On this year’s International Day of the Elimination of all Forms of Violence Against Women (VAW), groups belonging to World March of Women-Pilipinas gathered at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to call attention to increased acts of violence on women as the pandemic continues to rage and economic crisis Read more
Today, November 23, eight groups of women and labor organizations trooped to the Commission on Human Rights Commission on Human Rights (CHR), to file a complaint of discrimination and violation of women’s rights under the Magna Carta of Women against PhilHealth Regional Vice President Paolo Johann Perez and regional office Read more
The Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO) remains steadfast in its commitment to support its 12 national and regional member networks during the pandemic and to safeguard fundamental rights that are challenged at the present time. In its 29th General Assembly, the coalition passed three resolutions: to monitor and address the Read more
In July this year, an online shop named ‘Toyo ni Misis’ opened via Facebook. Toyo is a Filipino word for soy sauce. In Filipino slang, it also means moody, emotional or indecisive (‘tinotoyo’) – a term commonly used to describe one’s ‘temperamental’ girlfriend and women in general. The local startup Read more
On Monday, 10 August 2020, FMA joined a coalition of civil society groups and lawyers in filing the 27th petition seeking to nullify Republic Act No. 11479, or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. The group, led by the Center for International Law (CenterLaw) assailed the constitutionality of the law, stating Read more
Today, 15 June 2020, the Manila Regional Trial Court handed down a guilty verdict on the cyber libel case against online media organization Rappler’s CEO Maria Ressa and former reporter Reynaldo Santos, Jr. The verdict is a result of a case that is widely regarded to be the ultimate test Read more
In a treacherous move that takes advantage of the lockdown due to COVID19 in the country, the House of Representatives approved the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and is rushing it through final reading before they go on a two-month break from June 6th. Human rights groups led by In Defense Read more
A tribute to Roberto ‘Obet” Verzola, written by Nina Somera, a member of FMA’s Board of Trustees. (Photo taken from Oxford Internet Institute) Last night, the rains brought a respite from the humid summer heat. Its unexpectedness was a distraction from the surreality of ABSCBN’s shutdown and other unabated abuses Read more
This year’s World Press Freedom Day takes on a special meaning around a world in quarantine. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries have been forced to go on lockdown, close borders, discourage physical contact and mass gatherings, and resort to other measures that may have the incidental effect of concentrating Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic is a global public health emergency that requires a coordinated and large-scale response by governments worldwide. However, States’ efforts to contain the virus must not be used as a cover to usher in a new era of greatly expanded systems of invasive digital surveillance. We, the undersigned Read more