Philippine News Digest 41
15 - 17 October, 2002
Contents:
Davao Death Squad strikes again
SBMA creates 15,368 jobs in nine months
Farmers protest new law making it crime to keep, develop seeds
Davao Death Squad strikes again
Suspected members of the Davao Death Squad shot and killed a 40-year
old man on All Saint's Day. The victim, Cerilo Lagumbay, was the sixth person
gunned down by suspected vigilantes in the past few days. In Hagonoy, two
persons were hurt after a grenade exploded November 1. At the moment, a
13-year old kid belonging to a poor family was gunned down November 3. He was
the third in the family to be killed by the DDS, his brothers were killed last
year in the same brutal manner. Source:
Dennis Jay C. Santos, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 5 November 2002 and
correspondent report.
SBMA creates 15,368 jobs in nine months
The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) created 15, 368 jobs from January to September this year, reports from the SBMA labor center showed. With the new jobs, the Freeport's total workforce has reached 55,420 almost double the number employed during the height of the former United States military base. The SBMA posted $1.02 billion in export value for the last nine months, mainly from the strong production output in the manufacturing sector. Source: Allan Macatuno, Philippine Daily Inquirer Central Luzon Desk, 2 November 2002.
Farmers protest new law making it crime to keep, develop seeds
A multisectoral alliance of farmers associations, non-government
organizations and civil society have banded to oppose Republic Act 9168
otherwise known as the Plant Variety Protection Act that criminalizes the
farmer's traditional right to save, exchange and sell seeds. The Bohol Network
for Farmer's Rights accused of RA 9168 of allowing plant breeders to apply for
protection and exclusive rights over new varieties they claim to develop or
discover. The BNFR composed of 31 groups came out with the Bohol Declaration
alleging that the law does not recognize farmers as breeders and does not
provide protection for farmer developed varieties. The provisions of the law
are such that only corporations and seed companies will have the capacity and
resources to acquire plant variety protection. Source: Chito A.
Fuentes, Philippine Daily Inquirer Mindanao Bureau, 31 October 2002.
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