Latest press releases, statements, manifestos, announcements, etc.

Philippines: ‘Rice Deities’ Descend on Agriculture Department, Demand Protection from GMO Rice Threat

Manila, 16 April 2007–Greenpeace activists dressed to symbolize the
bul-ul, a traditional Ifugao rice guardian, carried out a sit-in protest
at the Department of Agriculture?s (DA) doorsteps in Quezon City today.
The peaceful action was meant to tell the DA to act on its mandate to
protect the country’s food supply, in this case against looming GMO rice
(genetically-modified rice) threat posed by the agency’s pending
decision on GMO rice Bayer LL62.

As part of the protest, the activists also displayed a banner with the
message “Keep our rice GMO-free!” and delivered a bul-ul carving to DA
Secretary Arthur Yap’s office to remind him daily of the DA’s important
role in watching over the country?s precious rice supply. The bul-ul,
Greenpeace says, also symbolizes how this grain is inextricably linked
to our culture and way of life, and should serve to remind us how GMO
rice must never become a reality in the Philippines.

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KMP Affirms Mass Evacuation in Philippines Village

News Release
April 16, 2007
References: Danilo ?Ka Daning? Ramos, secretary general, KMP
Diane Ragub, campaign officer SAGUPA-SB
Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer

?Mass evacuation in Samar village true!?-KMP
Military and police further harassing peasants

The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) and its regional chapter SAGUPA-SB lambasted the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) particularly the 34th Infantry Battalion and Mayor Mateo Biong of Giporos town in Eastern Samar for lying to the media that there was no mass evacuation of at least 80 families from Barangay Huknan.
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Philippine Farmers Want to Make Own Choices Toward Sustainable Farming

Farmers’ Conference: Making our own choices towards sustainable farming

Fersal Place, Malakas St.,
Brgy. Central District, Diliman, Quezon City
April 17, 2007, Tuesday, 9:00 AM-5:00 PM

The rice program of the Department of Agriculture is pinning all its
hopes on the hybrid rice technology to attain rice sufficiency in the
Philippines. The government has allotted a large slice of its budget
to this technology that was touted to be the breakthrough to improve
rice productivity. However, the country continues to rely on rice
importation to meet the domestic needs and the government has
constantly blamed the typhoons that hit the country to the sorry state
of the rice farming sector.

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Philippines: Group Urges Candidates to Include Family Planning in Platform

THE FORUM FOR FAMILY PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT INC.
Room 305, Ang Bahay ng Alumni, Magsaysay Street, UP Diliman Campus, Quezon City
Website: www.forum4fp.org E-Mail: forum4fp@yaho.com / info@forum4fp.org
Tel No. +632-426-5484 Telefax +632-436-3269

April 14, 2007
Press Release

?Heed the people?s call, include family planning in your platform of government or lose in the election!? ? The Forum

This was the strong statement of population advocacy The Forum for Family Planning and Development as the latest result of Ulat ng Bayan Pulse Asia survey indicates 8 out of 10 Filipinos deems it important for candidates to include family planning in their program of action.

?The data from the latest survey of Pulse Asia will speak for itself, the people deems it important that candidates makes a stand on the issue of population. The candidates should not just shrugged off their shoulders and ignore the peoples? clamor for such measures,? said Benjamin de Leon, President of The Forum for Family Planning and Development.

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