Acosta has been in detention for more than seven months now. He was arrested last February 13 in San Jorge, Samar by members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He was unarmed at the time of his arrest and only had a laptop in his possession. However, that was enough to get him arrested, even if the soldiers were not able to open the contents of the computer. Acosta was brought to a military camp and subjected to continuous interogation. After two days, he was brought to a police station. A total of 72 hours passed from the time of his arrest before formal charges were filed with a prosecutor. He was charged with illegal possession of explosives.

Acosta has since filed a petition for review wth the Department of Justice. His arraignment was deferred yesterday. He was a former cultural editor of the UP’s Philippine Collegian, assistant section editor at the Manila Times, and a UP student leader.

While imprisoned artists in the past would have to smuggle out their manuscripts on pieces of paper to be able to reach their target audience, Acosta’s Prison Sessions recordings reach their audience via Facebook and Twitter. The recordings are also downloadable. Aside from recordings, Acosta also maintains a blog which contains his prison writings.

“Prison Sessions 1″ was recorded on April 6, 2011 while “Prison Sessions 2” was recorded on September 20, in time for the anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law.

Acosta and Reyes first played together at the fourth floor of UP’s Vinzons Hall in 1994, during their student activist days. Both were members of the student cultural group Alay Sining and wrote several of the songs still being performed the group today.

This recording is intended to raise awareness of the situation Acosta and other political prisoners who remain unjustly detained by the Philippine government. There are more than 360 political prisoners in the Philippines today, according to human rights group Karapatan.

“PrisonSessions” contain original songs on various social issues. Acosta also covered songs by artists like Binky Lampano (I read the news), Tambisan sa Sining (Patay na ang kabayo), Jess Santiago (Halina) and the Eraserheads (Kailan).

Listen to Prison Sessions here:
http://soundcloud.com/natoreyes/sets/prison-sessions-2-ericson/
http://soundcloud.com/natoreyes/sets/prison-sesssions-ericson/

Meanwhile, here’s an INQUIRER.net report on how to help Aling Suming through the CMC Foundation:

Consuelo Agapito, 73, a retired employee of the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication (UP CMC), suffered a massive stroke on Tuesday and was taken to Philippine General Hospital where she remains confined in the intensive care unit.

Fondly called “Aling Suming” or “Mommy Suming” by generations of students, Agapito served the university for many years until her retirement in 2003. The UP CMC Alumni Association has launched a fund drive to help with Agapito’s hospital bills.

Donations may be sent to the CMCAA office, 2nd floor, CMC Main Building at UP Diliman, Quezon City, or deposited in the UP CMC Foundation Inc.’s peso account with Philippine National Bank (account number 39-3251300010) or dollar account (account number 2757013749). To make it easier to monitor the donations, please text Katkat at 0927-2495820 or call 9818500 local 2678 after making a deposit.

Last February 13, former UP activist, journalist t and cultural worker Ericson Acosta was arrested by the military in San Jorge, Samar on the suspicion that he was an NPA rebel. He is currently detained at the Calbayog sub-provincial and was charged with illegal possession of explosives. At the time of his arrest, Ericson was unarmed and was in the company of a local barangay official. He was held for three days without charges and was subjected to continuous tactical interrogation by the military.

Ericson was a former editor of the Philippine Collegian in UP, a former chair of the student cultural group Alay Sining, and a former chair of the campus alliance STAND-UP. He is a writer, poet, thespian, singer and songwriter. His works remain relevant on and off campus. Since his UP days, Ericson has worked closely with the poor and oppressed.

We his friends, together with his family and human rights groups, are working for his immediate release and for the dropping of all the fabricated charges made against him.

We appeal for your support for the legal defense fund which we have put up for him. The funds raised will go to Ericson’s legal defense and medical needs. There are the inherent difficulties faced by the family who are based in Metro Manila while Ericson is detained in Samar.

Through your help, we can see to it that Ericson will be released and be reunited with his family and the people he serves.

You may donate through the account:

Isaias Acosta
BDO The Block SM City North branch
Savings Account # 0251065464

For international donations:

Isaias Acosta
BDO The Block SM City North branch
Savings Account: 00-0251065464
Routing #: 021000089
Swiftcode: BNORPHMM

Thank you for your support!

THE FREE ERICSON ACOSTA CAMPAIGN: Isaias Acosta (father) – Liwayway Acosta (mother) – Alay Sining – STAND-UP – Mike Ac-ac (Philippine Collegian ‘94) – Amy Padilla (Philippine Collegian ‘94) – Ina Alleco Silverio (Philippine Collegian ‘94) – Richard Gappi (Philippine Collegian ’94) – Renato Reyes, Jr. (Alay Sining ‘94, STAND-UP ‘96) – Prof. Roselle Pineda (Alay Sining ‘94) – Anna Leah Escresa (STAND-UP ‘96) – Sarah Katrina Maramag (Philippine Collegian ’99, Alay Sining ‘99)- Babes Alejo (Alay Sining) – Jon Corsiga (Alay Sining) – Kim Nepomuceno (Philippine Collegian ‘94) – Verk Magpusao (Philippine Collegian ‘94) – Dennis Longid (UP Student Regent ‘99) – Rowena Bayon (Alay Sining ‘94) – Prof. Sarah Raymundo (STAND-UP ‘96) – Ayan Tolentino (STAND UP)

With a strong belief in the Filipino Web applications development and engineering talent, JWay has expanded its operations in the Philippines to deliver world class offshore consulting services to its foreign clients. Their Manila office is in Eastwood.

They are looking for graduates of computer science or equivalent courses who could work as Web developers. Fresh graduates are welcome to apply.

For more information, you may click on these links to JobStreet postings for for SENIOR WEB DEVELOPERS and J2EE WEB DEVELOPERS. The postings are under Razor Web Consulting and some have already expired.

You may still send your MS Word resume to: jobs@razorwebconsulting stating your current salary, expected salary, reason for leaving present/last job and date available. Only short-listed candidates will be notified. Thank you very much.

The UP Kilos Na – Diliman Chapter (Task Force for Disaster), of which the All UP Academic Employees Union is a member of, is calling on all UP Diliman college administrations, organizations and individuals to help our fellow teachers, staff and students from the UPM School of Health Sciences in Palo, Leyte. They are now in evacuations centers in Palo due to heavy rains and flooding.

Two drop-off points for donations have been designated: the office of the University Student Council (USC), 2nd Floor, Vinzons Hall, UP Diliman, and the office of the All UP Workers Union, near the Shopping Center and the UP Post Office.

For inquiries, you may contact USC Chair Gem Garcia via 0916-2555324 or email us at allupacadunion@gmail.com. We will be coordinating with the local chapter for the transferral of cash donations. Maraming salamat!

Please repost! Salamat!

In this connection, we are inviting you and your friends, students, faculty members, office staff, and other film aficionados you know to participate in the activities of the IWFF.

We have organized the 2nd Women’s Film Congress to take place on March 16 at 1:00pm to 2:30pm. The 2nd Women’s Film Congress, that will tackle how women may appropriate a liberating medium such as digital filmmaking and explore how women digitally paint a picture of how their fellow women view the world, how the world views women, and how women would like the world to view them. The 20th IWFF Organizing Committee has invited the following prominent and influential women independent filmmakers, such as Ms. Sari Dalena, Ms. Roni Velasco, Ms. Ellen Ramos, and Ms. Rica Arevalo. They will speak about their experiences as independent women filmmakers and also show excerpts of their works.

Screenings of independent films by women filmmakers will follow the congress and all participants are invited to the screenings. Screenings take place from 10:00am to 12:00 noon and 2:30pm to 5:00pm. Screenings are free admission.

Likewise, all Festival participants are invited to attend the Festival Ceremonies also on March 16 at 6:00pm at the Cine Adarna where the awarding of the DIWATA AWARD will take place and the screening of the gala film, DUNG-AW. This year’s Diwata Awardee is Ms. Armida Siguion Reyna; the 20th IWFF honors Ms. Sigion Reyna for her lifetime achievements in successfully contributing original text about women sensibilities that empower women who have been marginalized in the traditional film text and her outstanding contributions to Philippine cinema.

To reserve seats for the Film Congress and the Festival Ceremonies, and for Festival details, kindly get in touch with Dr. Armi V. Santiago at PLDT 63-2-920-6863 or through email at armisan2004@yahoo.com or through Mr. Nonoy Lauzon at PLDT 63-2-926-3640.

The celebration starts on March 1 with the lecture series for the CMC 46th Foundation Week titled “New Directions in Communication and Media Studies.” Prof. Victor Avecilla of the Department of Broadcast Communication will give a lecture titled “Updating Laws on the Media” at 2:30 p.m., CMC auditorium.

After his lecture, a fun walk happens at 4 p.m. as CMC students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends go around the academic oval.

On March 2, there will be a signing of the deed of donation at 9 a.m., CMC auditorium between UP CMC Foundation and Thomson Reuters for the latter’s contribution of 20 computers.

A forum follows at 10 a.m., same venue with Reuters Bureau Chief John Mair. Titled “Journalism: Challenges and Opportunities,” his talk will analyze the coverage of recent events in the Middle East, showing how new technologies such as Twitter and Facebook have changed reporting. He will also compare it with how the EDSA revolution played out 25 years ago.

The New Directions lecture series continues at 2:30 p.m. at the CMC auditorium. Visiting scholar Nadi Tofighian presents his paper titled “From Circus to Cinema: Early Traveling Entertainment in Southeast Asia.” His lecture explores the historical connections between Southeast Asian countries regarding entertainment and art. Tofighian is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Cinema Studies at Stockholm University.

On March 3, 2:30 p.m. at the CMC auditorium, it will be Journalism Prof. Georgina Encanto’s turn to give a lecture in the New Directions lecture series. Her lecture is titled “The Worst of Times, The Best of Times: Challenges for Journalism Education.” Encanto was dean of CMC. At 4:00 p.m., the Department of Journalism will have an intimate reunion of its graduates.

On the last day of the weeklong celebration (March 4), CMC will have a recognition ceremony for its outstanding students, faculty, staff and alumni at 10 a.m., CMC auditorium. There will also be a whole-day Career Opportunities Fair at the college which starts at 10 a.m.

Communication Research Prof. Elena Pernia, also a former dean of the college, will give the last lecture in the New Directions series also on March 4, 2:30 p.m. at the CMC auditorium. Her lecture is titled “Information and ICT Literacy.” At 4 p.m., the Department of Broadcast Communication will hold a reunion of its graduates at the CMC Media Center’s TV Studio.

The CMC 46th Foundation Week will end with a culmination activity organized by the CMC Student Council called “Green Runway” at 6 p.m., Film Studio.

For details, please call College Secretary Danilo A. Arao at (632) 920-6867.

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