Philippines: news from the  social movements and the left

Philippines: [OPINION] A socialist worker for president? Why not?

'It sounds batshit crazy, even delusional.... But it actually makes perfect sense, in my view.'
So over the past few days, I've been hearing a growing number of people dream and say what previously seemed un-dreamable and un-sayable: that Ka Leody De Guzman — a socialist labor leader who ran in the 2019 senatorial elections — should run for President.
It sounds batshit crazy, even delusional — and you can be sure that all the defenders of the establishment, all the respectable commentators, all (...)

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The Life and Struggles of Victim-Survivors of Prostitution in the Philippines

Capire spoke with Myles Sanchez and Jean Enriquez of CATW-AP about sexual violence, war on drugs, and other struggles faced by philippines.
Women of the WMW during protests on March 8^th, 2020 in the Philippines
In Bulacan, a province in the Central Luzón area in the Philippines, Myles Sanchez and other survivors have started a community-based programme, with the help of The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women. In this place, women who survived prostitution found a sanctuary from the (...)

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Stratégies des femmes philippines contre la violence, les exécutions et les expulsions

Les mouvements sociaux se sont réunis pour discuter du contexte des luttes féministes contre l'autoritarisme aux Philippines ainsi que de nos stratégies pour lutter contre le maintien de la dynastie Duterte lors des prochaines élections. La fille de Rodrigo Duterte, Sara Duterte-Carpio, est maintenant dans la course à la présidentielle, ce qui représente un danger pour nous, les féministes, car elle risque d'être présentée comme une candidate progressiste.
Nous devons nous rappeler le contexte actuel (...)

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Filipino Women's Strategies Against Violence, Killings, and Eviction

On our discussion of the feminist struggles against authoritarianism in the Philippines, social movements have been coming together to discuss the context and also our strategies to face the extension of the Duterte dynasty in the upcoming elections. His daughter, Sara Duterte-Carpio, is now running, which presents danger for us, feminists, because she's likely to be packaged as a progressive female candidate.
We have to remind ourselves of the current context for women and for the various (...)

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1972: the imposition of martial law in the Philippines

On September 22 1972, Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law in the Philippines, imposing a brutal reign of terror and suppression that would last for more than a decade. He backdated the declaration to September 21 in keeping with his superstitious predilection for the number seven and its multiples. I publish below a brief section of my doctoral dissertation dealing with the imposition of military rule. The political parallels to the present are striking.
Naákay ng gútom at gawìng manilà (...)

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NUPL lauds ICC decision to probe deaths in Philippines' drug war operations

An organization of lawyers on Thursday, Sept. 16, lauded the decision of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to proceed with the investigation of President Duterte on drug war killings that have taken place under his administration, including those when he was Davao City mayor.
“Today on our 14^th founding anniversary, we are heartened by the latest collective and shared victory even as we grieve and rage over the loss of yet another one from our ranks,” reads the open letter of National (...)

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Philippines: Students slam Cebu university's two-gadget exam rule as ‘anti-poor'

‘What we're hoping for is that they will open another dialogue with us,' says Geraldine Empuerto, chair of a student political party at the Cebu Institute of Technology–University
Students of the Cebu Institute of Technology–University (CIT-U) protested the school's new two-device exam policy that officials imposed to curb cheating during online tests.
Student activists called the policy anti-poor. More than 7,500 students signed a September 15 petition urging the postponement of the (...)

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Nurses bear brunt of Philippines Covid shambles

Understaffed, underpaid and overworked to the point of exhaustion, staff battle on to care for virus victims
Exhausted nurses in the Philippines are struggling to care for patients as colleagues contract Covid-19 or quit a profession that was dangerously understaffed even before the pandemic.
The country is enduring a record rise in infections, fuelled by the Delta variant, with the health department reporting a nursing shortfall of more than 100,000 – forcing those left to work long hours (...)

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Philippines: ‘The pain won't go away, but it'll give me comfort': Kin of drug war victims find hope in ICC probe

Families who lost loved ones in President Duterte's ‘war on drugs' cheer the International Criminal Court's decision to begin a full investigation into the brutal campaign
Emily Soriano, 52, cried tears of joy when she learned that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has authorized a full investigation into President Rodrigo Duterte's ruthless campaign against illegal drugs.
“Sobrang tuwa ko. Hindi lang ako. Lahat ng pamilya na nawalan ng buhay (I am overjoyed. It's not just me, but all of (...)

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Philippines: Lawyer in South Cotabato shot dead outside house, 65th killed under Duterte

Lawyer Juan Macababbad was a public interest lawyer. Two unidentified gunmen shot him in the head seven times.
Public interest lawyer Juan Macababbad was shot dead outside his home in Surallah town, South Cotabato, on Wednesday, September 15, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) confirmed to Rappler.
“Atty. Macababbad was gunned down at around 5:30 in the afternoon earlier just outside of his house by two unidentified individuals. According to initial reports, he sustained seven (...)

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Philippines – Nurses in diapers: General Santos hospital workers look for jobs elsewhere

(1^st UPDATE) To cut down on PPE costs, the nurses were asked to wear adult diapers and work for 12 hours per shift in a COVID-19 facility.
Many nurses at the city hall-run Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Memorial Hospital (DJPRMH) have left and found work elsewhere due to pressures and poor working conditions amid the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the city.
The straw that broke the camel's back was when they were made to put on personal protective suits for hours without toilet breaks while (...)

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Philippines: Abortion is a social class issue

On September 3, 2021, Vice President Leni Robredo stated in an interview with Rappler Philippines that she was in favor of same-sex unions but rejected decriminalizing abortion.
“I have always been against abortion,” she said and added that health services and institutions should be strengthened instead so women would not have to be put in “extreme” situations.
This is a poor and uninformed stance on abortion from Vice President Robredo. Immediately dismissing abortion seems like a reflexive (...)

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Afghanistan: Kabul Diaries – Parts 9 & 10 (2 and 8 September 2021)

The daily Jeddojehad [Struggle], a leftwing online Urdu-language daily in Pakistan is posting reports from Kabul. Filed by Yasmeen Afghan [not the real name], these reports depict picture from inside Kabul and cover what is often ignored in the mainstream. For a wider circulation, these reports are translated to English. Part 9
‘In Kabul we can't afford a loaf of bread or paracetamol anymore'
Three weeks have passed since the fall of Kabul. If one dares to go outside, then all you see is the (...)

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Armed conflicts (Philippiines): The Law on Landmines and the Masbate Incident

The tragic killing of young scholar-athlete Kieth Absalon and his cousin Nolven Absalon who were riding on bicycles when hit by a landmine blast last June 6 in Purok 4, Barangay Anas, Masbate City, already since admitted by the perpetrator New People's Army (NPA), is most condemnable. We condole with the family and friends of the victims and join them in calling for justice. The righteous indignation about this landmine incident has invariably included references to violation of the (...)

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Philippines: armed conflict, IHL and respect for the elderly, disabled and infirm

On the occasion of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Month this August and IHL Day this August 12, we call particular attention to an authoritative 2005 study on customary IHL by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) which found that State practice establishes Rule 138 (“The elderly, disabled and infirm affected by armed conflict are entitled to special respect and protection.”) as a norm of customary IHL applicable in both international and non-international armed conflicts. (...)

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Pandemic (Philippines): Shoot the NPA… with vaccines; Kill, kill, kill… Covid-19

Believe it or not, the global fight against this pandemic, and especially the counter-measure of vaccination, is actual a rare common ground between the “Communist Terrorist Groups” and the “U.S.-Duterte fascist regime.”
Stated otherwise, between the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-New People's Army (NPA)-National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Duterte administration of the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP). Both sides actually have called on the (...)

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Philippines: Manila's elite, the Davao Group, and COVID-19

In hushed but angry voices, some of the country's businessmen expressed frustration over the government's handling of the pandemic and the jaw-dropping web of questionable COVID-19-related supply deals involving the President's men.
I felt this brewing sentiment after having dinner recently with the chairman of a listed company; after a long talk with a government contractor; an exchange of messages with a director of several listed companies; a chat with a tycoon who chairs a listed business (...)

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Philippines: The trauma and struggle that loved ones of slain farmers have to live with everyday

BACOOR, Cavite — Trauma continues to haunt women relatives of farmers and activists who fell victims to extrajudicial killings in the last five years of the Duterte presidency. The pain they have to live with never really goes away and has turned their lives around.
Jennifer Palero, mother of slain activist Jaymar, shared with Bulatlat in an online interview that it was hard to come to terms with the death of her son. Especially when Jaymar's child keeps asking for her father.
“All that my (...)

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Philippines: Underpaid health workers walk out, call for Health Secretary Duque resignation at mass protests

Participants of the demonstrations repeat their demand for Health Secretary Francisco Duque to resign over his failure to attend to the needs of frontline workers.
MANILA, Philippines
Pandemic health workers who have had enough of the meager pay that comes with their dangerous job took to the streets to demand the release of long overdue benefits and the resignation of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
Frontline health personnel from various assembly points in the capital region (...)

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