Author: Center for Women's Resources

Forty year-old research institution Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) reports worsening gender inequality and human rights violations against Filipino women, an alarming lack of commitment of the PH government to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), during 9th periodic review for the Philippines this October.

Neoliberal development policies of liberalization, privatization, and deregulation, along with state repression, resulted in the patterns of violations encroaching upon women’s economic, social, cultural, civil, and political rights. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities and discrimination, adding to the difficulties endured by Filipino women.

Economic insecurity, joblessness, and abuse of workers’ rights

According to the May 2023 Labor Force Survey, over 21.14 million Filipino women are “economically insecure”. This includes the unemployed (996,000), those lacking work and income or underemployed (1.899 million), and those outside the labor force (18.248 million).

The number of unemployed women doubled during the pandemic, from 852,000 in 2019 to 1.69 million in 2020. Many women lost their jobs and livelihoods, particularly in sectors that shuttered during lockdowns. By December 2022, an estimated 2.2 million individuals were unemployed, with 1.06 million being women.

Gender wage inequality remains a pressing issue, with women consistently earning less than men. The gender pay gap across occupations ranges from 4% to 44%, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). In a case study by CWR in Northern Luzon provinces, women farm workers receive 28.57% lower wages than men, earning $5.45 compared to men’s $7.25. In other rural communities, women earn just $2.72 for a day’s work.

Due to the lack of viable jobs in the country, many Filipino women are forced to go abroad as migrant workers in low-skilled, low-wage, insecure jobs. In 2019, there were 1.23 million overseas Filipino women workers, 24% more than men.

Abuse against migrant workers also persists. In 2020, the Middle East recorded 4,302 cases of OFW abuse. There were also 23,714 contract violations reported, including passport confiscation and the failure to provide domestic workers with the protections outlined in labor codes and labor protection laws.

Cases of violence and abuse remain high

Most violence victims come from the poorest quintile, 16% of women in the lowest wealth quintile have endured physical violence. Poverty deters many women from pursuing legal action due to the high costs, lengthy procedures, and complexity of the judicial process. Two in five women (42%) age 15–49 who have experienced physical or sexual violence have never sought help to end the violence or told anyone about the violence.

Alarmingly, top officials in the country perpetuate misogyny that could encourage violence against women and contribute to the culture of impunity. Filipino women are also subjected to objectification and sexualization in media, advertising, and politics.

Women and girls are forced into prostitution and various forms of body commodification due to poverty. Increased use of technology coupled with restrictions in mobility during the pandemic also gave rise to new methods of commodifying women’s bodies as “traditional” prostitution transitioned online.

Lack of access to judicial and legal processes

Women also continue to suffer from the slow and ineffective justice system. From July 2016 to December 2022, there were 66 women victims of extrajudicial killings, many of whom are women human rights defenders. There are also cases of enforced disappearances and abductions believed to be detained against their will in military camps and facilities.

As of June 2022, there were 162 women political prisoners and 14,073 women deprived of liberty (WDLs). In the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW), 67% of the detained women are jobless and/or housewives/housekeepers or are in the informal sector with meager income and lacking social protection, and mainly commit crimes closely linked to poverty. These women continue to suffer from congestion and poor living conditions in jail facilities.

Violation of women’s right to political participation

Women’s meaningful participation in public life is vital in ensuring that their concerns and perspectives are integrated into decisions and policy-making processes. Concerningly, instances of harassment against women’s representation persist. Gabriela Women’s Party, the sole women’s political party and sectoral representation in the Philippine Congress, faces ongoing disqualification cases filed by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) with the Commission on Elections.

Attacks against women human rights defenders and civil society

Women human rights defenders who are at the forefront of the fight for land, jobs, wages, public services, and against extractivist projects continue to face direct attacks from state agents. From July 2016 to December 2022, there were 66 women victims of extrajudicial killings. This includes human rights worker Elisa Badayos, killed in 2017; Zara Alvarez, a human rights advocate, educator, paralegal, and health activist killed in 2020; and Leonila Pesadilla, an active member of the Compostela Farmers’ Association and has been vocal in their opposition to major mining projects in their community.

There are also cases of enforced disappearance such as Loi Magbanua, a labor organizer and women’s and LGBT rights advocate, who was abducted along with a fellow labor organizer, and peasant organizers and human rights defenders Cha Pampoza and Elgene Mungcal who went missing in Moncada, Tarlac. 

As of June 2022, there were 162 women political prisoners. This includes human rights workers Alexandrea Pacalda and Glendhyl Malabanan, development worker Rita Espinoza, writer and women’s rights advocate Adora Faye de Vera, community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, and peasant women organizer Amanda Echanis.

The Center for Women’s Resources joins women’s groups and rights defenders in their call to the Philippine government to fulfill its obligation as a signatory to the CEDAW and its local counterpart, the Magna Carta of Women. We challenge the Marcos Jr administration to fulfill the following demands:

1. Respect and fulfill the recommendations of UNHRC member states;
2. Allow Special Procedures and mandate holders to conduct official visits within the Philippines;
3. Undertake a comprehensive review of macroeconomic neoliberal policies; and lastly,
4. Revoke the Anti-Terror Law, Executive Order 70 and disband the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) to ensure a secure and supportive environment for the crucial work carried out by advocates for women’s rights and human rights defenders. #

CWR’s full submission to the Office of High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) can be accessed here.

The Center for Women’s Resources joins the Filipino people in commemorating the 51st anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law, one of the darkest moments in Philippine history under the Marcos dictatorship. Fifty one years later, women continue to face the same crisis, corruption, and brutal forms of political repression.

We remember the courageous and fierce women of the resistance that continue to inspire us today. We remember trade union activist, Elsa “Liza” Balando, who was killed by military forces; community organizer, Rizalina Ilagan, who was forcibly disappeared; student writers, Liliosa Hilao and Nimfa “Nona” Del Rosario; and Maria Lorena Barros who was instrumental in mobilizing women’s resistance against the Marcos dictatorship.

Tens of thousands were killed, imprisoned, tortured, and were never seen again by their families under the Marcos Sr. regime. More than half a century later, women face the same conditions under the dictator’s son.

The son’s Anti-Terror Law is the father’s Martial Law

In recent months, we have seen increasing cases of use of the Anti-Terror Law against human rights defenders and activists. With its ambiguous and sweeping definitions, it has empowered authorities to label activists and human rights defenders as terrorists or enemies of the state. 

Many of the individuals and activists charged by Anti Terror Law,  those included in the terrorist list, and those subjected to relentless attacks are rights defenders who are at the forefront of the fight against neoliberal development and repressive state policies impacting women’s and people’s lives.

From July 2016 to December 2022, there were 66 women victims of extrajudicial killings. Amongst them are educators, health activists, human rights advocates, and small farmers opposing destructive development projects in their communities.

Meanwhile, enforced disappearances remain rampant. Labor organizer Loi Magbanua is yet to be surfaced since her enforced disappearance in May 2022. This is the same case with peasant organizers Cha Pampoza and Elgene Mungcal, who went missing in Tarlac. There are also 162 women political prisoners as of June 2022, including human rights workers, development workers, writers, peasant organizers, journalists, and youth. These individuals have been detained without due process, often on trumped-up charges, and are denied their basic rights while in custody. The imprisonment of these women not only silences their voices but also serves as a warning to others who dare to speak out against injustices. The government’s lack of action and transparency in addressing these cases has only fueled public outrage and further eroded trust in the justice system and undermines the country’s “commitment to upholding human rights”. 

Despite these relentless attacks and the worsening economic and social crisis, we stand firm, committed, and grounded. It is with the same courage and grit that we reaffirm our commitment to hold tyrants, plunderers, and rights violators accountable. It is in this way that we honor the brave women and men who fought the same battle before us.  #

The Center for Women’s Resources urgently seeks the immediate release of Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro, two dedicated young environmental advocates who were abducted by armed men on September 2, 2023, in the province of Bataan.

Contrary to the statements released by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Jonila Castro revealed that they were indeed abducted by individuals who identified themselves as military personnel in a press conference held today, September 19. Jonila said that they were forced to sign the affidavit created by the military stating that they voluntarily surrendered to the state forces. 

The military even tried to counter Jonila’s statements by saying that syndicates were responsible for their abduction. On the other hand, the NTF-ELCAC is trying to weave more lies by saying that the case of the two young women is “an elaborate hoax and scam perpetrated by the leftist movement on the public.” The truth however is that Jonila and Jhed currently remain in the custody of the military in Plaridel, Bulacan.

It must be noted that the NTF-ELCAC is well known to be involved in the surveillance, harassment, and threats against community organizers and environmental human rights defenders. 

Instead of trying to propagate more false statements, the NTF-ELCAC and the military must immediately and safely release Jonila and Jhed. The government has the highest obligation to ensure that the rights of the two young women are respected and upheld, including their rights against illegal/arbitrary detention, physical and/or psychological torture, due process, and independent and competent legal assistance. 

CWR joins rights groups and the families and friends of Jonila and Jhed in the call to release them immediately, and to stop the attacks on environmental and women human rights defenders. #

In response to the alarming surge in student dropouts in recent years, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno recently proposed amendments to the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017 (UAQTE of 2017).

The UAQTE of 2017 was a landmark legislation aimed at leveling the educational playing field and ensuring that education is accessible to all.

While the implementation of this law has been less than ideal, the notion of scrapping free tuition in favor of a competitive screening test, is deeply concerning. Not only would such a move be detrimental to the entire Filipino youth but it would also disproportionately impact young Filipino women, robbing them of their fundamental right to education.

Data from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) shows that 36.83% of college students who entered the School Year 2020–2021 dropped out or temporarily left schooling. The factors for student dropouts are numerous, but they consistently point toward the glaring lack of economic resources required to sustain the high cost of education in the country. For years, higher education in the Philippines has been characterized by expensive privatized education alongside meager allocations for public education.

As of 2020, there are 667 (28%) State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Local Colleges and Universities (LUCs), and other government schools (including satellite campuses) compared to 1,729 (62%) private higher education institutions in the Philippines.

Compared to public institutions, private universities and colleges typically charge higher tuition fees. As a result, it becomes more difficult for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds to afford quality higher education. This higher cost can force many students to drop out and forgo pursuing a degree altogether, or opt for cheaper, often lower-quality, options. 

Case studies conducted by the Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) underscore the immense challenges that students from low-income households face in their pursuit of completing their education. In Roxas City, Capiz, a woman leader from an urban poor community said, “Kahit may Free Education, hindi naman makaka-akses dito ang marami sa mga maralita sa komunidad dahil ni hindi sila nakakaabot na makapagtapos ng high school o kahit man lamang elementary.” (Even if there is Free Education, many of the poor in the community cannot access it because they could not even finish elementary, much less high school.)

It must be emphasized that beyond tuition fees and other school fees, access to education includes the requirements to continue schooling in the midst of the online and hybrid set-up of classes such as smartphones, WiFi and internet connections, laptops, electricity, and the like. Without the means to afford these essential resources, many students from low-income backgrounds are left at a disadvantage, unable to participate fully in their education.The intersection of high unemployment rates and meager wages further exacerbates the accessibility of education, directly impacting the rate of students who successfully complete their tertiary education. 

The Center for Women’s Resources firmly believes that the most effective approach for the administration to tackle the high dropout rates among students is to retain the free tuition policy, accord a higher budgetary priority to education in ongoing budget discussions, ensure a living wage and income, and make education truly accessible to every Filipino. By retaining the free tuition policy, the government can alleviate the financial burden on struggling families and encourage more students to complete their education. Additionally, allocating a higher budgetary priority to education would enable schools to provide better resources and facilities, ultimately improving the quality of education and reducing dropout rates. Lastly, ensuring living wages and substantial income would address the root causes of inequality, giving everyone an equal opportunity to pursue education and acquire the necessary skills for economic growth. ###