Author Archives: FIDES AVELLANOSA

Countless times in the past, has it been proven that even death cannot kill a beautiful mind and a compassionate heart? Witnesses to the truth of this are not a few among people who have been touched by the fine leadership qualities filled with kindness and simplicity of Joel Virador (JV as he was fondly called by family and friends) whose life was offered to the very least and voiceless among workers, peasants, professionals and every struggling Filipinos he had served most of his waking moments.

Quiet, unassuming, and humble. That is the kind of effective leadership that best describes Datu Kaylo Bontulan, the deputy secretary-general of PASAKA, the Confederation of Lumad Organizations in Southern Mindanao.

They came with some harvests of their organically-grown fruits, vegetables, root-crops and cooked organic food to celebrate what they call as the Farmers’ Festival. Even when some of them talked about being affected by the dry spell that has scorched parts of their farm produce, still they came with whatever they could muster, despite the odds.

Theorizing ‘tokhang’ needs a critical mind, as the matter necessitates careful analysis of situations and events.

Vigilance should no longer mean sticking our noses on election results because the counting and tallying are nothing but distractions because they can easily change numbers with just one click of a button. To be vigilant means doing our little efforts to campaign against the crooks, the liars and the scheming candidates who are milking us, Filipinos.

As if the prevailing inflationary conditions are not enough and already saddling the scrimping household, here comes rice tariffication!

We have to continue looking after every single FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT that we have as a citizen of this wretched nation where the majority have become easy prey of the tyrants in government service.

While the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was having another significant milestone in the conduct of the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), the peace-loving ‘tri-people’ communities in Tantangan, South Cotabato continues to nurture peace by working together. The people have chosen to find a solution to a decades-long problem of lack of potable water and respect each other’s differences.

It was a simple ceremony but Mr. Mario Tipan, Chair of the Laak Multipurpose Cooperative (LAMPCO) felt like it was hope dawning on the farmers in the province of Davao del Norte.

Known to have the biggest chunk of cacao production in the country, Davao region naturally boast of active cacao stakeholders, some of whom gathered in a Cacao Learning Exchange in Davao City.