June, 2008

With the recent Sulu kidnapping on the agenda of President Arroyo's meeting with US President George Bush, Gabriela Women's Party Representative Liza Largoza Maza warned against using the incident as a pretext for increased US military presence in the country.  read more »

"More than being a case of sexual violence, the rape of our "kabaro", Hazel, an Overseas Filipino Worker in Okinawa is a showcase of government neglect and inutility and of lopsided foreign military relations that the Philippines refuse to stand up against. We throw our support for Hazel and her continuing battle for justice."  read more »

As President Arroyo sets to leave for her trip to the United States, women's Partylist group Gabriela today called on President Arroyo to include in her agenda, the US military and government's accountability in the rape case of Hazel, the Filipina migrant worker who was raped by a US soldier in Okinawa February of this year.  read more »

Following the call of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) for a salary increase, Gabriela Women’s Party representative Luzviminda C. Ilagan urges her fellow legislators to work on giving public school teachers what is due them.

“It’s high time that we increase our teachers’ salaries. Theirs was among the lowest in the country and we must ensure their welfare in the midst of soaring prices of rice and oil,” the former college professor from Mindanao said.  read more »

The Gabriela Women’s Party representatives call justice for Eugenia Baja, the overseas Filipino worker who died of a mysterious cause in Saudi Arabia on February 24 and whose body has just recently been repatriated.

“The unknown nature of her death warrants an investigation. We are calling on the Philippine government to cooperate with the proper authorities to know the real cause of and thus give justice to her death,” Gabriela solon Luzviminda C. Ilagan said.  read more »

Gabriela Women's Representative Luzviminda C. Ilagan asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to exhaust all efforts to help an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) illegally detained in Kuwait.

In a letter to DFA Sec. Alberto G. Romulo, Ilagan asked the department to provide immediate assistance to Amando Abando, an automotive mechanic who was arrested last February by Kuwaiti police for allegedly acting "lasciviously".  read more »

"Extending the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) is extending the suffering of our farmers," Gabriela Women's Party Representative Luzviminda C. Ilagan said when asked to explain her "NO" vote to Committee Report No. 506 or the House Bill 4077 which will extend the implementation of CARP.  read more »

Gabriela Women's Party Representative Liza Maza today said Malacanang is gearing up into using the food crisis as an excuse to give President Arroyo more space for political maneuvers amid brewing unrest by giving her emergency powers.  read more »

"Once more press freedom suffers a serious blow with the conviction of Ms. Ninez Cacho Olivares."

Thus said Gabriela Women's Party Representative Liza Maza today as courts find Tribune editor and columnist Ninez Cacho Olivares guilty of libel. "Without a doubt this conviction is meant to send a chilling message against those who dare to expose, criticize and oppose policies of the Arroyo administration."  read more »

Women's partylist group Gabriela expressed today its disappointment over the Commission on Appointment's confirmation of Department of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales.

"The CA's obvious leniency in the screening of government officials sets low and embarassing standards on the kind of public officials that the Arroyo government requires among its ranks," said Gabriela Women's Party Secretary General Cristina Palabay.  read more »

Gabriela Women's Party Representative Luzviminda C. Ilagan lambasted today the Department of Agriculture (DA) for blaming farmers for soaring rice prices, and renewed calls for immediate and drastic changes in the country's policies on agriculture and the enactment of a genuine agrarian reform program.  read more »

"Let us not give peasants false hopes and take HB 4077 for what it really is. It is another sham agrarian reform program no different from what has been implemented in the past 20 years."

Gabriela Women's Party Representative Liza Maza reiterated today their bid for genuine agrarian reform via House Bill 3059 as they pitched in debates against the bill to extend the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program. Earlier today, President Gloria Arroyo has certified the measure to extend the CARP as urgent.  read more »

“Pinapa-ikot lang tayo ng Malacanang, pretending it is out to give relief to consumers when all it is out to do is make taxpayers subsidize their own electric bills, and at a limited scope and time period at that. Malacanang can very well reduce our electric bills significantly and give much needed respite by removing the taxes it imposes on the power industry. Besides, removing the VAT on electricity is by itself a form of direct subsidy to consumers.”  read more »

Gabriela Women’s Party today renewed its calls for the removal of the 12% Value Added Tax (VAT) on oil saying this would be a better way to address the woes of the public transport sector rather than implementing round after round of fare increases.  read more »