medgroove 2010

Is it my fault I was sitting in that location?

Medrhythmia 2010

Love love the stage lights.

Organic Agriculture Act of 2009 (Text from senate) may be a step back, away from food security for the Filipino people.

Why? Though the text has no mention of GM food restriction or special labeling, it uses in its definition of "organic agriculture" the definition held by International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). And this organization outright rejects the use of Genetically-modified organisms in agriculture. Looking at the reasons of IFOAM, one feels that they are more about propaganda rather than evidence as so far, no studies have shown that GM foods cause "genetic pollution", are "threats to human health" or lead to "violation of farmers' fundamental property rights and endangerment of their economic independence." What is truly laughable is their claim that genetic engineering is "incompatible with sustainable agriculture."

GM foods have been in use in the country for years now and several prominent research and extension programs by IRRI and UPLB is using modern genetic engineering technology in order to help farmers achieve better yield while protecting the environment from harm. Making organic agriculture the national policy would make these efforts moot and useless.

Organic agriculture methods might have to be adopted but it doesn't mean that we should reject genetic engineering. Our country cannot afford to neglect a tool that will help it achieve food security.

It comes to me as a surprise that the act is just waiting for the signature of pGMA to be approved. Where are the GM advocacy groups when we need them? The DOST have attended the hearings, why then is the definition of organic agriculture so restricting?

And it comes at a time when the US is calling for a rethinking of agriculture.

So the AFP detained and tortured 43 health workers attending a health training in Morong. The AFP claim they are part of the NPA and the training is a training on bomb making or some other skills terrorists and rebels need to learn and not on health.

Having heard the military spokesperson on Crossroads (the ANC show):
- Why have you detained and prevented these people access to legal counsel for days?
- Even if they were rebels, you can not treat these people the way you treated them. And aren't we supposed to presume innocence even if we have overwhelming evidence at hand?

In italics are some things that the AFP claim support their accusations regarding the participants:
-Low educational attainment
-Event wasn't publicized
-Groups who support the Morong 43 are mostly leftists
-They have revealed their NPA affiliations during their detainment

The first two reveal how ignorant the military is regarding the prevailing approach towards community health. Educational background is irrelevant in health skills training. You do not need a college degree to be able to protect you and your community's health. You do not need to be the brightest one in the community to be able to pick up these skills. That is the purpose of the training anyway.

Trainings of community health workers are not publicized or advertised in the usual ways. It is not only due to the effin high expense to do these things but also the uselessness of these publicizing modalities. And no AFP, GOs and NGOs do not need to tell you about all the trainings they will conduct in an area. They, as a form of courtesy, will inform the local officials but not you. Why should they? Unless they seek help in maintaining security of the training site, they wouldn't interact with you. These trainings are indeed spread through word of mouth and communication channels already present in the community. Sometimes, the training is invitation only because the NGOs have already identified what communities are targeted and the only groups they will contact for participants. I repeat, they don't need to publicize these trainings. These are not huge events needing humongous number of attendants. They don't need to tell everybody, they just need to tell the involved communities.

The AFP also seem to have this notion that the organizers should have screened this people. No! They screen them if they are capable of giving back to their community by imparting or using their new skills but they don't screen for character, legal history or warrant of arrests. One, you don't have a good database of warrant of arrests easily accessible by the public or NGOs and two, that is not their job. That is yours. And lastly, why should they forbid people to learn these skills especially if these people are chosen by the community itself.

For the fourth, confessions made during torture is and should be invalid. Under torture and extreme stress, a normal person can be made to do anything. Given that the detainment seem to be one big torture fest, why give weight to their confession?

And for the third. That's one of the stupidest things I've heard in a long time (and I frequently read posts regarding quackery in SB). These groups are supporting the Morong 43 not because they are necessarily involved in them. Rather, they saw that attack on HR and the illegal nature of how the AFP handled the Morong 43 from capture to detainment. If you can let go of your bias against the left maybe you can realize that your attempts at hiding your mistakes is failing, greatly.

I wonder why the DOH is being mum about this though. DOH being a huge partner in promoting community health programs should have been one of the first to react to this. And a good thing they could do is introduce the AFP, PNP and other GOs to primary health care and community health.

Suddenly became one of the official photographers for an APMC event.



1.8 saved my ass.

I'm so craving for that Tamron lens.

I'll post more once my schedule frees up.

My classmates think I only have three emotions: triumph, disappointment and disgust. Of course not, I also have hate, disdain, apathy, discontentment, anger and frustration.

I think I will fail in helping a friend achieve her goal. Maybe next year, I'll bully her into working harder.

I badly want need a new novel to read. I can't bear anymore having free time spent pining for transes to read.