Let’s start from the beginning of July.
Last Tuesday (July 1), I gave a lecture on “The Political and Cultural Economy of Philippine Migration” to visiting Filipino-American students hosted by the Amado V. Hernandez Resource Center (AVHRC).
The day after (July 2), I was at the Little Theater in the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila to speak at the launch of the Unity for P125: Alliance Calling for an Urgent P125 Wage Increase. My presentation, by the way, is titled “Umento sa panahon ng neoliberalismo (Increase at a time of neoliberalism).” (Minor correction: I should clarify that I am a faculty member at UP Diliman, not at UP Manila as written in the press release.)
As regards interviews, I had an on-cam interview last Thursday (July 3) with the TV show Agenda (aired over ZOE, GMA 7) on oil price hikes. I was told that this particular segment will be aired this week.
Right now, there are some requests from the media and the academe for interviews on media and other issues. I am also in the thick of preparing for lectures, seminars and workshops from now until August.
As regards my confirmed speaking engagements, I will be in Davao City by the third week of August to give a lecture on Online Journalism. I will also be in Jakarta, Indonesia to keynote an ASEAN journalists’ workshop titled “Reporting on regional integration in Southeast Asia: History, institutions and policies of ASEAN” which will be held twice (i.e., end-July and end-August).
If things work out, I will also be conducting a one-day workshop on “Technical Writing for Policy Makers” not just once but thrice from July to August. I also have pending invitations from at least two schools to give media-related lectures, the schedules of which are not yet final.
Yes, the schedule’s quite full and the semester is not over yet. Before I end, I would just like to share with you my interview published in the June 26 issue of Malaya about two UP students who were abducted two years ago. The full text of the news article may also be retrieved from http://www.malaya.com.ph/jun26/metro5.htm.
UP remembers Karen and Sherlyn
THE University of the Philippines Community commemorates today the second year anniversary of the enforced disappearance of UP students Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño who were abducted with farmer Manuel Merino in San Miguel, Hagonoy, Bulacan on June 26, 2006 allegedly by Army soldiers.
“The continued disappearance of Karen and She reflects the state of human rights under the Arroyo administration,” Serve the People UP! lead convener Judy Taguiwalo said at a discussion dubbed as “Kalayaan, paggunita at paglaban para sa dalawang kabataan at iskolar ng bayan” at UP.
Congress of Teachers/Educators for Nationalism and Democracy University of the Philippines (CONTEND-UP) said that the circumstances behind their disappearance exactly two years ago are clear but their whereabouts remain uncertain. “There is cogent reason for the vast majority to denounce the government’s failure to protect human rights and give justice to those who are aggrieved,” Contend UP’s Danilo Arao said.
Students, friends, faculty members, activists and other groups launched yesterday the Diwang Palaban exhibit at Vinzon’s Hall featuring installation works of blinds and tarpaulins of revolving advertisements on one side, and picture reproductions of protest actions and faces of decaparecidos on the other.
That’s all for now. Thank you for reading.