Akbayan Summons Heroes to Oppose Marcos Burial at Libingan ng mga Bayani

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Akbayan party-list along with other human rights advocates today donned Filipino hero costumes in vehement opposition towards plans to bury former dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. The groups called on President Rodrigo Duterte to reconsider his plans to allow a hero's burial for the late dictator, ahead of the scheduled SONA of Pres. Duterte.

“We appeal to President Duterte to scrap plans for a hero's burial for the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, and instead focus the energy of his administration towards the recovery of all ill-gotten wealth as well as the pursuit of justice from the Marcoses instead,” said David.

The anti-martial law advocates further emphasized that real change can only happen, not by disregarding the Marcos sins, but by instead seeking accountability for the Filipino people.

“For genuine change to come, there must be justice – every Filipino was conned and victimized by the Marcos dictatorship,” said Akbayan spokesperson Paeng David. “His plunder of the country’s coffers represents taxpayers’ money which went into buying luxury shoes for Imelda and hosting lavish London parties for Bongbong.”

The groups further hit the late dictator for his fabricated military records, which the human rights advocates belive should disqualify the late president from being buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

“Marcos was neither a decorated veteran nor a distinguished military officer,” added David. “His war medals have been proven to be fake by the US Army, further adding insult to the idea of being buried alongside soldiers who actually sacrificed their lives for the country,” she said.

David further emphasized the stark contrast between the lifestyle of the Marcoses and the lifestyle of ordinary Filipinos, many of whom were forced to live in poverty.

“For more than thirty years, Filipinos have languished in poverty while the Marcoses kept moving their stolen wealth around and away from the hands of the Philippine government and its people,” added David. “A hero’s burial effectively legitimizes all the dictator’s excesses, and serves the interests of nobody but the family which benefited from this plunder.”

Akbayan members dressed up as Darna, Lastikman, Captain, Barbel, and other heroes in protest and denouncement of plans to bury Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. They were joined by grassroots organizations from the urban poor and peasant sectors.

Free Hepatitis B Screening & Lay Forum On World Hepatitis Day 2016

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Center for Liver Disease Management and Transplantation (CLDMT) and the Center for Patient Partnership (CPP) will celebrate World Hepatitis Day 2016 with the theme “Prevent Hepatitis: Its up to YOU! this coming July 28-30, 2016. 

As part of our thrust in making patients our partners, a lay forum and FREE HEPATITIS B SCREENING shall be held on July 30, 2016 8:00AM at 4th floor conference room, Podium Building, The Medical City.

In line with this, we would like to invite you, your families and friends to this interesting forum and screening. This forum is FREE but pre – registration is strongly encouraged. We shall give 200 Hepatitis B Screening kits to childbearing age women as well as pregnant (pre-registration is required).

For registration and inquiries, please call Center for Patient Partnership office at 988 – 7000/988 - 1000 loc. 6444, visit us at the Ground Floor, Podium Building, or email us at cpp@themedicalcity.com.

DOE: Nationalistic Approach Needed in Dealing with Shell and Other Business Partners

Wazzup Pilipinas!

When asked to comment on the arbitration case filed by Pilipinas Shell against the Philippine Government, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi stated that “We welcome this as an opportunity for the national government to effect real change and to come up with definitive and clear-cut policies in dealing with our partners."

PNOC Exploration Corp., a government-owned and controlled corporation attached to the DOE, has a 10% interest in the Service Contract 38 consortium with Shell Philippines Exploration BV and Chevron Malampaya LLC.

Shell filed a case against the Philippine government, specifically challenging the interpretation of the Commission on Audit in the computation of the 60-40 sharing of the proceeds from the Malampaya Project.

In a separate case, the Supreme Court, through a ponencia of Justice Marvic F. Leonen, decided that all service contracts must be personally signed by the President otherwise, such contract is void. The case is under reconsideration before the Supreme Court.

“This issue is not the concern of the Department of Energy nor of the Executive branch alone. The Supreme Court, the Commission on Audit and even Congress have a stake here too.” Cusi clarified.

The newly appointed Energy Secretary pointed out that while there are benefits under a system of checks and balances such as ours in the Philippines, there are drawbacks too.

"In the end, a nationalistic approach is necessary to make a unified stand. This is in line with the Duterte administration’s vision of unity in our country."

Cusi added that “ultimately, whatever mandate each branch or agency has, our bottomline is one and the same: to serve the best interests of the Filipino people.”

The DOE will recommend to the President the necessity of aligning government institutions to work together and act consistently.

"The Philippine government must have a unified stand in all its decisions and actions just as we have shown in the West Philippine Sea issue."

"The DOE will exhaust all possibilities and avenues to study options and bring before the President recommendations that will have one objective: to protect and serve the best interests of our Country and the Filipino people," Cusi concluded.