May Araw Din Kayo

Theres The Rub
By Conrado de Quiros
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:04:00 08/17/2009

Tatagalugin ko na nang makuha n’yo. Kahit na lingwaheng kanto lang ang alam kong Tagalog.

Tutal Buwan ng Wika naman ang Agosto. Baka sakali ’yung paboritong wika ni Balagtas ay makatulong sa pag-unawa n’yo dahil mukhang ’yung paboritong wika ni Shakespeare ay lampas sa IQ n’yo. Kung sa bagay, ang pinakamahirap gisingin ay ’yung nagtutulug-tulugan. Ang pinakamahirap padinggin ay ’yung nagbibingi-bingihan. Ang pinakamahirap paintindihin ay ’yung nagmamaangmaangan. Bueno, mahirap din paintindihin ’yung likas na tanga. Pero bahala na.

Sabi mo, Cerge Remonde, alangan naman pakanin ng hotdog ang amo mo. Bakit alangan? Hindi naman vegetarian ’yon. At public service nga ’yon, makakatulong dagdagan ng cholesterol at salitre ang dugong dumadaloy papuntang puso n’ya. Kung meron man s’yang dugo, kung meron man s’yang puso.

Bakit alangan? Malamang di ka nagbabasa ng balita, o di lang talaga nagbabasa, kung hindi ay nalaman mo ’yung ginawa ni Barack Obama at Joe Biden nitong nakaraang Mayo. Galing silang White House patungong Virginia nang magtakam sila pareho ng hamburger. Pina detour nila ang motorcade at tumuloy sa unang hamburgerang nakita nila. Ito ang Ray’s Hell Burger, isang maliit at independienteng hamburger joint.

Tumungo ang dalawa sa counter at sila mismo ang nag-order, hindi mga aides. Nagbayad sila ng cash na galing sa sariling bulsa at kagaya ng ibang customers ay pumila para sa turno nila.

Ito ay presidente at bise presidente ng pinakamakapangyarihang bansa sa buong mundo. Kung sa bagay, ’yung amo n’yo ay hindi naman talaga presidente. Di lang makita ang pagkakaiba ni Garci kay God kaya nasabing “God put me here.” Pekeng presidente, pekeng asal presidente.

Sabi mo, Anthony Golez, maliit lang ang P1 million dinner kumpara sa bilyon-bilyong pisong dinala ng amo mo sa bansa.

Ay kayo lang naman ang nagsasabing may inambag ang amo n’yo na bilyong-bilyong piso sa kaban ng bayan. Ni anino noon wala kaming nakita. Ang nakita lang namin ay yung bilyon-bilyong piso—o borjer, ayon nga sa inyong dating kakosa na si Benjamin Abalos—na inaswang ng amo n’yo sa kaban ng bayan. Executive privilege daw ang hindi n’ya sagutin ito. Kailan pa naging pribilehiyo ng isang opisyal ang di managot sa taumbayan? Kailan pa naging pribilehiyo ng isang opisyal ang magnakaw?

Maliit lang pala ang P1 million, ay bakit hindi n’yo na lang ibigay sa nagugutom? O doon sa mga sundalo sa Mindanao? Tama si Archbishop Oscar Cruz. Isipin n’yo kung gaano karaming botas man lang ang mabibili ng P1 million at karagdagang P750,000 na nilamon ng amo n’yo at mga taga bitbit ng kanyang maleta sa isa pang restawran sa New York.

Maliit lang pala ang P1 million (at P750,000), bakit hindi n’yo na lang ibigay doon sa pamilya ng mga sundalong namatay sa Mindanao? Magkano ’yung gusto n’yong ibigay sa bawat isa? P20,000? Sa halagang iyan 50 sundalo na ang maaabuluyan n’yo sa $20,000. Pasalu-saludo pa ’yang amo n’yo sa mga namatay na kala mo ay talagang may malasakit. Bumenta na ’yang dramang ’yan. At pasabi-sabi pa ng “Annihilate the Abus!” Di ba noon pa n’ya ’yan pinangako? Mahilig lang talagang mangako ’yang amo n’yo.

Bukod pa d’yan, saan ba nanggaling ’yung limpak-limpak na salapi ng mga kongresista na pinansisindi nila ng tabako? Di ba sa amin din? Tanong n’yo muna kung ayos lang na i-blowout namin ng wine at caviar ang amo n’yo habang kami ay nagdidildil ng asin—’yung magaspang na klase ha, ’di yung iodized. Ang tindi n’yo, mga p’re.

At ikaw naman, Romulo Macalintal, tapang ng apog mo. Maiisip mo tuloy na sundin na lang ang mungkahi ni Dick the Butcher sa “Henry VI” ni Shakespeare: “First thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” Pa ethics-ethics ka pa, pasalamat ka di nasunog ang bibig mo sa pagbigkas ng katagang ’yon.

Marami mang sugapa rin sa aming mga taga media, di naman kasing sugapa n’yo. At di naman kami sineswelduhan ng taumbayan. Wala naman kaming problemang sumakay sa PAL at kailangan pang bumili ng P1.2 billion jet. Anong sabi n’yo, kailangan ng amo n’yo sa pabyahe-byahe? E sino naman ang may sabing magbabyahe s’ya? Ngayon pang paalis na s’ya—malinaw na ayaw n’yang umalis. Bakit hindi na lang s’ya bumili ng Matchbox na eroplano? Kasya naman s’ya ro’n.

Lalo kayong nagpupumiglas, lalo lang kayong lumulubog sa kumunoy. Di n’yo malulusutan ang bulilyasong ginawa n’yo. Para n’yo na ring inagaw ang isinusubong kanin ng isang batang nagugutom. Tama si Obama at Biden: Sa panahon ng recession, kung saan nakalugmok ang mga Amerikano sa hirap, dapat makiramay ang mga pinuno sa taumbayan, di nagpapakapariwara. Sa panahon ng kagutuman, na matagal nang kalagayan ng Pinoy, at lalo pang tumindi sa paghagupit ng Typhoon Gloria, dapat siguro uminom na lang kayo ng insecticide. Gawin n’yo ’yan at mapapawi kaagad ang kagutuman ng bayan.

Sa bandang huli, buti na rin lang at ginawa n’yo ’yung magpasasa sa P1 million dinner habang lupaypay ang bayan sa kagutuman—di lang sa kawalan ng pagkain kundi sa iba pang bagay—at pagdadalamhati sa yumaong Ina ng Bayan. Binigyan n’yo ng mukha ang katakawan. Katakawang walang kabusugan. Mukhang di nakita ng masa sa usaping NBN, mukhang di nakikita ng masa sa usaping SAL. Mukhang nakita lang ng masa dito sa ginawa n’yong ito. Sa pagpapabondat sa New York habang naghihinagpis ang bayan.

At buti na rin lang mayroon tayong sariling wika. Di sapat ang Inggles para iparamdam sa inyo ang suklam na nararamdaman namin sa inyo. Di sapat ang Inggles para ipakita sa inyo ang pagkamuhi na nararamdaman namin sa inyo. Di maarok ng Inggles ang lalim ng poot na nararamdaman namin sa inyo.

Isinusuka na kayo ng taumbayan, mahirap man sumuka ang gutom.

May araw din kayo.

Position Paper on the Privatization of the Faculty Medical Arts Building (FMAB)

The All U.P. Workers Union supports the geographical/private practice/clinic of PGH Medical Consultants/UP Manila Faculty at the Faculty Medical Arts Building (FMAB). We also especially support the expanded and efficient operation of PGH laboratory pharmacy, radiologic, endoscopic, laparoscopic, arthroscopic and other diagnostic services to serve the needs of the FMAB, the PGH and of the Filipino people.

However, in the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed between Daniel Mercado Medical Center (DMMC) and the University of the Philippines last June 18, 2009, the University would allow the operation by the DMMC of privately run laboratory, pharmacy, radiologic, endoscopic, laparoscopic, arthroscopic and other diagnostic services at the FMAB. This we strongly oppose. This scheme not only imperils the long term viability of PGH services but the operation of the whole hospital itself. These services that are intended to be privatized at the FMAB are the heart and soul of hospital operations. It is therefore unthinkable that the University and the PGH would allow the operation of private entities right inside its own compound that will directly compete on its own laboratory, pharmacy and other services.

We are forwarding the following questions and some data to the University and the PGH Administrations:

1. Why do the PGH Administration and the University allow private competition right inside the PGH Compound for laboratory, pharmacy, radiologic, endoscopic, laparoscopic, arthroscopic and other diagnostic services instead of expanding and improving it to meet the needs of the FMAB and of the PGH? This will contravene hospital data that showed that its laboratory and pharmacy services are the top two revenue generating units – and contribute much to ease hospital expenses.

2. What is now the status of end-user-fee schemes in almost all services (except personnel) rendered by the hospital? Are these schemes beneficial to the hospital, and to the public? Or, are these being used as milking cows of officials and favored employees?

3. Why is it that in spite of the billions of pesos in annual national government subsidy and the end-user-fee schemes implemented by the hospital, the PGH Administration was not able to pay for utilities (particularly electricity and water where it incurred P127 million and 32 million debts, respectively) and provide adequate benefits to its employees? If the subsidy from the national government is insufficient, then why can’t the PGH and UP Administrations mobilize the PGH and UP employees, and the public to lobby for higher state subsidy for PGH – the country’s largest hospital? Data from the PGH Medical Social Services Division showed that 80% of PGH service (charity) patients have a monthly income of P7,000 or less.

4. Are the PGH and UP Administration aware of the fact that privatization of health services in other countries have brought about higher cost and very poor access for lower income population? This is happening in the United States, a country where the average income of the people is a lot higher than that of the Philippines. It was even recently labeled by the Daily Mirror, a respected newspaper in London as “the land of the fee” in reference to the United States' high-charging health care model.

We therefore enjoin all service-loving employees and medical consultants of PGH to join us in this crusade against these anti-people schemes in PGH. We also enjoin other organizations inside and outside of PGH to link arms with All UP Workers Union in exposing these anti-people schemes.

We call on the UP Board of Regents to withhold the confirmation of the MOA between the DMMC and the University unless the provisions which allow the DMMC to set-up privately run laboratory, pharmacy, radiologic, endoscopic, laparoscopic, arthroscopic and other diagnostic service at the FMAB are removed from the contract.

We call on Congress to initiate an inquiry on the present state of PGH and other public hospitals vis-à-vis providing and expanding access to health services for the majority of our people.

Finally, we call on our people to resist the on-going privatization of PGH - the biggest hospital of the country and in public hospitals in general, to the detriment of providing adequate and accessible health services to the people.#

Helping our Fellow Kababayans Abroad is Not a Crime!-Migrante

For IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Reference: Garry Martinez, Chairperson, +639217229740
Ailyn Abdula, Media Officer, +639212708994

17 August 2009

The largest alliance of Filipino migrants organizations today raised concern over the arrest of some of the officers and members of Migrante-Kapatiran sa Gitnang Silangan (KGS) by Saudi Arabian authorities on August 14. Migrante International also called on the Philippine government to do everything it can for the release of the remaining detainees, including the runaway OFWs Migrante-KGS was counseling.

“The defense and protection of the rights of migrant Filipinos have been sorely lacking that our officers and members in Saudi Arabia have been forced to risk their lives and their safety so they are able to help OFW victims of maltreatment and abuse in Saudi Arabia,” Garry Martinez, Migrante International chairperson, declared. “While we appreciate the efforts that embassy officials have made to work for the release of the detainees, we would like to call on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to ensure the release of all our officers and guarantee their safety.”

The KGS officers were arrested in a safehouse where the organization provided for OFW runaways. They were conducting their regular weekly case dialogs and counseling to OFW victims of maltreatment and abuses who ran away from their employers.

According to John Monterona, Migrante Middle East Coordinator, Migrante’s Saudi chapter has been receiving an average of five cases daily. The number of cases has significantly increased since the Philippine government intensified its labor export policy as its response to the global financial and economic crisis.

Martinez continued, “Our KGS chapter is a trailblazer in providing emergency assistance to OFWs in distress in Saudi Arabia. Since its inception, KGS has rescued or facilitated the rescue of thousands of our kababayans in Saudi Arabia. It has also been at the forefront of the campaign for the defense and protection of migrant areas in the region. Our officers and members deserve all the guarantees of protection and defense the Philippine government can offer.”

Migrante International together with its chapters abroad has its program in providing service through a very responsive move on the welfare needs of OFWs in distress. “If this kind of advocacy is a criminal act, who among our kababayans will give attention on the increasing numbers of distressed OFWs given the fact that the Philippine embassies are inutile most of the time in giving immediate action on the problems of OFWs?”, Martinez added.

Martinez called on the Philippine government to decisively address the problem of migrant rights violations in Saudi Arabia which are increasingly becoming more serious in number and in intensity.

“And to our kababayans, given the repressive situation we have, Migrante will not stop in giving attention on your issues to continuously promote the rights and welfare of OFWs”. “We must ensure our Filipino communities abroad to insist our rights to Philippine embassy officials to hear our clamors and demands”, Martinez ended.

On the other hand, Migrante Europe strongly condemns this assault on a sanctuary for Filipino migrants in distress. The assault by the Saudi authorities is another mockery of those whose rights have already been abused and violated. The Philippine government should strongly protest this assault.##