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On Day 13 of their campout, stranded OFWs inside the Philippine Embassy in Riyadh continue to experience harassment, threats and food and water blockade by embassy officials. As of 6:00pm yesterday, KSA time, the stranded OFWs, among them women and children, were driven away from their makeshift tents inside the embassy compound. Some of them [...]

For Juan ‘Johnny’ Revilla, project manager of Placewell Manpower, a recruitment agency contracted by the Commission on Elections to man PCOS machines in the 2010 elections, “for a cunning, desperate and sly politician, there are so many ways” to cheat in automated elections. Revilla’s recruitment agency was one of three companies that won the contract [...]

Migrante International chairperson Garry Martinez today said that overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Taiwan should not be made to bear the brunt for the Philippine government’s callous, incompetent and undiplomatic handling of the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) shooting of a Taiwanese vessel killing a 65-year-old fisherman last May 9. The migrant leader said that they, [...]

Votes for the disqualified partylist groups should be rightfully taken off the partylist votes, but KATRIBU indigenous peoples sectoral party sees no credible reason that the Comelec should stop tallying votes for the partylist race while it continues to count votes cast for senators. The Comelec decided to suspend the canvassing for partylist votes late afternoon of May 14, purportedly because of “issues” in the partylist elections, because of the inclusion of disqualified groups in the ballot.

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From http://www.rappler.com/

Youth groups led by Kabataan Party-list staged an indignation rally at around 1 p.m. today to protest the the apparent manipulation of election results and various anomalies hounding the midterm elections.

“Filipinos need not wait for the Commission on Elections to announce a failure of the midterm elections. Reports of malfunctioning PCOS machines and the bloated counts due to transmission problems are clear indication of the manipulation by the Aquino regime of the 2013 midterm elections,” said Atty. Terry Ridon, Kabataan Partylist president.

Election Day plunged into utter chaos in various parts of the country, as the combination of technical glitches, election-related violence, and political infighting hampered the organized facilitation of the automated elections – heightening fears that the elections was rigged in favor of the administration.

According to Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes, only 200 out of 78,000 PCOS machines bogged down during Election Day. However, initial reports coming from independent election watchdogs reveal that the 200 figure is a gross understatement.

“PCOS malfunctioning is not the sole issue. Due to the lack of a comprehensive source code review, we cannot ascertain the integrity of the election results,” Ridon said.

Ridon added that Smartmatic’s clearing of itself from any liability in the bloated numbers transmitted to the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) proved true Comelec’s lack of interest to stop, and maybe even its possible role in, the massive electoral fraud and disenfranchisement in this midterm elections.

PPCRV has been releasing unofficial and partial results since early last night. However, poll watchdogs Kontradaya pointed out the discrepancy between the total number of votes and the total number of voters in the precincts which have transmitted their results to the COMELEC national office. Smartmatic denied any liability in the wrong count, and even blamed PPCRV as “data from their server is fine.”

“PCOS machines malfunctioning in almost all provinces in the country, inaccurate election tallies, Comelec playing up an image of a well-organized elections, and Noynoy Aquino remaining silent on the issue of electoral fraud – everything is beginning to look like a grand show that would enable Aquino and his cohorts to consolidate and strengthen their hold in the country’s political arena,” Ridon said.

“The youth and the people will not remain silent as our votes are being compromised by massive electoral fraud. We will remain as vigilant as ever and denounce the massive manipulation happening before our very eyes,” Ridon ended.###

Puzzled with Commission on Elections Chair Sixto Brillantes’ announcement that the official national canvassing will be suspended until 10 a.m. tomorrow, Kabataan Partylist President Terry Ridon said that it might be an early sign that Comelec is “really up to something.”

“Why is Comelec suspending the national canvassing? It is an odd thing to do, especially as the official election results are already being transmitted to the commission,” Ridon asked. “Delaying the official canvassing taints the results of the elections, no matter what flimsy excuse Comelec has to release such a sudden announcement,’ Ridon said. “Anong gagawin ng Comelec sa panahon between tonight and tomorrow morning? Siguro dito na papasok ‘yung hocus PCOS,” Ridon exclaimed.    “Comelec cannot escape speculation as its unexpected decision to suspend the national canvassing until tomorrow has not been concretely substantiated. Nag-automated elections pa tayo, tapos i-de-delay lang naman din pala ang resulta,” Ridon added.   Earlier, Kabataan Partylist has already expressed suspicions of a brewing “massive electoral fraud” due to the large number of anomalies hounding the operation of PCOS machines during the polls today.###

Less than an hour before the midterm polls end, youth groups grew more and more concerned about the outcome of the midterm elections, fearing “massive electoral fraud” and disenfranchisement of millions of Filipino voters due to widespread malfunctioning of PCOS machines and several other factors.

Election Day plunged into utter chaos in various parts of the country, as the combination of technical glitches, election-related violence, and political infighting hampered the organized facilitation of the automated elections.

“We have foreseen this scenario for months and have continually called on the Commission on Elections to make extra efforts to ensure the smooth facilitation of the elections. Yet our calls fell on deaf ears. Comelec proudly announced yesterday that it was 99.99 percent prepared for the elections, but the outcome tells a different story,” said Atty. Terry Ridon, Kabataan Partylist President.

Since this morning, election watchdogs including the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) and Kontradaya have been compiling reports on technical glitches involving PCOS machines from almost all provinces in the country.

PPCRV earlier reported that around 95 percent of PCOS machines in Laurel, Batangas have malfunctioned. The ballots for Compostella Valley and Baguio, meanwhile, were switched. Comelec has even declared failure of elections in four precincts in Baguio City due to PCOS troubles.

Apart from malfunctioning machines, pre-signed voters’ lists, pre-shaded ballots, and other suspicious activities in precincts have also been reported by election watchdogs.

“Wala na ngang malinaw na source code review, sira-sira pa ang PCOS machines, tapos andami pang iba pang kahina-hinalang aktibidad na naganap at patuloy na nagaganap sa mga presinto ngayon. This is why the youth is sounding the alarm – such high number of incidents cannot be disregarded as minor issues. It is in fact signalling massive electoral fraud,” Ridon said.

The youth leader said that the sheer number of PCOS troubles reveal a “planned, organized, massive automated cheating” that could be orchestrated by the administration to clinch a landslide win in the midterm elections.

“The puzzle pieces are falling into place. Comelec’s inaction on automated election issues, Noynoy Aquino’s proud announcement of a 12-0 Senate win in favor of the administration ticket, up to the orchestrated trumped-up charges against political rivals – everything is beginning to look like a grand show that would enable Aquino and his cohorts to consolidate and strengthen their hold in the country’s political arena,” Ridon explained.

Same old issues

Meanwhile, youth groups led by Kabataan Partylist noted that the electoral system lamentably remains the same, with massive vote buying and election-related violence continuing in all parts of the country.

In critical areas such as Maguindanao, for example, failure of elections have already been declared in some barangays due to election-related violence involving the clash of rival families that led to one death and four casualties.

The administration has also used the military and paramilitary forces to spread havoc in far-flung provinces, including towns in Northern and Central Luzon. In Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija, for example, four truckloads of armed soldiers were deployed in polling precincts and were reported to be using brute force on voters.

“Comelec wants us to believe that the midterm elections passed breezily without any glitch whatsoever. However, that is far from the truth. Election-related violence, vote buying, and other schemes are still being employed to ensure victories for traditional politicians,” Ridon said.

“The AES – touted as a solution to the longstanding problem of conducting manual elections – has also been revealed as nothing but a far more convenient way to cheat on the elections. Hocus PCOS ang nagaganap. ‘Yan ba ang pagbabago?” Ridon asked.

According to Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes, only 200 out of 78,000 PCOS machines are expected to bog down on Election Day. However, the initial reports coming from independent election watchdogs reveal that the 200 figure is a gross understatement.

“Dati ang uso, dagdag-bawas, agawan ng ballot box. Ngayon, kaunting kutinting lang sa source code, sa CF cards ng PCOS machines, sigurado na ang panalo. The AES did modernize the polls, yet it also modernized electoral fraud and made it easier for politicians to manipulate at the right price,” Ridon said.

In the 2010 presidential elections, election watchdogs estimated that around 3 to 5 million voters were disenfranchise due to electoral issues. “With the utter failure this election has been, that figure could spike exponentially,” Ridon noted.

The youth leader called on the youth to remain vigilant as the polls draw to a close and the canvassing begins. “We need to exert extra effort to detect fraud. We also need to look at the bigger picture – judging from how dirty and chaotic this election has become, the youth should not be fooled its promise of change. We need to ready ourselves for an intensified fight for our democratic rights,” Ridon ended.###

Migrante Partylist feared massive disenfranchisement brought about by widespread reports of malfunctioning PCOS machines a few hours into the mid-term elections. Citing reports from its poll watchers and volunteers scattered around the country, Migrante Partylist 1st Nominee and Chairperson Connie Bragas-Regalado said that most common complaints include PCOS machine shutdowns, rejected ballots, paper jams and [...]

According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer (posted yesterday night), citing reports from the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, Cebu and Davao teachers were told by their superiors to pay for the cash cards and wait for almost two months before they can get their honorarium. Per the PDI report, “The Department of Education (DepEd) said it made an arrangement with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) so that the teachers could get their election honoraria and allowances on time through their Landbank payroll accounts or through cash cards that would be mailed to ...

Massive electoral fraud inevitable, youth groups say

Numerous reports of malfunctioning PCOS machines, brown-outs, and delayed voting mar the first four hours of the midterm elections, confirming the fears of various election watchdogs and youth groups.

Various field reports from volunteers of Kabataan Partylist and election watchdog Kontradaya reveal several “anomalous situations” in polling precincts all over the country, further confirming the earlier assessment of youth groups that the Commission on Elections has failed to address major issues in the automated election system (AES).

“We are off to a bad start. The problems that we are facing this morning are not minor glitches of the AES; the sheer number of incident reports confirms earlier fears we have expressed. Both the Aquino government and Comelec are accountable for not addressing PCOS problems beforehand. Massive electoral fraud is inevitable, and Team PNoy stands to gain the most from this electoral brouhaha,” said Kabataan Partylist President Atty. Terry Ridon.

There have been several notable incidents reported in the first few hours of the elections, including the lack of serial numbers of ballots in Pandi, Bulacan; the declaration of failure of elections in some parts of the Cordillera Administrative Region, not even a single functioning PCOS machine in Batasan Hills, Quezon City, 800 ballots in Compostela Valley have been switched with those intended for Baguio, 95% of PCOS machines in Lipa, Batangas reportedly malfunctioning, 8 out of 12 PCOS machines for Zamboanga not arriving in time for the elections, polling in more than 100 precincts all over the country delayed due to defective PCOS machines, and chaos and overcrowding in large precincts.

Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez earlier told the media that there are only 2 malfunctioning PCOS machines so far and when asked regarding the coverage of anomalies and problems he said that it was “irresponsible reporting” on the part of the media.

“Jimenez should have his eyes and ears checked. Blaming the media to cover up the fiasco wrought by malfunctioning PCOS machines is an old trick in the book. His efforts to assure the public that the election is successful thus far can easily be debunked not only by the media but by the testimonies of inconvenienced voters that are experiencing the election issues first-hand,” Ridon said.

Ridon said that with the current state of the elections, it is easy to deduce that “massive, organized and planned” electoral fraud is currently taking place.

“All these reports are susceptible to CF Card mismatch, meaning that the internal memory of PCOS machines may have been switched beforehand, also, the overwhelming number of rejected ballots is cause for concern as there will be many disenfranchised voters. PCOS machines that have been replaced may have already been inputted with a fixed number of votes for a certain candidate. As of this morning there are already too many possible fraudulent scenarios all of which both the Aquino administration and Comelec have failed miserably to address.”

“There are only 5,000 back up PCOS machines for the entire country, how can this compensate the amount of failures and errors occurring massively across the country? Also, how can we be sure that these spare machines have not been tampered with?” Ridon asked.

Kabataan Partylist called on the youth and concerned citizens to heighten vigilance on the expected forms of fraud and other violations in their localities and play an active role in keeping the elections as clean as possible.

“The youth all over the country will remain alert for reports of election violence, fraud and other forms of violations of voter’s rights. If what we are seeing now is any indication of how this election is going to end, we must be ready to take action against those accountable for these nefarious activities,” said Ridon.###

Deviating from the traditional meeting de avance of traditional politicians, youth partylist Kabataan has set up another innovation in Philippine politics – an online event dubbed by youth leaders as the “Tweeting de Avance.”

“Instead of spending millions of pesos to finance a large-scale extravaganza to cap our election campaign trail, we opted to harness social media’s emerging power for Kabataan Partylist’s tour de force. Not only is it economical, but it also highlights the youthful character of our campaign,” said Kabataan Partylist President and first nominee Terry Ridon.

Tweeting de Avance’s concept is pretty simple – a small gathering will be held at Leona Art Restaurant in Teacher’s Village, Diliman, Quezon City at around 5 p.m., which will be attended by various supporters of Kabataan Partylist and online opinion leaders. The event will then be live streamed online. Supporters are also asked to tweet their support for Kabataan Partylist using the unified hashtag #17KABATAAN starting 5 p.m. today.

The partylist also enjoined chapters in various countries such as Canada and the United States to throw their support by joining the Twitter conference.

“Even if we have a limited campaign budget, we believe that we can still create ripples both online and offline if we tap the support of thousands upon thousands of youth and students who use Twitter,” Ridon said.

Tweeting de Avance caps off Kabataan Partylist’s campaign trail for the 2013 midterm elections.

“With the whole youth sector supporting the sole youth representation in Congress, we are confident that we can indeed level up our representation in the 16th Congress by winning not just one, but three seats in Congress,” Ridon ended.###

Three days before the national midterm elections, youth groups led by Kabataan Partylist stormed the national office of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in Intramuros at 4 p.m. today along with election watchdog Kontradaya to denounce the commission’s continued inaction on the issues hounding the automated election system (AES).

“Unlike what Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes wants the public to believe, there is indeed cause for alarm with regard to the upcoming automated polls. Day after day, issues on the AES continue to float – from dysfunctional PCOS machines, to signal jammers, the recent blackout in Luzon, and now, the lack of a transparent independent review despite the turnover of the source code. It is truly difficult not to speculate that COMELEC is up to something sinister,” said Kabataan Partylist President and first nominee Terry Ridon.

COMELEC has continuously placated criticisms against the AES, despite not being able to adequately address issues raised by the election watchdogs, which include:

•           ‘Pirated’ software for PCOS machines

•           Unfixed bugs in PCOS machines

•           Ballot design-CF cards data mismatch

•           The disabling of voter verification system in PCOS machines

•           The lack of digital precautions against election return tampering (e.g. digital signing)

•           Errors in transmission programs

•           The issue of signal jammers or the remote manipulation of election result transmission

•           Lack of clear mechanisms for election protests

“There are only three days before the elections, and the same concerns raised years before have remained unanswered. Not only does COMELEC seem to be pussyfooting on the issues – it is now becoming apparent that massive electoral fraud through the AES is about to happen in favor of the administration ticket,” Ridon said.

The youth leader also denounced COMELEC’s continued harassment of progressive partylists Kabataan and Piston by delaying the decision in the disqualification case lodged against them. Reports from COMELEC insiders reveal that the commission might release a decision any moment before election day.

Kabataan and Piston Partylists, member of the progressive Makabayan bloc, are among the partylists charged by COMELEC for allegedly violating sections of Comelec Resolution No. 9615, specifically on the posting of campaign materials in public places.

Despite showing proof of compliance to election rules, along with photo documentation and eyewitness accounts, COMELEC has still pursued the case against Kabataan and Piston, showing that it is “hell-bent on disqualifying” the said groups, no matter how flimsy the excuse, Ridon said.

“COMELEC’s continued harassment of progressive partylists only show the commission’s manifest intent to manipulate the elections in favor of their overlords in Malacanang. Until now, COMELEC has not yet junked the case even if it does not hold water, in fact and in law. It seems that the commission is holding on to its cards up until the last day of the elections – all just to please its boss in the Palace and continue to harass the progressive bloc,” Ridon added.

“Disqualifying Kabataan is tantamount to robbing the youth – which comprise over a third of the country’s population – their right to be represented in the country’s legislature. However, let it be known by COMELEC and the Aquino regime that the youth is not taunted by the political persecution that has been systematically perpetrated against us and we are ready to defend what little democratic space we have left in this country,” Ridon said.###

Families of stranded OFWs in Jeddah and Riyadh today set up anew a symbolic campout protest in front of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Main Office in Manila to demand free, immediate and mass repatriation of their loved ones. According to Garry Martinez, the families decided to hold another campout protest at the DFA “to [...]

DepEd-COMELEC Memorandum of Agreement on the 2013 elections From the MOA (signed on April 10, 2013): x x x 1. The COMELEC will pay the following: 1.1. For public school teachers who will serve as chairmen or members of the BEI: 1.1.1. THREE THOUSAND PESOS (Php3,000.000) as honorarium for serving as BEI chairmen and members; 1.1.2. FIVE HUNDRED PESOS (Php500.00) – for the final testing and sealing; 1.1.3. FIVE HUNDRED PESOS (Php500.00) – one-time transportation allowance. 1.2. For public school teachers, principals, or supervisors who will serve as Supervisors for ten (10) clustered ...

Press Statement May 8, 2013   The Alliance of Concerned Teachers-Davao Region wishes to express its anger and dismay over the recent pronouncement of the Comelec election officer Atty. Aimee Perolino-Ampoloquio that public school teachers serving as Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) are “forgetful” and “stupid” for having difficulties with the Automated Election System (AES).  This pronouncement is incredibly offensive to our teacher-BEIs and extremely unprofessional coming from a fellow government employee. Even if Atty. Ampoloquio was speaking of her own volition, we have yet to hear any disavowals or apologies from the Comelec ...

There seems to be no end to the suffering of stranded OFWs in Riyadh. On the fifth day of their campout, heavy rains demolished their tents and makeshift shelters inside the PH embassy compound. The heavy rains lasted from 4:00pm to 6:30pm, KSA time.  (Please see attached video and photos) Despite this, however, the OFWs [...]

PRESS RELEASE 8 May 2013 Reference: ACT TEACHERS Party-List Representative Antonio Tinio (09209220817) ACT TEACHERS Party-List strongly condemns the statement of Davao City election officer Aimee Ampoloquio saying that teachers sitting as poll workers with failing PCOS machines during final testing or sealing (FTS) are “forgetful or stupid.” Media sources quoted Apolonio saying “It’s either they [the teachers] are forgetful or they are stupid.” “Her statement is irresponsible and illogical,” said ACT TEACHERS solon Antonio Tinio.  “Errors found in Davao and in other FTS centers nationwide are due to the PCOS machines themselves, not the ...

The midterm elections provide a crucial opportunity for young people to put forward our own agenda – an alternative agenda –  one that builds on the struggles of other sectors of society, from landless farmers, to fresh grads eager for employment, to overseas workers laboring to keep their families back home alive.

At the heart of our campaigns is a call for a government truly representative of the majority of our people, for the benefit of our people. The hope for a decent future for ourselves and our families is a hope we all share.

Thus, in an effort to harness the collective power of the youth, we bring forth the youth sector’s 9-point agenda for 2013 and beyond – challenges that we present not only to candidates in the upcoming polls but also to our fellow youth and our countrymen.

1. QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL – Education is a cornerstone of national development, and is often held up as the last hope for many poor families struggling to break out of the cycle of poverty. Yet, there exists policies that hinder the youth from finishing school, forcing our families to work long hours – and in some instances take lives. Such policies include the deregulated nature of tuition and other fees, dwindling state funding to public education, and anti-student policies such as the “no late payment” and “no permit, no exam” policy.

Proposed solutions of the current administration to the worsening education crisis include adding two years to the basic education curriculum under the K to 12 program, and the so-called “rationalization” of funding for public higher education. However, the youth view these touted solutions as detrimental policies that would further aggravate – rather than solve – the current education crisis.

Thus the youth pushes for genuine solutions to the chronic crisis in education by calling for greater state funding for education, the scrapping of unsound policies that led to unabated hikes and the spiraling cost of education, the eradication of anti-student schemes that add to the burden of students, and the reorientation of the education towards being nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented, rather than serving as a tool to fuel the global need for cheap labor.

2. DECENT JOBS FOR THE YOUTH AND THE PEOPLE – Nearly every administration since the founding of the Republic has been quick to praise itself for stalwart economic management, amid booming growth rates. Yet such growth has mostly been confined to the stock market, tied to OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) remittances or dependent on tourism and real estate investment – and has rarely, if ever, resulted in the creation of real, long-lasting, decent-paying jobs on the ground.  The national economy, geared as it is toward foreign markets and dependent on foreign investments and OFW remittances, has failed to develop thriving local industries.

Nor has growth been inclusive. Profits of major corporations and CEO bonuses have soared while workers’ real wages have stagnated or declined over the decades.

Repressive labor policies from deregulation to contractualization have left workers in vulnerable straits, unable to find decent employment should their contracts expire. According to the Labor Force Survey of the National Statistics Office (NSO), the combined ranks of the jobless and underemployed – some 10 -12 million Filipinos of working age -  today make up 11 per cent   of the country’s total population. The youth comprises half of this figure.

To solve joblessness and the proliferation of harsh labor conditions, the youth calls for an end to contractualization, deregulation, harassment of trade unions, and other regressive labor policies. To create and sustain decent jobs in the country, concrete plans for national industrialization must be set and implemented. The youth is also one with the labor sector in calling for a P125 across-the-board wage increase and an end to the government’s labor export policy, which has left the economy dependent on OFW remittances.

3. A JUST AND HUMANE SOCIETY – Any mention of national development is incomplete without acknowledging the full spectrum of civil, political, social and economic rights that should be guaranteed to all citizens regardless of class, status, religion, ethnicity or political inclination. Yet human rights in the government’s development plans are noted only in passing, and while the administration pays lip service to ‘’inclusive growth,” the facts on the ground speak of a different reality.

Human rights defenders, trade unionists and activists of all stripes have long been assaulted on all fronts for their work.  Human rights watchdog KARAPATAN reports over a thousand cases of human rights violations in the past decade, with 137 extrajudicial killings under Aquino’s presidency alone, alongside other breaches of civil and political rights: 14 enforced disappearances, 72 victims of torture, 343 cases of illegal arrest with or without detention, at least 7,717 families left homeless by  violent demolitions, and 30,260 cases of forced evacuations of low-income or indigenous communities from lands marked for  mining, commercial development or real estate. A total of 430 political prisoners remain unaccounted for, with 148 arrested under the current administration.

The youth stands firm in demanding justice for all victims of human rights violations. We strongly urge authorities to “surface” all desaparecidos, free all political prisoners, and end military abuse both in the cities and the countryside. There is no better barometer of an administration’s commitment to rid itself of a legacy of corruption and impunity than to crack down on the murders of Filipino citizens committed by the military troops sworn to defend them under its watch.

4. IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTHCARE AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES – With millions faced with chronic job insecurity in an economy that has failed to provide real jobs on the ground, the need for a social safety net – one that provides at least basic social services for the majority and subsidies for the poor– is more urgent than ever.

Despite touted economic growth, the disparity in the lives of the rich and the poor has widened. Self-rated poverty has increased from 9.1 million households in 2011 to 11.1 million last  year according to Social Weather Station (SWS) surveys, while the combined wealth of the 40 richest Filipino individuals has more than doubled,  from $ 24.6 billion to $ 47.7 billion – or 21 per cent of national GDP.

Instead of improving social services such as health and housing, solutions offered by most administrations up to the present smack of privatization. Public hospitals and services are treated as government liabilities, and are opened to privatization through the administration’s much-hyped public private partnership (PPP) program. The poorest of the poor, meanwhile, are being shortchanged through the continued implementation of the conditional cash transfer (CCT) scheme, a moribund solution offered to families long mired in poverty.

The youth believes that to improve social services, the government should set its priorities straight. Present and future leaders should throw away the notion that greater spending for social services is an unnecessary liability. Rather, we should take to heart that improving social services through higher funding plays a major role in safeguarding our countrymen’s welfare. Improvements in healthcare delivery, especially for the poorest sectors of society for example, would provide concrete benefits for the youth and the general public. Higher spending for social services is tantamount to the betterment of the Filipino people’s wellbeing.

5. ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION – The Philippines has always been considered the pearl of the orient, known for its verdant mountains and seas that teem with biodiversity. Yet with the intensifying exploitation of our natural resources by foreign companies and their business associates in the country, the treasures of our lands and seas are rapidly deteriorating.

This plunder of our natural resources – brought about by illegal logging, large-scale mining, industrial fishing, poaching and other forms of atrocities – are met with token moves by the current administration. Laws and decrees that should supposedly help preserve the environment – such as the Mining Act of 1995 – has instead fast-tracked and legitimated the destruction of our natural resources.

The youth, as heirs to the county’s veritable natural resources, vehemently oppose the unrestrained plunder of our environment. Environmental protection must go beyond rhetoric, we need strong legislation and enforcement of the law that would not only protect the environment but also put an end to the unabated plunder of our lands and seas.

6. GENDER EQUALITY – Gender discrimination remains an issue with strong socio-economic implications in the country, especially for the youth sector. Feudal gender roles remain vastly unchanged, in cities and the countryside alike. Meanwhile, discrimination against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transsexuals (LGBT) in schools, workplace, and in Philippine society in general still persist, with victims of harassment, bigotry and discrimination having little or no option at all to air their sentiments and grievances. Students with chosen gender roles continue to be persecuted under the largely conservative school system, while LGBT workers are still being harassed or looked down upon by feudal corporate systems and labor policies.

Ending gender discrimination should no longer be an individual struggle, but should be transformed into a collective effort by all. Future leaders and legislators are challenged to pass anti-discrimination legislations that would ensure that the rights and wellbeing of each and every Filipino will be safeguarded, no matter the sexual orientation.

7. GOOD GOVERNANCE – Developments in the country’s economic policies should coincide with reforms in the way the government is administered. Good governance entails not only the fast-tracking of government processes, but should also mean opening greater democratic space for people’s participation in the conduct of the country’s affairs.

All branches of the government should be made transparent and accountable for their acts. Laws should be enacted to empower the common people to serve as vanguards against corruption and ill-doing. Information held by the government should be readily available to every Filipino.

People’s participation should also not end in providing information. Every sector of society – particularly the marginalized and underrepresented – should be given the opportunity to take a direct and active role in every decision-making process of the government.

8. BETTER INTERNET – With the United Nations recognizing access to the Internet as a basic human right, our leaders should also take a clear stand on the development and enactment of laws and guidelines that would ensure that the Internet would not only be seen as the luxury it is now, but rather a social service readily available to the general public.

Efforts should be done to modernize the interconnectivity and telecommunications system in the country, especially in far-flung areas. Policy-makers should also keep in mind that legislation for the Internet should expand – rather than restrict – the relative freedom we enjoy online. Never again should there be an instance wherein a law that endangers our Internet freedom be passed and implemented haphazardly.

9. UPHOLDING NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY – In recent months, the Asia-Pacific has been the center of international dispute wrought by various conflicts involving national territory and international relations. Our sovereignty is being assaulted on all fronts – from disputes in the West Philippine Sea involving sovereign islands encroached by the Chinese, the bloody conflict in Sabah that has led to hundreds of deaths of our Muslim brothers and sisters, up to the US military’s unnecessary and dangerous dragging of Philippine forces to the brewing conflict in the Korean peninsula.

The youth demands from our present and future leaders to fervently fight for our national sovereignty amidst all these brewing conflicts. Let us always be reminded that to be patriotic does not mean surging into a war that we have nothing to do with; patriotism involves serving our own people and not the whims and orders of foreign hegemonic powers.###

Youth Organizations:

• National Union of Students of the Philippines-National
• National Union of Students of the Philippines-NCR
• Katipunan ng mga Sangguninang Mag-aaral sa UP
• Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (UP Diliman)
• Alternative Student Alliance for Progress- Katipunan ng mga Mag-aaral (UP Manila)
• SAKBAYAN (UP Los Banos)
• NKE (UP Cebu)
• SAMASA-PUP
• Alliance of Concerned Students-PUP
• Alliance of Concerned Thomasians
• STAND-DLSAU
• Kabataan Kontra Cybercrime Law
• Anti-Cybercrime Law Alliance UP Diliman
• Tulong Kabataan Volunteer Network
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-National
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-NCR
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Ilocos-La Union
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Cagayan Valley
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Southern Tagalog
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Central Luzon
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Baguio-Benguet
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Bicol
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Samar
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Cebu
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Negros
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Northern Mindanao Region
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Souhern Mindanao Region
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Greater Cotabato
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-Far Western Mindanao Region
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines-CARAGA
• Philippine Youth Media Network
• UP Solidaridad
• Alyansa ng Kabataang Mamahayag- PUP
• The Philippine Collegian (UP Diliman)
• The Manila Collegian (UP Manila)
• UPLB Perspective
• Frontliner (UP Diliman extension program in Pampanga)
• KALasag (UP Diliman College of Arts and Letters)
• Kolektibo (UP Diliman College of Social Work and Community Development)
• The Catalyst (Polytechnic University of the Philippines)
• The Communicator (PUP College of Communication)
• EARIST Technozette
• The LPU Independent Sentinel (Lyceum of the Philippines University)
• NewsCASter (Lyceum of the Philippines University College of Arts and Sciences)
• The New Frontier (National College of Business and Arts)
• The Torch Publications (Philippine Normal University)
• Philwomenian (Philippine Women’s University)
• Outcrop (UP Baguio)
• Himati (UP Mindanao)
• Tug-Ani (UP Cebu)
• The Angelite (Holy Angel University)
• The Pillars (Ateneo de Naga University)
• Atenews (Ateneo de Davao University)
• The Pillar (University of Eastern Philippines)
• The Spark (Southern Luzon State University College of Engineering)