Thursday, April 20, 2006

Black Friday Protest Bulletin #7 - Earth Day

Theme:
Huwag Babuyin ang Kalikasan. Huwag Babuyin ang Demokrasya. Say NO to PIG (People's Initiative ni Gloria)!

Designated time and place of flash protest for April 21: Pasig Riverbank (along JP Rizal near Makati Park and Garden) - 5:30 to 6:30 PM

HOW TO GET THERE:

Exact Location is Pasig Riverbank, along J.P. Rizal Ext., Bgy. Cembo, Makati City.
(Note: It is near but outside of Makati Park and Garden, beside the old ferry station)

Landmarks: Across it are Guadalupe Arcadia Square where Mercury Drugstore and Banco San Juan are located (This is where you can park your cars); BLISS Housing and Chapel of Charity of St. John Mary Vianney Parish.

Facing it, across the river, on the Mandaluyong side are the candy-colored Gawad Kalinga houses.

Where to pass: Coming from Makati along EDSA, turn right after Guadalupe Mall before the bridge; alternate route is Lawton Avenue (street across Kalayaan exit from Fort Bonifacio) and turn left when you hit J.P. Rizal.

Plan of action:

1) Wear BLACK, preferably the "Patalsikin Na! NOW NA!" T-shirts. (Visit www.BlackFridayProtest.blogspot.com to see where you can order them)
2) Bring candles.
3) Assemble at Makati Park and Garden (see instructions above on how to get there) between 5:00 to 5:15 PM.
4) When the cue is given, march towards the old ferry station. Some of the leaders will go down to board a waiting banca that will bring them towards the middle of the river. They will lay down candles placed in cut banana trunks to allow them to float. Those who will stay by the river bank will also lay down floating lit candles.
5) The activity is called "Ilaw sa DalamPASIGan, Linawan ang Isipan ng Taga-Malacanang". The general idea is to let the candles float along Pasig until it reaches Malacanang.
6) After the candle floating activity, everyone should assemble along the river bank.
7) On cue, everybody should line up along the sidewalk, facing the street and then do the "Patalsikin" sign. Of course, someone should be taking the picture.
8) Disperse quietly.

Suggested preparations:

1) Invite as many friends, or officemates, as you can.
2) Make sure that you bring candles.
3) If you're coming from the same office, arrange for carpooling.
4) If you own the business, or if you're a manager of a business unit, invite your employees or your subordinates to join you.
5) If you're outside of the Philippines, and there are enough of you to organize a protest action, you can do a similar activity or design your own protest action. Inform your local media about the event. Don't forget to take pictures and email to info@blacknwhite-movement.com and helga1957@gmail.com
6) If you're outside of Metro Manila, and there are enough of you to organize a protest action, select a public place like a park where you can do the same action. Send us pictures, as well.

Important reminders:

1) This is a SILENT PROTEST, not a rally. Please do not shout, sing, pass leaflets, or do anything to disrupt the traffic along JP Rizal.
2) Bring your cameras. The highlights of the protest action will be the floating of candles on the Pasig River and the group's "patalsikin" pose. Let's document these with pictures.

Forward this message to as many friends, relatives, colleagues, and egroups. I've also included below a brief description of the Black Friday Protest Movement, so those receiving your forwarded mail and hearing this for the first time will understand what we're trying to accomplish.

Let's paint the Pasig Riverbank BLACK on Friday.

God bless,

Enteng
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BLACK FRIDAY - A NEW FORM OF PROTEST

The Black Friday Protest Movement was launched by eLagda on March 1 to give professionals, students, businessmen, and other sectors a venue to express their protest against the continuing and escalating acts of repression of the GMA administration as manifested in its series of proclamations – CPR, EO 464, and PP 1017 – all designed to curtail basic rights and oppress the people. Even after PP1017 has been lifted, the repressive measures continue.

Patterned after the flash mob concept, the Black Friday Protest calls on people to gather at a designated time and place every Friday, wearing black attire as a symbol of protest. There will be no programs or speeches. Instead, people will be given specific instructions on what to do, and the whole exercise should last about 30 minutes at most. It's safe, non-confrontational, and within the bounds of the law, even under a repressive one like PP 1017. The mere "flash" gathering of the people is the expression of protest.

How will people get instructions?

Details of the Black Friday Protest action for the week will be published at its blogsite – www.BlackFridayProtest.blogspot.com every Wednesday evening. Those who would like to receive instructions directly can also subscribe to the movement's bulletin service by sending a blank email to BlackFridayProtest-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

6 comments:

Leah Navarro said...

Hmmm... funny how Gloria lovers can only spout jokes and snide remarks about our protests but can't say anything much in defense of PIG and her Cha Cha. They're clearly indefensible. I bet they're not feeling too cushy these days. They should go and join Mela Bengzon et al on their Palace backed jaunts around the country, spending government money on desperately trying to convince people that Cha Cha isn't the monster it really is.

Leah Navarro said...

Thank you, caffeinatedpinoy, for the constructive comments. Your insights into our crises are spot on, unlike the critique we get, always aimed at side issues. Like Gloria, her fans talk out of the sides of their mouths.

We've stated time and again that we respect all opinions (this is why we don't moderate comments on this blog, no matter how disparaging or insulting. In a way, the derisive comments we receive can be taken as inadvertent flattery - we have mananged to scare the wits out of some of our readers, caused them grave concern, through our various actions. It is also apparent that many people are not aware of the issues, or have great, uninformed biases against them. We're all free to differ, yes?

As for maybagongbuhay, I now know what his pseudo-name means - he has abandoned us for the US to forge a new life there. If he is still Filipino enough to pay his taxes, even from there, then he has every right to his views from his space of comfort. But then, I doubt that he does, as he considers his birthplace a God-forsaken land, and is actively helping the brain drain by being GMA's accomplice in making sure we lose all our good people through his choice of work.

I believe micketymoc is a member of the Luli Internet Brigade. No explanation needed there.

Caffeinated, I hope you take the time to comment on what you think about the latest anti-Cha Cha event, last Friday's STOP CHA CHA meeting. It was the main reason for my lack of posts. Would appreciate your views.

Unknown said...

Helga - re your comment here: do you honestly believe that Luli Arroyo's paying bloggers through a slush fund to push her agenda? And if this is only a turn of phrase, what's it supposed to accomplish, apart from convincing your side that there's a [nonexistent] conspiracy against you, and convincing the other side that you and reality have as much in common as Luli Arroyo and Jinggoy Estrada?

Unknown said...

Hey, don't knock 'em. I found the accusation so funny, it inspired me to write this blog entry.

cvj said...

Caffeinatedpinoy, i have read and appreciate your efforts to extract a sensible discussion with maybagongbuhay, but if i were him/her, i also would not bite. Any hint of the same earnestness that BnW has displayed will leave an opening. They can’t afford to do that since they are defending the indefensible. That explains the preference for juvenile remarks.

Helga, with respect i beg to differ - i refuse to believe micketymoc is doing this as part of any brigade.

Unknown said...

Somebody with a little less tact would say at this point, "Well, DUH!" But it's a free country - Helga's free to believe whatever conspiracy theory she likes. If it makes her feel better, the idea that Luli's bankrolling me, who am I to begrudge her little joys?

BTW, Luli asked me to write this. :)