PUGAD wishes for more focus upon combatting poverty in 2012

Published by Einer Lyduch on December 30, 2011 in News. 0 Comments

PUGAD wants to thank and wishes also a happy New Year to all our partners and friends in the international community and looks forward to all the challenges in 2012 when it comes to fight poverty and especially again and again to remind the rich countries upon their promises regarding development aid, the 2015 Millenium Goals, funding the necassary climate adaptation so the many nice words are turned into manifest actions.
Some of the most positve events in 2011 was the Arab Spring where a new generation of youngsters went to the streets and demanded a genuine democracy and respect for human rights with the slogan “Fight for dignity or die trying” - no doubt that this tendencies will continue and we already see the initial steps in Russia where the middle class (IT users ) has been gathering for several times and demanding a new and fair election. Occupy Wall Street was also a very welcome initiative because it catalyst that the market ( banking and financial institutions ) has to much much control over the economy whether it is business, currency rates and the many short sighted speculative ways of getting a quick profit i.e. derivative trading, speculating in food prices’ de-and increase. Here we need determined politcians who can agree and implement the necessary regulation and prohibite short sighted speculation among other things by approving a financial transactions tax ( Tobin ) of app. 0,1 percent per trading a value paper - here by we will see a dramatic decline in the speculative trade and more real investments which also will enable us with a more stable economy which we need in fighting poverty - only when we have a stable economy and investr in growth and jobs we will have the focus upon developing the societies and economies in the developing world.
The PUGAD and Tambuyog Project
The basis for MFRL can be found in the National Fisheries Code of 1998. However, the specific national law pertaining to MFRL and the guidelines for its implementation was issued only in 2004 in the form of an executive order by the Philippine president. This is Executive Order 305 (EO 305) which is entitled “Devolving to Municipal and City Governments the Registration of Fishing Vessels Three (3) Gross Tonnage and below.”
Even with the issuance of EO 305, municipal governments would not be able to implement MFRL within their jurisdictions without a local enabling ordinance based on EO 305. Because local governments were given autonomy under the Local Government Code of 1991, almost every national law has to be supplemented by a local ordinance for it to be applicable. Since EO 305 came out in 2004, several municipalities have enacted their own local ordinances based on it. However, there is no data yet on the number of municipalities that have already enacted these local ordinances, and whether or not they constitute the majority of the total 915 coastal municipalities (and cities) in the country. As a result, there is no way of knowing the extent of implementation of the MFRL on a nationwide scale.
Issues in MFRL implementation
Notwithstanding the lack of data, reports gathered by the Bureau of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources (BFAR) on the implementation of MFRL in several municipalities reveal the disturbing fact that municipal governments regard licensing basically as a revenue-generating measure rather than a means to regulate fishing effort and prevent overfishing.
This treatment of MFRL as primarily a revenue-generating measure and the neglect of resource and ecological assessments will have serious consequences on the already precarious status of the municipal fishery resources. As already mentioned, some affected fishers simply did not bother to register and apply for a license in defiance of EO 305 and its local ordinance. Of course, they will continue fishing even without a license since it is their only means of livelihood. On the other hand, fishers who paid the fees tried to “make up” for the amount “lost” by increasing their fishing effort subsequently. Therefore, the MFRL in its current form fails as a regulatory measure; it even tends to worsen overfishing in municipal waters instead of curbing it.
What needs to be done
There is therefore a need to study the current MFRL implementation, assess its limitations and its impacts on municipal fishers and on the municipal fisheries resources, and analyze the factors or reasons behind the limitations and the impacts. Likewise, there is a need to study relevant foreign experiences to draw lessons on how other countries tackled similar problems and designed an appropriate version of small-scale fisheries registration and licensing in their own context. These studies are important in order to develop policy recommendations for a more appropriate and more effective MFRL framework, which means, among other things, taking into account the resource rent (surplus) of the municipal fishing ground and integrating the distinct role of women as fisher-gleaners. These policy recommendations should be based on studies of the limitations of the existing MFRL approach and implementation and of relevant foreign experiences in small-scale fisheries registration and licensing.
In July Month we have a huge multistake holder conference in Manila where we will discuss the results from all the pilot sites and hopefully we can introduce a new management model where the fisheries is sustainable and still able to support the fishers with livelyhood.
Besides that PUGAD is busy with the conference the March 23rd. at the Danish Parliament regarding the European Union’s revised Fisheries Code where our main point is to focus upon the privatization of a public ressource: the Oceans which you can trade as Individual Transfetable Quotas. This model would be very dangerous in the developing countries because it will take away livelyhood from millions of small scale fisherfolks.

PUGAD wish you all a Happy new New Year and we need you in the fight for a more fair world.

Kind regards Einer Lyduch
chairman of PUGAD

MORE FOCUS AT DEVELOPMENT IN 2011

Published by Einer Lyduch on January 24, 2011 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

PUGAD wishes you all a happy new year and request you to participate in the necessary struggle for a new course in the world; because the world is standing at a crossroads.We can choose to continue emitting increasing quantities of greenhouse gases or we can choose to work for the greening economies and by that a sustainable future for the planet. COP 15 in Copenhagen showed us that many countries only want to be answerable to them and unfortunately COP 16 in Cancun, Mexico last December was only a very small step ahead. We know from tones of scientific reports that the emission reductions must be 50 percent by 2050 before it will get the needed results. Therefore it is likely the present situation may trigger new tensions in parts of the world that may spill over into violence, conflict and war because of limited access to fresh water, decline in food production, increase in storm and flood disasters and environmentally induced migration.  Lydia Baker of Save the Children puts it, that” world leaders have effectively signed a death warrant for many of the world’s poorest children”. Up to 250.000 children from poor communities may die before the next meeting in South Africa at the end of the year. Also we face a severe set back to the civilian society and human rights. Globally there is a trend of backlash against democracy, respect for human rights and space for civil society. Developing countries with bad governance pass restrictive laws to control NGO’s and civil liberties groups. In fact in many ways they copy the anti-terror laws from the “model” democratic nations. It is obvious that double standards exist: With the one hand we curtail the civil liberties in the name of fighting terror and with the other hand we promote the enforcement of democracy and human rights. We need dialogues and mutual respect for each other’s cultures which is not the same as accepting violations of fundamental and universal human rights. This year we are going to have a general election in Denmark and indeed it is time to say goodbye to the Liberal-Conservative government that is supported by the Danish Peoples party, an ultra rightist and xenophobic party. Regarding the development countries we all work for a new Minister for the development aid. The present minister, Søren Pind has been there for about a year and is a total disaster. He denounces the United Nations and considered it a superfluous and has no importance as such, but he never tells what he would replace the UN with? He calls himself a Freedom Minister and wants to use his position for confrontation with countries which systems or ideology he doesn’t like and worst of all he links development aids to foreign- and security policy and to private enterprises at the cost of health, education and agricultural production.  We ask - isn’t it more important to build up the basic structure and be self sufficient in food production and not a victim of the fluctuations of food prices from the international market? Don’t we have a responsibility to the poor world regardless of ideologies/values? Although we implement democratic structures, procedures and aim for gender equality, good governance etc., we let it grow from our projects. We don’t impose it at others with a dagger at their throat. So PUGAD will be busy in the upcoming election among other things to reestablish the old policy where Denmark was no. 1 in the world to give development aid, more than 1 percent of the GDP. The present government cut it down to 0.74. Shame on you. The 26th of February PUGAD has its annual general assembly where we among other things approve the Action plan for 2011.So happy new year and a prosperous year  regarding a better and more fair world Chairman of PUGADEiner Lyduch

New challenges for a more fair and just world

Published by Einer Lyduch on October 13, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

New challenges in the struggle for a more fair and just world
Since early June PUGAD has been focusing upon the campaign “the world’s best news”, a way of telling the Danish public that development aid works, and indeed helps. It was carried out by the Danish State Department, the United Nations and almost 100 NGO’s here in Denmark. This time we didn’t ask for donations, we didn’t mention all the miseries, poverty, women‘s abuse, graft and corruption by some dictators who plunder the money of the people into their own pocket. On the contrary, we told all the good stories like; Ghana and Malawi that have a surplus food production so that they can feed their own population and even export and earn foreign currency for other necessary investment, that Tanzania abolished the school fees and encouraged girls to enroll in the schools, so today 95 percent of the children get a primary school education, 70 percent of the population in Somalia has access to clean water, a tremendous progress indeed. Therefore, if we work together, coordinate and consolidate our efforts we can make the changes and if people realize that it works, they can give it an extra try and commit themselves even more.
PUGAD participated in the FILCOM-Dk Independence day celebration at Drejervej in Nørrebro together with almost all the other Filipino organizations. We were able to send out information about the UN Millennium Development Goals and about PUGAD’s activities.
In August we participated in a flea market in Greve where we emphasized the importance of aid and again underlined purposes behind the national campaign.
Saturday the 28th of August was Copenhagen International Day and PUGAD had its own booth at Nørrebrogade. We sold Pilipino food, handed out brochures about the campaign and talked to more than 1000 people where most of them were very supportive for the cause.
September the 25th we gathered at St Anne church’s “little hall” where we had some lectures about PUGAD, the UN millennium goals and about our network with other Danish NGO’s; Africa Contact and Living Sea.
Finally we had the last activity in this campaign Saturday the 2nd October outside Fields where we handed out brochures and talked and debated with people – some were very interested while many were too busy with their shopping.
First week in June 2011 PUGAD will be together with Living Sea and the famous artist Jens Galschiøt in Dragør harbour: An attach by the sea – an art happening in underway. Among the beautiful veteran ships and resplendent yachts in the harbour a peculiar vessel suddenly appears:
A boat crammed with refugees. In one of the masts is hanging a 3 meters face of bronze. A banner hung up between the masts displays the number 2015. The ship moors alongside the quay, and the refugee sculptures are spreading in the harbour, in the streets of the town, and in the shops. An art happening has been launched, an attack by sea on the town with the aim of highlighting our moral obligation towards humans in the south, who have been born into unfathomable poverty.
There will also be an exhibition about the climate changes, a sea food kitchen and nice world music every night.

Internally PUGAD has been busy preparing some new projects. We are currently supporting a small fishing cooperative in Bataan where they produce mussels with the money we got from the Danish Association of Electricians, being the beneficiary of their Solidarity Fund. We are underway doing research and talks with the Visayan Consultancy about a project for app. 80 families in Ormoc, Leyte, to help them build up alternative sources of livelihood. At the same time, we discussed with Tambuyog (another Phil. NGO) about a nationwide project in the Philippines regarding licensing in fisheries which we believe will prevent many small scale fishermen from having more income. On the other hand, we believe in a model of community-based coastal resource management combining fisheries resources economics and a right-based approach to development.
Spread the news, tell about us and help us become stronger and be more influential.

On behalf of PUGAD
Einer Lyduch
Chairman

KEEP the PROMISES to the POOR

Published by Einer Lyduch on June 7, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

KEEP the PROMISES to the POOR
We denounce the Danish government breaches of promises to the poor world. At COP 15, the Climate Conference in Copenhagen last December because in the approved Accord is says “that the poor countries will get up scaled, new and extra money for the necessary climate mitigation and adaptation.” Contrary to this the government takes the climate money from the existing development aid – you ought to be ashamed of yourself.
At the top of this the government promised never to cut the development aid to below 0,8% of the Danish GDI but in the “crisis packet” the aid is cut from 0,8% to 0,76% of the GDI – yet another shameful action.
This is very critical for being able to reach the 2015 Millenium Development Goals which the Danish government has signed and promised to fulfill but is goes further than this because we see the same picture all over the European Union. In 2005 the EU promised to give 0,56% of the GDI in 2010 but only gives app. 0,40% therefore the EU lacks more than 15 billion Euro compared to the very specific promises it gave some few years ago. The USA, Canada, Norway and Switzerland also have a financial crisis and a recession anyway they all fulfilled what they promised. How can we build a thrusting relationship between the rich and poor world when we give promises and then just run away from everything? It is poison for a mutual understanding, because if we unite and stand together we can eradicate poverty. In Ghana from 1991 to 2004 the number of people who suffer from undernourishment fell by 74% to 9% of the population. Nicaragua reduces its hunger rate by more than 52% in 1991 to 21% in 2005 and through a national subsidy programme, Malawi achieved a 53% food surplus in 2007, from a 43% national food deficit in 2005, so yes we can do it but it is still essential with development aid
PUGAD’s General Assembly went off smoothly & we have adopted a work plan for the rest of year.
We hope that you will participate actively in some of these activities.
June 12th 2010 at Copenhagen Culture Centre, Drejervej 11-21, 2400 Copenhagen NV, PUGAD together with 9 other organizations/associations will be celebrating the Philippine Independence Day. This is a whole day event with lots of cultural activities, entertainments; food/drinks, games for children, song renditions, folk dances, etc. First & foremost, PUGAD will give information about UN’s 2015 goals, its projects & advocacy in the developing countries. The official opening is at 12:45 & the feastivies will last until midnight. You are all encouraged to come & enjoy this eventful celebration.
As you well know, PUGAD’s basic foundation is to campaign for UN’s 2015 goals for a fairly & orderly just world. The UN adopted the goals in 2000 and should have accomplished 2/3 through the years. UN’s General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon, will release a statement of affairs here in June Month . This topic will be the main agenda in the UN September-October general assembly meeting. Therefore, the Danish NGOs decided to carry out a nationwide campaign starting August until the end of October. PUGAD has gotten a grant of 25,000- for our activities on this campaign. We will print out brochures about the 2015 goals, produce T-shirts, pamphlets, hold several eventful activities/happenings, etc

Sunday August 1st at Greve Bymidte, from 10:00-15:00, PUGAD will participate in the flea market where we give information on the importance of Development Aid with special emphases on the 2015 goals.
.Saturday August 7th - Water festival, along Islands Brygge and Kalvebod Brygge from 14:00 – 22:00 with the same concept as the above mentioned and other activities focusing on the theme.
Saturday August 28 – Copenhagen International Day, along Peblinge Dossering from 11:00 – 18:00 hrs. PUGAD just like the last successive 3 years will have a booth where we display different Information materials, power point show on our projects and on our activities in general.
Saturday September 25th at St. Anne Church at the “lille sal”, Hans Bogbinders Alle 3, 2300 Copenhagen S from 13:00 – 20:00 hrs.- with all the above mentioned activities, we will draw people’s attention on this day by inviting them to hear about PUGAD, about 2015 goals and all about development processes in general. There will be cultural feature, debate from politicians, and NGO folks. Refreshments will be served; coffee/tea, sandwiches and other kinds of snacks. Note this on your calendars now and invite families and friends.
As announced previously Copenhagen Union of Electricians)has sponsored PUGAD for a period of 3 years. 1st May 2009 they donated 10.550, - which was sent to our project partner Villareal, Samar Cooperative for the purchase of the following: 1/3 for new fishing nets, 1/3 for the reparation of the motorboats and 1/3 for the swine feeds.
Again this year we participated in their 1st May Labour Day activity where 50 lottery prizes (small things from the Philippines) were withdrawn, contributed an article about PUGAD’s engagements and a report on the cooperative’s status. The board has decided to spend the amount to support a new fishing project outside Manila area.
In the Fishers Union Network, we have just applied to NGO Forum an extra grant, as the last year’s grant culminated in 2009.12.31. We expect a response by the end of June. The most important point in the 2nd round is to influence EU’s fishing policy towards the developing countries and further build a strong global network. In this connection, we have worked out a report by an external consultant regarding the network, see attached report. Furthermore, we like to mention that we got a new member in the network; PAS ( Puntland Aid Service) a Somali organization.

Einer Lyduch
chairman
On behalf of PUGAD