Isko's big comeback!

It has been seventeen days since the campaign period started and we're already swamped with schedules. Our first nominee, Rep. Mong Palatino is in Mindanao for a campaign sortie right now. So as Atty. Kat Castillo. Vencer Crisostomo, our Secretary General, is also out-of-town for another campaign schedule in Region V. Meanwhile, our Deputy Sec. Gen. Ana Vania Fatalla is in Pangasinan for yet another big sortie.

Schedules left and right, we sometimes cannot afford to handle the many schedules lined up for our nominees and officers, hence, the good news that Isko will be coming out soon is such a welcome surprise.

First week of February was web-surfing in search of a mascot maker. It was all worth the effort as we finally found the right mascot maker. He is Sam Fuentes. I already met up with him to discuss our specific requests. I learned that Sam made puppets for GMA-7's kiddie show, "Batang Bibbo." I also learned that he made the beautiful headdresses for theater play Jack and the Beanstalk staged by Repertory Philippines in August last year.

(I watched Jack and the Beanstalk last year with my niece at Onstage, Greenbelt and was really impressed with the props).

Who really is Isko?

Isko was launched in 2007. He first came out in public during the opening of the campaign at Liwasang Bonifacio. He was so loved by our members. Dinudumog siya, as in.

Isko, short for Iskolar ng Bayan, was a product of a collaboration between our members who come from UP College of Fine Arts and some dear artists/friends. He wouldn't have existed without the help of Wena of Sinagbayan and Karla of CEGP.

Isko is terribly missed in our campaign sorties. He missed this year's UP Fair but we promise he'll be out in a few more days.

After his brief absence, Isko deserves a big comeback.

(I actually took some pre-production pictures but opted not to post them here to add up to everyone's excitement of seeing Isko again).

Remembering Two Edsas

I was barely five years old when Edsa People Power 1 happened. I can only remember the songs that were popularized during those times. Father might not have wanted me to watch history unfold before my young eyes. After all, he was a Marcos loyalist, though he served as appointed official in our Municipality after Cory was elected.

Meanwhile, I was nineteen years old when Edsa Dos happened. I was one of the active student leaders in school that campaigned for the ouster of Erap. It was not an easy ordeal. The police were so fond of using truncheons and water cannons on protesting students then.

The circumstances that led to these two Edsas may have been different but they carried one message: that the people's collective action is what brought these two presidents down. Marcos was toppled not because of Sen. Juan Ponce-Enrile and definitely not because of former president Fidel Ramos. Erap vacated Malacañang not because of Gloria Arroyo. The people who marched from Edsa Shrine to Mendiola stayed on guard to ensure Erap leaves that same afternoon.

This afternoon, we passed by EDSA. Tarpaulins with Cory's and Ninoy's faces were hanged in strategic places with text that read "Remembering Edsa." A concert/gathering is set to be held on February 25. Yes, there are different forms of remembering a very significant event in the history of the Philippines. And I must assume that most of the attendees' age range from 18-25 years old.

Some were not even born yet when Edsa 1 took place. The most effective way for them to learn about the historic toppling of a dictator is through memorabilia, video compilations, pictures and oldies personally re-telling about what really transpired during those times.

What we have missed doing is how these two Edsas should be relived. Another tyrant is still in power. She has been in power for 9 years and is about to reign even beyond 2010. Let us ready ourselves to do another Edsa if she still remains in power.

The first family's mode of thinking that they already are embedded in Filipino people's lives must have stuck in their heads that there are four of them already in Congress.

It is a must that GMA vacates Malacañang after her term, lest, abuse of human rights will worsen.

Feeling Hong Kong

These days, I may be so busy I can hardly find time to wash my used clothes, but found one weekend, without pre-planning, going out with some dear friends to get some time off campaign schedules.

Last week, I, together with good friends Ava, Ekis, and Ana spent one Sunday together to experience Chinese New Year at Binondo. We planned to eat dimsum, dine at Delicious restaurant and witness the spectacular dragon dance.

Lucky us, we achieved just two: we ate at Delicious and witnessed the much anticipated dragon dance (though the one we witnessed wasn't that spectacular).

We jokingly took some pictures with Chinese carvings as backdrop to get a feel of China. Lol!

I can hardly wait to experience another fun and exciting trip with them.

Photos by Ava Danlog.

Feb. 25, 2010 is Blog Action Day: The Real Heroes of EDSA

Twenty four years ago, our people toppled a tyrant. On February 25, 2010 let us re-tell their stories.

On Thursday, we are enjoining all young Filipinos to blog about the stories of the real heroes of EDSA: our parents, grandparents, ates and kuyas, titos and titas, ninong and ninangs.

We may have been too young then or were not even born yet, but we can ask them to recount their tales of real-life heroism to us. What prompted them to join the uprising? What were their thoughts and feelings? What did they wear, eat, chant? How did it feel to be able to be surrounded by overwhelming unity and patriotism among millions of other heroes marching in the streets on those three historic days.

Read more here.

Just for Satur Ocampo

I, along with blogger friend and colleague Rep. Mong Palatino, attended the benefit dinner organized for Makabayan Senatorial candidate, incumbent Rep. Satur Ocampo. Dubbed “Jazz for Satur,” the event was held at the A.Venue in Makati City.

Upon arrival at the venue, there were already several familiar faces who were queued, waiting to be registered and ushered in their assigned tables. We were assigned at table number 36.

The event was hosted by Rep. Teddy Casiño and Janice Cambri. A video presentation was immediately shown after a few spiels. It featured some of Ka Satur’s closest friends and colleagues at the House of Representatives: wife Bobby Malay, Wigberto Tañada, FQS veteran Bonifacio Ilagan, Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio, among others.

The video showed the young Satur as a writer, and later on as a veteran of street parliament. He fought the Marcos Dictatorship and continues to advance the struggle of the people.

Guests were serenaded by Jazz group Skarlet & Friends, featuring Myra Ruaro, former vocalist of Pu3ska. They performed classic jazz songs and played some of Pete Lacaba's Filipino adaptations of foreign jazz classics.



The guests had a glimpse of the 15-second TV ad of Ka Satur and Rep. Liza Maza. It was so swift that after three video rolls, you would clamor for it to be shown again.

Makabayan Co-Chair Maita Gomez took the center stage and invited some of Ka Satur’s supporters to come onstage and state the reason for supporting Ka Satur’s senatorial bid. Dr. Margarita Holmes was among those called and confessed that “there are only two reasons why she will vote this coming elections.” One, because of Ka Satur, and secondly, he finds Ka Satur as a “sex” icon; stating that sex doesn’t exist in a vacuum and that there are things that make a person sexy like integrity, good physique, intelligence.”

Then, it was Ka Satur’s time to speak.

Everyone was raring to listen to what he has to say. Ka Satur looked a bit tired that night. He must’ve come from another sortie. He thanked everyone for coming to the event, and emphasized the need to step up the campaign as they are pitted against trapos, same old politicians who have ruled in strategic government posts for the past decade or more.

He stated that he, along with several other colleagues, continues to be a victim of political persecution. His strong words against the Arroyo administration and its minions for its systematic attack on the nationalist people's movement reminded everyone that we, indeed, have yet to witness the first automated elections with cheating machinery set to make GMA and her bets stay in power.



Let us continue our campaign for our two Makabayan senatorial candidates.

Onward to the Senate!

Support and Vote Satur Ocampo and Liza Maza for Senator.

Visit Satur Ocampo's site. Click here.
Photos by Karl Ramirez of Kodao Philippines

To say that we are infuriated is an understatement.

The recent warrantless arrest of 43 health workers and filing of trumped up charges and concocted 'evidence' point to how GMA's bloody hands cannot stand a month or two without prying on innocent people siding with the oppressed majority.

Our resolve to ensure that GMA steps down after 2010 remains. Her wickedness may continue once she is elected Prime Minister but let us make sure first she vacates her post in June of this year and make her stand before the people and charge her with a number of cases against the people of the Philippines.

SAVE THE LIFE OF JAKATIA PAWA NOW!

Another life of an overseas Filipina is in peril. Another mother is languishing in a Kuwaiti jail, awaiting the final decision for a crime she did not commit. Once again, our urgent collective action is needed to save the life of a fellow Filipino and a fellow migrante worker.

Jakatia Pawa was sentenced to death on April 13, 2008 for allegedly killing the 22-year old daughter of her employer. The death sentence was upheld by the Kuwaiti Court of Cassation (Supreme Court) on January 19, 2010. The sentence will now be submitted to Kuwait’s Head of State, the Emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al Sabah. It is understood that the decision will be made within two to four weeks.

Sign the petition. Click here.