SANLAKAS Bukidnon Chapter All-Leaders Assembly SUCCESSFUL!

December 2, 2015

Key Leaders from all the cities and municipalities of Bukidnon representing different IP tribes, sectors and organizations gathered together in a province-wide SANLAKAS Assembly at Quadra D'stable Eco Resort, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

During the local sitationer, the main issue within the Bukidnon areas where the participants are situated was about ancestral domain which produced chains of different problems. Behind it was a huge influence of settlers and investors who entered the areas. Christian interventions were also present not only in Bukidnon but also neighboring areas. Harassments including putting bounty on the heads of those who resist, using military and government agencies were the instruments in taking lands from the Lumads.  Because of these, the Lumads became slaves in their own lands. There were also influences of rebel returnees and other fanatic groups. Another issue is the monopoly of elite groups within the areas which resulted to harassment and other human rights violations including mining and water problems. Therefore, there is a need to unite forces to overcome the situations. 

Some photos taken during the Assembly of Sanlakas Bukidnon Chapter held last Dec. 2, 2015.

Sanlakas nominee Mr. Roldan R. Gonzales (on white at left) poses with the Sanlakas Leaders of Bukidnon.

In the planning, the leaders first elect their Chapter Officers who are as follows:

President: Datu Saliot

Secretary: Emma Tundag

Treasurer: Datu Salahag

Auditor: Datu Alim

4 VPs (1 VP per district):

1^st District: Datu Makabulig

2^nd District: Narcisso Boreros

3^rd District: Lida Carbon

4^th District: Datu Kainsaan

Provincial Electoral Committee:

1. Datu Saliot

2. Datu Makabulig

3. Narcisso Boreros

4. Lida Carbon

5. Datu Kainsaan

By December 2015 to January 2016, municipal chapters would be established.

Mr. Gonzales speaks in front of the various sectoral leaders of Bukidnon during the Sanlakas All Leaders Assembly.

The leaders raised their first during the All Leaders Assembly held in Bukidnon last Dec. 2, 2015.

Mr. Roldan Gonzales, presented SANLAKAS National Update, platform and resolutions. Part of his discussion was the policies upheld by SANLAKAS such as the wage increase, Labor code amendments, People’s survival Fund, NCCAP and DRRM, AMMB, Scrap VAT and EVAT, Trash Cybercrime Law, RH Law, FOI, Prevent the passage of Anti-terror bill, Anti-torture law and Salary increase for teachers and government employees.

Inspirational Message was given by Fr. Dadz Tabios. He said that the Lumads should claim back the lands which were rightfully theirs from the beginning and relive their lost culture and tradition. Despite the struggles including false democratic government, he was thankful that there’s still sense of cooperation remaining in the hearts of the people.

Let's know our nominees

Our nominees include; Leody De Guzman, Jose Aaron Pedrosa Jr. and Roldan Gonzales.

Mr. Leody de Guzman is the President of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino.  He also served as a union officer of Aris Philippines.

Mr. Leody de Guzman (left)

One of our nominees is Atty. Jose Aaron Pedrosa Jr.  He is a known social activist and militant leader in Cebu.  Pedrosa served as the national secretary-general of Sanlakas and secretary-general of Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) Cebu.

Pedrosa is a regular presence in street protests, championing the poor’s cause on issues like tuition increases and consumer issues like high power rates.

Atty. Aaron Pedrosa (right)

Pedrosa graduated cum laude from UP Cebu in 2006 with a degree in Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.  He first went to San Beda for his law studies in 2007. After one year, he moved back to Cebu and enrolled in the USC College of Law.

Mr. Roldan R. Gonzales

Another nominee is Mr. Roldan R. Gonzales.  He is currently the Provincial Focal Person of Bottom-Up-Budgeting of National Anti-Poverty Commission (BUB-NAPC).  He is at the same time the Executive Director of Gitib, Incorporated, a non-government organization advocating for the protection of children's rights and an ecological/environmental organization.  He is a climate justice advocate and a human rights defender.

Among the advocacies and network of Mr. Gonzales, include among others;

• Incumbent National Chairman of Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc.
• CSO representative-Multi Sectoral Group of the Philippine Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (PhEITI)
• Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC) Vice Chairperson
• former National Board of Trustees member of Task Force Detainees of the Phils. (TFDP)
• Member of Mindanao Action Group of Children's Rights and Protection (MAGCRP)
• former convenor of Kalitawhan (Kalibutan sa Katawhan) Network

SANLAKAS

Ang SANLAKAS ay isang pambansang koalisyon ng mga samahan ng mamamayan at iba’t ibang sector ng lipunan na nagkakaisa sa pakikibaka para sa panlipunang pagbabago. Itinatag ito noong 1993.

Mula pa noong 1998, nakibaka na ang Sanlakas sa larangan ng lehislatibo bilang organisasyong partylist na kumakatawan sa mga napapabayaang sektor sa loob ng kongreso, ipinaliliwanag ang kanilang pananaw at nagbubunsod ng mga aksyon upang tiyaking sa kanilang interes ang mga pambansang batas at patakaran.

Isinasagawa ang lahat ng pinaka-posibleng pagkakataon upang itaguyod ang kahilingan ng mamamayan at isinasama ang iba’t ibang maytaya sa bawat posibleng larangan – mula sa ‘parlyamento ng lansangan’, tungo sa Mababang Kapulungan ng Kongreso, hanggang sa Kataas-taasang Hukuman – pinadama ng Sanlakas ang kanyang presensya. Inukit nito ang kanyang sariling kaangkupan sa pambansang pampulitikang tagpo bilang matapat na tagapagtaguyod ng pagpapalaganap ng karapatang pantao at katarungang panlipunan.

Ibinabahagi ng SANLAKAS sa bawat Pilipino ang pangarap ng isang mapayapa, progresibo at demokratikong bansa anuman ang edad, kasarian, katutubong pinagmulan, kultura, panlipunan, pulitikal, at pang-ekonomyang kalagayan:

1. May pantay na pagkakataon na magtitiyak na sila at ang kanilang pamilya ay may trabaho at maaasahang pamamaraan upang matiyak ang mga rekurso na magtitiyak na may makakain sila sa hapag-kainan, tuklasin ang akmang serbisyong pangkalusugan hangga’t kinakailangan, tumira sa isang disenteng abot-kayang pabahay, at malinis, ligtas, at matiwasay na pamayanan.
2. May oportunidad na makalahok sa mga pagsisikap sa pamayanang kaunlaran na nagtataguyod ng tiwala sa sarili at makipagtulungan, at palakasin ang mamamayan sa pagtatatag ng isang tunay na demokrasyang ‘ nakasentro sa taumbayan’ mula sa masa hanggang sa pambansang antas ng pamahalaan.
3. Kayang abutin ang ganap na proteksyong legal sa pamamagitan ng patas at tuluy-tuloy na pagpapatupad ng mga batas na maka-mamamayan.
4. May dahilan upang umasang matatamo ngayon kaysa sa di-makitang hinaharap ang layunin tungo sa mas maunlad na kabuuang kalidad ng buhay, at makakamtan ng lahat ng Pilipino di lamang ng iilang nag-aari ng kayamanan at namamahala sa bayan.  Ibinabahagi ng SANLAKAS ang pananaw at paniniwala ng ating mamamayan upang panghawakan ang katarungang panlipunan, ipagtanggol at itaguyod ang karapatang pantao, dapat nating durugin ang lahat ng uri ng mapagsamantalang pampulitika, pangekonomya, panlipunan at pangkulturang sagka, tulad ng:

• Pag-eetsa-pwera sa manggagawa, magsasaka, mangingisda, maralitang lungsod at kanayunan mula sa matinding patakaran at proseso ng pagpapasya, at istruktura ng pamamahala.
• Pagsasamantala at pang-aapi sa kababaihan sa tahanan, sa pagawaan, sa midya at sa iba pang kontekstong panlipunan at pangkultura; diskriminasyon sa mga bakla at tomboy at iba pang tao nang dahil sa kanilang oryentasyong sekswal. 
• Garapalang pagwawalang-bahala at patuloy na pagyurak sa mga karapatan ng mga Moro, lumad, at iba pang katutubong mamamayan at ang patuloy na patakarang digmaan upang supilin ang kanilang siglosiglong tanda ng pakikibaka laban sa pananakop, ang kanilang pakikibaka para sa kapayapaan sa kanilang sariling lupaing ninuno.

Tuluy-tuloy na pagkilos tungo sa tunay na repormang pulitikal sa lahat ng antas ng pamahalaan at panatilihin ang aktibong pakikisangkot ng sambayanan sa pambansang kaunlaran, dapat nating itaguyod at pagtibayin ang ating prinsipyo:

• Na ang tunay na demokratikong pamahalaan ay natatangi kung saan ang kapangyarihang pulitika ay nasa kamay ng mayorya ng ating mamamayan.

• Na ang desentralisado at awtonomyang istrukturang pamamahalang lokal ay dapat pagtibayin sa pamamagitan ng pagtataguyod ng mga prinsipyo ng walang itinatago at pananagutan sa lahat ng nanunungkulan sa publiko.


• Na ang pambansang kaunlaran ay matatamo sa pamamagitan ng nagsasariling ekonomya, na:

• Malaya mula sa dayuhang paniniil at pananamantala;
• Pagsisikap tungo sa balanseng kaunlaran sa agrikultura at industriyal;
• Pagtitiyak ng pantay na hatian ng rekurso at yamang panlipunan;
• Pagtataguyod ng makakalikasan, makakapaligirang pagdepensa at sustenableng kaugalian sa produksyon, pamilihan, at pamamahagi ng mga kalakal at serbisyo.

• Na ang tunay na daigdigang pagkakaisa ay dapat nakabatay sa walangpakialaman, mutwal na pagtutulungan, at mapayapang pag-iral ng mga bansa at ng mamamayan, kung kaya:

• May tratadong mapanlinlang tulad ng umiiral na kasunduang military sa Estados Unidos ay dapat na walang puwang sa ating patakarang pandayuhan.
• Lahat ng makatarungang daigdigang kumbensyon, kasunduan, at tratado, tulad ng yaong hinggil sa mga karapatang pantao, krimen mula sa digmaan, pangangalaga sa kapaligiran, at ng mga tulad nito, ay dapat ipatupad at sundin ang katitikan at diwa nito.
• Isang patakaran ng dipagpapangkat-pangkat na dapat kandiliin, pagbatikos sa lahat ng anyo ng digmaan o pananalakay na inilunsad ng ibang bansa laban sa iba pang malayang bansa.
• Mas aktibo at alistong pagpupunyagi sa panig ng pamahalaan ay kinakailangasa pagtatanggol at pagtataguyod ng mga karapatan at kagalingan ng mga migranteng manggagawang Pilipino.

Ang SANLAKAS ay matapat sa pagsasalin sa kongkretong aksyon ng mga retorika ng prinsipyo at matibay na paniniwala sa pamamagitan ng:

• Pagsasagawa ng mga programang pang-edukasyunal, pananaliksik, at kampanyang impormasyon hinggil sa mga nagaganap na isyung pambansa at panlokal, pati na rin mga daigdigang usapin na nakakaapekto sa sambayanan.
• Pag-oorganisa ng taumbayan sa mga pamayanan at lugar ng trabaho at pagaangat ng kanilang kakayahan bilang aktibo at responsableng kasapi o pinuno ng kanilang pamayanan at ikintal sa kanilang puso’t isipan ang kahalagahan ng pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan.
• Pagmomobilisa ng taumbayan at iba pang maytaya sa pagsasagawa ng angkop na aksyon at malikhaing aktibidad bilang tugon sa mga ispesipikong isyu o polisiya na nakakaapekto sa kanila.
• Lehislatibong adbokasya at gawaing pagla-lobby upang matiyak na ang tinig at kahilingan ng mga napapabayaang sektor ay mapalaki at mapakinggan sa Kongreso.
• Gawain sa daigdigang pagkakaisa sa pamamagitan ng pakikisalamuha sa mga taga-ibang bansa at pagdalo sa mga daigdigang panlipunang kilusan.

Sanlakas

It is a national COALITION composed of
sectoral and people’s organizations united in
the struggle for social change.

In 1998 until 2004, SANLAKAS has been
engaged in the legislative arena as a PARTY
LIST ORGANIZATION representing the
marginalized sectors in congress, articulating
their perspective and initiating actions to
ensure that national laws and policies will
serve their best interest.

By making the most of every possible
opportunity to promote the people’s agenda
and engaging the various stakeholders in
every possible venue- from the ‘parliament
of the street‘, to the House of Representative,
up to the Supreme Court – SANLAKAS has
made its presence felt.

It has carved its own niche in the national
political landscape as staunch advocates for
the promotion of human rights and social
justice.

SANLAKAS shares every Filipino’s dream of
a peaceful, progressive and democratic
nation, where every person regardless of age,
gender, ethnic, cultural, social, political and
economic background:

􀂾 Has a fair chance of ensuring that
they and their families will have jobs
and reliable means of securing
resources that will enable them to
put food on the table, send their
children to school, seek appropriate
health care services where needed,
live in decent affordable housing and
clean, safe, and secure communities.

􀂾 Has the opportunity to participate in
community development efforts that
foster self-reliance and collaboration
as well as empower citizens to build
a genuine ‘people powered’
democracy from the grassroots up to
the national levels of government.

􀂾 Has access to the full measure of
legal protection through the fair and
consistent enforcement of propeople
laws.

􀂾 Has reason to hope that the goal of
an improved overall quality of life can
be attained TODAY rather than in
some uncertain future, and can be
had by all Filipinos rather than just
the few who own the wealth and rule
the land.

SANLAKAS shares our people’s vision and
believes that to uphold social justice, to
protect and promote human rights we must
dismantle all forms of exploitative political,
economic, social and cultural barriers such
as:

The exclusion of workers, farmers,
fisher folk, the urban and rural poor from
crucial policy and decision-making processes
and governance structures.

The exploitation and oppression of
women at home, in the workplace, the media
and other socio-cultural contexts;
discrimination against gays and lesbians and
other individuals by virtue of their sexual
orientation.





For more information: you may contact
us at SANLAKAS Headquarters at
(02)4159400 or visit us at 115-D
Roosevelt Avenue, Brgy. Paraiso,
District 1, Quezon City, Philippines.
Or visit our facebook account: http://
www.facebook.com/Sanlakas4partylist
Former Sanlakas Rep. JV Bautista.