Yes, Visayans should unite and boycott the movie “Sakal, Sakali, Saklolo” for conveying wrong message to our fellow Filipinos. Senator Nene Pimentel has already issued an statement saying that “such conversation smacks of an ethnic slur to non-Tagalog speaking Filipinos as he called on the producer of the film Star Cinema, to promptly take steps to rectify the error.”

Ano ba kayong mga Tanga-Manila, ano ba tingin nyo sa amin? Are we second class citizens?

Pimentel specifically cited a portion of the film in which a grandmother was telling a nanny (yaya) in Tagalog: “Bakit pinapalaki ninyong Bisaya ang apo ko?” (Why are you rearing my grandchild as a Bisaya?)

The mother butted in by telling the yaya: “Speak to the kid in Tagalog. Parang Pinoy. (So that he grows up like a Pinoy).”

He said such conversation smacks of an ethnic slur to non-Tagalog speaking Filipinos as he called on the producer of the film Star Cinema, to promptly take steps to rectify the error. Continue Reading »

For over two weeks now, residents from the hinterlands of Lianga town in Surigao del Sur have yet to return home. There are at least 2,000 villagers have sought refuge in town San Agustin and Lianga town propers.

Take note, around 2,000 were displaced. It’s a big number. But I’m wondering that it’s not a big deal. Unlike if it’d happen in Central Mindanao, that number really matters. Media would surely flock. But maybe, some media institutions are ignoring Surigao del Sur because the government forces have not engaged into major gunbattle with the New Peoples Army guerillas. There’s not much happening. There’s no blood. Continue Reading »

I salute the determination of the farmers from Sumilao, Bukidnon for enduring the harsh weather conditions as they marched from Bukidnon to Manila since September. On December 3, they arrived in Muntinlupa City for the final leg of their 1, 700-kilometer “Walk for Justice.” Friends from the Alternative Law Groups informed me a day before that the farmers are arriving. Continue Reading »

On October 10, at least 50 farmers from Sumilao, Bukidnon started their walk from Sumilao to Manila — a walk for land and justice. You could just imagine these farmers’ determination to walk from Mindanao to Metro Manila? It’s a tough journey considering the harsh weather conditions that they would (and have) encounter (ed) along the way.

Veteran photojournalist Jimmy Domingo was able to capture the farmers’ journey while they were still negotiating the highway in Samar and Leyte islands. I’d like you see these heartbreaking images — the farmers are really determined to reach Metro Manila and press justice…hoping to cultivate their own lands and say: “This is our land, our life.”

It only shows the failure of this government to address not just the land issue in Sumilao but as well as in many other parts of the country. Also, the government has failed to protect the rights of the farmers against the greedy landlords. Does the government really have to wait for the landless farmers to troop to Imperial Manila before they would give what’s really right for them?

Related links:

Running update

A Position Paper on the Sumilao Farmers’ Struggle for Access to their Land

For over two months now, I’ve never seen a big Lapu-lapu fish as big as what I’ve seen on August this year. I’m still amazed. T’was my first time to see a Lapu-lapu that big. I’ve seen this kind of fish over a hundred times in the market but I’ve never seen that big. I’ve been trying to get up early so that I’d be able to revisit the Agdao public market to see if there are big Lapu-lapus.

It’s one of the most expensive fishes in the market. And even on the restaurants, it’s one of the most sold recipes.  At the malls’ wet market in Davao City, Lapu-lapu is sold at least P200 a kilo ( ifI’m not wrong). While in one of the coastal barangays in Mati, it’s just around P100-P120 a kilo. See the difference?

I had the chance to shoot at the Davao Catholic Cemetery since last weekend up to the All Souls Day — November 2. And it was my first time to shoot the cemetery and it was my first to roam around the cemetery since I moved here in Davao.

What really caught attention was the high wall that divides the public and private cemeteries –the San Pedro Memorial Park. My former colleague, the late Gene Boyd Lumawag, dubbed it as “The Great Divide.” When I was at middle of the tombs at the Davao Catholic Cemetery(also known as Wireless Cemetery) , I tried to look for the highest spot where I could take an overview shot that would show both graveyards. Continue Reading »

So, former President Joseph Estrada is a free man now.

The quick decision of President Arroyo to pardon the former President raised so many eyebrows not just in the political arena. Even former President Fidel Ramos said that  it  could also lead to the downfall of GMA.

It was really an unpopular decision of GMA, as Senate pries into her role in ZTE deal. The pardon came out amidst of the political turmoil that the current administration is facing. Observers say that the decision could soften the mounting opposition and charges of corruption agaist her administration.

Erap could be GMA’s saving grace at this time. Well,  let’s see.  It’s a matter of political survival for GMA.