Author: Center for Women's Resources

Bumungad sa mga residente ng NCR at mga rehiyon ng CALABARZON, Central Luzon, Cordillera, MIMAROPA, Bicol, Central at Western Visayas, hanggang Northern Mindanao ang walang-tigil na pag-ulan noong Hulyo 24, 2024 dulot ng habagat na pinalakas ng Super Typhoon Carina.

Umaga pa lamang ay nagsimula na ang rescue operations sa mga bahaing komunidad sa Metro Manila at iba pang lugar dahil sa mabilis na pagtaas ng tubig. Sa datos ng PNP, umabot na sa 34 ang naitalang nasawi, mayorya ay dahil sa pagkalunod, landslide, at iba pang pinsala dulot ng pagbaha.

Ayon sa NDRRMC, umabot sa 1.3 milyon indibidwal o 299,344 pamilya ang apektado sa buong bansa (maliban sa Eastern Visayas), habang tinatayang ₱9.7 milyon ang halaga ng pinsala sa agrikultura, ₱6.6 milyon sa mga irigasyon, at ₱1.3 milyon sa imprastraktura. Matinding hagupit ito sa mahihirap na mamamayan, lalo na sa mga kababaihan at bata.

Sa katatapos na State of the Nation Address (SONA), ipinagmalaki ni Pang. Marcos Jr. ang 5,500 flood control projects na natapos sa ilalim ng kanyang administrasyon.

Umabot sa ₱12.13 bilyon ang inutang ng gobyerno sa World Bank noong 2017 upang isagawa ang Metro Manila Flood Management Project na layuning resolbahin ang pagbaha sa Metro Manila sa pamamagitan ng pag-modernisa sa drainage system at pagsasaayos ng waste collection at disposal system, ito raw ay pakikinabangan ng 3.5 milyong residente sa mga bahaing lugar sa Metro Manila.

Ang ₱255 bilyong badyet na inilaan para rito sa ilalim ng DPWH ay mas malaki pa sa badyet ng Department of Agriculture (₱167B), Department of Science and Technology (₱27B), Commission on Higher Education (₱31B), at State Universities and Colleges (₱106B).

Ngunit dalawang araw matapos ang SONA, nabunyag ang kapalpakan ng mga nasabing proyekto nang kinumpirma ng MMDA na hindi kinakaya ng kasalukuyang drainage system ang matinding pag-ulan dahil 30 mm/hr lang ang kayang i-proseso kumpara sa 74 mm/hr na buhos ng ulan.

Imbis na akuin ang pananagutan, ginamit ni Marcos Jr. ang usapin ng climate change at sinisi ang mga mamamayan na nagtatapon ng basura sa kanilang paligid bilang dahilan ng matinding pagbaha.

Patunay ito na walang malasakit at pagpapahalaga ang gobyernong Marcos Jr. sa mahihirap na pamilya na nalubog sa baha, walang makain, at nasiraan ng maraming kagamitan. Malinaw ang kanyang kapabayaan at pagtalikod sa responsibilidad sa panahon ng kalamidad.Kasalukuyang nakapailalim sa state of calamity ang buong Metro Manila, dapat kagyat na mabigay ang suporta at serbisyo sa mga biktima ng kalamidad.

Kailangang matiyak na ilalaan ang calamity funds sa emergency response katulad ng pagkain, tubig, medisina, maayos na sanitasyon, paglilinis sa komunidad, kasama ang dagliang paghahakot ng mga basura na nakatambak sa mga kalsada, at iba pa.Kailangan ang maagap na pagbibigay ng serbisyong pangkalusugan upang maiwasan ang pagkalat ng sakit lalo na ng diarrhea, leptospirosis, at mga sakit sa balat dulot ng pagkababad sa tubig-baha. Dapat ding matiyak na estable at walang manipulasyon ng presyo ng mga bilihin sa kalakhang Maynila.

Sa nalalapit na budget deliberations, mahalagang makialam ang mamamayan at ipanawagan na pagtuunan ng pansin ang mga programa at flood management interventions na angkop sa sitwasyon ng mga komunidad.

Marapat na matapat na iulat sa mamamayan kung saan at paano ginagamit ang bilyon-bilyong pondo mula sa kaban ng bayan. Kasabay nito, kailangang itigil ang mga mapaminsalang aktibidad ng quarrying, large-scale mining, at reclamation projects ng mga malalaking lokal at dayuhang korporasyon na patuloy na sumisira sa kalikasan at siyang sanhi ng malalang pagbaha.

Kailangang panagutin kapwa ang administrasyong Marcos Jr. at ang nakaraang administrasyong Duterte sa sistematikong kapabayaan at lantarang kawalan malasakit sa mamamayan!Mahigpit na magkaisa at tumindig para ipaglaban ang mga karapatan sa panahon ng krisis at kalamidad!

Charter Change, a priority legislation of the Marcos Jr. administration has been hotly debated in the Congress and the Senate in the last two years. To further understand the perceptions and opinions of female voters in Metro Manila about the issue, CWR conducted a survey in vote-rich communities in the region from June 15 to July 12, 2024.

The sample consisted of 897 female respondents aged 18 and above, representing the larger population of female voters in NCR. The data gathered also provided valuable insights for political campaigns and policy decisions leading up Marcos’ SONA in July 22 and upcoming 2025 elections in 2025.

Profile of Respondents

Age – Majority are between 35 and 44 years old and 45 and 54 years old, each having 20.4% representation. Those aged 25-34 years old come in second with 18.3%.

Civil Status – 47.3% are married, 18.5% are single, 16.6% are live-ins.

Work/Livelihood – 35.5% are self-employed or own-account workers, suggesting poor government efforts in providing jobs. This is alarmingly followed by 32.9% unemployed respondents. Only 7.2% are employed in formal establishments.

Monthly Household Income – Over 70% of the total respondents are minimum wage earners. Majority or 26.1% are low-income earners at P5,001 to P10,000 monthly, followed by 25.4% who earn less than P5,000 monthly, and 19.3% who earn P10,001 to P15,000 monthly.

Educational Level – 31.8% of the respondents are high school graduates. 23.4% reached high school and 12.9% at college level. Among the remaining respondents, 11% completed elementary, 9.4% reached elementary level and 6.1% completed college.

Survey Results

59.1% have heard of charter change

The remaining 363 respondents were not aware of the proposed charter change. This data contradicts the claims made by proponents of charter change that they have the support of the public, validating questions raised about the legitimacy of the People’s Initiative.

Only 14.5% of the respondents were able to give a brief description of charter change

Those who have heard but did not fully understand, and those who have little to no knowledge about charter change make up 44.4% of the sample when combined. This suggests that there is a need for more education and information dissemination to ensure that women are well-informed and able to participate in discussions and decision-making processes.

42.1% turn to conventional media as source of information

The number of respondents who rely on social media platforms for news comes in second at 6%, followed by information from neighbors or face-to-face interactions in their community at 4% and from local community groups or organizations with 1%.

49.7% do not know or cannot concretely explain how it might affect them and their families
Coming in second, 23% said that the constitutional change will only worsen their already poor economic conditions with the loss of jobs, lesser income, and higher prices of goods and utilities that it might entail. Only 3.6% said that charter change could potentially change their lives for the better.

Only 6.2% of the total respondents expressed agreement to charter change

A glaring 21.3% expressed that they do not agree with the proposed amendments in the Constitution, and 6.2% said they lack information to decide. Among those who responded that they agree, 26.0% said that Charter Change will bring about significant changes in people’s lives although they cannot articulate how charter change will bring about this. While 23.3% mentioned that Charter Change can bring about change in the system that will enable a strong economy. Out of the 303 respondents that articulated if they are in favor or not, 63% disagree, 18.5% agree, while 18.5% are undecided.

Those who oppose charter change believe that the government should instead prioritize issues that directly impact their lives.

These included addressing poverty and hunger (22.8%), job creation (20%), and controlling high prices of goods and services, including utilities (15.5%). Some (10.1%) expressed that support should be given to struggling sectors like healthcare, education, and housing. Additionally, the call for higher wages comes in as a top four concern (6.8%), reflecting the economic struggles faced by the majority of women.

Thematic Analysis / Findings

A. Awareness – The survey revealed overall that there seems to be a lack of clarity and understanding surrounding charter change among female voters in Metro Manila. Accessibility to information and education on the topic may be a contributing factor. Without a clear understanding of the implications, it may be difficult for individuals to form informed opinions and engage in meaningful dialogue on charter change. 

B. On economic impacts – As revealed, almost half of the women in Metro Manila do not have any idea or cannot explain the potential effects of charter change in their lives. Combined with the perceived lack of understanding on the matter, a significant portion (23%) believes that the proposed amendment to the constitution will only worsen the economic conditions that most of them already experience – majority (70.8%) live below the poverty threshold set by the government, with many of them either self-employed and own-account workers (35.5%) who rely on “diskarte” due to scarce economic opportunities available or unemployed (32.9%).

C. On political impacts – Among the top reasons as to why women in Metro Manila disagree with charter change is because they believe that only the rich and those in power will benefit from such a move. 25.2% expressed concerns regarding impacts to democratic processes, political issues and governance. Some mentioned concerns on power abuse, against term extension, and lack of confidence in the current system of governance.   

D. Priority – Rather than prioritizing charter change, the women of Metro Manila urged the government to focus on practical solutions that will have a direct and positive impact on the lives of the Filipino people like addressing poverty, joblessness and high prices. They also believe that charter change will only benefit the rich and those in power.

The Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) expresses its fervent opposition to Quezon City Executive Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert’s application for promotion as Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals (CA), Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan, and Ombudsman Special Prosecutor. Villavert’s history of issuing questionable search and arrest warrants against activists and women human rights defenders undermines justice and threatens civil liberties.

With the help of state forces, under the direction of former president Rodrigo Duterte, Villavert’s dubious warrants led to illegal arrests and detention of 76 activists from 2018 to 2020, according to human rights group Karapatan. Among the most controversial cases for which Villavert is accountable are the “Human Rights 7”, where activists were slapped with trumped-up charges, and the “Bloody Sunday” operation that killed nine activists in Calabarzon.

Villavert also issued the warrant that led to the arrest of Reina Mae Nasino, who was pregnant at the time, in 2019. Nasino gave birth to her daughter, Baby River, at the Manila City Jail during the pandemic. Shortly after filing an urgent motion for furlough, Baby River died.

Journalist Lady Ann Salem was also arrested through one of Villavert’s warrants. Like in Nasino’s case, courts also voided the warrants issued and cleared her of her charges.

Women’s rights activist Cora Agovida was among those whose homes were raided by the police in 2019 through a Villavert-issued search warrant. The Manila court later acquitted Agovida of the trumped-up charges filed against them by state forces.

Given Villavert’s track record of transgressions and incompetence, there is no question that if she were given higher positions in the judiciary, she would undoubtedly use this power and authority to further sow terror and injustice in a country where there is already rampant corruption and blatant disregard for human rights.

CWR calls upon the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) to heed the appeals of human rights defenders, peace advocates, and their families by rejecting Villavert’s application for promotion and initiating thorough investigations into judges who routinely issue unjustified warrants. CWR implores all Filipinos to stand united and vigilant against all measures and actions that aim to suppress people’s resistance by violating human rights and civil liberties. #

The Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) condemns the negligent response of the Marcos administration to the devastating impacts of El Niño, particularly on peasant women. The administration’s failure to address the needs of peasant communities underscores a pattern of disregard for the welfare of those most vulnerable to environmental and economic crises.

The impact of El Niño on the agricultural sector in the Philippines has been devastating, with over 41 provinces experiencing severe consequences, including the loss of farmlands and crops. As of March 2024, the damage to agriculture amounts to P1 billion, with a significant loss in rice production alone. Around 247,610 farmers and fisher folk are also at risk of bankruptcy and loss of livelihood.

Despite these alarming figures, President Marcos Jr.’s response has been dismissive and insensitive as he refused to declare a nationwide state of calamity. Even before the impacts of El Niño, the poverty incidence among farmers and fisher folk is already alarmingly high. In 2021, the poverty incidence among farmers was at 30% and 30.6% among fisher folk, the highest among sectors. According to the PSA, the agriculture and fisheries sector comprised 10.8 million in 2022, where 2.99 million are women.

The root of the crisis lies in the failure to prioritize the development of local agriculture to the detriment of the livelihood of Filipino farmers. For instance, neoliberal policy of privatization led to monopolization of water resources and distribution that left small-scale farmers at the mercy of private players such as Ayala’s Manila Water, Maynilad of Metro Pacific Investments, and Prime Water of Villar Group. Consequently, only 1.2% or 39,300 hectares of irrigation development target has been reached despite the increased budget allocation to the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in the national budget.

Trade agreements and laws like the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA), World Trade Organization Agreement on Agriculture (WTO-AoA), Rice Liberalization Law, and Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) have favored foreign interests over national development which hinders the growth of the agricultural sector. The push for the pro-foreign ownership “economic” Charter Change further threatens the agricultural sector.

As El Niño subsides and the threat of La Niña looms, the government’s inaction in providing adequate support and resources to mitigate the effects of extreme weather patterns is alarming. Without proper assistance and planning, farmers will continue to face significant challenges and losses due to unpredictable weather conditions and climate change. Coupled with a trend of silencing dissent through militarization and violence, it poses a grave threat to the safety and well-being of farmers, fisher folk, and land rights activists.

The Center for Women’s Resources stands firmly in solidarity with Filipino farmers amidst this ongoing crisis. We echo their demand for urgent government support and an end to neoliberal policies that exacerbate the plight of Filipino farmers. We urge all Filipinos to unite in demanding that the government prioritize the well-being of its citizens, to safeguard our rights to livelihood and democratic rights. #