respect human rights in the Philippines. The Philippine government should be made accountable for abetting human rights abuses against the Filipino people. The Philippine government is unworthy of a seat in the U.N. Human Rights Council.

PS: Galit talaga ako sa hinayupak na Ermita na yan. Sisihin ba naman ang mga bagyo kung bakit di daw tuluy-tuloy ang pag-unlad sa Pilipinas. May office of Ombudsman kaya ginagawa naman daw ang lahat upang sugpuin ang korupsiyon. Tama si Ka Teddy Casino, it is "chutzpah of the highest degree."


Related entries:

I see terrorists
defending human rights
Anti-terror law
Human rights and ASEAN

posted by: mongpalatino at April 26, 2008 02:55 | link | comments (1) |
workers

Monday, 21 April 2008
Rural development

For many months now, I have been trying to write something about the need to implement a genuine land reform in the country. Perhaps next month I will be able tackle this very important issue. In the meantime let me share some insights on rural development.....


In 2004 rural population is almost 40 percent of the total population. More than 70 percent of the poor reside in rural areas. 5 out of 10 rural residents are poor. Two-thirds of the population and three-fourths of the poor depend on agriculture.

According to a study conducted in 1999, a typical rural poor family is larger than the average family size (8-9). It is headed by a male, less than 50 years old with little or no schooling. It is engaged simultaneously in 4-5 income-earning activities. It has less access to the formal labor market. Women are either self-employed or unpaid workers.

Factors such as limited public sector investments, weak governance, limited or lack of access to productive resources, high production costs and low wage regime contribute to high rural poverty incidence and low productivity in agriculture.

Rural development is more than just raising incomes of farmers. It encompasses “productivity and competitiveness, equity, poverty reduction, sustainable natural resource management and empowerment.” A partylist lawmaker added that “Rural development is not just about economics; it is also about equity, democratic community participation, access and good governance. These are ingredients to promote sustainable rural development.”

The National Economic Development Authority has admitted that despite growth in agricultural production and rural incomes, these we not enough to improve rural welfare and long-term sustainability. Rural policies must therefore address access to primary health care, education, sanitation, infrastructure, transportation and communication, safe drinking water and electricity. Policies must also cater to the needs of agricultural services in support of “sustainable and productive farming systems and services that facilitate off-farm enterprise development.”

One of the landmark agricultural laws of the country is R.A. 8435 or the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA). The law provides for a “sound agricultural policy to enhance global competitiveness of agricultural sector and small agricultural producers.” Interestingly, one of the aims of AFMA is to promote food security especially in rice and white corn. (Sounds familiar, eh?) It was enacted in 1997 and fully implemented two years later. AFMA expired in 2004 but was extended by Congress till 2015.

AFMA mandated an increased financial inflow for agriculture but this was not achieved. From 1999-2005, total actual budget fell below what was prescribed by law both in terms of new appropriations and obligations. Rural poverty worsened. According to experts, growth in agriculture was due to private investments and good weather, not AFMA.

Maybe this was the reason why Senator Loren Legarda is pushing for increased rural investments as provided by AFMA. But the good senator should also understand why activist peasant groups are actively opposing the law. Aside from being a source of corruption, AFMA was used to further liberalize the country’s agricultural sector which destroyed farming communities and threatened the country’s food security.

Rural agenda

The Department of Agriculture has a five-pillar program (2007-2010) involving irrigation, postharvest/storage facilities, technology development and extension, market access and credit facilitation.

The DA’s priority legislative measures in the 14th Congress are the following: Increased agricultural funding in the 2008 General Appropriations Act, extending the utilization of the ACEF, restructuring the National Food Authority (NFA), Agricultural Credit and Financing System and Magna Carta for Agricultural Workers.

Irrigation will focus on the restoration of existing national and communal irrigation systems. Postharvest/storage facilities will establish refrigeration storage, drying centers, storage warehouses and moveable ice storage facilities. Credit facilitation will expand access to credit through micro-credit financing programs. Technology development and extension will make available appropriate technologies to improve farm/agribusiness productivity. Market access will promote trade facilitation, logistics, market infrastructure and ensure regulatory and product quality standards.

Restructuring of NFA (read: mass lay-offs, downsizing, early retirement for workers) will address the heavy losses incurred by the agency by allowing it to consolidate its power as a government corporation. The NFA is the largest contributor (36 percent) to the Consolidated Public Sector Deficit of the government. According to the DA, restructuring of NFA will create fiscal space, free up resources that can provide more growth-oriented investments or social services while having a more effective and efficient institution in the grains market.

Agricultural Credit and Financing System will amend P.D. 717 to ensure that agriculture and agrarian reform funds are used for rural credit. The Magna Carta for Agricultural Workers will ensure that agriculture programs are carried out by local government units. This will provide a mandatory municipal and city agriculturist and provide various safeguards for agricultural workers to join unions.

To realize these programs, the DA will focus on commodities with greatest growth impacts (cash crops?), spur involvement of the private sector, strengthen coordination among the DA, state universities and local governments, establish one-stop units to facilitate access of clientele to market, technology and investment information and promote the country as a hub for local and foreign investments.

In 2004, the DA promised to develop at least two million hectares of new land. It also vowed to “reduce the cost of wage goods through productivity enhancement, more efficient logistics and improved retailing linkages.”

It seems the DA has drafted several programs to promote agricultural development. There is no dearth of documents which outline the government’s supposed sincerity to boost rural productivity. But why is rural poverty worsening? Why are we importing agricultural products like rice and corn? Why is Philippine agriculture deteriorating?

Corruption is a big problem. The Fertilizer Scam and the Swine Scandal (babuyan na talaga) are good examples of corruption in the agricultural sector. Another reason is the thrust of the government to rely on food imports. The problem is not just limited funds for agriculture but the skewed priorities of the government. Why is government expenditure to develop crops declining while importation thru the NFA is increasing? The government should stop adhering to the agricultural liberalization program which hurts small Filipino farmers. Food sovereignty should be the goal of the government.

Related entries:

Hacienda Luisita
Organic farming
Hunger

posted by: mongpalatino at April 21, 2008 23:39 | link | comments |
workers

Thursday, 17 April 2008
Rice crisis and Southeast Asia

See, they are calling me a journalist. Mag-aaply ba ako sa NUJP?

Rice is the staple food in Southeast Asia and in many parts of the world. But it is not just a food that fulfills hunger. Rice has enriched the cultures of many Asian societies.

In Thailand, asking "Have you eaten rice today?' is a way of saying "How are you?" In Vietnam it is proper to say "please eat rice" before every meal, even if the meal does not include rice. In Brunei elders remind the children to finish their meal to the last grain of rice because if not, the rice would cry.

Asians have developed a rice-flavored ice-cream, rice wine, rice cake, and rice paper. There is an annual rice festival in the Philippines. A colonial ruler of Indochina once remarked: "The Vietnamese plant rice, the Cambodians watch it grow and the Lao listen to it grow."

Indeed, rice is a precious commodity in Southeast Asia. It is not surprising that many people in the region are worried over reports that rice is getting more expensive and supplies are dwindling. Southeast Asian governments are assuring their constituents that prices will stabilize soon and there will be no shortages in the local markets.

Thailand is the world's biggest rice exporter. Other Southeast Asian nations like Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar are rice exporters too. On the other hand, the Philippines is the world's top rice importer.

The rice price in Indonesia is slightly lower than in the world market. An Indonesian minister asserts that the government would no longer import rice this year because with last year's rice procurement drive, Indonesia now has more than 1 million tons in stock.

In Singapore and Malaysia, consumers are buying all the rice available in the market even if authorities are assuring the public that there are ample stocks of rice in the market.

Rice is a controlled item in Brunei and Malaysia. In Brunei the price of rice has not changed, since the government is subsidizing the price. Malaysia has been giving subsidies to rice farmers for many years now. There is a proposal in Malaysia to abolish subsidies for sugar and cooking oil in order to continue supporting subsidies for staple food items such as rice and flour.

Unfortunately, the Philippine government has been encouraged by the World Bank not to give subsidies to rice farmers since according to the financial lending institution it will be counter productive.

Since the start of the global rice crisis, Cambodia has suspended rice exports as speculators continue to gamble on the increasing demand for the food staple. The government is complaining that the opposition is taking advantage of the rice situation by conducting black propaganda against the ruling party.

Cambodian leader Hun Sen reminds his constituents that the price of rice should have soared in 2000-2001 when there was a major flood in Cambodia; but the price of rice during that time was stable. Hun Sen blames "dishonest people who are instigating rumors" about a rice shortage in the market.

The Philippine government is asking its people to reduce their consumption of rice. Instead of rice, the public is requested to eat more sweet potatoes. In Malaysia the government is asked to give more support to the poultry industry and fruit and vegetable farmers. Health experts explain that reducing consumption of rice is not bad at all since rice and other grains like wheat and corn are actually worse than sugar. One bowl of cooked rice is the caloric equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar.

Vietnam has recently imposed a ban on rice exports to help stabilize domestic food prices. Vietnam is currently facing double-digit inflation. Bad weather also damaged part of agricultural crops in northern Vietnam early this year. Rice exports will be restricted until the month of June.

Rice bandits are scaring Thailand's countryside. In the Philippines, rice hoarders are colluding with agricultural officials to jack up rice prices. Observers believe there is no immediate fear of a rice crisis in Myanmar as most of the rice consumed in the country is produced domestically.

The global rice crisis is an opportunity to review the food security programs of Southeast Asian nations. What steps are being taken to mitigate hunger in the region? What are the reform measures which should be implemented to improve agricultural productivity?

Now is also the time to minimize or even abandon the planting of biofuels or agrofuels in Southeast Asia. Rice and food production should be prioritized.

Land conversions should be regulated to ensure availability of rice supplies. There is nothing wrong in building hotels, shopping malls, golf courses and entertainment hubs as long as the food security of nations is not compromised.

There will be an emergency meeting of Southeast Asian Ministers to discuss the rice crisis. The agenda of the caucus should be broadened to include long-term food sustainability in the region.

Related entries:

Rice shortage history
Rice shortage solutions
Hunger in the Philippines

posted by: mongpalatino at April 17, 2008 00:47 | link | comments (1) |
workers