Statement

The Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) stands in solidarity with the Filipino people, especially women, children, and other marginalized sectors, in demanding rightful compensation for the devastating impacts of disasters in their communities. The series of catastrophic events in recent weeks have laid bare the deep vulnerabilities of women. As the effects of the climate crisis become more pronounced, communities across the country are grappling with a cycle of poverty, hunger, loss of lives and livelihoods, and limited access to basic services.

In recent weeks, the death toll from the combined effects of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami) and Typhoon Leon (Kong-rey) has reached 160, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). More than 9.6 million Filipinos were affected, including 617,168 who have been displaced from their homes.

Women, who already bear the disproportionate effects of poverty, are increasingly tasked with the burden of securing food, shelter, and care for their families amid disaster and displacement. As primary caregivers, a role determined by gender norms and societal expectations, women face greater demands during such crises.

Olivia Bajas, a resident of Brgy. Tumana, Marikina, faced the daunting task of cleaning the thick mud left inside her house followingTyphoon Carina and the southwest monsoon or habagat. She was unsure how to recover from such a devastating impact—there was no food and the flood waters had reached as high as their roof. The Marikina City LGU also recorded 31,128 evacuees across35 evacuation sites in the city.

In Bicol, Severe Tropical Storm Kristine affected more than 4.2 million Filipinos, which is approximately 986,974 families.. The storm has resulted in a death toll of 81, with 66 individuals injured, and 34 reported missing. As of October 28, the total damage to agriculture and infrastructure is estimated at Ph 3 billion.

In Cagayan, Typhoon Marce, which had the worst impact according to Gov. Manuel Mamba, caused Php 1.4 billion damage to agriculture, Php 25.3 million damage to infrastructure, and displaced 29,808 people, or 9,959 families, across 245 barangays.

According to NDRRMC, there are 1,145,942 individuals or 295,576 families affected by tropical cyclones Nika, Ofel, and Pepito in Northern Luzon. The cyclones also partially damaged 7,401 houses and totally damaged 437 others.

Low wages and income and rising cost of living make it nearly impossible for these families to recover, let alone rebuild their lives.

What exacerbates this situation is the environmental destruction caused by large-scale mining and quarrying operations and other large-scale resource extraction activities—many of which are controlled by local and foreign corporations and allowed to operate by the government. These activities are not only extracting our natural resources but also destroying vital ecosystems that protect our communities from the worst effects of the climate crisis. 

The aggressive implementation of development projects that often disregard the rights and welfare of local communities, and the environment also contribute to the degradation of natural habitat, disruption of livelihoods and displacement of communities.Many of these projects require land use conversion and reclamation, which further accelerate deforestation and biodiversity loss.

According to Kalikasan, there are currently 19 mining projects operating in Rizal covering 3,622 hectares.. Two hydropower projects, the Kaliwa-Kanan Laiban Dam and the Wawa Dam, are also ongoing. When Typhoon Enteng hit the province in September, eight people lost their lives due to drowning and landslides. 

As the world watches the ongoing COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, we must remain critical of the false solutions being peddled by corporate interests. Many of the proposed solutions focus on technological fixes, market-based mechanisms, and greenwashing, which fail to address the systemic drivers of the climate crisis. Despite the urgency of the crisis, big polluting corporations from imperialist countries continue to evade accountability.

The Filipino people must demand justice and accountability. Particularly, those affected must be compensated for the loss of lives, livelihoods, and damage to properties. The Filipino people must unite to demand that the Philippine government end its complicity in extractive and destructive mining and quarrying and instead, take a stand for the protection of the people and our environment. We call on everyone to unite in the struggle to fight for compensation, to demand real solutions to the climate crisis, and to hold accountable those who continue to profit at the expense of our environment and our lives.

The Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) stands with disaster victims, women’s organizations, climate activists, and rights groups in holding the state accountable for its role in the destruction and displacement of communities, livelihood, and environment. The government’s support for large-scale mining companies, prioritization of corporate interests, and neglect of its responsibilities to the Filipino people have left many in a dire state.

While still reeling from the impacts of Typhoon Carina (Gaemi), only a few weeks ago, the Philippines has been hit with another disaster. Typhoon Enteng (Yagi) caused massive floods and landslides in many areas of the country. This relentless cycle of climate disasters hit women and children the most. With limited or no access to basic social services and resources, they are particularly vulnerable to displacement, joblessness, and health and safety risks.

Recent tragedies highlight this vulnerability. In Rizal, a mother, who was about to go to work in the middle of a storm, lost her home and two sons in a landslide. Another landslide in the same province claimed the life of a pregnant woman who was expected to give birth this month. In Bicol, a 9-month old infant drowned.

The massive infrastructure projects the Marcos Jr. administration shamelessly funds and supports make these communities increasingly prone to climate disasters. Despite this reality, a huge sum of funds in the proposed 2025 national budget have been allocated to further fuel destructive projects instead of assistance and services to mitigate and respond to these disasters. Large-scale mining and quarrying projects run rampant which ultimately destroy communities making them even more vulnerable to devastation.

CWR enjoins all Filipinos to continue to demand swift government action and assistance, and at the same time, hold duty bearers accountable for their neglect of these responsibilities. We urge everyone to scrutinize the 2025 national budget and demand allocations that benefit the most vulnerable. Together, let us ensure that every peso of the people’s money will be allocated to services that benefit the most marginalized, rather than serving narrow interests of a few. #

* CWR alongside other grassroots and civil society organizations is initiating relief efforts to provide immediate aid to families affected. We appeal to compassionate individuals and organizations to join us in supporting those in need. For those who would like to contribute, you may contact us at cwrgrl@gmail.com or 0953 478 0468.

#EntengPH

On the occasion of the International Day of the Disappeared, the Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) joins the families and friends of the disappeared, advocates and human rights defenders, in renewing the calls to end involuntary disappearance and human rights violations in the Philippines.

Families of Victims of Involuntary Disappearance (FIND) documented 2,586 reported victims of enforced disappearances in the country since the dictatorship of Marcos Sr. To this day, 1,183 have yet to be found.

Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s legacy of human rights violations lives on through his son with 38 reported cases of enforced disappearances only two years into his presidency. This includes Elgene Mungcal, Lyn Grace Martullinas, and Deah Lopez – women human rights defenders who dedicated their lives in pursuit of social justice.

The most recent case involves environmental defender Rowena Dasig, who has been missing since August 22, 2024. She was arrested and detained on July 12, 2023, by the 85th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army in Quezon while doing community research. On August 13, charges against her were dismissed due to lack of evidence. She was reportedly released from the Lucena City District Jail on August 22, but no one has seen or heard from her since.

Despite the enactment of the Anti-Enforced or Involuntary Disappearance Act – the first of its kind in Asia, activists and human rights defenders are at risk of abduction and disappearance. The Marcos Jr. administration, which presents itself as a champion of human rights in international spaces, is culpable for the continuing attacks against human rights defenders and widespread impunity. The number of desaparecidos continues to rise and justice is yet to be served.

These desaparecidos, who are usually political activists, human rights defenders, and leaders of labor unions and peasant organizations, are from the poorest sectors of society who have been systematically marginalized and are left with no choice but to protect themselves and their rights in the different forms available to them.

We demand that the national government address the crisis—the very issue that compels women and the people to rise up to defend their lives and rights—rather than undermining the freedoms and security of individuals and organizations. Such actions only cause distress to families and communities and ultimately erode public trust in the institutions meant to protect and serve.

The Center for Women’s Resources condemns all forms of enforced disappearances and human rights violations. We join organizations and individuals in supporting victims and their families in their quest for justice, to ensure that such violations are never tolerated, and in holding the current and past administrations accountable for their crimes against the people.Uphold and respect the rights and dignity of human rights defenders! Surface all victims of enforced disappearances!