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The teachers are demanding for an upgrade of the salary grade level of Teacher 1 to salary grade 15, for instructor 1 of state universities and colleges to salary grade 16, and an additional P6, 000 ($139) to the minimum pay of employees.

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MANILA — Topping this list is not an achievement for any country.

The Citizens’ Disaster Response Center (CDRC) has recently released its 2011 Disaster Report saying that the Philippines topped the list of countries most frequently hit by natural disasters last year. Citing the records of the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), Carlos Padolina, CDRC deputy executive director, said that of the 302 natural disasters that happened worldwide, 33 occurred in the Philippines.

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Rarely does one see Pres. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to be so unequivocal and firm about policy issues. But recently, he did exhibit political will and decisiveness. Unfortunately for the working people, he demonstrated his resolve in rejecting two important issues confronting the Filipino worker: the call for a P125 increase in the daily minimum wage nationwide, and a proposed law prohibiting contractualization of labor. For this, he was branded as “anti-worker” by progressive labor groups.

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Mostrales is a volunteer nurse in Samahang Operasyong Sagip (SOS), an organization of health workers that responds to disasters. He is also working as volunteer community health worker and a member of the Health Alliance for Democracy (Head).

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Among the reasons could have been UP’s being a secular institution rather than a religious one, and the claim, made through the media by adherents of “godly” education, alleging the infestation of the philosophy department of its then College of Liberal Arts with atheists, who were also accused of being communists.

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The Catholic school based in Cebu filed criminal charges against the parents of 3 of its high school students barred from their graduation ceremonies over photos of them in bikinis.

Sun.Star Cebu reported Wednesday, April 2 that the STC filed the case to “affirm their parental responsibility” in helping the school develop the students.

“The school and the parents have the same goal — that of forming the child to become a whole, mature, happy and fulfilled individual who will live responsibly in society to which she belongs and is called to serve,” Sun.Star quoted a statement from the school, released by lawyers Bernadito Florido and Joan Largo.

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Maria Theresa Panaligan played the role of Belle in Beauty and the Beast with Stefan Farrer as the prince, at Our Lady of Grace in Scarborough, Ontario.

TORONTO–Maria Theresa Panaligan played Belle in Beauty and the Beast, a school production participated in by a multicultural cast of grade school students. This year’s musical presentation of Our Lady of Grace, was held on April 25 and 26, 2012 in the school’s auditorium.

Panaligan, a 14-year old grade 8 student, who started singing since age 5, has performed in numerous concerts and won several singing contests, both Filipino and Canadian. She won the GMA Star Search with German Moreno in 2008; she was chosen to sing the national anthems of U.S. and Canada during the NBA Miami Heats vs Toronto Raptors last Nov. 2009 at the Air Canada Centre; and she performed in concerts of Filipino professional singers such as Pilita Corrales, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Sharon Cuneta, Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez.

BELLE and the Beast in a dramatic scene

Beauty and the Beast, the well-loved tale of a kind-hearted village girl and a prince turned to a beast by an evil spell — was presented with music and lyrics, costumes, and sets and theatre decorations creatively faithful to the original Disney Theatrical Productions.

The highly spirited performance of the actors, from Belle, the Beast – played by Stefan Farrer – and the display of talent and artistry rest of the cast – from the supporting actors, the villagers, and castle servants, as well as the musical rendition of the choir, were well received by the audience.

School faculty ably staged the production with their in-house talents who assumed the role of producer (D. Culotta), directors (R. Madeiros, director; Madam B. Quinn assistant director), stage managers, audio and choir, make-up costumes sets props and theatre decorations, program and ticket sales.

Maria Theresa Panaligan with mother Genelie Panaligan (left); and sisters Nadeene, Aubrey, Ampee and friend Allan.

Three Silly Girls: (from left) Patricia Feltman, Serena de Vera and Christine Mabbayad

Beauty and the Beast shcool play director at Our Lady of Grace, R. Medeiros (center) and producer D. Culotta (right) with the cast.

PHOTOS: HG

By Beatrice S. Paez

Ribo's 'Liberation'

TORONTO–Twitter has been abuzz with an avalanche of tweets tied to Sheridan College’s illustration grad show, also known as #illustrationism in Twitterspeak.

Among the graduates are young Filipino artists, Allen Ribo and Joanna Sevilla, who belong to a new crop of illustrators seeking to make their mark with the help of social media.

Illustrationism was designed to exhibit the works of the new graduates beyond the confines of a gallery space. It stretches the conversation further by inviting illustrators and their cheerleaders to tweet their favourite illustrations under the hashtag #illustrationism.

ALLEN RIBO

Ribo himself tweeted one of his signature pieces, which he says was inspired by an article he read about the conflict in Syria. His “Liberation” piece sought to capture the Syrian people’s struggle to pursue a better future.

Using social media is no doubt part of a young illustrator’s toolkit.

With a portfolio boasting a variety of styles and subject matter, Ribo relates his work to the act of conversing on different issues. They are more a reflection of his diverse interests, rather than an expression of a certain identity, he explains.

Bound together, his works are playful and thought provoking, and display his thirst to communicate a range of narratives. His favourite, “Old Congress” is a statement on the state of government, while “Imperfect” celebrates adversity.

Raised in Mississauga, Ont., Ribo found his footing as an illustrator at 20, when he enrolled in Sheridan’s illustration program. Breaking into the program wasn’t an easy feat, but the third time was a charm. “When I started this I was basically told that I was passionate but I couldn’t make it,” he told The Philippine Reporter. “There were a lot of times when I thought, ‘What am I doing this for?’”

There were a few people who could have dashed his dream but there were many others — fellow illustrators and his family, who rooted for him. While traces of his roots as a Filipino do not seep through his work, he credits it for giving him the drive and work ethic that got him to where he is today.

“You just wake up, you work hard and are invested in everything you do,” he related. “When you’re doing something you love, you have nothing to complain about. The worst problem is looking for the work. Everything else will work out.”

JOANNA SEVILLA

Sevilla, a fellow graduate and a full-time doodler since she was a child, has also turned her hobby into a career pursuit. Her whimsical and spirited narratives could have easily been mined from a child’s imagination.
Colourful, detailed and full of texture, her illustrations seek the company of a text written for children, which is the direction Sevilla is headed for.

“I like how children’s stories can affect kids, you grow up with it and it stays with you [even] when you’re older,” said Sevilla. Growing up, she couldn’t shelve her favourites — Amelia Bedelia, Madeline and Winnie the Pooh. “The pictures can influence you in such a way that it helps your imagination grow.”

Having the talent and passion is one thing but Sevilla said her learning experience at Sheridan taught her that in illustration, spinning your work into stories that connect and resonate with people is key.

Outside of the classroom, Sevilla has also taken the time to explore her heritage. A design internship at the Kapisanan Philippine Centre, a youth-led and community-based organisation exposed her to the works of other young Filipino artists.

Sevilla's 'God People'

She hopes to help make the art of young Filipinos more accessible to other youth, “[I learned] how you can you take your voice, which can be small, and reach out to other people.”

Like her work, which combines digital and traditional media and ventures into abstract territory, she says Filipinos are also a composite of many cultural influences. “I learned we’re kind of a mish-mash of everything. I want my art to be a little bit of everything.”

Though she’s all grown up and ready to embark on the next leg of her career, her piece “Growing Up” takes a more nuanced view on the exit from childhood. Taking cues from a passage by French-Cuban author, Anaïs Nin, “Growing Up” expresses the push and pull of getting older, but not necessarily wiser.

She quotes Anaïs Nin, “We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present.”

Ribo is also bracing himself for the challenges ahead, but he looks forward to the day when he can bridge both his passions — working on his own graphic novel and landing a spot for his illustrations in the New Yorker.

Ribo's 'Old Congress'

Sevilla's 'Grown Up'

Bob McElhinney
Retired Minister, United Church of Canada

Rev. Bob McElhinney, pastor at the Downsview United Church, and wife Dorothy - in solidarity with the Cordillera people in the fight against destructive large-scale mining in the Cordillera.

As I prepared to return to Canada on April 17, I felt very grateful for the opportunity to be exposed to the beautiful Cordillera and its indigenous people. My wife Dorothy and I were part of the Beaconsfield Initiative, a United Church of Canada-sponsored group investigating the impact of large-scale mining on Indigenous People and on the environment (Jan.2-12).* I sought an opportunity for further exposure, and Dorothy flew home later in February. This I was able to arrange with the support of the Regional Ecumenical Council of the Cordilleras (RECCORD), the Cordillera Peoples‘ Alliance (CPA), and United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP) pastors in Abra. The latter accompanied me, and thoroughly enjoyed initiating me into the many traditions and routines of barangay life.

My purpose here is to share some of my observations on community life in barangays, particularly from time spent in Sallapadan, Abra; Besao, Kalinga; and Ucab, Benguet. Further I wish to relate these observations to the impact of large-scale mining claims and operations.

Life in these Barangays, as I observed

While these communities strive to be self-sustaining, they are economically poor. Sallapadan and Besao rely on rice farming and their local animals (which live among them and roam freely). Both have just one planting of rice per year. This can result in shortage, and other means of employment are required. Some young men in Sallapadan travel good distances to work in small scale mining. Those in Besao sometimes get highway construction jobs at 200 pesos per day out of which they pay for their food and travel. Ucab is different, reliant on traditional small-scale mining, which is an extended family operation. It is also within commuting distance of Baguio, allowing some residents to work there, if they can find employment. People live without a social safety net like we have in Canada. Nor do they have government pension benefits, although some seniors can access a small amount from the national government.

Indigenous people have ancestral claim and therefore ownership of their land. They are free to take the wood they need from the forest to build their homes, which they do cooperatively. In Ud-udiao, Sallapadan, I saw a very large chainsaw which they haul up the mountain to fell the trees and cut them to the required size for building. Then they haul the lumber down. Housing in Sallapadan and Besao, while usually rudimentary and unadorned with paint or preservative, appears basic to resident’s needs. Usually there are no windows but wood slats to protect against the elements. The roofs, low pitched, are of corrugated tin (and in no danger of collapsing from any snowload). In Ucab – while this description is true for the majority – there is more diversity. Some houses are larger, have glass windows and other modern amenities. Often these barangays have craftsmen who produce very fine pieces of furniture.

A real strength of these communities is the functioning of the extended family. I was impressed by the interconnectedness of people. Second cousins abound! I was even named one by my faithful interpreter Muray in Sallapadan!

Members of the Beaconsfield Initiative at the Provincial Government offices with Benguet Governor Fongwan - (from right to left of the governor) Connie Sorio of Kairos and Stop the Killings in the Philippines Network in Canada, Tess Tessalona of Centre for Philippine Concerns, Beth Dollaga of Canada-Philippines Solidarity, and the author, Rev. Bob McElhinney (centre at back).

Threats to the life and health of these Barangays

The threats to the life and health of these barangays are far more external than internal. Elders (sometimes with the help of pastors) are called upon to mediate internal clan disputes.

The external threats are these:

• the ongoing conflict between the Government of the Philippines through its military arm the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the New People’s Army. A peace process is presently on hold due to the incarceration of political prisoners, including Alan Jazmines, a negotiator in the peace process for the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. Armed conflict occurs, and civilians have been caught in the crossfire.

• it is clear that the growing number of large-scale mining claims (including Canadian) in the Cordillera has brought increased militarization. The national government is providing militia to large-scale mining companies, trained by the AFP.

• this militarization has meant encampment by the AFP in or near barangays e.g. Sallapadan Barrio Elementary School. This in turn has led to bribes or intimidation of citizens, sexual advances on women (in Mankayan an AFP officer was recently charged on two counts of rape of a minor).

• community organizers and pastors have been vilified and killed with impunity.

Ucab is a special situation – no less alienating for the community. Here the Benguet Mining Co. has been extracting gold since the 1930s. In the early 1990s the company began open-pit mining operations. The community rose up and barricaded the bulldozers. The company arranged for AFP reinforcements, but they were unable to stop the barricade. After a one-year standoff, the courts declared the open-pit mining practice illegal, and the company ceased all mining operations. However the company has continued to assert its ownership of the land and charges small-scale miners an operating fee, despite the ancestral right of these Indigenous People to their own land. Only the elderly in Ucab can remember a time before this struggle.

All of this is leading to widespread local opposition to large-scale mining and its unwelcome effects. Indigenous People – as people of the land – feel a special obligation to defend it, and are offended by environmental damage inflicted by the likes of Lepanto Mining and its pollution of the Abra river. Finally the Cordillera is a region regularly afflicted by natural disasters – typhoons, earthquakes. Large-scale mining further destabilizes this already vulnerable environment.

Benguet Provincial Governor Nestor Fongwan (right) welcomes visiting United Church Ministers (from left) Patricia Lisson, Bob McElhinney, Bill Phipps and Shaun Fryday.

CONCLUSION

Despite promises of employment and other community benefits by mining companies and GPh, it is no wonder that the great majority of the Cordillera people along with the organizations that have supported me in this exposure are strongly opposed to large-scale mining in the Cordillera. If we in Canada are to be part of the solution to this problem, we too must join the struggle. We must endeavor to get our own mining companies and our conservative federal government to understand what is at stake, beyond economic profits for the few. We can withdraw our investments in mining companies doing business in the Philippines. We can press our own organizations, as Beaconsfield Initiative is doing right now with our United Church of Canada, to stand against large scale mining in the Philippines, under present political and economic conditions.
Agyamanak to many, for this revealing exposure.

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* From January 2-12, 2012, fourteen Canadian delegates visited the Cordillera and Ilocos Regions in an exposure mission, the Beaconsfield Initiative, to evaluate the impact of Canadian mining interests in the Cordillera and its accompanying human rights issues.

At present, there are six Canadian mining companies with mining applications in indigenous peoples’ territories in the provinces of Benguet and Abra namely: Columbus/Magellan, Olympus Mining Company, Solfotara mining company, Pacific Metals Canada-Philippines, Adancex, and Canex. The 5th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is deployed in the Cordillera and Abra is one of the most militarized provinces in the region. The 503rd Brigade is stationed in the province under the command of Col. Eliseo Posadas.