Author: Mong Palatino

Worried about the looming water shortage in many parts of Thailand, writer Veera Prateepchaikul calls for the drafting and implementation of a comprehensive water policy in the country

The Love Care Station blog teaches young Thais about their sexual health. There are about 600,000-700,000 people in Thailand who are infected with HIV/AIDS.

The Vietnam government is accused of blocking two popular websites. The authors of the two websites, bauxitevietnam.info and blogosin.org, are opposed to several government policies.

Blogger Ella Ganda is facing a libel lawsuit in connection to a post she wrote last October. Ella alleged that relief goods intended for typhoon victims are being hoarded in a government warehouse owned by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

The Philippines was hit by a powerful tropical storm last September which displaced half a million people in Luzon Island alone. The DSWD was the major government agency in charge of coordinating relief efforts throughout the country. Responding to the appeal of the government for more volunteers, Ella went to a DSWD warehouse to help in the repacking of relief goods.

Ella’s expose was picked up by the mainstream media. DSWD officials denied that the agency was hoarding relief goods but they admitted that the agency lacked volunteers. DSWD Secretary Esperanza Cabral (now the Secretary of the Department of Health) issued this statement in response to the blog report of Ella:

We would like to assure all of you that the relief goods will reach the intended beneficiaries as they become necessary and will be used only to assist them. However, the relief goods don’t all go out at the same time and an empty warehouse is not proof that the goods were used properly just as a full warehouse is not evidence that the goods are being hoarded.

Three months after reporting what she witnessed in the DSWD compound, Ella was charged with libel by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). This was requested by Secretary Cabral who said that her reputation was maligned by Ella. Secretary Cabral and the NBI have been trying to identify the real name of Ella. They want Ella to answer the charges and to take some polygraph tests.

This is not the first time that a blogger was charged with libel in the Philippines. But this is the first time that a Cabinet member, in cooperation with the NBI, has charged an anonymous blogger with a libel suit.

What are the reactions of Filipino bloggers? Most are supportive of Ella.

FOO Law and Economics believes the case is weak

I would volunteer a common-sense opinion. I believe that Ella’s postings are fully within the definition of “fair commentary” in the jurisprudence on libel. In the jurisprudence, fair comment is a sufficient defense if the subject matter of the libel case is a matter of public concern.

Resurgence 2.0 warns that the libel suit sends a chilling effect on bloggers

I saw the blog during its height. There’s nothing libelous about it. The blogger stood with nothing to gain — other than the unsolicited fame the blog resulted from. If there was anything Ella was about during that time, she was sincerely bothered by the fact that people were hungry and homeless and without clothes and the government doesn’t seem to care.

This sends a chilling effect on bloggers. Blogging — and social networks — as we now know, is the future of media. It may not be as formal as the print or even TV, but I will argue that it’s the fastest and even more accurate source of information nowadays

Carlo's Think Pieces insists: “It is not libel, it is free speech.”

What I found was a proper blog by a concerned citizen re the relief goods which apparently were not being distributed promptly to the typhoon victims. Nowhere in that blog post did she say that relief goods were “rotting” – the word she used was “inaalikabok” (which means “gathering dust”). She was decrying the lack of volunteers to do the repacking work, and even suggested that NGOs or the military could help in this work. She in no way accused the Secretary or the DSWD of corruption.

I think that Secretary Cabral is overstepping her authority and being arrogant, by trying to silence Ella and her blog. Her libel suit is totally without merit. Ella’s blog told the truth, and it was done without any malicious intent. It is not libel, it is free speech.

Barrio Siete shares a similar point

First, the blog article in question, as we can find in most blogs, is a matter of opinion. If a person makes a statement that is, as Cabral said, contrary to the facts, it may not necessarily be libelous. On the other hand, a statement can be seen as an expression of fact or opinion depends on whether or not the person making such statement would be in a position to know such facts.

Reacting to the Ella libel case, Technograph urges bloggers to be ready to back up their statements in their blogs, and apologize if proven wrong

Personally, I now find the accusations of “Ella Rose” less credible. If the NBI is to be believed, she never took steps to back up her statements, including requesting “an investigation from the Office of the Ombudsman or any law enforcement agency.” Whether or not “Ella Rose” fights the charges off or not, remember bloggers, be prepared to back up what you say, and to apologize if you’re wrong!

Journalist Jigs Arquiza advises Ella to face the charges.

to all the rest who really don’t get my point and who think that ella is being treated unfairly: it’s your right to side with ella. i am not saying all of you are wrong. all i am saying is that there is always more than one side to a story. ella did not disclose all the facts, did not try to get certain information, did not practice responsible blogging, and is now hiding behind the defense of “freedom of speech”.

a lot of bloggers feel they can say anything in their blogs because they can remain anonymous. and like i said, if ella feels that what she posted was not malicious, then she should come out and face the charges

that is the thing most bloggers don’t understand, that when you make your thoughts public, then these are not personal anymore, rather, these become remarks that cause reactions.

that is what happened. ella posted, cabral got pissed, ella should face the consequences. anyway, it’s up to cabral to prove malice, right? so what is ella afraid of?

Digital library of Lao manuscripts features 86,000 texts from 800 monasteries in Laos. The web project aims to preserve historic Lao literary texts.

A group warns that domesticated elephants in Laos may disappear in 50 years.

The 450 Year Road in Laos is now 80 percent complete. The road is built to celebrate the 450th anniversary of Vientiane as capital of the country.

The First Quarter Storm Library blog gathers images, articles, music, and other materials on the historic events of 1970 in the Philippines. This period refers to the series of mass actions spearheaded by students against the government.

Simon Pitchforth learned a few tips on how to prepare for weddings in Indonesia when he attended the Jakarta Mega Wedding Festival 2010

An Islamic Boarding School in Bogor, West Java in Indonesia is supporting Facebook despite the statement of a local Islamic organization that the famous social networking site is haram or forbidden.

Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is on trial again for sodomy. This is the second time that the former deputy prime minister has been charged with sodomy.

Blogger hanoi scratchpad writes about his recent visit to a dog meat restaurant in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Dog eating has deep roots in Vietnam; it is a practice steeped in ritual, and associated with certain dates on the lunar calendar. Dog meat (thịt chó) may be eaten for various reasons aside from culinary pleasure, such as to increase male virility or bring about good luck.

The blogger learned that there are seven ways to cook dog in Vietnamese cuisine. These seven dishes are:

Rựa Mận – Steamed dog meat with shrimp paste, rice flour, and lemongrass
Giềng Me Mắm Tôm – Steamed dog in shrimp paste, galangal, and rice vinegar
Thịt Chó Hấp – Steamed dog meat
Thịt Chó Nướng – Grilled dog meat
Dồi Chó – Dog sausage
Chó Xào Sả Ớt – Fried dog in lemongrass and chili
Canh Xáo Măng Chó – Bamboo and dog meat soup

So how was the dog meat?

While flavorful – save for the dog sausage, which I didn't particularly care for – there was little to make dog, as a flavor experience, particularly unique. Whereas lamb has a distinct taste that shines through most recipes, dog disappears into its method of preparation. When prepared like pork, it could just as easily be pork; when prepared like beef, it could just as easily be beef.

This post generated some angry comments. Here is an anonymous commenter

It is inhumane and cruel to eat dog meat. Not all Vietnamese love it and I think only people in the north do as they were too poor and used to starve to death in the past. That's why they ate their own pets and thought it was lucky enough to stay alive for doing so.

Another angry commenter:

OMG! Dogs are our loyal pets. Hello???? You people are all nuts. Eat to live not live to eat. if one said there is no distinction between animals then you can eat human beings too since we are also animals. Eating dog is morally wrong.

This anonymous commenter writes that dog meat was non-existent in Saigon in the past

I grew up in Saigon and left Vietnam in 1981. Prior to the end of the war in 1975, dogmeat was hard to find in the South. There were no “dogmeat restaurants”, at least in Saigon.

After the war ended, a lot of Northern Vietnamese settled in the South, and one began to see dogmeat restaurants open up…. I did not find it particularly tasty.

hanoi scratchpad recognizes that there are legitimate reasons why eating dog meat should be prohibited but he dismisses the common arguments used by animal activists:

Consider that Vietnam consumes an estimated four to five million dogs per year. This is roughly the number of cats and dogs that are annually euthanized in U.S. animal shelters. So which country is the paragon of civilized virtues, the nation that incinerates the animals it murders, or the nation that eats them?

Dog meat is eaten in several countries including Vietnam’s neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. Vutha is shocked to see dog meat shops in Phnom Penh

There are small handfuls of Cambodian people like eating it.

Nowadays, there are small shops using dog meat as food for people who like it in Phnom Penh. Most of dogs have been stolen and sold to dog shop.

Gloria Esguerra Melencio is aware that eating dog meat has a cultural and historical basis in some indigenous groups in the Philippines but this practice has been abused already. The writer explains in detail how some Filipino men prepare dog meat:

1. Strangle the dog from behind by surprise. Do this swiftly to prevent the dog from biting. Gag its mouth. Throw the dog in a waiting jeepney, tricycle or van. Drive as fast to avoid apprehension. When accosted though, bribe the barangay tanod or police with your crispy Php 500 bill. Should you bought the dog from a nearby area from an owner who is in dire need of money, put the dog in a sack. Carry the sack on your back.

2. Remove the dog from the sack. Tie the dog in a post. Do not hear its barks, cries and howls for dear life. Hit its head with a two-by-two inch piece of lumber with a nail at the end. Do this several times until it is dead.

3. Hang the lifeless dog on a tree branch or post upside down. Slit its throat. Place a basin underneath to catch blood. Sprinkle rice and salt on blood until it solidifies. (Blood of black dogs is a potent medicine against tuberculosis, says a folk belief in Negros.)

4. Burn the dog coat with a flame thrower. Release the lifeless dog from the post. Shave until its smooth white skin shows.

5. Slice to pieces. Wash.

6. Put the dog meat in a kawa or a big pan. Boil in vinegar for an hour.

7. Add a little water and sprinkle salt. Do not mix yet. Let it stand for a few more minutes.

8. Cook again in low, cooking fire. Add potatoes, soy sauce and sprinkle with black pepper.

9. Pour tomato sauce, tomato paste, yellow and green peas and garnish with plenty of laurel leaves.

10. Serve with plenty of ice-cold beers or gin.

A partylist group in the Philippines wants to introduce a law that would put a ten-year expiration date on marriage contracts. The unique proposal is the group’s answer to lengthy and expensive annulment proceedings in the country. The Catholic-dominated Philippines does not have a divorce law.

According to the group, the “Renewable Marriage Bill” would “spare incompatible couples the expense of lengthy legal proceedings before their marriages are annulled.” The group added that a marriage contract “should be just like a passport or driver’s license. If we are not interested to renew it, then it expires.”

More than 500,000 marriages are administered by the Catholic Church every year with less than 10 percent getting annulled and reported.

As expected, the proposed marriage license with expiration date generated an intense reaction in the blogosphere.

Writing for Lex Fori Philippines, Oscar underscores the impact of this proposal on property relations.

If we are going to equate marriage with a driver’s license, can we then take the future spouse for a test drive? That way, both persons will be spared from having to go through renewing or not renewing the expirable marriage license and save them money from holding the costly marriage ceremony.

Supposing that marriage will expire in ten years, what will happen to the property relations after 10 years? the validity of contracts entered into by the spouses jointly? Do we liquidate the properties, terminate valid contracts, and tell the children to expect lesser legitimes in the event one or both their parents remarry and have additional children?

John Odonnell R. Petalcorin prefers a bill that would decrease the cost of annulment case proceedings

…if the proposal was conceptualized because of the expensive annulment case proceedings, I would rather propose a counter-bill to put a price cap on the cost of annulment. To make the process speedy, we can also incorporate a provision that the annulment can be approved immediately if both the husband and wife will exchange a verbally denounciation of their love for each other for three times

Ice9web Blog wonders whether a new marriage vow will be uttered in ceremonies

If this will happen, gone are the days when the marriage vows are to be taken seriously “Til death do us part”?
Now what will the vow be? Till renewal to us part?

Some said that this will be the answer here in Philippines, since we don't have divorce and annulment takes time and lots of money… is renewal really the answer?

Pinoy Politico doesn’t understand why incompatible couples have to wait for ten years before they can terminate their marriage

I don't understand why a person has to wait for a decade just to ditch his cheating wife. This is also the same for the women. If my husband beats me up everyday after 1 year of marriage, why should I wait for 9 years more? Maybe you should propose daily renewal so that you can check their marriage status.

Capt. Nemo is supportive of the proposal

well this proposition just want to address the PRESENT situation that most of the Filipino couples are facing nowadays. Based on my perception, this is for the better and a solution that treat both sexes equality regarding marriage. For annulment can be acquired by those who are capable to “pay” the process. How about the poor who want to put an end in their not working relationship, can they go with the same process?

this proposition will motivate couples to value their existing relationship. In fact, they have the FREE WILL to either renew their marriage contracts or just junk the paper after 10 years.

Jappysworld is concerned about the welfare of children if a couple decides not to renew their marriage

This is not the solution. I do understand that there are many people who couldn’t stand being married a minute longer, but what would happen to the children if this proposal takes effect. This may be beneficial to estranged couples but their children would be the one to suffer the most. It’s like saying on the 1st day after the 10th year of Marriage; a married person could do anything they want without regarding their responsibility and loyalty to their family.

Maureen Flores believes the proposed bill bypasses the sanctity of marriage

This has been a laughing matter between my husband and I over the week. We're celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary today, you see. But really, the proposed 10-year expiry on marriage contracts is not funny.

I am also expressing my sincere disapproval on this proposal. I am concerned about how it will affect families and our society itself should this be passed. The sanctity of marriage is bypassed.

The Mindanao Examiner reviews the significant events in Mindanao Island in the past year. Mindanao is the second biggest island in the Philippines

A Filipino blogger was charged with a libel suit by the secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development after writing about the ‘rotting' relief goods in a government warehouse. This is the first time a public official has sued a blogger in the Philippines.

Four ‘democracy activists' in Vietnam were sentenced to long prison terms for subversion. The four dissidents are advocating social change through non-violent means.

Football is very popular in Vietnam. Every time Vietnam wins in international competitions, it generates a lot of excitement, and traffic, in big cities.

The Final Word describes the new payment system in one of the largest motorbike parking lots in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

A Myanmar junta official hints that opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi could be set free this year. But the opposition doubts if this is an official announcement.