Greenpeace, Searice fight GMO rice in Philippines

Greenpeace and the Southeast Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (Searice) are seeking an injunction against the approval of genetically-modified (GMO) rice in the Philippines.

If approved, the LL62 Bayer rice will be the first GMO food approved anywhere in the world by a national government.

Greenpeace and Searice asked for a restraining order expressing concern about the lack of public discussion on a matter of great public concern.

Community-based and environmental groups all over the world have been fighting fierce battles against GMOs, or "Frakenfoods" as they are also called. The opponents note that GMOs are unnatural, untested and have already proven harmful to human health. They also decrease diversity of crops and wild vegetation often due to accidental contamination.

Beating world poverty

Leaders from Africa and Asia met in Langkawi, Malaysia this week for the Smart Partnership International Dialogue aimed at reducing poverty in both regions.

I've always thought the main problem in developing world poverty is found in the colonial mentality still cemented in the minds of the developing world's people.

Interestingly enough, the non-Western nations that have succeeded economically in our times are mostly those who had not suffered Western colonization.

Japan, of course, is the biggest example. Of the Asian tigers, we have China, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand all who avoided the experience of Western colonization. Only Malaysia among the current tigers was colonized.

But Malaysia had the stalwart Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, a man often reviled by neighbors because of his anti-Western rants. If you compare what Malaysia has done to tackle poverty in the country during Mahathir's reign, and it compare to the other boot-licking countries in the region, and you can see the results of a proper mindset.

Malaysia went from a 50 percent poverty rate in 1970 to 15 percent in 1990 and 5.5 percent in 2000.

The problem with most developing countries is that they are waiting to be saved by the West. They're waiting for Western aid, waiting for Western private investment, waiting for the West to tell them what to do.

Vietnam may be ready to emulate Malaysia's performance, but possibly again because of the difference of its experience. After the Vietnam War, the country was forced to make it on its own without Western help. It took the tough mindset of the war and applied it to building up the country.

Be that as it may, whatever the attitude of the people, there are some things that can help in addressing the problems of poverty.

Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto believes that poor nations can rapidly increase their resources by simply processing titles to unregistered land in poor nations.

Unlike developed countries, most people in the developing world have homes on property with no title. For all intents and purposes they own the land, they are not squatters, but they have no papers that allow them to capitalize on their property.

De Soto call this "dead capital." In some countries like Ethiopia and Peru, efforts to process titles on this land has led to billions of dollars in increased capital. He believes that Africa has some $9 trillion in dead capital equivalent to three years of gross domestic product for the continent.

There's no shortage of good ideas to tackle the problem but the people of the region must take the initiative and take full responsibility for making change.

SENATOR OBAMA SIGNS ON AS COSPONSOR TO FILIPINO VETERANS EQUITY ACT

Representatives from the Illinois Veterans Equity Center and National Alliance Met with Senator's Staff During April 11 Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Hearing

Washington, DC- The National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity (NAFVE) today applauds Senator Barack Obama's commitment to the Filipino Veterans Equity Act. The Senator's staff contacted NAFVE today to confirm the Senator's cosponsorship of the Filipino Veterans Equity Act, in follow up to a meeting NAFVE and the Illinois Veterans Equity Center (IVEC) held immediately following the April 11 Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Hearing on the bill. Senator Obama sits on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and his cosponsorship is a significant turn of events. His office has pledged to work with the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee for passage of this bill.

"The Senator's support comes at a critical juncture for this bill as the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee looks to markup this legislation, " said Ben de Guzman, NAFVE National Campaign Coordinator. "We are so thankful for the Senator and his staff for their continued commitment to securing passage of the Filipino Veterans Equity Act."

"Filipino community members in Chicago , including stalwart leaders like Atty. Vanessa Vergara, have been working directly with Senator Obama for a long time now. When we met with the Senator's staff in April, we reminded them of the previous statement of support for the Filipino Veterans Senator Obama has made in the past," said Jerry Clarito, IVEC Director, referring to a quote from the Senator in an NBC news piece on November 2005. "His staff has told us that the commitment of local Filipino WW 2 veterans like IVEC President Arcadio Calabas to come all the way to Washington for this issue was key in securing the Senator's support for this bill."

NAFVE represents over 20 local, national and international organizations committed to securing full equity for Filipino World War II Veterans. More information about NAFVE and the Filipino Veterans Equity Act is available on the NAFVE Web site: www.nafve.org.

QUOTE from NBC 5 News, Chicago , IL (November 17, 2005): "The latest to join the push for recognition is Sen. Barack Obama, a member of the Veteran Affairs Committee. Obama said, 'I believe we should honor their sacrifices and give them the benefits that they earned; that is why I support bringing this legislation to a vote.'" http://www.nbc5. com/news/ 5350489/detail. html?z=dp&dpswid=2265994&dppid=65193