Teachers demand investigation of Independence Day collision between US navy warship, Chinese sub off Subic coast

June 15, 2009

NEWS RELEASE

Reference:

Antonio L. Tinio (0920-9220817)

ACT Chairperson

Militant teachers today challenged Malacañang to explain the circumstances surrounding the collision between a U.S. Navy warship and a Chinese submarine in Philippine waters last Friday, June 12.

The incident, first reported by CNN, involved the destroyer USS John McCain. The Chinese submarine collided with an underwater sonar array being towed by the destroyer. A sonar array is a listening device towed behind a ship for underwater surveillance. US officials have described the incident as an “inadvertent encounter.” According to CNN, the collision took place near Subic Bay.

In another news report, an unnamed Philippine Navy commander confirmed that the incident took place inside the area of responsibility of the navy station at Poro Point in La Union, and that ships had been dispatched to investigate the incident. "We are investigating why the Chinese submarine was inside Philippine territorial waters and also why the US vessel was there in the first place," said the unnamed naval officer.

Subsequently, Navy spokesperson Lt. Col. Edgar Arevalo attempted to downplay the incident. In a statement issued on June 13, Arevalo said that “we would like to presume that it didn't happen [in Subic].... We maintained it could have happened in international waters." Arevalo also conceded that he was unaware of any reason why the US warship was operating in the area. “We have no [military] exercise that would justify its presence here.”

“We condemn this US and Chinese naval incursion into sovereign Philippine territorial waters on June 12, the very day that Filipinos commemorate the nation’s independence,” said Alliance of Concerned Teachers national chairperson Antonio Tinio. “We likewise condemn Pres. Gloria Arroyo for choosing to remain silent and doing nothing in the face of this blatant violation of our sovereignty.” The Consitution bans the presence of foreign troops and bases on Philippine territory, unless authorized by treaty.

“The Philippine navy has already admitted that there is no ongoing joint military exercise with the US navy in the area. There is therefore absolutely no justification for the presence of a US warship playing cat-and-mouse with a Chinese submarine off the Subic coast,” said Tinio. “Unfortunately, their spokesperson is already trying to cover-up the incident by speculating that it happened in international waters.”

Tinio said the collision raised a number of issues regarding the presence of foreign military forces in Philippine waters. “What was the US warship doing in the area? Do US forces routinely violate Philippine sovereignty in this way? And what about the Chinese submarine? We demand that Mrs. Arroyo give the public a full explanation. Malacañang should call on US and Chinese diplomats and military officials to explain why their forces were operating in our waters. We likewise call on both house of Congress to conduct a full investigation into the incident. Otherwise this government will once again fail to uphold it’s basic Constitutional duty of defending national sovereignty against foreign military interests.”

ACT reiterated its call for the scrapping of the Visiting Forces Agreement and the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement as well as the expulsion of US troops in the Philippines. #

References:

CNN: Sub collides with sonar array towed by U.S. Navy ship http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/06/12/china.submarine/index.html?eref=edition_asia

Gulfnews: Navy confirms reports of Chinese submarine colliding with US ship http://archive.gulfnews.com/world/Philippines/10322474.html

ABS-CBN News: Navy: US ship, China sub didn’t clash in Subic http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/06/13/09/navy-us-ship-china-sub-didnt-clash-subic

Teachers hold midday protest against con-ass bid

June 9, 2009

NEWS RELEASE

Reference: Antonio L. Tinio (0920-9220817)

ACT Chairperson

Militant teachers and education workers led by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers held a protest action at a high school this afternoon to denounce renewed attempts by the Arroyo administration to push through with Charter change.

ACT held the protest during the midday break outside the Ramon Magsaysay High School along Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue in Quezon City. It was attended by public school teachers as well as university faculty and employees.

The protesters held a brief noise barrage and program and unfurled a large streamer saying “Teachers say no to Arroyo’s cha-cha!”

“We’re here to express our outrage at the House of Representatives’ latest attempt to railroad amendments to the Constitution,” said ACT national chairperson Antonio Tinio. “By declaring its intention to push through with constitutional amendments without the participation of the Senate, it reveals how desperate Malacañang’s ruling coalition is to prolong its stay in power. Once again, Mrs. Arroyo and her allies are betraying their utter disregard for democratic principles.”

“No wonder she’s distrusted by 48% of the population,” said Tinio, citing the findings of a Pulse Asia survey published yesterday.

Tinio criticized the House majority for passing House Resolution 1109, declaring Congress as a constituent assembly, while refusing to grant public school teachers a Php 9,000 salary increase and failing to act on the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill as well as the controversial reproductive health bill.

“Malacañang’s agenda for Charter change is to prolong the hold on power of Arroyo and her allies, further opening up of the economy by allowing 100% foreign ownership of businesses and land, removing constitutional prohibitions on the presence of foreign troops and bases, and further restriction of the people’s civil liberties. Militant and progressive teachers and education workers nationwide will do their share in opposing their efforts,” said Tinio.

ACT called on teachers and the public to join the big rally against charter change to be held on Ayala Avenue in Makati at 5 p.m. tomorrow. #

Teachers fully support Rep. Carlos Padilla’s call for teachers and nurses to get P25,000 monthly salary (SG15)

May 18, 2009

NEWS RELEASE

Reference:

Bejamin Valbuena

ACT Nat'l Vice-Chairperson

0918-2399222

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) fully supports the call of Nueva Vizcaya Rep. Carlos Padilla and other solons, for teachers and nurses to receive P25,000 monthly salary. Rep. Padilla and other lawmakers is showing high regard for teaching as a noble profession, for their moves to increase compensation for public school teachers.

National vice-chairperson Benjamin Valbuena said that Rep. Padilla's and the other solons' call for P25,000 monthly salary for teachers and nurses, is congruent to ACT's demand for P9,000 salary increase, which is equivalent to P3,000 added yearly for three years. With Padilla's proposed Salary Grade 15 (SG15) for public school teachers, the educators will receive P3,200 annual increase for four years.

"Rep. Padilla's proposed salary increase for the teachers shall put the teachers in the same level as nurses," Valbuena explained. "With the task of molding future leaders of the nation, the compensation of teaching profession should also compare favorably with that of other occupations requiring equivalent or similar qualifications, training and abilities, such as the compensation for the AFP's 2nd Lieutenants."

ACT lauded the lawmakers' call, which is consistent to the principle that compensation should at least agree with the standard cost of living, and should conform to the qualification of the profession. "The teacher's salary should ensure teachers a reasonable standard of life for themselves and their families, as it is stated in the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (RA No. 4670)," Valbuena added.

Furthermore, ACT supports the demands of all government employees for substantial increase in the compensation of professionals and sub-professionals in government service. The rank and file government employees, including 500,000 public school teachers, are the ones in the frontline of day-to-day public service, and not the executives and Malacañang officials. "Any increase in compensation, as well as promotions, should be based on actual and concrete merit in providing genuine service to the public," concluded Valbuena.

Position Paper on Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or Salary Standardization Law 3 (SSL3) proposed by Malacañang and the DBM

May 18, 2009

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers and the more than 500,000 public school teachers that it represents, considers the Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 - otherwise known as the SSL3 - unacceptable for the following reasons:

1. The wage hike proposed under Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or SSL3 falls short of the 9,000-peso salary upgrade (P3,000 yearly increase in 3 years which will increase the entry-level salary of a new teacher from a measly P12,026 to P21,026 per month) that teachers demand.

Under Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or SSL3, a new teacher’s entry level status is merely at Salary Grade 11 (P18,549) which will be implemented in four yearly tranches.

This amount is just a little bit higher than the Salary Grade 10 offered for a Teacher I position, equivalent to a mere P6,523 increase in four years or a paltry P1,630.75 annually. Talking of percentages, this increase is only 54% of a teacher’s current salary to be implemented in four years, really small compared with the 74% increase in three years that teachers have been asking for.

More importantly, the proposed Salary Grade 11 (P18,549) under Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or SSL3 will not even push a teacher’s salary to a rate that complies with or is at least comparable with a living wage/monthly cost of living pegged at P21,390 (national average), a rate that continues to soar almost everyday.

This goes against two particular provisions in the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers (Republic Act No. 4670) which sets the criteria for a teacher’s salary: firstly, it must “ensure teachers a reasonable standard of life for themselves and their families”; and secondly, it should “compare favorably with those paid in other occupations requiring equivalent or similar qualifications, training and abilities.”

2. Our basic demand which is a 9,000-peso salary upgrade (a 3,000-peso increase annually in 3 years) has been the teachers’ overwhelming call for the past year and in fact, teachers have gained victories in this struggle,

Hundreds of thousands of teachers in the whole archipelago have assembled, united, marched, rallied and lobbied at the Senate and the House of Representatives to advance our 9,000-peso salary upgrade demand.

The solidarity of teachers gained the whole Senate’s solid support when it approved in third reading Senate Bill 2408, otherwise known as “An Act Providing for Additional Support and Compensation for Educators in Basic Education.” This law has the following salient provisions: It provides public school teachers and non-teaching personnel of the Department of Education an additional compensation of Php 9,000 to be paid in three equal tranches over a period of three years; It also provides additional support (local school board allowance, medical allowance, Magna Carta bonus).

Meanwhile, the teachers’ demands also gained ground in the House of Representatives through the initiative of party-list representatives from Gabriela, Bayan Muna and Anakpawis and other representatives from the Minority.

The Department of Education leadership from the national, regional and down to the division-level, has vigorously supported the 9,000-peso salary upgrade.

Thus, Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or SSL3 will never be acceptable and teachers will continue to fight for the just and timely call for a 9,000-peso salary upgrade.

3. Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or SSL3 contain questionable provisions:

· Adverse effects on allowances and benefits currently received by teachers

· Adverse effects on step increments

· Increased power or almost a blanket authority of the Department of Budget and Management and the

· Office of the President to decide regarding the “standardization” of salaries and benefits, and the classification” of positions.

4. In its entirety, the proposed Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or SSL3 maintains and worsens the lack of social justice and equity in the system of compensation and classification.

Under the proposed Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or SSL3, those under the Sub-Professional level (Salary Grade 1-9) will receive only 28% to 36% increase, while those in the Professional level (Salary Grade 10-24) will receive 38% to 100% increase. Meanwhile, those in the Executive category will receive more than 71%-142% increase.

The government shoddily and cheaply treats a majority of government employees, including 500,000 public school teachers who are in the frontline of public service, condemning them to a status which is below poverty level which means, having a wage way below the living wage/cost of living.

Under the Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or SSL3, Salary Grade 1 is pegged at P9, 000 or an increase of P2,851 or a 46% hike from the current P6,149. This is not even half of the living wage/monthly cost of living which is P21, 000. Meanwhile, under SSL3, Salary Grade 33 (the president) is pegged at P120, 000 or an increase of P50, 122, a 71.7% hike from the P69, 878 that the president currently receives. This amount is five times more than the living wage. Thus, Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or SSL3 will only further widen the gap between the low wages of rank-and-file employees on the one hand, and the sumptuous income and privilege of government officials on the other. Such arrangement negates public service which, at the very least should be different from the private sector that is motivated by profits.

5. Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or SSL3 will maintain and further worsen the salary grade distortion. Why would teachers be one salary grade higher only from Salary Grade 10, and thus will only receive what an AFP sergeant will have? Why would nurses be downgraded by four salary grades from the original SG15 while barangay councilors and captains will eventually be raised to SG 10 and SG 14, respectively? These distortions go against the meaning of equity, justice and democracy.

6. Under the proposed Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or SSL3, the specific salary grade and high compensation offered to personnel of AFP-DND, PNP-DILG and Philippine Coast Guard are written, while the specific salary grade classification of civilian personnel will be arbitrarily decided upon by the Department of Budget and Management. This is a direct assault to the essence of fairness, justice and equity.

7. Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or SSL3 have adverse effects on all government employees:

· Erosion of our gains in the struggle for more benefits and the right to have collective negotiations agreement (CNA)

· Non-automatic application of salary increase to employees of local government units: classifications will depend on income, class and financial capability of the area concerned (65-75% only of proposed hikes for 6th class municipalities)

· Employees of GOCCs, GFIs and SUCs with their own charter are exempted from Joint Resolution No. 36 under Committee Report 1992 or SSL3 even if their rates are lower than that provided for in the SSL.

· Salaries will be frozen for four years

Our just calls:

· P9,000 salary upgrade (P3,000 yearly in 3 years) for public school teachers!

· P3,000 automatic, lump-sum and not staggered increase in the minimum pay of government employees!

· Annual automatic salary adjustment

· Regularization and institutionalization of current benefits and provision of funds for such

· Fight for a just and equitable compensation and classification of government employees

• Investigate the following anomalies: shameless perks, privileges and funds received by top-level bureaucrats and officials; the myriad of allowances and huge “intelligence funds” not covered by COA’s review power; huge honorarium of government representatives in the board of directors of GOCCs and sequestered corporations. In essence, these fall under the multiple compensation issue since most of them are also incumbent secretaries, undersecretaries, assistant secretaries etc. in government agencies; and the “over-supply” of Undersecretaries, Assistant Secretaries, Assistant Commissioners, Consultants and other dubious positions created to accommodate lackeys and supporters of the administration or pay its debts to its “benefactors” thus unnecessarily bloating the bureaucracy with highly-paid yet incompetent top-level bureaucrats while hard-working rank-and-file employees receive crumbs.

Ten Years Is Enough. Junk VFA!

May 27, 2009 marks the 10th anniversary of the Senate ratification of the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement. The ten-year implementation of the VFA has vindicated many of its original critics which included lawyers, church groups, activists and lawmakers. Indeed, the past ten years have shown us the utter lopsidedness of this agreement, as well as the many abuses arising from its implementation.

We have seen how thousands of US troops have gone in and out of the Philippines in the name of the “war on terror”. We have seen how some of them have been staying in the country indefinitely, since 2002, under the guise of humanitarian missions and trainings. We are concerned with the interventionist operations being launched by US Special Forces in the country which are banned by the Philippine constitution. We are concerned with the virtually permanent presence of foreign troops even after the termination of the RP-US Military Bases Agreement.

We have noted the injuries to human life, damage to property and disruption of livelihood as a result of the Balikatan war games throughout the country.

We have seen how under the provisions of the VFA, the standards of Justice are applied differently to erring American troops. We know that one convicted rapist, a US Marine, was acquitted because of the pressure on Philippine government to preserve the VFA. And this was after the US Marine was accorded special treatment using the provisions of the VFA.

We know too that despite the claims of the indispensability of the VFA because of the alleged benefits derived from it, the AFP remains backward and undeveloped, and the country remains no safer than it was before the VFA.

Ten years of the VFA has revealed to us many things. It has shown us how sovereignty is incompatible with the prolonged presence of foreign troops. It has shown us how our legal processes can be undermined by diplomatic considerations.

On the 10th anniversary of the VFA, let us reaffirm our adherence to national sovereignty, independence and human rights. Let us come together to demand the termination of the Visiting Forces Agreement and for an end to the continuing US military presence in the Philippines.

We’re inviting you to a cultural activity and protest action on May 27 at the Baywalk in front of the Rajah Sulaiman Plaza in Roxas Boulevard in Manila from 4pm to 8pm. The activity hopes to bring together advocates and defenders of national sovereignty as well as concerned artists and performers. Let us continue to raise our voice against foreign intervention. Let us continue to unite for genuine freedom for the Philippines.

JUNK VFA MOVEMENT

STATEMENT OF SUPPORT FOR JOURNALIST CHE-CHE LAZARO

Reference:
Bejamin Valbuena

ACT Nat'l Vice-Chairperson

0918-2399222

May 13, 2009

We, teachers and workers in the education sector belonging to the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, the largest teachers organization nationwide, condemn in the highest possible term the malicious filing of a wiretapping case by Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Vice President for Public Relations and Communications Ella E. Valencerina against esteemed journalist and journalism professor Cecilia “Cheche” Lazaro.

The wiretapping case filed by Valencerina is meant to intimidate and harass into silence those who expose the GSIS’ failure to swiftly provide retirement benefits and services for many public school teachers and other government employees. It is a vicious attack against press freedom and the people’s right to seek redress of grievances.

The case is a mere trumped-up charge, devoid of facts and bloated with malice. It reeks of a regime that specializes in cover-up and rejects the internationally-accepted democratic principle of transparency in government affairs.

The Alliance, its member individuals, and allied teachers’ federations and organizations, is consistent in criticizing the unjust policies introduced by the GSIS under Winston Garcia, such as the Premium-Based Policy and the Claims and Loans Interdependency Program.

We, hundreds of thousands of public school teachers and other GSIS members, have been unfairly deprived of the full enjoyment of the benefits granted to us by law. Since 2003, these and other policies and related practices have burdened us, teachers, faculty and employees with unwarranted deductions, onerous interest charges and other penalties. We have also consistently criticized GSIS for its lack of transparency regarding the placement of GSIS funds in certain local and foreign investments. As a result of ACT’s continued vigilance and championing of the teachers’ cause, GSIS President Winston Garcia filed four (4) libel cases against our president, Antonio Tinio.

Che-che Lazaro and Probe Team, just like ACT President Tinio, merely publicized the teachers’ valid complaints against the GSIS, and now they are suffering at the hands of a government that seems to be going berserk in its penchant to silence those who continue to objectively report what’s happening in our beleaguered land.

We’re living in an upside-down world! Journalists and teachers who serve the interest of public are harassed with absurd wiretapping and libel cases while politicians accused of corruption and abusive law enforcers remain scot-free.

We stand united for Che-Che Lazaro and other victims of this vindictive and tyrannical regime. We stand united for press freedom and the people’s right to petition the government for redress of grievances. We stand united for transparency and good governance.

We support Che-Che Lazaro’s continuous service to public interest through investigative journalism and urge other like-minded journalists to carry on with their excellent advocacy for truth.

We oppose the GSIS wiretapping case against her and urge Valencerina to come to her senses so that she may promote transparency and good governance through listening to the teachers’ grievances instead of filing absurd cases against those who champion or at least publicize the teachers’ demands.

Finally, we stand united against a new dictatorship now upon us, bent in using state power to silence its critics and castrate press freedom, and urge every freedom-loving citizen to stand-up and be counted in the continuous fight for freedom of the press and freedom of expression. If we do not speak out against injustice, it should not surprise us that the next tongue that will be clipped is ours.

Members of Alliance ofConcerned Teachers Cebu picketed the GSIS office to protest illegal deductions