Center for Women's Resources (CWR)

EDSA at 40: Women Continue the Fight for Democracy and Accountability

Center for Women's Resources Statements and Media Releases February 25, 2026March 5, 2026 0 Comment

The Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) joins the Filipino people in commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power, a historic moment that ended one of the darkest chapters in Philippine history – the violent, plunderous, and tyrannical regime of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. We honor the courage of millions who resisted a fascist state, defended democratic rights, and reclaimed the nation through collective resistance.

Four decades later, the promise of genuine democracy remains unfulfilled. The structures that enabled dictatorship, the monopoly of political power, cronyism, and plunder, were never fully dismantled. Instead, they evolved into a system where public office is used to accumulate wealth and resources.

Today, history confronts us with an irony – the dictator’s son, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., now occupies the presidency. Under his administration, we once again witnessed large-scale corruption. Billions of pesos in unprogrammed allocations and infrastructure projects, including flood control programs long criticized as avenues for misuse of public funds have actually received the president’s approval.

At the same time, serious questions about millions in confidential and intelligence funds controversially spent during Sara Duterte’s tenure at the Department of Education have been met not with full transparency but with evasion.

All these show that corruption in the Philippines is not merely the wrongdoing of a few individuals but is embedded in a political and economic order designed to protect and enrich the powerful. Meanwhile, anti-poor neoliberal policies enacted by the same corrupt politicians continue to drive up prices, erode job security, and cut social spending. Women, children, workers, farmers, and urban poor communities bear the heaviest burden when public funds are siphoned away from health care, education, disaster response, among others.

We call on the Filipino people, especially women and the youth, to demand accountability, and organize towards systemic change. Our anger and frustration must be channeled into sustained struggle against all perpetrators and enablers of corruption, past and present, who have contributed to the suffering of the Filipino people.

History has proven that only through united struggle and the power of the people can corrupt and authoritarian systems be challenged. Four decades after EDSA, the fight for genuine democracy and accountability lives on. #

ULAT LILA 2026

Center for Women's Resources Advocacy, Events February 19, 2026February 19, 2026 0 Comment

Ulat Lila (Purple Report) forum has provided a safe space to discuss the concerns of women in different sectors and also a culmination of the Center’s year-long engagement and research on and with women from different marginalized sectors. It serves as a platform for women and advocates to discuss grassroots women’s lived experiences, analyze systemic issues and faults that affect their situation, and collectively put forward their demands for a genuine development for all. This 2026, Ulat Lila will highlight how corruption, and neoliberal policies and programs have ultimately worsened the situation of Filipino women.

This year we will be holding our 23rd Ulat Lila forum on March 03, 2026, from 1:00 pm to 5:00pm at the Conference Hall of Balay Kalinaw, UP Diliman Quezon City

To confirm your participation you may register through this link on or before Feb 27, 2026: https://forms.gle/b8GsFeMdzJNRCdau5

Charges dropped, but the struggle continues: Defending land and life in Dupax Del Norte

Center for Women's Resources Statement February 3, 2026February 6, 2026 0 Comment

The Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) welcomes the dismissal charges against the #DupaxDelNorte7 following the violent dispersal of the people’s barricade by more than 300 armed elements of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Bayombong on January 13, 2026. While this development affirms the legitimacy of the people’s protest, the struggle continues as we hold the British-owned Woggle Mining Corporation accountable for its destructive operations on the ancestral lands of indigenous peoples in Dupax Del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya.

Since 2023, the Woggle Mining Corporation has exploited Dupax Del Norte’s rich gold and copper deposits. Under the guise of “exploration,” the company conducted intensive rock chip sampling and detailed geological mapping across its tenement without the knowledge or consent of local residents – many of whom are women responsible for food security, water access, and family care. Trees were uprooted for road widening without permits from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in blatant disregard of environmental regulations.

Despite strong opposition from the community, Woggle Mining Corporation employed deceptive tactics to manufacture consent. Attendance sheets from food aid distribution were later misrepresented as proof of community approval for mining activities – a direct violation of the people’s right to free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC).

Since 2025, the people of Dupax Del Norte, supported by various sectors, have sustained a people’s barricade to prevent further destruction of their homes, livelihoods, and ancestral lands, which they have protected for generations. The barricade stands as a testament to collective resistance. Along with the rest of the community, women have served as organizers, negotiators, marshals, and frontliners, forming human chains, coordinating food and health support, documenting violations, and standing their ground against company personnel and state forces. The barricade is both a collective people’s resistance and an assertion of women’s right to protect life and the future of their children.

We stand in full solidarity with the people’s barricade and the local community of Dupax Del Norte. We condemn the environmental destruction and human rights violations committed by Woggle Mining Corporation and its collusion with government agencies and state forces, which prioritize corporate profit over people’s lives, safety, and dignity.

The plunder and repression in Dupax Del Norte reflect a broader pattern of state-backed corporate agenda. CWR calls on the Filipino people to hold both the Duterte and Marcos administrations accountable. The previous administration lifted the ban on open-pit mining, while the current administration has advanced investor-friendly policies that fast-track mining permits at the expense of communities and the environment. So long as plunder and repression persist, the people will continue to resist.

#Defend the lands of Dupax Del Norte!

Save Dupax Del Norte!No to Destructive Mining!

Scrap the Philippine Mining Act of 1995!

Pass the People’s Mining Bill!

BAKIT PATULOY ANG PAGLABAG SA KARAPATANG PANTAO SA MINDORO?

Center for Women's Resources Advocacy, Resources January 16, 2026January 20, 2026 0 Comment

Sa kasagsagan ng selebrasyon noong bagong taon, pinaulanan ng bomba at bala ng 76th Infantry Battalion at 203rd Brigade ng Philippine Army ang Sitio Mamara, Barangay Cabacao, Occidental Mindoro na nagresulta sa pagkamatay ng tatlong batang Mangyan-Iraya at isang kabataang mananaliksik. Tinatayang 769 indibidwal o 188 pamilya ang sapilitang pinalikas dulot ng insidente.

Hindi ito ang unang kaso ng pambobomba ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) sa mga katutubong komunidad sa Mindoro. Ayon sa Defend Mindoro, sa kabuuan, 16,733 na ang bilang ng mga paglabag sa karapatang pantao sa buong probinsya mula Enero hanggang Nobyembre 2025. Sa nakalipas na taon, limang kaso ng pambobomba at strafing ang naitala sa probinsya. Tinatayang 1,080 indibidwal ang apektado sa mga operasyon ng militar sa mga bayan ng Baco, Pola, at Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro.

Higit na bulnerable sa ganitong sitwasyon ang mga kababaihan at bata. Noong Disyembre 2, 2025, dinukot at tinortyur ng 76th IBPA si Dolores Solangon, 47, isang Mangyan-Iraya. Siya ay itinali sa puno, binusalan, at pinaghukay ng sariling libingan habang iniinteroga ng militar at pilit na pinapasuko bilang miyembro umano ng New People’s Army (NPA).

Sa Sitio Malatabako kung saan higit isang taon na mula nang sapilitang binakuran ng Pieceland Corporation ang lupang ninuno ng mga katutubo upang magtayo ng subdibisyon, labis na takot ang nararamdaman ng mga kababaihan dahil sa pagmamanman at panggugulo ng mga armadong guwardiya sa mga nagtatangkang umalis sa lugar. Naiulat din ang panghahalik nang walang pahintulot at pananakit sa mga kababaihang Mangyan-Iraya.

Nilalantad ng sunud-sunod at dumaraming kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao ng administrasyong Marcos Jr. ang adyenda nitong supilin ang paglaban ng mamamayan kontra sa mga proyektong nakaambang wasakin ang kanilang kabuhayan at paninirahan. Sinasalamin nito ang adyenda ni Marcos Jr. na pabilisin ang pagpasok ng malalaking korporasyon at mga proyekto nito, tulad ng large-scale mining at energy projects, at iba pang mga proyektong naglalayong dambungin ang likas na yaman ng bansa.

#ReleaseChantalAnicocheNOW #DefendMindoro #StopTheBombings #DefendFilipinoWomen

Position Paper on House Bill No. 5198 – Amendments to the Safe Spaces Act in the Philippines to Increase Penalties for Violations and Enhance Legal Protection Against Gender-Based Harassment Center for Women’s Resources 25 November 2025

Center for Women's Resources In the News December 2, 2025December 3, 2025 0 Comment

The Safe Spaces Act (Republic Act No. 11313), also known as the “Bawal Bastos Law,” aims to protect individuals, especially women, LGBTQ+ persons, and other vulnerable groups from gender-based harassment and discrimination in public spaces, workplaces, and online platforms.

The Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) supports the proposed amendments to increase penalties for violations, as this will strengthen accountability mechanisms and provide more robust protection for victim-survivors.

Rationale for increased penalties

Gender-based harassment has long been normalized, minimized, or dismissed. Increasing penalties will create a stronger deterrent effect and send a clear message that such behavior is unacceptable and will be met with serious legal consequences.

From January to November 2024, the PNP Crime Incidence Reporting and Analysis System recorded 458 violations of the Safe Spaces Act. This number is highly conservative, as cases of sexual harassment and assault remain significantly underreported due to fear of disbelief, retaliation, and widespread victim-blaming.

Gender-based harassment in workplaces

In 2023, seven female employees of the Bogo Water District reported that an administrative worker used his authority to sexually harass them. They stated that he sent sexually explicit messages, touched them inappropriately in the workplace, and, in one instance, pinned down a worker and attempted to rip her blouse.

When the victims sought help internally, the administration allegedly instructed them to stay silent to “protect the integrity of the office,” and no immediate investigation was conducted. Fearing for their safety and seeing no action from management, the women resigned or chose not to renew their job-order contracts.

The Bogo Water District incident illustrates the urgent need for stiffer penalties when perpetrators occupy positions of authority. The admin worker’s power allowed him to commit acts of sexual harassment, intimidate his victims, and delay accountability. The victims were left without meaningful protection, even forcing several to leave their jobs for their safety. This is a clear abuse of authority and a breach of public trust.

Sexual harassment in schools

Reports of sexual harassment in schools are also deeply alarming. According to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Telesafe Contact Center Helpline, 70 incidents of sexual abuse were reported on Philippine campuses from November 2022 to November 2023, figures widely believed to be highly underreported. Numerous cases of sexual abuse in schools have also surfaced on social media, which further shows the severity and prevalence of the problem. In many of these cases, the abuse is carried out by individuals in positions of authority, including teachers, school personnel, and other officials.

Individuals who hold authority carry a heightened responsibility to act with integrity. For this reason, we support stricter penalties for perpetrators in positions of power. Enhanced consequences recognize the gravity of this breach of trust and deter future abuse by signaling that authority does not grant immunity.

Unsafe public spaces

In a survey conducted by SWS and UN Women in Quezon City revealed that more than 80% of women said the sanctions under the Quezon City Anti-Catcalling Ordinance would make them more likely to report incidents of sexual harassment they experience on the streets. In addition, 70% of self-admitted perpetrators believed these penalties would discourage them from committing such acts again.

Need for education and public awareness campaigns

As mandated by law, public awareness campaigns must continue to be implemented. Ongoing education and advocacy are essential to challenge feudal, patriarchal norms and attitudes that perpetuate abuse and discrimination. These campaigns should raise awareness about the provisions of the Safe Spaces Act and promote a broader culture of respect and equality.

Download position paper: https://centerforwomensresources.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/position-paper_Nov-25.pdf