“This extraordinary milestone, achieved from behind bars, reflects the collective will of the UP student body and affirms the right to political participation even under the most difficult of circumstances."
Patuloy na nakapagsulat si Amanda Echanis kahit nakakulong at sa kanyang mga akda masusukat ang lalim ng kanyang pagnanasa na lumaya at higit sa lahat ay magpatuloy na lumaban para sa pagbabago.
In this story, Bulatlat highlights the story of women writers who are in detention for expressing their criticism and dissent through their craft.
As a mentee, the Seams said Echanis will be working on the translation of Filipino poetry into English.
“Amanda’s case is emblematic of a broader struggle against persecution. Her family, both on the Lacaba and Echanis sides, has a long history of activism and has faced harassment and detention. She was once the country’s youngest political prisoner with her parents in the 1990s."
Detained artists Amanda Echanis, Cheryl Catalogo and Alvin Fortaliza have done nothing wrong and merely used their art to present the story of the masses.
“The government should act immediately as the health of Echanis and her baby is at high risk, especially in overly congested, poorly equipped prison conditions where social distancing is impossible and mass testing for COVID-19 is ignored.”
As Mary is portrayed as a woman that committed to the fulfillment of the Savior’s birth, Reina Mae and Amanda are among the many young women that carry-on Jesus’ mission. They have embodied love and service to God’s people- the poor and the marginalized. They are channels of God’s grace and salvation to those who are oppressed and disenfranchised.
“This heartbreaking predicament of having babies separated from their detained mothers, and of being denied of their basic human right to their mother's breastmilk, that is justified by rules issued by jail authorities, is what Reina Mae brings before the Supreme Court for its review and resolution.”
It didn't surprise me when bright, gentle Amanda passed the highly competitive exam for the Philippine High School for the Arts and then UP Diliman, and scripted a whole play about feisty Nanay Mameng, urban poor leader Carmen Deunida. I learned she could also paint and write poetry, a true Renaissance talent maybe owing to her illustrious genes.
“She is very sharp. She is understanding of what her colleagues are going through. And on hard times, she would always say, ‘You can do it. I believe in you.'”
Republic Act 11148 or First 1,000 Days law seeks to provide children with necessary nutrition and health program from their conception as an infant up to their second birthday.
Amanda is the daughter of extrajudicially killed Randall “Ka Randy’ Echanis. She was arrested early morning of December 2, Tuesday, in Baggao, Cagayan.
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