July, 2012

Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan today said that more than the Catholic Church, or the lobby for perks and pork, it should be the women and constituents’ right and need for healthcare that should dictate the vote on the Reproductive Health Bill and prod legislators to allot a bigger budget for health services.

“The state of women and children’s un-health should be the primary consideration when they cast their vote to end debates and interpellation on August 7,” said Ilagan.  read more »

“This Charter Change telenovela is passé. The drama of Congress leaders trying to convince President Aquino to endorse Charter Change is a clear attempt at screening the latter from the dire repercussions of Charter Change.”

Thus said Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan with Malacanang supposedly playing coy to proposals to amend the Constitution.  read more »

“The determination and political will to repair the economic and political structures lies not in amending the economic provisions of the Constitution but in creating pro-people economic policies that will support the economic and human resources development of the country. The development of a sovereign country does not depend on laws that cater to the needs of foreign interests, but in the government’s full support of its human resources and responsible use of the nation’s natural resources.”  read more »

Gabriela Women's Party Representative Luz Ilagan today said President Aquino's third State of the Nation Address was a strained attempt at creating a colorful picture of the country's weak economy that in fact fails to deliver promised jobs, land reform and basic services to the poorest Filipinos.  read more »

Gabriela Women's Party Representative Luz Ilagan today said President Aquino's third State of the Nation Address was a strained attempt at creating a colorful picture of the country's weak economy that in fact fails to deliver promised jobs, land reform and basic services to the poorest Filipinos.  read more »

“No frills, no glitter. A simple straightforward design lifted from the peasant Filipiniana that does not detach itself from the frugal and humble lifestyle of the majority of Filipino women in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. It is also a LuzViMinda gown. Our call for women’s access to healthcare is in Tagalog, the fabric came from Iloilo and it was cut designed and sewn in Davao. ”  read more »

There are fashion statements and fashionable political statements. For this year's biggest fashion event, the 2013 SONA, Gabriela Representative Emmi De Jesus will deliver the women’s political statement via the Ruel Rivera gown, an organza skirt overlay painted with the face of a woman, with health icon pinned on her hair tresses and a hand STOP sign on the acronyms CCT and PPP. Ruel Rivera is Marikina's fashion designer par excellence.  read more »

“Walang LABKA sa SONA ni P’Noy, puro nakamamatay na pagmamahal—pagmamahal ng serbisyong kalusugan, edukasyon at mga bilihin.”  read more »

The failure of the Aquino Administration to reduce maternal mortality justifies an immediate review of its health care policies,” according to GWP Rep. Emmi De Jesus on the DOH report that the Philippines failed to reduce maternal mortality despite efforts and interventions.  read more »

Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan led today the inauguration of the Gabriela Silang Shelter, a One-Stop Crisis Center, at the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City. The project funded through the women’s partylist group’s priority development assistance fund and supported by the city government led by Mayor Sara Duterte will cater to women and children victims of violence.  read more »

“The P56.8 B proposed 2013 DOH budget dismally falls short of the WHO recommended budgetary allocation of 5% of GDP for public health. It represents a mere 1.89% of the GDP registered by NEDA for the 3rd quarter of 2011. The Aquino administration’s intention to spend no more than P1.69 per Filipino per day in 2013 is tantamount to a systematc violation of people’s right to health,” commented a dismayed Gabriela solon Emmi De Jesus as she joined women in a protest against privatization of government healthcare program in Mendiola today.  read more »

“In the light of worsening joblessness, hunger and poverty amid soaring prices of basic commodities, the triple threats of oil, water and power price hikes may well turn out to be the last straw that breaks the camel’s back. The looming increase in the rates of these basic utilities will mean even lesser budget for their family’s food and other basic needs,” said GWP Rep. Emmi De Jesus.  read more »

Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan today said the US government’s continued meddling in the territorial disputes of China and the Philippines do not only infringe on Philippine sovereignty, it also poses a threat to Philippine security.

The Gabriela solon issued this statement as United States Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Locklear visited Manila and Zamboanga as a supposed goodwill gesture that will boost regional security.  read more »

“Pushing for Charter Change at a time when US submarines carrying nuclear weapons are docking on our shores and mining multinationals are rejoicing over an executive order that practically perpetuates the destructive Philippine mining act of 1995 indicates a US-instigated agenda of plunder.”

This is according to Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan as leaders of both Houses of Congress begin talks on the possibility of initiating amendments to the Philippine Constitution.  read more »

“A health care system that truly responds to the needs of women and their children, especially from marginalized families, should show a picture of women in the pink of health. Yet we bear witness to the story of ‘Jane” who performed caesarean on herself using a kitchen knife, personifying a dying health ‘non-care’ in the country,” said GWP. Rep. Emmi De Jesus.  read more »

“President Aquino’s issuance of an Executive Order on Mining instead of supporting legislative efforts for the enactment of an Alternative Minerals Management Bill or the People’s Mining Bill, pending in the House of Representatives betrays this government’s intent of upholding and strengthening the destructive and anti-people Philippine Mining Act of 1995.” Thus said Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan as President Aquino signed an Executive Order on Mining over the weekend. The EO considers all existing mining contracts, agreements and concessions approved. <  read more »

“Every day that President Aquino’s administration delays the delivery of justice in relation to the Ampatuan massacre and ex-President Arroyo’s trial, he further cultivates and fosters the culture of impunity,” said GWP Rep. Emmi De Jesus as Myrna Reblando, an Ampatuan massacre widow, fled the country to seek political asylum in Hongkong for fear of her life.  read more »

“Every day that President Aquino’s administration delays the delivery of justice in relation to the Ampatuan massacre and ex-President Arroyo’s trial, he further cultivates and fosters the culture of impunity,” said GWP Rep. Emmi De Jesus as Myrna Reblando, an Ampatuan massacre widow, fled the country to seek political asylum in Hongkong for fear of her life.  read more »

Gabriela Women's Party Representatives Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmi De Jesus are now sisters, having Scandal as their new surnames.

“We added Scandal to our Facebook surname to express our concern over the proliferation of internet scandals as a form of Electronic Violence Against Women (EVAW) and to support Gabriela’s Bury the Past Project,” explained Rep. Emmi De Jesus.  read more »

Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Luz Ilagan today joined women and mothers in a dialogue with Department of Health officials in airing their concern over the increased inaccessibility of healthcare for the majority of Filipino women and their families.  read more »

“Charter change has been used time and again as an excuse to solve one social ill after another. The clamor has been raised consistently under all administrations after Cory Aquino under seemingly profound guises. What its pushers fail to admit is that these social ills they prescribe charter change for, emanate from social inequity and the dominant traditional politics, and not a weak constitution," explained Gabriela Rep. Emmi De Jesus.  read more »