World will join to protest: GLOBAL BLACK TUESDAY against the Cyber Martial Law Philippines

The world is worry for the E-martial Law in the Philippines that would affect the world wide freedom for speech and expression for all free and democratic countries.

 

As they prepare to hold a "Black Tuesday" on October 9, 2012 foes of the Anti-Cybercrime Act are getting a boost from an international group, which mounted an online petition against the measure.

 

The group is the latest in a line of international watchdogs pressuring the Philippine government to either revise or outright repeal the Anti-Cybercrime Act.

 

New York-based Access said the international community must stand together on Black Tuesday in the face of cybercrime laws enacted around the world.

 

"With the Supreme Court slated to take up the constitutionality of the law on Tuesday, silent, non-violent protests will be held on Oct. 9 —called Black Tuesday.  With broad and unjust cybercrime laws being enacted around the world, we need to fight them one by one. That's why it's critical that the international community stands together on Black Tuesday," it said.

 

'Loophole-ridden law'

 

The group lamented the emerging new reality in the Philippines is that sharing a link, clicking "Like" on Facebook, or retweeting could mean 12 years in jail.

 

It said the Cybercrime Prevention Act "is so broad and loophole-ridden that a wide range of online activity could be considered libelous."

 

"Even if you don't write the material, just sharing it with someone online could land you in prison," it said.

 

Because of the unjust law, it said Filipinos have been protesting in the streets and online to stand up for their rights.

 

Getting politicians to listen

 

The group also said that with the 2013 elections just around the corner, many politicians are "downright scared of a national and international backlash."

 

Such a situation provides the opportunity to convince them to junk this law for good, it said.

 

"And we know there's nothing like an election to get politicians to listen," it said.

 

Online petition ongoing

http://www.change.org/petitions/junk-the-cybercrime-prevention-law

Access said it will deliver the online petition to the Senate before Tuesday's protests.

 

The Senate resumes session on October 8, Monday.

 

"If we can get them to repeal the law, it'll send a message to governments everywhere that the world will not stand by while our voices are silenced online," Access said.

 

Those who sign the petition will send senators the following message:

 

"The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 is unjust, overbroad, and poses a serious threat to freedom of expression in the Philippines. We call on you to repeal this law immediately and protect the democratic rights of your citizens."

 

Meanwhile, artist collective Dakila, a member of the Philippine Internet Freedom Alliance, is working with Access to bring the fight to the international community.

 

"While we all want to be protected from cybercrimes such as cyberbullying, the Cybercrime Prevention Act does not answer the problems we are facing but merely curtails our freedom of expression and sends a chilling effect on Filipinos. And all of this is happening as we commemorate the 40th year since the declaration of Martial Law in our country," Ayeen Karunungan of Dakila said.

 

International rights groups speak out

 

Access is just the latest international watchdog to denounce the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

 

On September 18, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) issued a statement in which it pointed out that the libel laws underpinning the Act go against United Nations declarations.

 

"The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has determined that the criminal sanctions imposed on those accused of libel are incompatible with Article 19, paragraph 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)," the statement said.

 

"EFF is gravely concerned about the implications of the libel provision in the Cybercrime Act and supports local journalists and free expression advocates in opposing it," the statement concluded.

 

A day later, the Asia-Pacific chapter of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) backed the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) in "expressing serious concern" over the Act.

 

"The IFJ is greatly concerned that the inclusion of online content in the Act could be used to curtail freedom of expression online, " the IFJ said.

 

"We are further concerned that the government of the Philippines continues to delay the passing of the (Freedom of Information bill), which clearly stands against their stated commitment to press freedom," the IFJ added, referring to a delayed bill that would have facilitated public access to government documents.

 

On September 28, the international Human Rights Watch (HRW) called the Act "unconstitutional".

 

"The cybercrime law needs to be repealed or replaced. It violates Filipinos' rights to free expression and it is wholly incompatible with the Philippine government's obligations under international law," said HRW Asia director Brad Adams.

 

GMA News

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Philippines growing more quickly than thought, says ADB

In another sign of the Philippines' improving prospects, the Asian Development Bank raised its forecast of 2012 GDP growth from 4.8 per cent to 5.5 per cent, according to the lender's updated Asian Development Outlook 2012 released on Wednesday.

 

The Philippines was one of a handful of countries that escaped the ADB's sharp scaling down of forecasts for the region, which is now seen growing by 6.1 per cent this year instead of the 6.9 per cent in the bank's original projections released in April.

 

The ADB said it raised its forecast for the Philippines after the economy grew by a better than expected 6.1 per cent in the first half of the year. The government itself expects growth to reach 5 to 6 per cent this year from 3.9 per cent last year.

 

Apart from higher growth, the ADB is also predicting slightly lower inflation and an improved current account balance in 2012. It sees consumer price inflation at 3.4 per cent, down from its original forecast of 3.7 per cent. The current account balance is seen rising to 2.6 per cent of GDP, up from the original forecast of 2.1 per cent.

 

This leaves the central bank, which has recently cut rates to record lows, with more room to ease monetary policy and sustain growth momentum amid tougher global economic conditions. The ADB said:

 

There is room for further policy support for economic growth if required. Modest inflation (well within the central bank's 3.0-5.0% target range), a strong external position, and an appreciating currency suggest that monetary policy can stay accommodative, at least in the near term. Fiscal outlays fell $2 billion short of the budgeted amount in the first half of the year, despite the boost in government spending.

 

But the bigger challenge facing Philippine policy makers is making sure the benefits of economic expansion are enjoyed by everybody. Despite faster GDP growth, joblessness remained high at 7 per cent in the first half of the year, while under-employment rose to a six-year high of 22.7 per cent.

 

It's not going to be easy. The government must make progress removing stumbling blocks that have hampered agriculture and industry, the main sources of jobs.

Benjamin Diokno, an economist and former budget secretary, wrote a newspaper column outlining what needs to be done to make growth more inclusive:

Agriculture, which employs about one-third of the country's labor force, has to find new life. A big part of the sector's growth is retarded by the uncertainty brought about by agrarian reform. Injecting new life in the industrial sector, the source of many productive, decent jobs, requires better infrastructure, specifically better roads so that goods can be transported from one point to another at less cost.

 

Philippine Peso Little Changed as Europe Damps Investor Appetite

 

The Philippine peso was little changed, after gaining the most in more than two weeks yesterday, on concern a prolonged slowdown in Europe will damp demand for emerging-market assets. Government bonds fell.

 

Euro-area retail sales contracted for a 12th straight month in August from a year earlier, data showed today. The European Central Bank meets tomorrow, when officials are expected to leave borrowing costs unchanged at a record-low 0.75 percent, according to a Bloomberg survey. The peso climbed yesterday after a surprise jump in U.S. manufacturing boosted the Asian nation's export outlook, while the Asian Development Bank upgraded the nation's growth forecast today.

 

"The good U.S. data has been neutralized by concern over Europe," said Jonathan Ravelas, chief market strategist in Manila at BDO Unibank Inc. "Investors still have this guarded optimism on the Philippines."

 

The peso closed at 41.600 per dollar compared with 41.605 yesterday in Manila, according to Tullett Prebon Plc. It dropped as much as 0.2 percent earlier. The currency touched 41.590 on Oct. 2, the strongest level since Sept. 20. One-month implied volatility, a measure of exchange-rate swings used to price options, was unchanged at 5.3 percent.

 

The Asian Development Bank lifted its 2012 economic growth forecast for the Philippines to 5.5 percent from 4.8 percent. The peso has strengthened 5.4 percent this year, the best performance in Asia.

 

Consumer prices rose 3.8 percent in September from a year earlier, the same as in August that was the fastest since January, according to the median estimate of economists in a Bloomberg News survey before a report due Oct. 5.

 

The yield on the 4.75 percent notes due September 2022 increased three basis points to 4.75 percent, according to prices from Tradition Financial Services.

 

Financial Times, Bloomberg Business Week

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