Philippines // Current TV

Wolfgang - Anino

Wolfgang - Anino (Acoustica)

blackmonday
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Fatboy Slim & David Byrne release album about Imelda Marcos

Fatboy Slim and David Byrne are releasing an album about Philippine First Lady Imelda... more

saverio
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around the blogs: the united nations are embedded in crude iphone festivals and dictators

News Over on the Current News blog, Andrew took a look at setback for MILF rebels in... more

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Philippines just can't catch a break - Mayon Volcano evacuations

I don't think I'd be going out on a limb saying that it's been a rough... more

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Update to Philippines story: 46 dead

The death toll in the massacre in the Philippines has risen to at least 46. President Arroyo has declared a state of emergency, but critics have asked whether she would follow-through on her promises of justice.

From the Christian Science Monitor:
The murders are alleged to have been arranged by one of her political allies and the Philippines has a long-standing culture of impunity for political violence.

"The government definitely has the numbers but not the political will," says Vilnor Papa, Philippine campaign manager of Amnesty International. "We have political killings. We have summary executions. This is a culture of impunity. You have seen how people from the military have gotten away with murder."

But while political murders are common in the Philippines, this was an extraordinary outrage – a brazen daylight attack in front of witnesses and with apparently no threat from police. At least a dozen of the victims were local journalists.

The killers were alleged, according to eyewitness reports broadcast on Philippine radio and television stations, to be under orders from Andal Ampatuan Jr., mayor of a town that bears his family name. The victims were stopped in Ampatuan, herded several miles away, and shot.

The victims had been on their way to enter the name of Ismael Mangudadatu, the vice mayor of another town, as a candidate for governor. Mr. Ampatuan is vying to succeed his father, Andal Sr., as governor of the province of Maguindanao. Mr. Mangudadatu was not among the victims.

The Ampatuan family are local warlords accustomed to winning elections, in part thanks to their close relationship with Arroyo and the military. The family helped her win the vast majority of votes in the province in the 2004 presidential election. Arroyo won 100 percent of the votes in some towns in the province and at some polling stations the number of votes for Arroyo exceeded the number of registered voters.
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afitzgerald
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Who killed 30 people in the Philippines?

Both government and rebel representatives are condemning a 'gruesome massacre of... more

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Disastrous flooding in the Philippines (Video)

The death toll in the flooding caused by Typhoon Ketsana is now up over 200 people and... more

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Leader of Philippines rebel movement captured - Setback for MILF rebels

The unfortunately-acronymed Moro Islamic Liberation Front has been delivered a blow in... more

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2 Inventions From The Full Belly Project and Jock Brandis that are Saving The World: The Universal Nut Sheller and The Rocking Water Pump

Meet Jock Brandis, Founder of The Full Belly Project, Inventor of the Universal Nut Sheller and The Rocking Water Pump. Jock is a 2008 Purpose Prize Winner, Author of the book “The Ship’s Cat”, featured as a CNN Hero, written about in “The Wall Street Journal”, “The New York Times”, “The Atlantic”, and “Popular Mechanics” Magazines. Jock is a movie industry gaffer, a former Canadian Naval Officer, a McMaster University alumni, and a visiting speaker at the MIT D-Lab, Edgerton Center.

Jock has also worked with Oxfam and has traveled the world helping individuals and communities. He has seen, first hand, the physical and economic results of hunger and poverty worldwide. Two of his inventions are changing lives worldwide. The Universal Nut Sheller, just 1 machine can serve a village of 5,600 People or 731 Homes! The Rocking Water Pump, which is in Guyana, South America right now, they are using it to irrigate peanut crops.

The Full Belly Project
Designs and distributes agricultural devices that generate income for people in over 17 developing countries, including Ghana, Guyana, Haiti, Mali, Malawi, and the Philippines.

Two of the Featured Inventions at the 8th Annual Feast Against Famine Fundraiser:

(1) The Universal Nut Sheller (UNS):
A hand-powered device made of concrete and simple metal parts, Jock designed the machine so anyone, anywhere, can make it. The UNS shells peanuts, plus it shells other crops: coffee beans, jatropha, neem, shea, and walnuts. The Full Belly Project produces the UNS machine mold kit, at a cost of about $700 dollars per kit, based on the price of materials at the time of production. Each kit includes 1 set of fiberglass molds and necessary metal parts for 3 machines. Reproduction in a developing country can range from $28-70 dollars per machine, based on the price of metals and concrete in their community. Kits are shipped in 2 boxes, each weighing less than 50 lbs and can easily travel on flights overseas as luggage. There is also a pedal powered version that is available, this requires some additional parts to be sent overseas. An unlimited number of the machines can be made from just 1 set of fiberglass molds! We encourage reproduction of these machines to give these communities unlimited potential for self-sustainability and the chance of financial freedom for the future. Former President Jimmy Carter Autographed one of our Shellers to show his support of our project.

(2) Rocking Water Pump:
Delivers water at a rate of 5 gallons per minute from Aquifers or Surface. Can also pump Muddy, Rocky, and Sandy water sources. Made of Concrete, Rubber, and Hose this cost only $70 to make in most countries!

Teaching Financial Self-Sustainability. Saving Lives! Make Our Mission, YOUR MISSION!

Become Our Fan on Facebook and visit Us at www.TheFullBellyProject.orgMeet Jock Brandis, Founder of The Full Belly Project, Inventor of the Universal Nut... more

LocationsPlus
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Jock Brandis, Full Belly Project Founder, an Inventor that is Saving Lives Worldwide

Speech by Jock Brandis, Founder of The Full Belly Project. Designing and Distributing... more

LocationsPlus
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Philippine Ferry Disaster (Not)

Passing the deadly Verde Strait in the Philippines to Puerto Galera, which is the site... more

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I escaped the massacre by chance

This video tells the story of the Maguindanao Massacre when 63 civilians were killed... more

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Genetically modified foods: Not so black & white

It's easy to get fired up--even self-righteous--about genetically modified foods.... more

NankinYP
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The Water diary (A film by Jane Campion) - OneClimate.net -

Directer Jane Campion's short film highlighting the accelerating water crisis.

jkw077
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Philippines: Sinatra Song Often Strikes Deadly Chord

The authorities do not know exactly how many people have been killed warbling... more

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Obama Administration Orders World Bank To Keep Third World In Poverty

Under the provably fraudulent and completely corrupted justification of fighting... more

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For Many Migrants, the United Arab Emirates is Not What It Seems, pt. 2

Continued from part 1.

The global economic recession and deflation in oil and natural gas prices substantially slowed the UAE’s economic growth. As the country’s energy industry suffered, so did its urban development – approximately 45% of construction workers were laid off. (Agence France-Presse) In addition, many maids and nannies were laid off in to attempts to save money. As of now, thousands of Filipino migrants are jobless in the UAE. These unemployed immigrants cannot find new jobs unless their old contracts are terminated – a process that takes weeks. (Agence France-Presse) Most Filipinos wish to return home, but have insufficient funds and no passports to travel with. These workers are now living off little to nothing as vagrants in slums, without their families or freedom.

The UAE has a bad track record of supporting immigrant workers – beforehand, only a few laborers received aid out of the thousands that requested it. (Migrant Rights) In addition, not many immigrant-protective laws existed – not even a minimum wage policy. In response to the UAE’s dearth of help towards immigrants, philanthropic groups such as the Center for Migrant Advocacy have taken matters into their own hands – usually by aiding migrant workers to retrieve their passports or helping negotiate debts to employers. These organizations also have lobbied for the government to address the dire situation at hand. (Center for Migrant Advocacy) As a result, the UAE is attempting to place new immigrant-beneficial policies into effect - such as quicker employment contract terminations. (Ross) In the April of 2009, the government of the UAE presented their goal of providing 200,141 new jobs for Filipino immigrants to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo – the president of the Philippines. (Libo-on) Macapagal-Arroyo and her government claim to be working with the UAE to introduce “immigrant-friendly laws” – however, both governments do not provide clear information surrounding these new policies. Even though the UAE and the Philippines seem to be trying to aid unemployed immigrants, no significant changes in their lifestyles are visible. (Migrant Rights)

The UAE is being denounced by countless humanitarian organizations and migrant rights advocates for claiming to help immigrants, but not creating any real improvements in the immigrant’s lifestyles. Johann Hari, a freelance journalist, claims that the mass layoff of immigrant workers is similar to what occurred to African slaves centuries before, who worked in harsh conditions and then were left in destitution with no opportunities to go home. He even labels the UAE as a “slave society.” However, the UAE defends these layoffs. Khalfan Al-Kaabi, a member of Abu Dhabi’s chamber of commerce, claimed that, “It is only but natural for the industry to cut those jobs.” (Agence France-Presse) In addition, The Human Rights Watch (an international welfare group) criticizes the country for “not taking any steps to put an end to [passport confiscation].” However, the Philippines has not been criticized by any philanthropic organizations as of yet, as the UAE has more responsibility over the situation, and thus, more liability.

Continued in For Many Migrants, the United Arab Emirates is Not What It Seems, pt. 3: http://current.com/items/91979053_for-many-migrants-the-united-arab-emirates-is-not-what-it-seems-pt-3.htmContinued from part 1. The global economic recession and deflation in oil and... more

Fishdish
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For Many Migrants, the United Arab Emirates is Not What It Seems, pt. 3

Continued from part 2.

This quandary over unemployed immigrants will become worse if no extra action is taken. It seems that as more Filipino workers wish to return home, the more false goals towards migrant aid are set. In spite of the UAE’s introduction of “new” (but vague) migrant-beneficial policies, nearly nothing is improving the jobless immigrants’ lives. Also, the consulate of the Philippines in the UAE is not providing enough help for its citizens, choosing instead to spend time protesting that they are already inundated by requests for assistance, as opposed to lobbying for their people’s rights. The Filipino government supports emigration as a means of alleviating their country’s high amount of poverty, but is not putting enough effort into ending the suffering of migrants in countries like the UAE. Sympathy must be felt towards these immigrants – they dream of better lives, but live with hardship. In the future, it is presumable that tensions will mount throughout the migrant worker community as they request for help and are essentially ignored by their respective governments. This could lead to possible protests and further rights activism by immigrants themselves.

The UAE indeed has the façade of a financially flourishing nation – but as immigrant laborers lose their jobs and live poorly, this outward appearance may begin to unravel. Filipinos remain trapped in the UAE, with hardly any opportunities to return home, but most of the world continues to be unaware of the grim situation at hand. This unfortunate situation affects not just Filipinos, but migrant workers from other poverty-ridden countries such as Bangladesh. Hopefully, governments will collaborate to support unemployed immigrants and introduce laws that can prevent another predicament similar to this from occurring again.

Works Cited
Agence France-Presse. “Massive layoffs in UAE: Report.” My Digital Financial Chronicle. N.p., 24 Dec. 2008. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
Asis, Maruja. “The Philippines’ Culture of Migration.” Migration Information Source. Migration Policy Insitute, Jan. 2006. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
Castles, Stephen. The Age of Migration 4th Edition. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009. Print.
Center for Migrant Advocacy. “Initial Submission to the UN Committee on Migrant Workers.” Center for Migrant Advocacy (Nov. 2008): n. pag. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
Gomez, Margarita. “The Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Legacy.” Action for Economic Reforms. N.p., 28 Jan. 2008. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
Hari, Johann. “The Dark Side of Dubai.” The Independent. N.p., 7 Apr. 2009. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
Human Rights Watch. “Building Towers, Cheating Workers.” Human Rights Watch (Nov. 2006): n. pag. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
Hylton, Hilary. “Goodbye, Houston. Hello, Dubai.” Time 14 Mar. 2007: 14-15. Print.
Irin. "Domestic Workers Face Abusive Employers." Irin. The United Nations, 2 July 2006. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
Libo-on, Lily. “200,141 New Jobs for Filipinos Confirmed.” Khaleej Times 13 Apr. 2009: n. pag. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
Migrant Rights. “Interview with Nick McGeehan from Mafiwasta.” Migrant Rights. N.p., 18 Jan. 2009. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
Philippine Migrants Society of Canada. “Filipino Migration: A Brief History.” Philippine Migrants Society of Canada. Philippine Migrants Society of Canada, n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
Ross, Brian. “Dark Side of Dubai’s Boomtown.” ABC News. N.p., 13 Nov. 2006. Web. 9 Oct. 2009. .
Schuman, Michael. “On the Road Again: The Global Recession Scatters Workers.” Time 27 Apr. 2009: 27-28. Print.Continued from part 2. This quandary over unemployed immigrants will become worse... more

Fishdish
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For Many Migrants, the United Arab Emirates is Not What It Seems, pt.1

This essay didn't fit into one post, so I've split it into multiple ones.

Most people envision the United Arab Emirates as a prosperous country, populated by some of the wealthiest people in the world. The gleaming buildings of Dubai, however, present a dark reality – they were built and are maintained by poor economic migrants who live difficult lives. Due to the global economic recession, these workers are now losing their jobs. This topic is of interest as the media rarely examines the serious effects of the global recession on immigrant workers. Filipino immigrants, for example, who make up the largest portion of migrant workers, are stranded in the UAE with little money, no passports, and virtually no help from the UAE’s government or their own consulate. Is this so different than the plight of African slaves that were trapped in a foreign land several centuries ago?

People have been voluntarily emigrating from the Philippines since the 1970s – a time when well paying jobs became scarce due to a growth in population and poor economic management by the Filipino government. (Asis) Poor uneducated citizens, concerned with push factors such as a lack of jobs, slow urban development, and uneven wealth distribution, emigrated overseas in search of better wages and better overall life quality. (Philippine Migrants Society of Canada) In fact, the Filipino government encouraged emigration, in an effort to alleviate the large amounts of domestic job-seeking citizens. (Castles, pg. 323) Immigration to the UAE first started when the country became wealthy due to the discovery of large pockets of crude oil and natural gas. (Time, “Goodbye, Houston. Hello, Dubai”, pg. 14) As the energy industry of the UAE made it an economic giant, employment-seeking Filipinos noticed. Attracted by the pull factors of massive urban development and the prospect of an improved lifestyle, Filipinos emigrated to the UAE en masse. However, imperfections in this emigration flow quickly surfaced. Many perspective migrants unknowingly signed contracts with dubious employment agencies and found themselves thrust into situations completely different from what they had expected. Workers were assigned to work in dangerous construction projects and abusive households for up to 17 hours a day. (Irin, "Domestic Workers Face Abusive Employers") In addition, employment firms coerced the immigrants to pay debts of thousands of dollars in order to pay for their travel – despite earning only on average $175 monthly. (Human Rights Watch, pg. 7) After the immigrants realized that promises of higher wages were fallacious, they had no opportunities of leaving the UAE – their passports were confiscated when they entered the country by those untrustworthy employment agencies. (Human Rights Watch, pg. 38) These immigrants could not depend on any type of aid from UAE or the Filipino consulate, as both claimed to be overwhelmed by requests for financial and legal assistance. Nevertheless, thousands of economic migrants still flock to the UAE out of desperation for money, unaware of the consequences, and many are too poor to gain access to electronic or written sources that could inform them of the poor life quality other migrants have. (Time, “On the Road Again: The Global Recession Scatters Workers,” pg. 28)

Continued in For Many Migrants, the United Arab Emirates is Not What It Seems, pt. 2: http://current.com/items/91979043_for-many-migrants-the-united-arab-emirates-is-not-what-it-seems-pt-2.htmThis essay didn't fit into one post, so I've split it into multiple ones.... more

Fishdish
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Pirate's cove: The eastern havens

"One of the interesting differences in recent years is the rise of targeted... more

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