HRW reaction to the violation of quarantine rules by Metro Manila police chief: Metro Manila’s police chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas should be disciplined for his flagrant violation of the Philippines’ strict quarantine and lockdown regulations. His superiors should not allow Sinas to play this double standard game, where he celebrates his birthday with friends…
TDC Reaction on Senate Education Committee Inquiry on COVID-19 Impact “The inquiry proposed by Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian is an appropriate step. We need to know the impact of COVID-19 to education sector so we could properly analyze and take the necessary response. In formulating policies to cope with the ‘new normal’ we have to consider…
NTC order vs. ABS CBN endangers welfare of public battling COVID19 crisis- iDEFEND In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDEFEND) expresses alarm at the cease and desist order by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) against ABS-CBN despite the media organization’s application for the renewal of its franchise, which has been filed months earlier…
Fight COVID-19 and the Virus of Abuse Defend the People’s Right to Know Statement of the Right to Know, Right Now! Coalition 06 May 2020 Press freedom and freedom of information are bedrock freedoms — paramount enablers of our people’s rights to health, livelihood, education, and life itself. The shutdown of ABS-CBN is clear evidence…
NAGKAISA appreciates the DOLE’s efforts to provide aid to more than a million workers. We, however, note that DOLE still failed to reach its target of 1.6 million workers. Sadly, this target is way too low compared to at least 25 million workers affected by the pandemic, as estimated by the Ateneo Center for Economic…
Statement on ABS-CBN shutdown NASSA/CARITAS PH May 6, 2020 On May 5, 2020, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has issued a cease-and-desist order against broadcast media giant, ABS-CBN, due to the expiration of its congressional franchise citing Republic Act 3846 or the Radio Control Law. Since 2016, ABS-CBN worked for a franchise renewal, and bills…
Statement of the EcoWaste Coalition on the Shut Down of ABS-CBN 6 May 2020 The EcoWaste Coalition, a non-profit environmental health organization, condemns the action by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordering the media outfit ABS-CBN to cease broadcast while the entire nation is engrossed on addressing the myriad of health and socio-economic problems brought…
Statement of ABS-CBN on the cease and desist order issued by the NTC Millions of Filipinos will lose their source of news and entertainment when ABS-CBN is ordered to go off-air on TV and radio tonight (5 May 2020) when people need crucial and timely information as the nation deals with the COVID-19 pandemic. This…
Statement on the shutdown of ABS-CBN Two days ago on World Press Freedom Day, journalists around the world were given a nod of recognition as they continued to uphold the ideals of press freedom and the need to inform the public amid a global pandemic and a political climate increasingly becoming hostile to a free…
Release all May 1 political prisoners now! Socialist labor alliance Pagkakaisa ng Uring Manggagawa (PAGGAWA) strongly condemns the PNP’s arrest of labor leaders BMP Vice President Lito Rastica and Reynaldo Dulay on the morning of May 1, 2020, at Rodriguez, Rizal. The two were arrested for leading a picket protest to mark International Worker’s Day…
Stop endangering migrant workers health and lives By now most of the world living with the pandemic is familiar with the concept of physical distancing as a key intervention to prevent the spread of the highly infectious virus and deadly COVID-19 disease. People can catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with…
WORKERS ARE NOT VIRUS-PROOF Advocacy groups call for expanded massive testing before the economic restart As the nation commemorates Labor Day amid the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists, artists, youth, human rights, public health, and citizen groups join forces with the labor sector to demand the increase and expansion of mass testing capacities of the country before…
Remember the dead, fight for the living. Defend labor rights, uphold human dignity. Statement of the Labor Rights Defenders Network for Workers’ Memorial Day 28 April 2020 Reference: Atty. Fudge Tajar (LaRD-Net Spokesperson)-0915 342 2304 Today, April 28, we join the annual commemoration of the International Workers’ Memorial Day — a day of international solidarity,…
Statement of CHR spokesperson, Atty Jacqueline Ann de Guia, on the move to deport a Taiwan OFW over online criticisms against the government The Commission on Human Rights notes that our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) continue to be one of the sectors hardest hit by the consequences of lockdowns across the world. Many of these…
BMP STATEMENT MAYO 1, 2020 (Mababasa rin dito: bit.ly/mayouno2020) Kalusugan, kabuhayan, kapakanan, at kapangyarihan sa masang manggagawa Sa Araw ng Paggawa ngayong taon – sa gitna ng pananalasa sa maraming bansa ng sakit na COVID19 at sa malawakang kagutuman ng milyon-milyong Pilipinong hindi makapaghanap-buhay dahil sa kwarantina, tahasan nating idinedeklara na: Makakamit lamang ng masang…
Children and Youth must be at the Centre of the Policy-Making Process for COVID-19 Response in ASEAN (Bangkok/Jakarta/Manila, 29 April 2020) – ASEAN Governments have yet to demonstrate a strong commitment towards protecting children and youth during the COVID-19 pandemic, experts say. As the most vulnerable groups, they may be often missed as countries struggle…
Priest Inspiring Workers to Access DOLE’s CAMP, Intimidated by Police Forces “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8-9 ) “Fr. Gerry Jorge is simply living out Jesus’ mission in helping…
Human Rights Watch’s reaction to the increasing incidents of law enforcers and government officials mistreating Filipinos during the lockdown The Philippines government should immediately rein in out of control law enforcers and public officials committing rights abuses while they enforce Covid-19 quarantine and lockdown regulations. Even before the incident in Dasmarinas Village, Makati City, there…
Commissioner Karen S. Gomez-Dumpit, (Focal Commissioner on Aging and the Rights of Older Persons) on the Simple Application of Chronological Age as Basis for Policy Response Against COVID-19 We appeal to the national government to reconsider the simple application of chronological age as a criteria for the restriction of movement under the general community quarantine…
Statement of CHR Spokesperson, Atty Jacqueline Ann de Guia, on the rising number of Covid-19 infected health workers The Commission on Human Rights notes with concern the rising number of healthcare workers being infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Recently, the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed that a total of 62 health workers from…
