tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54740815983485633862011-11-27T16:36:06.666-08:00Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.comBlogger2631100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-81410187748121913662011-01-25T01:54:00.000-08:002011-01-25T02:02:47.822-08:00

Between stimulus and response, there lies choice.We may find ourselves in different environments. The road may be sometimes easy, and at times, it could be rugged but it would always be beautiful. Depending on how we see things, react to situations and respond to challenges at hand.Choices abound. Everything lies on our responses. The stimulus will always be there.

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-37194280843210501512011-01-25T01:45:00.000-08:002011-01-25T01:53:16.598-08:00

Counting blessings.When impatience starts to dwell in, workplace situations becomes an irritant and relationships with other people become a challenge, it always works to count blessings. As simple as being able to wake up and walk each day to do our tasks, become productive and contribute to the welfare of the community. To share laughters, bask in the warmth and love of our family and close

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People come from different backgrounds-- sometimes there are painful experiences from childhood and challenging environments. There are those who are loved and affirmed as a child and grow up to be gentle and supportive adults. Whatever it is, the more better we are able to try to look at their situation, understanding and empathy comes in. But this is better said than done. Understanding

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"How does one become a butterfly?" she asked. "You must want to fly so much that you are willing to give up being a caterpillar."It is the beauty of growing up and aging gracefully that we learn to let go of mundane things and embrace wholeness. But it is never easy. We get broken and our trust is continually challenged. Today, I commit myself to silence to be able to listen inward to the

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How many times have we caught ourselves complaining?It is as if everything that we do is never enough. There are tasks to do, and insurmountable it may be, we manage to get it done. We not only pull it through, we walk the extra mile to do it great! But how many of us are willing to give ourselves a pat in the back?Consciously living life is not about our to-do list. It is about making time

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Happiness is stumbling on this relatively old blogsite.For years, I was hopping from one site to the other and experimenting with new forms and sites, as well as colors and themes. Sometimes, I get too focused on the network that I am using that the other sites fade and sit on the backside. The universe has its own way of resurrecting it. Few hours ago, I turned to google for free blogsites to

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FEW days left for the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill which may be considered to be a test of national commitment to transparency and accountability. The ability of peoples to meaningfully participate in governance is dependent upon the access to information. Most of us may have experienced difficulty in dealing with government institutions, especially in accessing

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IF there is any consolation in the current debate on the reproductive health bill, it is the space provided for the public to take part in the discourse which has been traditionally held by the religion of men. It is not a matter of faith that they are taking a stance against women's greater control of their reproductive health but the persisting view that women are unworthy to decide for

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EDUCATION is a basic human right and an essential building block for development. Effective governments, supported and held accountable by active citizens, must be at the center of interventions to support education to ensure that everyone have access to quality basic education. It is their political will and level of capacity which will determine if it is able to effectively scale up their

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IT began with a wake-up call. When world leaders met in Dakar at the World Education Forum in April 2000, they could not ignore the poor progress and the dismal state of education in the developing world. More than 100 million children were out of school. Years of structural adjustment and lack of funding had decimated public education systems in many developing countries. Ten years later,

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“I have learned from my parents that spanking is a form of discipline. In our community, if a parent does not spank his or her children, he or she is considered a bad parent, a parent who does not know how to discipline his children.” IN several communities, corporal punishment is still considered to be the way to effectively discipline children. Advocates of corporal punishment argue that it

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WHEN women are stuck in the sex trade as a result of large scale recruitment that promises opportunities for a better life, and mechanisms are lacking to prevent its occurrence, then society has largely put in place the environment for women and children to be abused. Trafficking in children and women remains to be a global problem. It is a situation where a hundred other women are forced

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PEOPLE have to stop convincing themselves and fooling others that elections will provide social security and create the environment where every one gets the chance to an equitable and humane life, because it won’t. Politicians and their cheering squad also have to step back and rethink before they fool themselves into thinking that they are the answer to the country’s woes and that the public

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THE fledgling assertion for the right to information demonstrates the necessity for ordinary people to be architects and initiators of political change in a democratic set up. Yet, one of the biggest problems facing democratic institutions is the dwindling interest and participation of people fuelled by the sense of helplessness face when relating to institutions of governance. While there

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Ella, 20, was just barely 14 years old when a neighbor recruited and offered her family the opportunity to earn more. With the approval of her parents, Ella along with other kids her age went to Manila en route to Japan where she worked as an entertainer.There are other Ellas out there.Nameless faces, all in their youth, girl children who are lured with brighter opportunities, forced by the

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RESPECT and tolerance. In his traditional New Year’s Day Mass, Pope Benedict XVI posed the challenge for the Catholic faithful to “respect others, even when they are different from us.” This presupposes that recognizing and respecting the human rights of other people remains to be the fundamental value in upholding freedoms all over the world. Tolerance is the ability to accept the

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IT is an assault that is carried on in the privacy of the home where violations are widely regarded as a ‘private’ family affair and a normal part of life. The World Health Organization (WHO) identified gender based violence as a major public health and human rights problem. The violence against women are correlated with lack of access to education and opportunity although long term

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ALL for the wrong reasons. The 1987 Constitution allows for the declaration of martial law if there is rebellion or invasion. On December 4, the government issued Proclamation No. 1959 declaring a state of martial law and suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the province of Maguindanao, except for certain areas identified as bailiwicks of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (

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IT is in her DNA to serve the public, and so she had sought a seat in Congress to represent the second district of Pampanga. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who is suffering from the perception of mangling the votes in Mindanao during the 2004 elections, courtesy of the Ampatuan clan in the now (in) famous ‘Hello Garci’ scandal, decided to run as Congress representative. So it is her DNA,

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ON that fateful day, they started their trek to Sharif Aguak. At crossing Salman, along the national highway, the convoy was stopped by a hundred private armies believed to be CVOs and included some officials of the Philippine National Police and the Mayor. The entire convoy was then led to an open pit dug by the provincial engineering equipment. There, members of the media, relatives of the

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BIRTH registration is a basic right of all children, regardless of race or ethnicity. But for indigenous peoples, the right to nationality is hindered by their cultural practices that run in contrary with existing norms of community. Inadequate birth registration mechanism in the IP communities contributes to social exclusion, including inability of indigenous peoples to access their right to

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ON the grounds that it advocates ‘sexual immorality’ and’ immoral doctrines,’ the Commission on Elections (Comelec) rejected Ang Ladlad for party-list accreditation that would have allowed it to join the 2010 elections. Ladlad seeks to represent the marginalized sector of the community who were disadvantaged merely because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. It is an organization

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THE Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was meant to transform society, as it recognizes that children are protagonists of their own development instead of being possessions of their parents and families. It also requires the community to act in the best interest of the child, and acknowledge their right to express their opinion and be taken into account in the governance process. On 20

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CIVILIANS particularly women and children, account for the vast majority of those adversely affected by armed conflict, including as refugees and internally displaced persons, and increasingly as targets by armed groups. Thus, their role in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and in peacebuilding should be enhanced to ensure that their rights and special needs during and after conflicts

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THE people who are in need of HIV education are those who think they are not at risk. Nearly five million people are living with HIV in Asia with 440,000 people dying each year. If the current rate of transmission continues, an additional eight million people will become newly infected by 2020. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome is a set of symptoms and infections resulting from the damage

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THE Reproductive Health Bill promotes information on and access to both natural and modern family planning methods, which are medically safe and legally permissible. It also ensures an enabling environment where women have the freedom of informed choice on the mode of family planning they want to adopt based on their needs, personal convictions and religious beliefs. The bottomline is

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EMERGENCY preparedness is an important responsibility shared by all individuals and communities. The devastation brought by recent typhoons which resulted in tremendous loss of lives and property could have been prevented if there was preparation.Traditionally, preparedness and emergency response is viewed purely as governmental function. This notion is reinforced by official preparedness and

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DESPITE the protection mechanisms that civilians are entitled under the international humanitarian law, female civilians and the children continue to become the deliberate targets of war. Too often, they find themselves in danger simply because they happen to be where the fighting is. On Tuesday this week, the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) formally agreed to uphold the

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THE idea of ASEAN engaging with civil society is not new. As far back as in the 80s, ASEAN officials already thought it apropos to engage with the peoples in this region. But while this idea was floated around for many years, how this was going to be realized and how this mechanism was going to take shape became a regular subject of discussion in the years that followed. At the same time,

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“We are the children of the world. Do you listen to our voices?” The global culture celebrates ‘youth’, but at the same time each day millions of children go hungry or are victims of violence and exploitation. Twenty years after the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, images of children show that these rights are far from being universally realized. In the recent World Congress of

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WOMEN community leaders have already presented to the peace negotiating panel of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front their proposed framework for civilian protection, which they wanted the rebel group to include in the on-and-off peace talks with the government. The framework for civilian protection was the result of the Mindanao wide consultation initiated by the Mindanao Peoples Caucus with

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IS consultation and participation enough to take into account indigenous peoples in local governance? The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) law provides for free, prior and informed consent (FPIC) to projects by indigenous peoples. It is rooted in the international human rights law and international agreements on sustainable development. The rights of peoples as individuals and

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ENVIRONMENTAL degradation continues to pose formidable challenges to poverty reduction. As government and private groups endeavor to respond to the impact of disasters, it is the poor who suffer the highest number of casualties and who have the least capacity to recover. The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) estimates 629,466 affected families with 3,084,997 individuals as of

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AN estimated 2.9 million Filipinos are out of work. The recent data released by the National Statistics Office showed a sharp increase of unemployment of 7.6 percent as of July 2009—indicative of the state of economy. The education sector has been continuously producing a number of graduates of various disciplines. In the professional category alone, there is actually an increasing trend of

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ADOLESCENTS are a large and growing segment of our population.. It is the stage where young people are confronted with issues on sexuality and other health consequences that can alter their lives and the future of their communities. Studies shows that most of the adolescents are in an increased risk of sexually transmitted infection and unintended pregnancy that puts them at risk. This is

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IF health indicators are to be the basis of our level of development, then the country has a lot of catching up to do. Philippines is one of 42 countries that account for 90% of global deaths among children under five. The prevalence of communicable disease is high and remains to be the leading cause of morbidity. The latest National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) shows that only 16.1%

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SLOWFOOT in terms of implementation of Republic Act 9262 or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) Act. Passed in 2004, the law was meant to help boost protection for females. It is also a recognition that violence against women and children is a public crime. But the recent beating of Rachel Tiongson, former live-in partner of Deputy National Security Adviser Luis Chavit

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FILMS articulate social content. The language of film does not find its exact analogue in social events, nor does film discourse exist as a parallel mirror to actual events but rather, takes in the raw material of social history, discourses and processes them into products which are in themselves a social discourse. Within this framework, filmmaking remains to be a vehicle for building the

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THE five year extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a fulfillment of her promise to make land reform as her legacy to improve the lives of Filipino farmers. The new law states that all public and private agricultural lands for land acquisition and distribution, except landholdings with an area of five hectares

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WOMEN are natural peacekeepers and peacemakers. In traditional societies, the role of women is celebrated as healer, priestess, peace negotiator and community leader. But colonization and a western form of governance however destroyed these practices. Today, women have perilously little protection or access to services, justice and economic security. Delivery to meet basic needs and safeguard

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CORPORAL punishment remains a widely used discipline technique, with the general consensus that it is effective in getting children to comply immediately. It turns out that physical punishment is a serious public health problem and profoundly affects the mental health of children. Over 60% of families have been found to still use physical punishment to discipline children, yet research shows

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THE right of self-determination of peoples is a fundamental principle in the international law and recognized in other international and regional human rights instruments. It is embodied in the Charter of the United Nations and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Common Article 1, paragraph 1 of these

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SUSTAINABLE utilization of resources. The Bangsamoro Civil Society has demanded for the cancellation of existing mining permits granted to all corporations and other destructive development projects in Mindanao, including a moratorium on mining until a national policy has been formulated in consultation with the Moro people on the utilization of resources. Mining liberalization is being

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BEYOND posturing, does the international community really care about democracy in Burma? Burma opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace laureate, was sentenced to 18 months of house detention for violating an internal security law after an uninvited American visited her house where she was already under detention. Fourteen Nobel peace laureates sent an open letter to the UN Security

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THE five year extension of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a fulfillment of her promise to make land reform as her legacy to improve the lives of Filipino farmers. The new law states that all public and private agricultural lands for land acquisition and distribution, except landholdings with an area of five hectares

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-54020510782057964832009-12-26T00:30:00.000-08:002010-01-02T20:16:04.861-08:00

“They fell like chickens in the wild.” ON January 22, 1987 farmers demanding for genuine agrarian reform were strafed in the now infamous Mendiola Massacre. The farmers were counting on the promise during the dialogue with then Agrarian Reform minister Heherson Alvarez to bring the matter to the attention of the President during their cabinet meeting. Nothing happened with the

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THERE are sharp disparities in incomes, education and health and high incidence of hunger in the country. The Philippine Progress Report on the Millennium Development Goals shows that poverty is a major cause of food inadequacy particularly in the rural areas. The average food and nutrient intake of Filipinos is generally inadequate, indicating high level of malnutrition which continues to

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IT is the hope that the situation would normalize in their communities to enable them to return home, live a normal life, be able to return to school and pursue their daily activities without fear. In the recent State of the Bakwit Address (SOBA), children expressed their desire to continue their studies, live a peaceful life and be able to play with their fellow children. These dreams are

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Classrooms with teachers. Proper health facilities. Clean and potable water. Essential services transform people’s lives. Education enables them to take control of their own lives and participate actively in shaping their own communities. Access to quality health services and affordable life saving technologies and medicine enables them to become more productive. Availability of a clean

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The Responsibility to Protect is premised on the basic principle that states have the primary responsibility to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. In the event that the state is unable or unwilling to do so, the responsibility to protect falls upon the shoulders of the international community. On 23rd July, the United Nations

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There are victims of war. For every pursuit operations fielded against two or three persons, there are thousands of families displaced, lives lost and properties destroyed. There are children who are robbed of their right to live humanely and to develop their full potential as members of the community. In every war, it is the children who suffers the most. Their innocence is lost in an

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-29879590900213915352009-12-26T00:14:00.000-08:002010-01-02T20:22:17.444-08:00

WHAT other options could be taken to enable the more than 600,000 internally displaced persons in Mindanao resume normalcy in their lives? Government forces are bent to continue with their punitive actions against three MILF commanders allegedly behind the attacks of communities at the height of the non signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain. Maguindanao hosts the most

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-41481861795970150632009-06-28T19:11:00.000-07:002010-01-02T20:23:38.847-08:00

THE so-called primacy of public protection and right to clean and potable water is undermined with the controversial hydropower plant set to be implemented by Hedcor-Aboitiz in Brgy. Tamugan, Marilog District, which is a critical water resource area. It is a looming threat to the city’s future water supply. The National Water Resource Board has identified Davao City as one of the critical areas

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THE protection of internally displaced persons is basically about promoting respect of the rights of a group of civilians, mostly women and children who have lost their homes, been separated from their families and placed in a very vulnerable situation. Ten months since the snag in the formal signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain and ten months, since the government

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SCHOOLS are significant personal and social environment in the lives of its students. Efforts to put in place a child friendly school system ensures an environment that is physically safe, emotionally secure and psychologically enabling for every child. But this is not always the case. In fact, this is a tall order especially for the Department of Education which is saddled by resource

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CLIMATE change could severely affect rice production in the country with a decline of as much as 75 percent if safeguards are not put in place, according to a study made by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The fall in rice production in the Philippines is the highest in the four countries—RP, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam—covered by the study. Indonesia will have the lowest decline at 35

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FREEDOM of expression, and of the press becomes under threat when government starts to compel media to strengthen its self regulatory arm. What media ought to publish or air should not be legislated. Choosing what stories to be aired or published is the look out of the media institution where it is in the hands of the editors to ensure balance and clarity in news stories, and guard against

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PEOPLE generate wastes but they can also be the source of solution to the problem. The ecological approach in solid waste management involves not only technical but social solution to the challenge of managing solid wastes. This is due mainly to the fact that at the heart of the solid waste management program is the need for deliberate information and education among communities that will

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EVERY child has the right to the most basic of necessities in life—a healthy environment, access to quality health and education and the protection of the family. Yet, poverty hinders the child to claim their right to live humanely and forces them into labor in farming fields, mining, agricultural industries or peddling in the streets. It is estimated that 40 percent of all children aged

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Silence could be deafening,I realized.Especially when one is far fromhome and in a strange place.An unfamiliar language does notdo much in warming the heart. It alienates. It stifles.It is different. When one is farfrom home and in a strange place.Away from her caress,and the soft nudge that spells sleep.Silence could be deafening.When no words are spoken. When hearts do not beat as one.As space

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-34822688837206981852009-06-14T05:39:00.000-07:002010-01-02T20:33:22.181-08:00

Riezel is on her own now.At least for the semester when she starts with a new phase in her life as a college freshmen. Next classmates, new acquaintance, new friends and a new place to stay. She also gets to manage her own schedules, learn how to make most of her time and more importantly, look after herself.She has grown up independently. Not much fuss compared to other children who are used

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THIS is a country where impunity made it possible for the powerful to tilt favors on their side and do as they want—grab lands, stay in power and play as little tin gods in the lives of other people. On June 5, Renato Penas, the national vice president of Pambansang Kilusan ng mga Samahang Magsasaka (Pakisama) was shot dead in San Vicente Sumilao, Bukidnon. He has consistently lead hundred

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HOW does one effectively engage young adolescents in the reproductive health program? In Davao City, conscientious partnership with young people has enabled them to become active partners in the health education program. It is an approach which veers away from the usual and into a more creative and inclusive approach. Adolescents are a large and growing segment of our population. Almost half

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-71191258987556913902009-06-14T05:30:00.001-07:002009-06-14T05:30:28.155-07:00

Peace is every child’s right. But in Maguindanao, one of the provinces under the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) children continue to be caught up in a conflict not merely as bystanders but targets of war. Most are exposed to the multiple deprivations of armed conflict that expose them to hunger and disease while other fall victim to a general onslaught against civilians.

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-77601921546598153842009-06-14T05:28:00.000-07:002009-06-14T05:29:45.256-07:00

WHEN power corrupts. In a majority caucus on Tuesday, the House of Representatives approve the controversial proposal for the convening of a constituent assembly (con-ass) even without the participation of the Senate. The move to amend the constitution was in a bid to "allow the acquisition by foreign corporations and associations, and the transfer or conveyance thereto of alienable public

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WHAT difference will the extension of the 21-year-old Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program for another five years make? The CARP, which was supposed to expire on December 2008 was extended until June this year through a joint congressional resolution but an Agrarian Reform Bill approved by the Senate extended it for another five years. CARP was criticised by farmers for its exemptions

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THERE is an apparent lack of public investment in disaster prevention. Environmental disasters continue to hit the Davao region. Few weeks ago, a major landslide hit a small scale mining site in Pantukan, Davao del Norte, killing a total of 26 people and causing damage to the residents in the area. In 2008, a major landslide hit a small-scale mining site in the town of Masara, Maco

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In the mid-afternoon drizzle, Rahiah Endeg, 16, held two of her sisters as they wait for their Ina from the health center where their younger brother was brought for medication. Her brother, Faizal, only six months old, is suffering from intense fever. It had weeks after they had been forced to move out from their home in Datu Piang, Maguindanao due to indiscriminate air and artillery strikes

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-68774904327390724972009-06-14T05:23:00.000-07:002009-06-14T05:25:10.810-07:00

THE first and most comprehensive Renewable Energy Law in Southeast Asia, Republic Act. 9513 is expected to accelerate the exploration and development of bio-mass, solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, ocean or tidal current energy and hybrid systems, as well as increase the utilization of RE to prevent or reduce harmful emissions and, establish the infrastructur and mechanism for RE development. It

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-4574496138957092712009-05-21T23:02:00.001-07:002010-01-02T20:25:50.700-08:00

TRAFFIC and severely damaged roads aptly describe the status of the major road networks in Davao City nowadays. Road improvement projects are undertaken simultaneously, without much regard to public mobility and safety. The projects, almost done entirely in the urban centers of Davao City hamper mobility as commuters have to put up with a constricted space which is largely taken over by

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-31891362749930961022009-05-21T22:55:00.000-07:002009-05-21T23:00:57.951-07:00

HE is a boxing legend whose life and victories inspire the Filipinos to have resiliency and dedication to triumph against all odds. He is also recognized for uniting a divided nation, who watched him fight inside the ring. Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao was named as the country’s Ambassador for Peace and Understanding in an elaborate ceremony at Malacanang. He was also tapped to lend

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-9416649458480428212009-05-21T22:50:00.000-07:002009-05-21T22:55:04.803-07:00

INTERNALLY displaced persons in Mindanao continue to face many threats to their physical security and integrity, while facing barriers to their enjoyment of the basic necessities of life, education, property, livelihoods and other rights. With no access to their lands, they have been forced to engage in irregular, low-paid jobs to survive. Displaced children, many of whom have had their

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-32824190959042130712009-05-21T22:48:00.000-07:002009-05-21T22:49:55.845-07:00

TRAFFICKING in children and women remains to be a global problem. In Ivory Coast, Malaysia women are stuck in the sex trade as a result of large scale recruitment that promises opportunities for a better life. Three Filipino women escaped from a white slavery operation in Ivory Coast and said there could be over a hundred other Filipino women forced to work as prostitutes in Ivory Coast, and

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IT is considered to be another major pandemic. According to the World Health Organizations, 23 countries have already been found to have a total of 1,893 cases of influenza A (H1N1) infection. On top is Mexico with 942 reported laboratory confirmed human cases with 29 deaths. The United States is next with 642 reported laboratory confirmed human cases with two deaths. Other countries with

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NO one could dispute the record high joblessness and widespread lay-off of workers. From 2001 up to the first quarter of 2009, the average real employment rate is only 11 percent, the worst in the country’s history and predicted to get even worse due to the crisis. The Philippine exports industry is more vulnerable due to its dependence on the US markets. Job losses seem most severe in this

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THIS is not the first time that the City Council had been embroiled in a controversy over pay-offs and bribes in exchange of approving the application of landowners and developers for approval of locational clearance for housing or business projects. In 1992, the San Miguel Brewery pulled out from its proposed investment in the city and relocated to Darong, Sta. Cruz in Davao del Sur after

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THE matter on constitutional change calls for revisions to Sections 2 and 3, Article 12 of the Constitution "to allow the acquisition by foreign corporations and associations and the transfer or conveyance thereto of alienable public and private lands." Under the law, the proposal to amend the constitution can only be done through a people's initiative, a constitutional convention and a

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-71328372534040613582009-05-21T22:36:00.001-07:002009-05-21T22:36:51.852-07:00

THE community has spoken. During the Earth Day celebration, environmental movers in the city hold their mass action against environmental threats. Farmers, young people, women and other sectors in the city spoke of their dreams to maintain the state of the city's environment as well as warned on threats. For Dabawenyos, environmentalism does not end with Al Gore's inconvenient truth nor stop

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THE country’s important dates have become adjustable.Consistent with the President's advocacy of holiday economics to boost domestic tourism and to allow Filipinos to have more time with their families, there are ten long holiday vacation opportunities in 2009.According to some observations, the country’s resorts report an increase in patronage during long weekends. It was also reported that

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WHAT is behind the sudden investigation of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on the alleged summary killings of suspected criminals and drugs pushers in Davao City. What stops them from pursuing the same move especially on the alleged state sponsored killings and aggressions in other areas of Mindanao and the whole country.In spite of massive protest locally and internationally, no

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-69809724281042460792009-04-02T02:08:00.000-07:002009-04-02T02:25:03.422-07:00

I am committed to working with young people, learning from them, trusting that they too can make significant changes in their own lives and in their own communities. If only decisions and programmes are centered on its impact on the young people, then things would be less complicated, and resources would be better allocated to things that are really needed on the ground.I look back few years ago

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-29987987135314948792009-04-02T00:56:00.000-07:002009-04-02T01:19:25.442-07:00

Last Sunday, I left home for a conference on gender and economic leadership. The exchanges are thought provoking, and presents a new way of seeing things. It was also an opportune time to meet new people from different background and nationalities, as well as listen to their perspective and learn from their experiences.The venue was Butuan City, a simple and historical city in Mindanao. It is six

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There is beauty in decluttering.It allows me to refocus and direct my attention to things that matter most. It also enables me to work efficiently and saves up time for more important matters because in the bigger realm of things, what we do regularly is just so small, and does not matter more than the time we make available for the people that we love.Don't get me wrong. Money is important to be

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WOMEN constitute half of the world's population, yet a visible number of them unable to improve their own living conditions, much less participate in the value chain market. The recent Poor Women’s Economic Leadership (PWEL)- Agriculture Scale Up Exchange Visit in Butuan City highlighted the experiences among different countries on enabling women to participate and strengthened their leadership

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WHAT press freedom?There is the right to information and the journalists’ right and responsibility to cover a public event. But in many instances, there seems to be a policy of persecution against journalists. This is followed by indifference to the subtle threats to press freedom.Some of our law enforcers may be practicing persecution by mere association. At least, the public now knows that it

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VOTE Earth.Last Saturday, Davao City joined the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote for Earth or leaving them on as a vote for global warming. For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background joined the Earth hour and endeavored to reach the target of one billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change

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NOWHERE to go. No jobs to find. For many of the graduates, the joy of getting to march on stage and receive the hard earned diploma may be short lived as they come to the reality of finding jobs in the market. The mismatch between the graduates being produced by the country’s colleges and universities and the jobs available continue, resulting to high unemployment and underemployment rates.

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DECADES ago, it was widely assumed that there were enough freshwater supplies for everyone. Water was then regarded as an infinite resource and a public natural resource, available to all on the basis of need and essential for one’s survival.Yet today, increased withdrawal of freshwater for industrial, agricultural and domestic use has created acute water shortages. Increased pumping has caused

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TIRED of the case and do not want to be bothered by it anymore because there is no justice in the Philippines. With that note, Subic rape victim "Nicole" and her family left the country and recanted her earlier statements that Lance Corporal Daniel Smith, who was convicted in 2007, raped her.On March 12, Nicole submitted her sworn statement to the Court of Appeals, admitting that she was so

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-59260061497989529932009-03-17T08:12:00.000-07:002009-04-02T00:05:52.236-07:00

CHILD pornography is a large and growing international industry of sex tourism from which criminals make enormous profits by abusing, exploiting and harming the young. The global tourism industry is booming. As eager tourists travel to distant lands to enjoy new landscapes and cultures, economically developing countries have welcomed the expansion of the international tourism industry as a

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POVERTY and lack of economic opportunities make women and children potential victims of human trafficking. But it is the inability to unravel the trade and get through the maze of business interest, including the lack of a cohesive network to protect women and children from traffickers which makes it a lucrative.The Mindanao Migrants Center for Empowering Actions pointed to possible human

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“All I wanted to do was die. I want the pain to go away but I find it hard to make the memories go away,” – rape survivor, 20, Burundi. THE health situation in Burundi remains precarious, particularly in the area of women’s health. . Sexual violence is extensive and affects the lives of women, men and children in the area. There is a lack of health care services and even if there are few

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IT remains to be seen if the reopening of the Aquino-Galman double murder case would finally set straight the facts behind the assassination of former Sen. Ninoy Aquino and put the real perpetrators to justice. The recent release from prison of the 10 soldiers allegedly involved in the killing sparked the call for a reinvestigation of the cases as the convicts said that they were innocent of the

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-73154469172044852102009-03-08T16:55:00.000-07:002009-03-08T16:56:45.871-07:00

International Women's Day is the story of ordinary women as makers of history. It is rooted in the centuries-old struggle of women to participate in society on an equal footing with men. International Women's Day (8 March) is an occasion marked by women's groups around the world when all women on all continents, often divided by national boundaries and by ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-49209858185299103432009-03-08T16:53:00.000-07:002009-03-08T16:54:34.494-07:00

FREEDOM of expression and freedom of the press is a basic human right, a fundamental process to preserve the democratic rights of the public. The problems in terms of self regulation, media ethics and responsibility among practitioners are best left to media organizations alone, and not to government. When government starts to come in to compel media to strengthen its self regulatory arm, then

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-83300466037369860942009-03-01T18:28:00.001-08:002009-03-01T18:28:53.323-08:00

FINANCIAL analysts worldwide predicts that the current global financial crisis would last the next two to three years, longer than the 1997 Asian financial crisis, and could reverse the pace of poverty reduction. In 1997, countries coped with the Asian Crisis with strong export demands and with devalued currencies. For many Asian countries, exports to the US, Europe and Japan provided a way

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-56557697598935419562009-03-01T18:25:00.001-08:002009-03-01T18:27:04.728-08:00

The watershed areas are identified as vital ground recharge zones for the aquifer where the City gets its supply for drinking water. In this premise, the Davao City Watershed Code was passed to “protect watershed areas and other aquifer including surface water resources like rivers and creeks and other sources of water that are vital to public health and welfare and economic development.”

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-30105126464123818472009-03-01T18:23:00.001-08:002009-03-01T18:24:41.861-08:00

THE question on when would the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO) be able to fast-track the benefits recently approved by the US government for World War II veterans, remains a question. The US stimulus law provides for the $198-million veterans fund. The tax free lump sum benefits from the fun will be granted to about 16,000 World War II veterans, in addition to the $8 million

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-6565222924028046682009-02-23T18:06:00.000-08:002009-02-23T18:08:37.081-08:00

IN times of hardships, and especially among low-income and poor families, women are often obliged to provide a safety net through informal paid work and unpaid work. But in a cycle of falling production and rising joblessness and poverty, it is this sector that could become the hardest hit. Among other countries in Asia, Philippines has a large share of workers in vulnerable employment with an

Slice of Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11875159159751498954noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474081598348563386.post-87775397082745125422009-02-23T18:03:00.000-08:002009-02-23T18:06:04.209-08:00

MINING liberalization is being promoted as a national framework to increase economic growth and expand public revenue base needed to achieve sustainable development and reduce poverty. In Mindanao and elsewhere, communities play host to several high profile environmental disasters due to mining and logging operations which resulted to loss of lives and damage to its environment. Mining projects

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