Philippines

[A picket by Philippine Airline workers.]
By Zane Alcorn, Green Left Weekly
October 31, 2011 -- The Philippines, one of the poorest Asian nations with a huge foreign debt ― caused by successive corrupt governments ― remains a place of simmering class tension.
In the past six weeks, there have been mobilisations around a range of issues.
On October 11, there was a national day of action against rising energy costs. There were protests right across the archiapelago.

[Philippines Air Lines Employees Association member and picket organiser Genevev Alegada. Photo: Zane Alcorn.]
By Zane Alcorn, Manila
October 8, 2011 -- Green Left Weekly -- Members of the Philippines Air Lines Employees Association (PALEA) have been engaged in three weeks of pickets at the Philippines Airlines (PAL) terminal at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.
About 2600 ground crew have fought against forced contractualisation — the replacement of permanent, secure jobs with contract labour.

President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III displays his first paycheque.
By the Partido Lakas ng Masa (Party of the Labouring Masses, Philippines)
July 21, 2011 -- The election of President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III brought with it increased mass expectations. The president’s campaign slogan of ridding the country of corruption and the wanton displays of greed and abuses of power was welcomed with cheers and hope by a population sick and tired of the graft-ridden regime of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA).

By Karl Hand, Green Left Weekly
July 17, 2011 -- In the predominantly Roman Catholic city of Manila, a small group of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) are preaching a message of inclusion and social justice that has angered the religious hierarchy.

June 10, 2011 -- The Partido Lakas ng Masa (Party of the Labouring Masses, Philippines) condemns any actions that increase military tensions in the region and contribute to a regional military conflict, by countries that lay claim to the Spratly Islands. We are opposed to any sabre-rattling and stand for a negotiated, political settlement of the disputed claims to the area. Therefore we deplore China’s strong-arm tactics and bullying, which undermines efforts towards a peaceful, political settlement, of the disputed claims.

[Protest in support of Philippine Airlines workers, April 1. Photo by Tony Iltis.]
By Tony Iltis, Green Left Weekly
April 10, 2011 -- More than 1000 Philippine Airlines (PAL) ground staff from the Philippine Airlines Employees Association (PALEA) staged a torch-lit rally on April 1 between terminals at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
The protest was supported by several big labour federations. The union representing flight attendants has also pledged solidarity with PALEA.
When police blocked the march, workers blocked a major road for several hours. This disrupted access to the airport and lead to flights being cancelled or delayed.

[Protest in Manila against the bombing of Libya. Photo by Tony Iltis.]
By Tony Iltis, Manila,
Green Left Weekly
March 27, 2011 -- On March 25, much of the community in Maharlika Village in Manila turned out after Friday prayers to protest against the Western powers’ military attacks against Libya.
Maharlika Village is a predominantly Moro community in Taguig City, in the south-east of Metro Manila. The protest was organised by the local council, community leaders, religious leaders from the community’s 16 mosques, the Bangsamoro Solidarity Movement and the Anak Mindanao Party (Amin).

Support Middle Eastern democracy struggles! End imperialist wars in Iraq, Afghanistan!
Statement by the Partido Lakas ng Masa (Party of the Labouring Masses), Philippines
March 19, 2011 -- On March 17, 2011, the UN Security Council passed a resolution authorising military intervention by the Western imperialist powers or their puppets in Libya. The justification for this is to prevent further loss of life in fighting between forces remaining loyal Muammar Gaddafi and forces supporting the uprising that began on February 15 against his 42-year-old rule, and to support the pro-democracy forces.

[Image: International Women's Day march, Manila, March 8. Photo by Tony Iltis.]
By Tony Iltis, Green Left Weekly
March 13, 2011, Manila -- About 10,000 people marched on the Philippines Congress on March 8 to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) and demand passage of the Reproductive Health Bill before Congress.
The bill would allow greater access to modern contraceptives and sex education.
The bill proposes more maternal health services, raising the number of midwives to one for every 150 deliveries. Contraceptives would also be funded for poor women and would be included in the standard supplies of medicine in hospitals.

[Pictured: Sonny Melencio.]
Review by Tony Iltis, Green Left Weekly
February 27, 2011
Full Quarter Storms, By Sonny Melencio, 2010, Transform Asia Inc. transform.asia1@gmail.com

Veteran Filipino socialist activist Sonny Melencio’s political autobiography, Full Quarter Storms, covers a lot of history.
The book tells the story of the “First Quarter Storm”, the student uprising in 1970 (from which the book draws its title), and the driving of this powerful movement underground by the declaration of martial law by then-president Ferdinand Marcos in 1972.