College Editors Guild of the Philippines - Panay

14/02/2025

As we celebrate the National Arts Month and as a first installment of 𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗔𝗬𝗦𝗔𝗬𝗢𝗡: 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗮𝗸’𝘀 𝟱𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗟𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, we invite you to an afternoon of critical reflection and impassioned discourse with Retired Prof. Tomasito Talledo.

Titled "Poetry is an Encounter with the Enemy," the first installment of the lecture series is co-organized by the College Editors Guild of the Philippines - Panay and Kasingkasing Press and will be delivered as commentaries on the poems of Mao Tse-Tung, Chu En-Lai, and Ho Chi Minh.

Their poems bloomed while engaging with the burgeoning revolution with them as primary agents of socio-political transformation. The lecture will bare how poems of revolutionaries had effectively conjoined the employment of classic poetic genre while on the life-and-death struggle.

📍 PANAYSAYON Part I: Poetry is an Encounter with the Enemy
🗓 February 21, 2025 | ⏰ 2:30-5:00 PM
📌 UPV Little Theater, UPV Iloilo City Campus

𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘𝗥

Prof. Tomasito Talledo, who retired from teaching in 2024, was an Associate Professor at UP Visayas, Miagao Campus. He handled courses in Sociology, Political Science, and those courses that cut across several areas of knowledge called the General Education of the University.

A poet and cultural critic, he authored Songs of War Patriots (2011) and, more recently, LUTHANG, a collection of Hiligaynon-Kinaray-a binalaybay/poems (2024), alongside WOUNDS OF THE EARTH, a chapbook of his English poems. His essays on cultural criticism can be found on his page, while his academic works appear in DANYAG of UPV. His other writings are accessible via Panay Today-Altermedia and Bulatlat.com.

Be part of this milestone event as we celebrate Pagbutlak’s 50 years of resistance, struggle, and fire.

Interested? Register through this link:
https://bit.ly/PanaysayonPt1
https://bit.ly/PanaysayonPt1
https://bit.ly/PanaysayonPt1

14/02/2025

BALITA | Ayokong Magmahal: Banta ng TOFI sa mga estudyante

Nagtipon ang mga estudyante mula sa iba't ibang unibersidad, kasama ang mga progresibong grupo ng kabataan, upang tutulan ang nakatakdang pagtaas ng tuition and other school fees (TOSF) sa harap ng West Visayas State University ngayong araw, Pebrero 14.

Sa isang picket protesta, ipinahayag ng mga estudyante at grupo ang kanilang pagkabahala sa patuloy na pagtaas ng tuition fee sa mga private higher education institutions (PHEIs), at binanggit ang pangmatagalang epekto nito sa mga estudyante at sa kabuuang sektor ng edukasyon.

Ayon sa Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Memorandum Order No. 3, Series of 2012, na alinsunod sa Republic Act 7722 (Higher Education Act), kinakailangang isaalang-alang ng mga PHEIs ang ilang mga salik bago magtaas ng tuition at iba pang bayarin sa paaralan (TOSF). Kasama sa mga salik na ito ang regional inflation rate na itinatakda ng National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), ang kalagayang pinansyal ng institusyon, ang kakayahang pinansyal ng mga estudyante, ang epekto ng mga kalamidad, ang kalidad ng rekord ng paaralan, at ang misyon at bisyon nito.

Umalarma ang komprehensibong grupong pangkabataan na Anakbayan na marami sa mga salik na ito ay kasalukuyang umiiral. Binanggit ng grupo ang patuloy na kinakaharap ng bansa na krisis sa ekonomiya, kabilang na ang 3.6% inflation rate sa Western Visayas na naitala noong Enero 25 ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Binigyang-diin din ng grupo na habang patuloy ang pagtaas ng tuition fees, nananatiling maliit ang sahod, sa kabila ng P30 na pagtaas sa minimum wage na ipinatupad noong nakaraang taon.
"Ang mga sahod [ng mga magulang at manggagawa] ay mababa na, habang patuloy namang tumataas ang mga presyo ng bilihin. Saan kukunin ng mga estudyante at magulang ang pambayad kung lalo pang tataas ang tuition fees?" sabi ni Matt Gonzaga, tagapagsalita ng Anakbayan-Panay.

Nagpahayag din ang Kabataan Partylist - Panay na bunga ng pagtaas ng tuition, maraming estudyante mula sa PHEIs ang napipilitang tumigil sa pag-aaral dahil sa hindi kayang bayaran ang tuition at iba pang bayarin sa labas ng kanilang pag-aaral kagaya lamang ng pagkain, pambayad sa mga inuupahang boarding house, at iba pa. Dagdag ng grupo, ang ganitong mga pangyayari ay nagpapalala sa kalagayan ng sektor ng edukasyon sa Pilipinas.

“Sa mga nakaraang taon, patuloy ang panawagang taasan ang pondo para sa sektor ng edukasyon, upang mas maraming paaralan ang makapagbigay ng kalidad na edukasyon sa libreng halaga para hindi na kailangan pang mag-enroll sa mga pribadong paaralan ang nakararami sa kabataan at magdusa sa patuloy na pagtaas ng tuition fees, at kalaunan ay mapipilitan nang tumigil sa pag-aaral upang magtrabaho at tanggapin ang mababang sahod,” saad ni Crimson Labinghisa, 9th nominee ng Kabataan Party-list.

11/02/2025

NEWS | 'BYAHENG MAKABAYAN, BYAHE SANG PUMULUYO': Makabayan-Panay Kicks Off Campaign with Opening Salvo

In a coordinated campaign effort, the MAKABAYAN Coalition-Panay launched its campaign with "Byaheng Makabayan," a send-off caravan across the provinces of Iloilo, Aklan, and Capiz, earlier today, February 11. Marking the official start of the campaign period for senatorial and party-list candidates in the upcoming 2025 midterm elections.

The caravan in Iloilo City began at Jaro Plaza and proceeded to the Iloilo Provincial Capitol, where hundreds of volunteers and supporters from various groups and sectors gathered to show their support for the coalition. Similar caravans were also held in Capiz and Aklan.

The coalition introduced its senatorial slate, consisting of 11 candidates, as well as four party-list groups: Kabataan Party-list, Bayan Muna, ACT Teachers Party-list, and Gabriela Women’s Party. In addition, Makabayan is also campaigning for the Health Workers Party-list.

Following the send-off caravan, volunteers in the three provinces conducted rekoridas, flyering activities, and house-to-house campaigns to further engage with the community.

09/02/2025

NEWS | KTAP Launches in Panay, Vows for a Safer, Fair 2025 Elections

The Panay leg of the nationwide youth electoral alliance, Kabataan Tayo ang Pag-asa (KTAP), was officially launched on Saturday, February 8, in Iloilo City.

Led by the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) Panay Chapter and the Western Visayas Youth Students Alliance (WVYSA), the launch gathered a diverse range of participants, including school- and community-based youth organizations, university student councils, ecumenical youth ministries, and officials from the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK), all committed to upholding democracy and good governance ahead of the 2025 Midterm Elections.

CEGP Panay Secretary-General Juliane Judilla highlighted the pressing issues currently faced by the nation under the Marcos-Duterte regime, emphasizing the role of the youth in addressing these challenges by prioritizing voter education and supporting good governance in the upcoming elections.

“In the realization of the future we want, we unite to raise awareness of the social realities of our communities, harness our collective aspirations, and encourage other young people to join us in working toward genuine social change,” Judilla said.

Meanwhile, Attorney Josiah Quising of the National Union of People’s Lawyers - National Capital Region (NUPL-NCR) explained important electoral laws and regulations. Quising also reminded participants of their responsibility to choose leaders who truly represent their interests.

“Choose a candidate who will choose you, always,” he said.

Arlie Bosque of WVYSA further emphasized the vital role the youth will play in the elections. He presented the KTAP 8-point youth agenda, a comprehensive multi-sectoral policy framework aimed at addressing the needs and demands of the Filipino people.

KTAP, first launched in 2015, is the only youth campaign movement advocating for new politics.

07/02/2025

ALERT: The adjacent communities of Santiago and San Francisco in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, are currently under military operations. According to community reports, around 40 personnel from the 3rd Civil Military Operations (PEACEMAKER) Battalion of the Philippine Army are involved.

These areas have been under militarization since August 2024, with multiple reports of red-tagging of small fisherfolk associations, intimidation of fisherfolk leaders, and other human rights violations committed by state forces.

This is a developing story.

Via Panay Today

07/02/2025

Today, February 7, we commemorate the fifth anniversary of the illegal arrest of five activists in Tacloban, collectively known as the "Tacloban 5," including a community journalist.

Frenchie Mae Cumpio, a journalist for the alternative media outfit Eastern Vista, along with Marissa Cabaljao of People's Surge, Alexander Abinguna of Katungod-Sinirangan Bisayas, Mira Legion of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) Eastern Visayas, and Marielle Domequil of the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines (RMP), was illegally arrested in a police raid on Feb. 7, 2020.

Cumpio and Domequil were charged with terrorism financing, while Legion, Cabaljao, and Abinguna were charged with illegal possession of fi****ms. Additionally, Abinguna was also charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. While Legion and Cabaljao have already posted bail and were released, Cumpio, Abinguna, and Domequil continue to stand trial, and the charges against the five have yet to be fully dropped.

We remain steadfast in our call for justice, demanding that the state drop all charges against the Tacloban 5. We also call for the abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the repeal of anti-terrorism laws, which have been used as tools to vilify and silence those who stand with the people. These laws have unjustly targeted activists, groups, and even journalists who are merely amplifying the demands and struggles of the masses, further eroding the freedoms we should all be entitled to.

As we reflect on the injustice faced by the Tacloban 5, we renew our commitment to fighting for their freedom and the protection of basic human rights for all. The continuing abuse of power through these unjust laws must be stopped. We will continue to amplify our voices, demanding accountability and justice until the charges are dropped and the voices of the oppressed are no longer silenced.

Sa hindi pagbitaw at patuloy na pakikipaglaban, makakamtan ang hustisya!

Free Frenchie Mae Cumpio! Free Marielle Domequil! Free Alexander Abinguna! Drop the charges against the Tacloban 5!

05/02/2025

NEWS | ‘Bye-bye Inday Lustay’: HOR IMPEACHES VP SARA DUTERTE

The House of Representatives endorsed the impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte during its final session on Wednesday, February 5, following months of hearings into her alleged misuse of multi-million-peso confidential funds. House Secretary General Reginald Velasco confirmed that the fourth impeachment complaint against Duterte garnered 215 endorsements from lawmakers, securing enough votes to proceed.

The charges against the Vice President include several serious allegations, such as betrayal of public trust and misuse of confidential funds allocated to the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Education (DepEd). The House also cited corruption, bribery, and the accumulation of unexplained wealth as grounds for impeachment.

Lawmakers argue that her actions amount to a breach of the 1987 Constitution and constitute a general betrayal of public trust, which ultimately led to the impeachment vote. With the resolution now in place, the focus will shift to the Senate for a trial that will determine her fate.

03/02/2025

SHOUTOUT SA MGA KABATAAN DIYAN!

Sawa na ba sa mga luma at trapong politiko at pamamahala?
Nais ba ng mabuting gobyerno at hangad ang malinis at makatarungang eleksyon?

O sa mga KABATAAN diyan, GALAW GALAW na at dumalo sa GRAND LAUNCHING ng KABATAAN TAYO ANG PAG-ASA (KTAP) sa darating na SABADO, February 8, 2025 sa Jubilee Hall, St. Clement's Church, Iloilo City.

Maging bahagi ng natatanging malawak na alyansa ng mga kabataan para sa mas malinis, tapat, patas, at mapayapang halalan sa Mayo 2025.

Kitakits! ♥️💛💙

02/02/2025

NEWS | Mass Org Exposes ROTC Student Intel at Iloilo State U

Youth mass organization Anakbayan - West Visayas State University (WVSU) raised alarm after uncovering a covert member of the Student Intelligence Network (SIN) who had been surveilling the group as part of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).

In a statement released by the organization on February 1, they claimed that the individual, who identified himself as “Simoun,” infiltrated the student organization by presenting a fabricated identity. He had been under suspicion for several months due to questionable activities, including secretly taking ‘zoomed-in’ photos of Anakbayan-WVSU members and other mass organizations during meetings and events without their consent.

Simoun claimed to be a first-year student at WVSU’s College of Education, majoring in English and denied to be enrolled in the ROTC program and insisted that he was taking Community Training and Welfare Service (CWTS) program instead. However, according to Anakbayan-WVSU, their doubts began to surface when he was frequently seen without the university’s prescribed uniform or student ID. Additionally, the group received an image of him wearing military camouflage, holding a makeshift wooden rifle with the word "ROTC" written on it, further raising questions about his true identity and affiliations despite his claims.

After months of observation, the group initiated a confrontation, during which Simoun admitted that he was not a student of WVSU. He revealed that he was enrolled at a different university in Iloilo City, an ROTC officer, and had been taking photos of Anakbayan-WVSU and other organization members, sending these photos to his “office” as part of his intelligence report. Anakbayan-WVSU later confirmed that Simoun was not registered as a student at WVSU after cross-referencing his details with the Office of Student Affairs (OSA).

Anakbayan-WVSU condemned the incident, expressing that it was an attempt to silence progressive voices and further militarize the campus environment.

"As his agenda has been exposed, it indicates how the ROTC, the military institution, and the government weaponize fellow students to monitor, surveil, and harass their peers—students who are simply advocating for students' rights and welfare. We are outraged that our fellow students are being manipulated and used as weapons to vilify and harass those standing for genuine people's demands,” the group said in a statement.

“The incident is a manifestation of how military forces create a culture of impunity and instill it in the minds of the youth. This rotten and backwards culture and mindset will be taught to our students if mandatory ROTC is implemented. It is the opposite of being patriotic and nationalistic,” the group added.

Anakbayan-WVSU also criticized the current government’s push for mandatory ROTC, warning that it would create a culture of impunity among students and further militarize education. They argued that instead of investing in intelligence funds and ROTC programs, the government should focus on addressing the country’s worsening education crisis, which requires urgent financial support.

“Instead of concentrating a massive amount of public funds toward intelligence operations and the ROTC, these resources should be allocated to the education sector, which many Filipino youth desperately need. This incident strengthens our call to reject the revival of mandatory ROTC and urge the government to focus on addressing the looming education crisis by allocating a greater budget,” the group stated.

31/01/2025

NEWS| Groups Stage Protest Against Poverty, Corruption, and Gov’t. Unaccountability

Multi-sectoral groups gathered for a protest on January 31 in front of St. Clement’s Church in Iloilo City, calling on the government to address issues of hunger, poverty, and lack of accountability.

Led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN)-Panay, the groups expressed concern over the ongoing rise in the prices of essential goods such as fuel, rice, and other necessities, while workers' wages remain stagnant.

Meanwhile, several protesters carried empty lunch boxes to symbolize the struggle of parents who can't afford to send their children to school due to low wages, despite promises of free education. They pointed to the government’s misdirected priorities, accusing it of cutting funds for education, healthcare, and other social services, while continuing to increase payments for debt, pork barrel allocations for construction projects, and the defense budget for the AFP, which continues to attack progressive groups and individuals under the guise of the government’s anti-insurgency programs. Election-related funds were also criticized for continuing to grow.

The protest concluded with a call for unity and action to demand change. The groups vowed to continue their protests until the government addresses their calls for urgent reforms and a better distribution of resources for the welfare of the Filipino people.

30/01/2025

LOOK: Students and various organizations from the University of the Philippines Visayas gathered for a candle lighting program on January 30 in remembrance of the sixth death anniversary of slain National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant and UPV and CEGP alum, Randy Felix Malayao.

📸Photos from Ang Mangingisda

READ CEGP-PANAY's STATEMENT: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15aTWDd6qA/

30/01/2025

Remembering Randy Malayao: JOURNALIST FOR THE MASSES, MARTYR OF THE PEOPLE!

Six years since his tragic death, we remember NDF Peace Consultant Randy Malayao— a campus journalist, a staunch activist, and a martyr of the Filipino people.

Born in the town of San Pablo, Isabela, Randy Malayao was not only an outspoken student leader but also a man of many advocacies, for which he fought valiantly despite turmoil. He studied at the University of the Philippines Visayas - College of Fisheries, where he served as the Editor-in-Chief of Ang Mangingisda, the official student publication of CFOS. He was also a member of the Beta Sigma Fraternity and the founding chairperson of the League of Filipino Students-UP Visayas.

In 1991, Malayao was elected vice president for Visayas of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP). For the first time in CEGP's history, he recruited the highest number of member publications in Visayas, revived and rebuilt inactive ones, and established new publications in schools where none existed. In 1994, he left Visayas and was appointed CEGP National Deputy Secretary General.

After years as a campus journalist, Malayao became a peasant activist and the coordinator of the Bayan Muna Party-list in Cagayan Valley. In 2008, under Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s regime, he was imprisoned and spent four years behind bars.

Upon his release, he became a peace consultant for the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). As a peace advocate, he participated in various international peace forums and negotiations with the Government Republic of the Philippines (GRP) to understand and address the root cause of armed conflict.

On January 30, 2019, around 2:30 in the morning, Malayao was soundly asleep on a bus parked at a terminal in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya, when two unidentified men shot him dead.

Six years have passed, yet justice remains painfully elusive. But the calls and demands of the people he loved and whose lives he touched remain loud and unwavering.

The fight for justice is far from over, but the courage and legacy of Randy Malayao fuel the determination of those who refuse to let his death be forgotten. As we remember him today, we stand in solidarity with all those who continue to advocate for truth amid relentless attacks.

We, CEGP- Panay, vow to always hold on to our pens and our placards, promising to always write, tell, and share the stories of the masses that Malayao swore to serve until his final breath—advancing the people's agenda until justice is served and victory is ours.

JUSTICE FOR RANDY MALAYAO, JUSTICE FOR ALL!!

29/01/2025

NEWS | Cagayan Valley Journalist, Activists Targeted with Terrorism Financing Allegations

A community journalist based in Cagayan Valley, along with four activists, has been charged with trumped-up terrorism financing allegations following the visit of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to the country from January 21 to 25, 2025.

The five individuals facing the charges include peasant activist and former political prisoner Isabelo Adviento, fellow peasant activist Cita Managuelod, Karapatan human rights worker Jackie Valencia, Makabayan-Cagayan Valley coordinator Agnes Mesina, and Pinoy Weekly journalist Deo Montesclaros.

In a subpoena issued by the Cagayan Provincial Prosecutor and the Criminal Investigation Group of the Philippine National Police on January 10, 2025, the five were accused of being involved in gathering supplies for armed revolutionary groups in 2018—an accusation that remains unsupported by any credible evidence.

Meanwhile, media outfit Pinoy Weekly denounced the accusations against Montesclaros, stating that such charges “reek of the government’s relentless red-tagging spree” and represent a continuous attack “in a bid to stifle free speech.”

“With its seemingly boundless resources, the government is trying to gag free speech whenever anything remotely critical is said or published. From non-government organizations to people’s organizations and journalists, terrorism financing charges are the latest red-tagging trend intended to paralyze individuals and organizations,” the outfit said in a statement.

Montesclaros has worked as a multimedia journalist for Pinoy Weekly since 2021. He is also a correspondent for alternative media news site Northern Dispatch since 2017.

22/01/2025

Altermidya-Panay 2024 Recap | Serbisyo Sosyal - Serbisyo gid man ukon Negosyo?
Brownout, delayed nga sweldo, kag kulang nga badyet para sa edukasyon kag ikaayong lawas! Ano pagid? Aton balikan ang mga mainit nga balita sang tuig 2024 nga gin-atubang sang pumuluyo natuhoy sa serbisyo sosyal.

22/01/2025

Altermidya-Panay 2024 Recap | Militarisasyon sa kaumhan, gindala sa mga eskwelahan? Aton balikan ang pila ka mga balita nga aton ginsundan sang nagligad nga tuig 2024 natuhoy sa kinamataung sibil kag pulitikal sang mga pumuluyo.

22/01/2025

22/01/2025

On Frenchie's 26th birthday, she, along with Tacloban 5, has been a symbol of resistance and fight against oppression and freedom of expression. Their unlawful detention and the challenges they faced symbolize the critical issues surrounding press and human rights in the Philippines.
We invite all student publications to attend the Tayong Lahat si Ate Frenchie: Roundtable discussion on the Tacloban 5 on January 23, 2025, 4:00 PM. We will be joined with esteemed student journalists and human rights defenders in Eastern Visayas.
Kindly register here: https://bit.ly/Tacloban5Discussion
In partnership with
Free Tacloban 5 Network
The Pillar
UP Vista Online

On Frenchie's 26th birthday, she, along with Tacloban 5, has been a symbol of resistance and fight against oppression and freedom of expression. Their unlawful detention and the challenges they faced symbolize the critical issues surrounding press and human rights in the Philippines.

We invite all student publications to attend the Tayong Lahat si Ate Frenchie: Roundtable discussion on the Tacloban 5 on January 23, 2025, 4:00 PM. We will be joined with esteemed student journalists and human rights defenders in Eastern Visayas.

Kindly register here: https://bit.ly/Tacloban5Discussion

In partnership with
Free Tacloban 5 Network
The Pillar
UP Vista Online