CWR | Center for Women's Resources

As the Philippine government’s total outstanding debt rises up to P11.166 trillion, 23.3% higher than in the same period a year ago, it is inexcusable that the Duterte government still cannot provide decent economic relief for the poorest population, farmers and workers.

This is despite the record-breaking borrowings in 2020 supposedly to fight the health and socioeconomic crises due to COVID-19 pandemic.People’s organizations have been calling for Php10,000 economic assistance for poor families, Php100 emergency wage relief for workers, and Php15,000 production subsidy for farmers whose work and livelihood have been greatly impacted by the pandemic lockdowns.On the other hand, poor Filipinos, including women, carry the burden of paying higher consumption taxes due to the TRAIN law passed in 2017 to fund the government’s BBB infrastructure program, as well as payments for trillions of incurred debts.

We are alarmed with how a certain Noel Dumalag of the Emergency Operations Command of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) shoved, harassed, and mistreated a number of women, among which are mothers, wives, and relatives of the victims of the Duterte administration’s bloody drug war, during a peaceful protest at the DILG yesterday, July 16.

The Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) urges the DILG and other government institutions to be responsible for such incidents and penalize Dumalag and other violators for possible violations of RA 11313 or the Safe Spaces Act. While enraging, this is not the first time women have experienced abuses while exercising their civil rights, especially from state agents who are expected to ensure their safety and protection.

Cases of violence against women by state perpetrators continue to increase.At least 61 arrests of women human rights defenders have been recorded since the beginning of the lockdown last March 2020 to the present. Moreover, at least 68 VAWC cases committed by police officers since July 2016 were monitored by CWR. In addition, the research institution has recorded at least 62 extra-judicial killings of women human rights defenders since Duterte came into power.

We continue to call out the Duterte administration for its failed drug war that has widowed and orphaned thousands of women and children, and for allowing and encouraging violence and misogyny to perpetuate.We urge our fellow sisters, wives, and mothers to speak out against all forms of harassment, and to continue to struggle unwaveringly for emancipation and justice.

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