nirvana dvd

Finally out on DVD!!! I want this for my birthday. wink, wink ;)

happy holidays

land for the landless

Palace restores Sumilao land to agricultural use

‘From here on, we’re with you’--Bunye to farmers

By Lira Dalangin-Fernandez
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- Malacañang on Tuesday revoked a conversion order on a disputed 144-hectare property in Sumilao, Bukidnon, paving the way for the return of the land to the ownership of farmers who marched 1,700 kilometers for two months from Mindanao to Metro Manila to dramatize their demand.

The order, signed by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, was personally delivered at around 1:30 p.m. by Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye to the 55 members of the Higaonon tribe who had camped out at the College of the Holy Spirit in Mendiola since Monday, when their representatives met with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Malacañang.

The farmers had been awarded the land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) but then executive secretary Ruben Torres had approved the property’s conversion into agro-industrial use, sparking the years-long agrarian conflict that grabbed the limelight recently when the farmers embarked on their long march.

“Simula ngayon, asahan niyo na saan man makarating ang kaso na ito, ay kasama niyo na kami kahit sa korte [From now on, rest assured that wherever this case reaches, you will have us with you, even in court],” Bunye told the farmers after handing over the order.

The order said Arroyo “agrees with the findings and recommendations” of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to cancel the conversion order for the property, once owned by the Quisumbing family but since sold to San Miguel Foods Inc., which planned to convert it into a hog farm.

“Wherefore premises considered and as recommended by DAR, the petition for cancellation and/or revocation of the conversion order covering 144 hectares of land…is hereby granted,” the Palace order said.

The DAR recommendation, also dated December 18, said the “unilateral development of the landholding into a hog farm” by San Miguel Foods violated the original conversion order for the land because it “is not one of the purposes for which the conversion had been issued.”

“This clearly deviates from and constitutes a violation of the conversion order issued to” the development corporation set up by the Quisumbings, the DAR said.

Earlier in the day, chief presidential legal counsel Sergio Apostol, who first confirmed that the order would be issued, said the land would still be subjected to a “process” before it can be finally distributed to the farmers.

Apostol was among the officials who drafted the decision.

Marlon Manuel, one of the farmers’ lawyers, also said earlier that the decision would mean San Miguel Foods will be treated as a landowner and will need to be paid the current value of the property before the land can be distributed to the farmers.

Originally posted at 11:22am

Santa Chef Cookie

My sister won first place for dallas morning news' holiday cookie contest. She won the judges' hearts with her entry featuring a very detailed Santa chef cookie. Last time i checked she was also leading the on-line balloting-probably because of our Filipino family and friends haha. She recently graduated culinary arts and is also teaching cake decorating. She's on leave from her day job in one of the top auditing firms in the US just to join these contests haha. Her cooking and baking story should be an inspiration to all housewives wanting to cook for their husbands and kids. I remember back in high school even our dogs won't touch what she was cooking and baking. That's how bad it was. Haha. Anyway, check out the video here: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spe/2007/cookie_contest/ click on winner #1.

Take the Sunday Train

On its third year run, ROCK THE RILES is happening again.

Transforming eight (8) Metro Rail Transit stations into eight performance spaces, Rock Ed Philippines makes it a point to take a visible stand for Human Rights. Rock the Riles (pronounced reeh-les, Filipino for train tracks) gathers musicians, artists, photographers to simultaneously hold performances throughout the stretch of EDSA’s main vein –the MRT.

Come join us on Dec 9, take the train from 2-7pm. Stop in any of these stations:

1. Taft – Hip Hop artists from LockedDown Productions

2. Ayala - Terno Recordings artists, Radioactive Sago Project, UpdharmaDown, Swissy, Musical O, Sleepwalk Circus, Giniling Festival, Ang Bandang Shirley, Juan Pablo Dream, Dr. Mindbender, Sugarfree.

3. Buendia – c/o www.rakista.com, too late the hero, peacepipe, 18th issue, Maryzark, Neruda, Reklamo.

4. Boni – Fig, Happy Happy Joy Joy, Blue Ketchup, Analog, Bagetsafonik, Chillitees, and the Venus poets.

5. Shaw – Chicosci, Noel Cabangon, Salindiwa, Sound, Peryodiko, Angulo, Julianne, Nyko Maca, Area 5

6. Cubao – Phil Violators, The Wuds, Jeepney Joyride, Drip, Typecast, Toyo, FMD, Datu’s Tribe

7. Quezon Ave - a photo show and acoustic performances by a group called Kolektib. LomoManila, Geek Chorus combines.

8. North Edsa – a group of photographers will have a dynamic slide show of photos, a showcase of large format photos on tarps plus music from DJs.

This year’s ROCK THE RILES is a Human Rights stand for the farmers struggle for land. Jobs for all. And the right to quality education for all children.