Several Lumad children and adults who were staying in a retreat house inside the University of San Carlos-Talamban (USC) campus were rounded up in what the Philippine National Police said was a “rescue operation” on February 15. Human rights advocates, however, called it a “raid.”

Police said that the Lumad children were held captive by “militant groups” in the USC-Talamban retreat house. At least 26 Lumad students and teachers were arrested by the PNP Central Visayas regional office (PRO-7) during the operation.

The Cebu City social welfare office, which received the minors “rescued” by the police, however, denied that the Lumad children were undergoing “warfare” training at the school, according to a report by Philstar.com.

The incident was the latest in a series of attacks on the Lumad, who have long struggled to continue their education and maintain their culture despite threats.

Why did Lumads go to Cebu?

Caught in the crossfire of the civil war between the government and communist rebels, these indigenous peoples of Mindanao have fell victims to military harassment, land grabbing, demolition, forced evacuation, and even extrajudicial killings.

President Rodrigo Duterte himself threatened to bomb Lumad-run schools in 2017. 176 Lumad Schools have been also shut under the Duterte administration, according to the Save Our Schools Network Cebu.

With these threats making it difficult for them to stay in their ancestral lands, Lumad students and teachers fled to different cities such as Cebu and Metro Manila. It is in these urban areas where they continued their education in makeshift facilities called Lumad Bakwit Schools. 

According to the Save Our Schools Network – Cebu (SOS), Lumad students arrived in Cebu in October 2019 and were first housed by the University of the Philippines – Cebu (UPC) community. The SOS Network is a group of non-government people and organizations which support Lumad Bakwit schools.

But even before they arrived here to study, the Lumad have visited the different USC campuses for educational discussions and immersions as early as 2018.

Since then, the Lumad have participated in educational and recreational events such as workshops, fora, garden planting, and “paskohan” (Christmas activities)” hosted by various local organizations. Lumad Bakwit Schools also joined the Rage Against War protest on January 25, 2020, and the One Billion Rising dance campaign last March 6, 2020, to assert Lumad rights and to call for justice.

USC later opened its gates for Lumad students and teachers on March 13, 2020.

A chance to have better education

Hoping to advance their education, several Lumad students and teachers went to USC.

“They [Lumad] talked about how happy they were being in USC and how thankful they were of the volunteer teachers,” Johanna Cabeje, a Carolian, said.

The Society of the Divine Word Fathers (SVD) own and manage the University of San Carlos schools. Students of USC are called Carolinians.

The Lumad were supposed to stay in the USC-Talamban Campus for only a few weeks.

“The delegation was supposed to complete their modular schooling on April 3, 2020, and after which, they would have returned to their respective indigenous communities,” said a joint statement by the USC administration and the Society of the Divine Word Fathers (SVD) Philippines Southern Province.

However, the imposition of quarantine restrictions on March 13, 2020 stranded the Lumad in the city.

The USC community provided for the basic needs of the Lumad, like meals and hygiene kits, through donation drives. SVD priests also sheltered them in their retreat house which was located in the hills surrounding the Talamban Campus.

Jason Lim/Today’s Carolinian

By know, the Lumad were familiar with the USC campus having been there for educational discussions in past years.

Some of these activities were a forum in 2019 on the indigenous people’s situation. In that event, a datu spoke about the Lumad’s plight. Volunteers from the Tulong Kabataan Network, in partnership with the SOS, also celebrated Christmas 2020 with the Lumad, giving them school supplies as gifts.

Joanne Bolo/Today’s Carolinian

A USC alumnus, Rey Joel Alcala, detailed how he bonded with one of the detained Lumad Jomar during the event.

“We have the same beliefs and dreams. He aspires to be a lawyer in order for him to defend [people against] the atrocities of the state forces… I can’t help but be emotional about it,” said Alcala.

When Alcala asked the 21-year-old Lumad why he wanted to be a lawyer, Jomar said that at first he wanted to be a teacher. He changed his mind when he experienced repeated harassment. Alcala shared how Jomar wanted to fight for his rights, and for Lumad’s ancestral lands and their tribe. 

The Lumad Bakwit Schools, along with the organizations that support them, help the indigenous peoples with their education and support their plight.

What goes on in the retreat house?

Despite the controversy caused by the police operation, the Lumad lived an ordinary life in the retreat house. In this elevated place which overlooked the sprawling campus, they held classes, recreational and cultural activities, to maintain their identity, heal from trauma, and continue their education.

“For the Lumad children, they only want a simple life. They want to finish their studies to be able to be professionals, to be able to serve their community,” said Angel Mendiola, Vice President of the USC Supreme Student Council and a convener for Save Our Schools Network Cebu.

A typical day in the retreat house started at 5 am with morning zumba. Then, the Lumad students attended classes. 

During rest days and break times, the Lumad marveled in movie marathons, shared afternoon naps, and huddled together to sing, make art, or talk about life. Before sleeping, they gather again to plan the next day’s activities.

Convenors planned activities for them too: art workshops, cultural nights, educational discussions, daily updating of communities, and psychosocial activities. 

The kids organized beauty pageants and cheerleading competitions for fun. Once, they initiated growing a vegetable garden but it didn’t go well since the soil was not fertile enough.

On big holidays like Christmas and New Year, the SVD Fathers personally visited the retreat house to spend time with the children. They also let them set up a volleyball court for their leisure. 

“Nindot kay didto kay makadula jod ka (It’s nice there because you can play),” said Rurelyn Bay-ao, a Lumad who stayed in the retreat house in 2018 and in 2020.

Save Our Schools Network Cebu

Social media and mobile games have also reached the Lumad kids. On weekends, they played Mobile Legends and made cover dances using Tiktok. They also had a centralized phone that had access every day to contact their families in Mindanao. 

“Wa ko naka experience na gitudluan mi’g kanang gani mag pusil pusil… Karon pako ka experience sa college kanang sa NSTP na mag ligid ligid, mag marching marching. Never jod namo na nabuhat sa Lumad school before,” shared Bay-ao.

(I never experienced being taught how to shoot guns… It’s only now that I’m in college, through NSTP, that I’ve experienced rolling around and marching. We never did that in Lumad school.)

Bay-ao graduated from Bakwit School and is now a freshman student taking up Political Science at the University of Mindanao. Though already in college, she still works with the Lumad and stayed with them in the retreat house in early 2020. 

“Kung naga-ingon sila nga naay NPA wa jod mi nakita kay kung kanang gani makita nimo sa estudyante na naa pa gani ka sa gate, pangitaon na ka ID,” she remarked. 

(If people are saying there are NPA, we never saw them. When you’re still by the gates, they even look for your ID.)

The retreat house is only accessible through the gates of the Talamban Campus where the school’s security guards are posted with school ID scanners. Students could not enter campus grounds without an ID and visitors must register on up log books before entering.

Patterns of red-tagging?

From then until now, and from region to region, the Lumad are constantly accused of involvement with militant groups like the New People’s Army (NPA). Duterte’s threat of bombing Lumad schools also came from the allegation that they were spawning grounds for armed rebels.

Apart from their call for accessible education, Mendiola said that the Lumad also have two other aspirations: “To defend ancestral lands… because large companies and other businesses want to steal their lands… Lastly, we can trace in history that our indigenous peoples are in the forefront in preserving our Filipino identity and so they are also struggling for self-determination and keeping intact culture.”

The passage of the Anti-Terror Law has complicated their problems

Lumad have searched for spaces where they could be safe. USC and other universities have helped support them amid their plight, offering sanctuary, providing essential needs, and giving a safe space where Lumad could learn, play, assert their rights, and amplify their plight.

This is what the police “rescued” the Lumad from – a brief time of peace, education, and normalcy. 

Save Our Schools Network Cebu is currently undergoing legal proceedings and leading campaigns calling to free the Lumad 26. It was still unclear whether the Lumad would be able to go back to Cebu next year. The 19 Lumad youth are still in the custody of the Cebu City Social Welfare Department while the Lumad elders and the volunteer teacher Chad Booc were still detained at the PNP’s Central Visayas headquarters. – Rappler.com

Lara Eviota is a Carolinian media student by day and a freelance content creator by night. Driven by a passion to serve, she’s worked with socially-driven organizations such as Change Magazine, Today’s Carolinian, and MakeSense. All in all, she likes surrounding herself in stories that matter, and sharing them, of course.

With the pandemic, it seems like everything in life has to take a pause. Events are cancelled, work and school are online, and in-person socializing is frowned upon. But the glass is also half full – it has given us more time for personal reflection and other passions that were always put on hold. 

To celebrate National Arts Month 2021, Rappler highlights how art continuously moves during the pandemic through the eyes of 5 different artists, in just 180 seconds. 

As a singer, Bea Muñoz dived deeper into her creative mind by deciding to create trilingual covers. Lance Lascano, a filmmaker, improved his skills and transitioned his art process to the new normal. 

Meanwhile, Justine Cawai, a digital and traditional artist, used her art as an anchor to keep her grounded during these hard times. Dancer Mai Moua Thao learned the importance of dancing for oneself rather than for an audience. Lastly, Lauren Lola, a writer, discovered how to harness her creative energy as an escape from today’s harsh reality. 

Watch this video and get a glimpse of how artists adjust to the new normal. – Rappler.com

This video is co-produced by Rappler interns Kris Angel Ditan, Tara Mercene, and Sarah Villanueva.

When 26-year-old John Michael Ausejo first entered college, he didn’t know that it would take him 10 years to finish his degree.

He was in for another, though more pleasant, surprise after he took the February 2021 Geologist Licensure Examination. Despite delays, Ausejo ranked fourth among 108 examinees with a score of 84.1%.

“I only applied for the exams on the day of the deadline because I faced several challenges beforehand. I also didn’t expect to be a topnotcher since I only prepared for two months. But maybe the victory was really meant for me,” Ausejo said. 

Ausejo, a native of Dumaguete City, graduated from the Negros Oriental State University (NORSU), one of the six universities offering a geology program in the country.

Rough start

Although it took him a decade to earn his college degree, Ausejo proved that education is not a race.

His college journey was off to a rough start. Following his mother’s suggestion, he initially enrolled at the University of Southeastern Philippines as a civil engineering student. He failed most of his math subjects for two consecutive semesters and later realized that the program wasn’t meant for him. 

He transferred to NORSU in 2011, but first took general courses to obtain the weighted average quota needed for his desired program: geology. He got interested in after he found out from his uncle’s yearbook that NORSU is the lone university in Central Visayas offering the program.

In 2012, just when he thought he was set for a fresh start as a geology student, his family faced financial difficulties that affected his studies and personal life.  Ausejo failed several prerequisite subjects that rendered him unqualified for internship.

He decided to quit school and worked as a call center agent in Dumaguete City in 2014 . When he returned a year later, Ausejo admitted that he failed most of his subjects due to his laid back attitude in studying.  

Disappointed with himself, he went to Metro Manila and worked for a call center company in Alabang for almost 8 months. After earning enough money, he returned to his hometown in 2016 to continue his education. Unfortunately, he flunked his subjects again.

“I was confused during those times. I would always ask what I really wanted to pursue in life. Should I continue with what I started in school or just move on?” he said.

What he did differently

After his younger sister graduated in 2017, Ausejo felt even more left behind and started to compare his journey to others. 

Ausejo, who grew up without his Jordanian father, remained grateful that he had his mother during his moments of doubt. His mother used to be a domestic worker in Qatar.

“Maraming beses na awang-awa ako sa sarili ko. Umabot nga sa point na sabi ko huwag sabihin na hindi pa ako naka-graduate. Pero lagi niyang sinasabi na proud siya sa ‘kin,” he said. 

(I often pitied myself. It even reached a point when I told her not to tell anyone that I haven’t graduated yet. But she always reassured me that she’s proud of me no matter what.) 

Motivated by his mother’s support and his sister’s success, Ausejo took his third shot at college in August 2017. This time, he promised to do his best by developing new habits and focusing on his studies.

“I developed a habit of reading lessons a semester ahead. I read every day and teach my lower classmen to reinforce my learning,” he said. 

Ausejo’s renewed passion for learning even provided him with unexpected opportunities such as participation in national research presentations, a student exchange program in Singapore, and campus journalism training, among others.

His co-authored research on certain cretaceous rocks located in Siquijor was lauded at the 2020 Annual Geological Convention for its contribution to the geological history and evolution of the Central Visayas region. 

“I realized that once you’re passionate about what you do, everything becomes easier. I never thought I would appreciate geology this much,” Ausejo said.

Later in 2020, amid the pandemic, his 10-year journey towards getting a bachelor’s degree paid off through a virtual graduation. He said that this did not diminish the value of his achievement. 

Ausejo said he used to regret and resent the delays in his journey. But he learned how to move forward, hoping that he would eventually obtain his degree.

Future goals

Even after topping the licensure exam, Ausejo said that his curiosity and passion for Philippine geology had only just begun.

He was recently admitted to the University of the Philippines Institute of Geological Sciences for his graduate studies, a new adventure that will lead him to more research work and a career in academe. 

“I want to work with esteemed geologists who are incorporating the field of geosciences in the country’s disaster management programs. Given that we’re prone to natural disasters, giving premium to research will save resources and lives,” Ausejo said. 

The registered geologist knows that he still has a long way to go before achieving yet another dream, but his experiences in the past decade have equipped him for this new pursuit.

“I learned to take things one step at a time and not to pressure myself that much. When you rush things, you might overlook the opportunities waiting for you. I also learned to be passionate in the work that I do and move forward despite failures,” he said.

With Ausejo as the latest addition, the Negros Oriental State University has produced seven topnotchers in the Geologist Licensure Examination since 2003.  – Rappler.com

Vincent Verzola is a Rappler volunteer from Tuguegarao City, Cagayan. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Accountancy at the University of Saint Louis – Tuguegarao. He is the lead organizer of TEDxTuguegaraoCity and producer of the Pag-Usapan Natin ‘Yan podcast.

Even in 2021, many women continue to be underestimated when it comes to leadership roles. This is despite the exemplary performance showcased by women leaders across the globe and in the Philippines – women who have gone above and beyond in responding to the needs of their communities in the face of massive challenges posed by the pandemic.

Acknowledging the achievements of women in the midst of a pandemic, Oxfam Philippines in partnership with Rappler’s civic engagement arm MovePH, will hold “We Make #HerStory in a COVID-19 World” on Monday, March 8, at 1:30 pm on Zoom.

The zoomposium will feature stories and accounts of women in leadership, and women who rose to leadership roles during the pandemic.

Aside from gathering women across different advocacies, the zoomposium will also tackle potential solutions and ways on how women can lead in the recovery and achieve an equal future in a world burdened by COVID-19 through policy recommendations, innovative programs, and compassionate leadership.

The speakers of the webinar are Cherrie Atilano, Founding Farmer and CEO and president of AGREA Agricultural Systems International Incorporated; Odiongan, Romblon Mayor Trina Fabic; Harvard Medical School instructor and scientist Joann Diray Arce; and German Ambassador to the Philippines Anke Reiffenstuel.

During the zoomposium, the speakers will discuss the following topics:

• Women innovating and empowering others
• Breaking ground and rising to leadership challenges
• Breaking glass ceilings and empowering resiliency
• Compassionate and collective leadership

The zoomposium will feature performances by Filipino musician Alyana Cabral. It will be hosted by Oxfam Ambassador Antoinette Taus.

Those interested in joining the zoomposium may register here. – Rappler.com

With COVID-19 spreading inside prisons, various human rights advocacy groups have pressured the Philippine government to release low-risk, sick, and elderly persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) to decongest the country’s overcrowded jail facilities. 

At least 81,888 detainees have been freed during the pandemic or from March 17 to October 16, through the efforts of the Supreme Court to digitize court processes and reduce bail for poor prisoners, according to Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta. 

For the released inmates, a critical question has emerged: Where will they go?

There is a scarcity of jobs as many business establishments have closed due to the pandemic. Worse, there is still a prevailing social stigma against former inmates which reduces their chance of employment.

Throughout his duty at the Davao City Jail since 2016, Jail Captain Edo Lobenia of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in the Davao region has witnessed many stories of jail inmates who have repeatedly gone back and forth to prison.

After serving their first sentence, most of them were not able to find decent jobs and were not accepted by their immediate families. Thus, they chose to get reinvolved in crimes.

“The social stigma that former jail inmates often experience after their release can be more punishing than incarceration itself,” Edo said.

As a response to this concern, Edo founded “Second Chance Philippines,” a post-release employment services program for former PDLs in collaboration with BJMP Davao Region. He piloted the program as part of his fellowship at the Asian Institute of Management’s (AIM) Future Bridging Leaders Program (FBLP) that ran from October 2019 to November 2020.

Mentored by AIM faculty and partners from the AIM Team Energy Center for Bridging Leadership, Edo co-created the design of the program with various stakeholders to sustain its implementation in the coming years.

Post-release employment services

Beginning in January 2020, Second Chance Philippines launched information education campaigns to establish a network of businesses in the Davao region that are willing to employ former PDLs.

In consultation with other BJMP Davao region officers, Edo has developed a database of former PDLs who had low criminogenic risks assessment scores and exhibited good behavior during their sentence.

One of the first businesses that have entrusted Second Chance Philippines is SurePlus, an agricultural products distributor and retailer based in Davao City. Since October 2020, SurePlus has employed 15 former PDLs and helped them support their families.

The NCCC Malls Davao and the Archdiocesan Commission for Prison Welfare (ACPW) have also given jobs to a total of 15 and 10 former PDLs, respectively, from the Davao City Jail. Several gasoline stations, handicraft shops, spa wellness centers, and other enterprises in the city have also employed former PDLs through the referral of Second Chance Philippines.

More recently, Jargon Construction and Supply, a major construction services company in Davao, has partnered with Second Chance Philippines for the employment of 40 former PDLs.

Photo by Mark Vincent Caballero

Second Chance Agri Farm

Edo’s advocacy to facilitate better social reintegration for former inmates does not end at connecting them to a network of employers after their release. With his personal savings and financial investments from family and friends, he built Second Chance Agri Farm, a mini livestock farm in Barangay Calinan, Davao City, in November 2020.

Edgar Obenieta, a former inmate who was released in September, was the first to be employed in the Second Chance Agri Farm. He now lives with his family in a small house inside the farm to watch over the livestock.

“Ang Second Chance Philippines ang nagbigay ng bagong pag-asa ng buhay ko dahil dito ako nagtrabaho kasama ang pamilya ko (Second Chance Philippines has given me hope because I can work here while being with my family),” Obenieta said.

Various kinds of livestock are raised at the Second Chance Agri Farm including broiler chickens, red heritage chickens, native chickens, native pigs, and turkeys. Some fruit-bearing trees are also grown in the farm.

Besides employing former PDLs, the Second Chance Agri Farm also launched a dressed chicken reseller program. Former PDLs can buy dressed chicken from the farm at a low price – P105 per kilo. Ten PDLs have availed of the program to date. The Second Chance Agri Farm has partnered with the Department of Agriculture-Davao region, Vitarich Corporation, and Cavalier Agrivet Supply for technical assistance in farm development.

Second Chance Auto Care

Further expanding the string of businesses that promote the advocacy, Edo also launched Second Chance Auto Care, an auto shop that provides car and motorbike washing, car painting, and autodetailing services in Barangay Catalunan Grande, Davao City. He sought investments from family and friends for this enterprise.

Edo tapped the expertise of Jun Besoyo, a former PDL and skilled automotive painter, for the shop. 

“Ang Second Chance Philippines ay malaking tulong sa akin. Salamat kay Sir Lobenia dahil tinulungan niya akong makabangon para sa pamilya ko,” Besyo shared in an interview.

(Second Chance Philippines has been a great help for me. I thank Sir Lobenia for helping me get back on my feet for my family).

Photo by Edo Lobenia

To help taxi drivers maximize their income, Second Chance Auto-Care offers very low rates of car washing for taxis – only P50 for a body wash.

Starting capital for livelihood

Recognizing that some former PDLs may prefer to start their own business, Second Chance Philippines partnered with the E-CARE Foundation to set up a loan assistance program.

In its pilot run, the Loan Assistance Program lends P5,000 with 0% interest to former PDLs. They can use this as capital for a small business. E-CARE Foundation targets to increase the lending amount up to P10,000 and P15,000 in the next quarters of the year. Twenty former PDLs have availed of the program to date.

In December 2020, the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law choir Charivari donated their online concert proceeds to Second Chance Philippines. Jose Baguio, a Lumad, former PDL, and a person with disability (PWD), received a portion of the donation in the form of new shoe repair materials for his shop.

A project of the Filipino people

“Through Bridging Leadership, I was able to engage community stakeholders towards the shared vision of promoting inclusion and eradicating social stigma against former inmates,” Edo said.

Edo seeks to network with more individuals and organizations to widen the services of Second Chance Philippines to former PDLs. He plans to lobby the City Government of Davao for an ordinance creating the “Davao City Inter-Agency Coordinating Council on Social Reintegration of Former PDLs.” He hopes that this will evolve into the provincial, regional, and national level.

For now, Edo expresses his gratitude to the key stakeholders who helped him launch Second Chance Philippines.

“I am grateful to Chief BJMP Jail Director Allan Iral, BJMP Region XI Regional Director General Leo Baldon, Assistant Regional Director Colonel Ferdinand Pontillo, and my whole BJMP Family especially my upperclassmen LAKAN assigned here in Davao Region for the support. This is a project of the BJMP, the People of Mindanao, and the Filipino People,” Edo said.

For those interested to give cash or in-kind donations or collaborate with Second Chance Philippines, you may contact their Facebook page or email bjmpsecondchanceph@gmail.com. call. They can be also reached at 09171136322. – Rappler.com

Pamela Mendoza works as a Research and Training Associate at the AIM TeaM Energy Center for Bridging Leadership.

This is a press release from the Alliance of Public Health Advocates.

Addressing the youth’s waning vaccine confidence through education and awareness, the Alliance of Public Health Advocates (ALPHA) trained youth leaders to formulate campaigns for effective health services.

Dubbed the Angat Kalusugan Operations (AKO) Initiative, the campaign seeks to promote education and awareness of vaccination, particularly on   Measles-Rubella Oral Polio Vaccine Supplementary Immunization Activity (MR-OPV-SIA) and COVID-19 vaccines. The campaign was launched on February 1.

Led by health advocates from San Pablo, Laguna, the Angat Kalusugan Operations Initiative features an online information drive, youth governance camp, and a health education camp titled “BakUNA MUNA.” The activities aim to address youth’s concerns about vaccination.

Co-head mobilizer of the bakUNA MUNA camp Alynna Flor Escober mentioned that among the most noticeable challenge is the vaccine hesitancy itself.

Even before COVID-19, some people delay or refuse to get vaccinated despite the availability of these services.

As part of their campaign, ALPHA shared localized information on the pandemic, particularly about the accredited testing centers and information about available vaccines. Their information campaign was further strengthened with a responsive COVID-19 hotline and referral.

Mobilizing the Calabarzon youth

One of the goals of the AKO Initiative is to empower the youth and help them create a community of action towards vaccine education through its tCalabarzon Youth Governance for Health and Immunization Camp (YGC) and its health education camp bakUNA MUNA .

The YGC was convened on February 13 to 14 to capacitate the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and Local Youth Development Councils (LYDC) in formulating campaigns for effective health services.

Youth leaders who joined the camp emphasized the importance of youth governance and leadership, especially in encouraging more people to trust MR-OPV-SIA campaign and COVID-19 vaccines.

At the end of the camp, the leaders were able to form concrete health action plans for the localization of the campaign in their own communities.

Tristan Jenesis Arbues, Pilipinas Rotaract Multi-District Information Organization’s membership and engagement officer, and one of the attendees of the camp shared that the activities equipped them with the knowledge needed to mount immunization campaigns. She added how the organization was able to apply their learnings in their “End Polio Now” campaign, one of their main projects.

Arbues also added that after the Youth Governance Camp, they were more equipped and inspired to amplify the vaccination campaign of their community, expressing utmost support in dealing with the vaccination plan of the Philippines. 

A week after, BakUNA MUNA: An Immunization Youth Camp in Calabarzon was launched to address concerns on vaccination myths, vaccine manufacturing and administration, and immunization strategies.

Youth from all around Calabarzon joined bakUNA MUNA camp last February 27 to 28, where they were able to craft empathy maps to understand the various perspectives of the masses on the different COVID-19 vaccines.

BakUNA MUNA attendee Charie Seson said that she was inspired to take concrete steps in utilizing one’s potential in the collective realization of the community’s goal.

ALPHA said that baKUNA MUNA camp focuses on the foundational concept of the pandemic, combined with mitigation strategies from the home up to the community.

The camp also gave individual ownership to one’s role in the country’s collective health solutions to the pandemic.

“You have the power. You can change other people’s opinions,” Department of Health medical officer Dr. Samuel Antone Quizon reminds the camp’s participants of their strengths and capability to make a change.

Reaching more communities

ALPHA chief executive Samuel Madriaga voiced out that the main objective now is to move forward through reaching out, educating, and empowering more communities through the Angat Kalusugan Information Toolkit and their other campaign materials. 

ALPHA will also be localizing the campaign in various cities, municipalities, and provinces in the region through partnerships with those who share the same vision of building a healthier Filipino society.

The organization will also work on tapping the youth and various youth-led institutions to participate in the COVID-19 vaccination process by collaborating with their respective local health offices for a more transparent, participative, and efficient vaccination program.

Organizations like ALPHA, together with other advocates and professionals continue to promote awareness and education on vaccines and health.

Check out the saved live videos of the bakUNA MUNA Camp and other materials of the online information drive on ALPHA’s Facebook page. — Rappler.com

(Salin ni Eala Julienne P. Nolasco ng artikulong “How to register to vote in the time of a pandemic,” mula sa orihinal na Ingles ng Rappler na unang nalathala noong November 6, 2020.)

Sa gitna ng community quarantine sa buong bansa laban sa COVID-19, pinapahintulutang lumabas ng bahay ang mga mamamayan para sa ilang kinakailangang gawain. Isa sa mga ito ang pagpaparehistro bilang isang botante para sa eleksiyon sa Mayo 9, 2022.  

Nagsimula muli ang voters’ registration noong Setyembre 2020. Pero ayon sa Commission on Elections (Comelec), 1.3 milyong Pilipino pa lamang ang nakakapagparehistro hanggang unang linggo ng Pebrero 2020. Mas mababa ito kaysa target na 4 milyon bagong botante bago mag-Setyembre 30, 2021.

Para mapadali ang pagpaparehistro, pinahaba pa ng Comelec ang office hours nito hanggang 5 pm, at pinabubuksan ang opisina tuwing Sabado. 

Narito ang kumpletong gabay sa pagpaparehistro sa panahon ng pandemya.

Step 1: Siguraduhing kalipikado kang maging botante sa darating na eleksiyon.

Maaari ka nang magparehistro kung ikaw ay:

• Filipino
• 18 taong gulang bago sumapit ang araw ng eleksiyon (Mayo 9, 2022)
• Residente ng Pilipinas nang hindi kukulangin sa isang taon, at residente ng iyong barangay nang hindi kukulangin sa anim na buwan

Step 2: Alamin kung saan ang Comelec office sa iyong lugar at magpa-schedule ng appointment.

Dahil sa banta ng COVID-19, nagpapatupad ng appointment system ang ilang tanggapan ng Comelec. May ilang tumatanggap ng “walk-in,” ngunit limitado lamang ang puwede nilang asikasuhin.

Importanteng magpatala muna ng appointment upang maiwasan ang matagal na pagpila.

Ang opisina ng Comelec ay kadalasang matatagpuan sa loob ng munisipyo, at bukas ito mula 8 nu hanggang 5 nh, Martes hanggang Sabado. Maaari mong hanapin ang official website o Facebook page ng lokal na opisina ng Comelec at i-check kung mayroon silang appointment system.

Kapag nakakuha ka na ng appointment, ihanda at lagdaan ang mga registration form.

Step 3: Ihanda ang mga kinakailangang dokumento at forms.

Sa inyong bahay, i-print at sagutan ang mga sumusunod na forms:

1. CEF-1, na naglalaman ng mga pangunahing impormasyon tungkol sa iyo.
2. Coronavirus Self-Declaration Form
3. Karagdagang dokumento para sa mga taong may kapansanan o persons with disabilities (PWDs) at at mga katutubo o indigenous peoples

Maaaring i-download dito and forms. Huwag kalimutang magdala ng tatlong (3) kopya ng mga pirmadong form. 

Kapag nasagutan mo na ang forms, maghanda ng valid ID at ilang photocopy nito.

Tinatanggap ng Comelec ang mga sumusunod na ID:

• Employee’s identification (ID) card, na may pirma ng employer o ibang authorized representative
• Postal ID
• PWD discount ID
• Student’s ID o library card, na pirmado ng awtoridad sa eskuwelahan
• Senior citizen’s ID
• Driver’s license
• NBI clearance
• Passport
• SSS/GSIS ID
• Integrated Bar of the Philippine (IBP) ID
• Professional license mula sa Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC)
• Certificate of confirmation mula sa National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) kung miyembro ng indigenous cultural communities o indigenous peoples

Kapag nakumpleto na ang mga ito, hintayin ang petsa ng iyong appointment date.

Huwag kalimutang magdala ng face mask at face shield. Hindi papapasukin sa opisina ng Comelec ang wala nito.

Kung maaari, magdala rin ng bolpen, para maiwasang makakuha ng virus.

Step 4: Ihanda ang sarili para sa araw ng rehistrasyon.

Maaaring magkakaiba ang mga patakaran ng local Comelec offices, pero narito ang ilang puwedeng asahan:

1. Contact tracing

Bilang bahagi ng nationwide contact tracing protocols laban sa COVID-19, mayroong contact tracing forms na kailangang punan bago makapasok sa munisipyo. Dahil naihanda at nasagutan mo na ito, iaabot mo na lamang ang form sa empleyado ng Comelec.

2. Pagsusuri ng aplikasyon at pagpirma

Upang masiguradong kumpleto at tama ang mga impormasyong hinihingi sa mga form, rerepasuhin ng isang electoral officer ang mga ito. Hihingin ng electoral officer ang iyong pirma para makumpleto ang authorization process.

3. Pag-log ng aplikasyon sa sistema

Ipoproseso ang iyong aplikasyon sa ERB o Election Registration Board system.

4. Biometrics

Kukunan ka ng litrato at hihingin ang iyong digital signature at fingerprints.

5. Stub collection

Bibigyan ka ng resibo bilang katunayan ng iyong rehistrasyon. Ingatan ito.

Habang naghihintay na aprobahan ng ERB ang iyong aplikasyon, sundan ang mga pangyayari sa bansa, makilahok sa mga diskurso ukol sa eleksiyon, alamin ang plataporma ng mga kandidato, at pag-isipan kung sino-sino ang iyong iboboto. 

Hikayatin din ang iyong mga kaibigan o ibang kakilala na magparehistro para makaboto na sa darating na eleksiyon.

Kung mayroon kang mga tanong, bisitahin ang opisyal na website ng Comelec, Comelec Facebook Page, o magpadala ng email sa voters_id@comelec.gov.ph. – Eala Julienne P. Nolasco/Rappler.com

Si Eala Julienne P. Nolasco ay isang Rappler intern mula sa Ateneo de Manila University, at kasalukuyang kumukuha ng kursong Interdisciplinary Studies.

Rappler CEO Maria Ressa and reporter Rambo Talabong went to court on Thursday, March 11, for a scheduled arraignment in a cyber libel case filed against them in connection with a Rappler investigative story that exposed a “thesis-for-sale” scam.

Through counsel Theodore Te, both asked the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 24 to reconsider its earlier decision not to dismiss the case. The motion prompted a rescheduling of the arraignment to April 8.

This is the 10th criminal case filed by the Philippine government against Ressa, 3 of which – this one included – are related to cyber libel.

Standing by Ressa and Rappler, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the #HoldTheLine coalition renewed calls to defend independent media in the face of state-fueled attacks.

More than 80 press freedom groups, journalism institutions, filmmakers, and advocates from countries including Kenya, Finland, Canada, and Pakistan have banded together for the #HoldTheLine coalition in support of Ressa and independent media.

“Maria Ressa is at the bleeding edge of the global fight for press freedom – emblematic of the struggle everywhere against disinformation, online harassment, and abuse of the law to smother free expression. We can’t let her, or Rappler fail,” CPJ Asia Program Coordinator Steven Butler said.

To take part in the campaign, one may change their cover photo or profile photos into any of the materials prepared by CPJ. There’s also an option to personalize profile photos on Facebook by choosing among any of the 4 Facebook frames. Those participating in the campaign are encouraged to use #HoldtheLine in combination with #DefendPressFreedom and #CourageON.

Others may also share a donation link to support Rappler: rplr.co/donate. They may also sign and share this petition calling on the Philippine government to drop all charges and cases against Ressa, Rappler, and its staffers and directors, and end threats to journalists in the Philippines.

The International Center for Journalism recently released a first-of-its-kind study – done through the collaboration of ICFJ, the University of Sheffield, and Rappler – on online violence against journalists, focusing on the case of Ressa.

At least 30 international organizations, including 22 media companies, have also banded together to share “The Forbidden Stories of Rappler,” a series of 5 videos featuring Ressa and the work of Rappler, particularly its investigative stories that have drawn the ire of President Rodrigo Duterte. – Rappler.com

Seven in 10 or 73% of women journalists faced online violence while doing their job, according to a 2020 survey conducted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ).

The report – authored by Julie Posetti, Nermine Aboulez, Kalina Bontcheva, Jackie Harrison, and Silvio Waisbord – surveyed over 900 participants from 125 countries, including the Philippines. It found that these attacks are “increasing exponentially” especially during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hoping to inform more people, UNESCO launched a campaign to highlight key results of the survey on online violence against women journalists and push for solutions to end the attacks. The campaign will run until World Press Freedom Day, May 3, when UNESCO launches a study on good practices in tackling the issue.

The study will feature legal analysis, findings from the global survey, big data analysis, and case studies from 15 countries including the Philippines, Brazil, South Africa, and Sweden, among others.

UNESCO said solutions are needed to end the online violence against women journalists, including strong responses from social media platforms, national authorities, and media organizations.

“This violence harms women’s right to speak and society’s right to know…. To tackle this increasing trend, we need to find collective solutions to protect women from online violence,” said Guy Berger, Director for Freedom of Expression and Media Development at UNESCO.

Those interested to join the campaign may share a short message and UNESCO’s campaign video with the hashtag #JournalistsToo to raise awareness on the issue.

– Rappler.com

In many ways, the coronavirus pandemic has affected women more than men. Reports of gender-based violence shared alarming results, sexual and reproductive health services were difficult to access, and President Rodrigo Duterte continued to make sexist remarks in his public addresses.

The pandemic has also shown that many women continue to be underestimated when it comes to leadership roles.

But that hasn’t stopped women from choosing to excel in their fields, and making the best out of their skills to help their communities survive. In a March 11 webinar, girl bosses Cherrie Atilano, Dr Joann Diray Arce, Mayor Trina Fabic, and Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel showed how large an impact a woman can make in these difficult times.

The webinar was organized by Oxfam Philippines in partnership with Rappler’s civic engagement arm MovePH.

Cultivating human beings

When most people think of farmers, they think of men. Cherrie Atilano, however, is a proponent of women in agriculture in the Philippines. A farmer herself, she founded Agrea, an agri-business founded on sustainable agriculture and fair trade.

Atilano said that Agrea centers not on the cultivation of land or crops alone, but the “cultivation of human beings.” Food producers in the Philippines, she said, are often left behind.

“It’s a crime against humanity that the food producers – the farmers and the fisherfolk – are always the hungriest and the poorest,” she said.

Of the industries that crashed in the pandemic-induced recession, agriculture is one that continued to thrive. People stopped buying everything except food. Atilano saw that as an opportunity.

Agrea’s vision is to create the first one-island economy – starting with Marinduque and Siargao. Atilano noted that in Siargao, the influx of tourists caused the depletion of resources and the importation of food. Similarly, most of the food in Boracay is imported, “which should not be done,” Atilano said. Instead, we should be making the most out of our resources.

They are also working to uplift the lives of their farmer communities, particularly female farmers. Part of how they do this is through zero-waste initiatives.

During the pandemic, Agrea also delivered grow kits to almost 1,000 women to plant and grow their own food.

Encouraging volunteerism

Mayor Trina Fabic of Odiongan, Romblon ran a simple, inexpensive, yet effective and engaging response against COVID-19 in her municipality. But she refused to be the star – by encouraging volunteerism, her community was front and center.

As a relatively young woman in politics, Fabic described being belittled simply because of her gender. She had experienced stereotyping and misogyny from male co-workers, but she didn’t allow the underestimation to get ahead of her.

In Odiongan, Fabic was able to keep the people fed through numerous programs, including a market on wheels, and an e-palengke (e-market) app. The local government also established a program where they bought produce directly from farmers and fisherfolk for food packs.

The local government got creative in the many ways services could be contactless. They created an e-prescription system for high-risk individuals, digital consultations, a laboratory on wheels for the elderly, and a library on the go for children. 

“The pandemic has shown us that we need more compassion and we need more purpose in our leadership, both from men and women,” said Fabic.

Scientist by day, mom by night

US-based scientist Dr Joann Diray Arce is not only living in the country hardest hit by the coronavirus, she was also part of the team of experts who did research on coronavirus vaccines at a time when the pandemic’s end was nowhere in sight.

She’s a great mom, too.

Arce’s team was selected to do research about the disease under the direction of Dr Anthony Fauci after the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020. 

Individually, she was assigned to be the immunoassay and computing lead for the clinical and data coordinating center of the project. For this kind of project, scientists usually prepare for 8 to 9 months, but this time, they compressed the set-up to 6 weeks and had to start from scratch.

The situation started to compound – borders were closing, schools were moving online, and she had to absorb all of this in both her roles as a scientist and a mother. She was burned out.

“Science is my passion, but being a mother is my life calling and my most sacred responsibility…. Being a mother during a pandemic makes me feel like a very protective hen gathering her chicks under her wings, but now, the enemy is an unseen one,” she said. 

Arce and her husband worked as partners to manage the household and take care of their kids, aged 8, 5, and 1. She did the cooking while her husband did the cleaning. The kids also had their own responsibilities at home. Somehow, the family was able to make it work, all while Arce excelled in her research.

“You are replaceable at work, but not at home,” said Arce.

Pandemic response through a gender lens

In the first months of the pandemic, Germany emerged as one of the countries applauded for its crisis response. Under the watch of Chancellor Angela Merkel, the country kept its death rate relatively low for most of 2020.

Research has shown that countries led by women have been doing better in their pandemic responses.

When flu season began in late 2020, Germany started to face its second wave of infections. According to German Ambassador to the Philippines Anke Reiffenstuel, Merkel imposed new lockdowns and tighter regulations, but the “inclusive” approach they have been taking since the beginning of the pandemic has not changed.

The German government understands that the pandemic, as a public health crisis, spills over to all sectors of life, including people’s personal lives.

“The imbalance of usually having two jobs for women, office and family, is not new, but the situation has been fueled further by the pandemic. [It] has increasingly raised the attention on the necessity of fairness and gender equality,” said Reiffenstuel.

One way they promoted gender equality in their crisis response is by pushing for flexibility for work from home arrangements. They also promote the inclusion of women in leadership roles. International Women’s Day, March 8, is also a public holiday in the country.

Germany has also pledged at least 2.1 billion euros to support global COVID-19 vaccination efforts, including the COVAX Facility.

“We support recommendations from international studies that came to the conclusion that societies where equal rights for women are provided, and societies in which women have an equal share in decision-making and leadership, that such societies provide an adequate environment that promote stability, security, and peace,” said Reiffenstuel. – Rappler.com

The coronavirus has made a tale of two cities of every well-off Filipino household. For middle-class homeowners, the global pandemic means working from home, an abundance of Zoom calls, gimmicks that got away, and the simple torture of having to stay still for what feels like a lifetime. For their house help, however, the quarantine is just another word for the lives they’ve already been living.

Lea*, Cristina*, and Marian* work as kasambahays (house help) for a middle-class family living in a gated Marikina subdivision. Lea, 45, looks after the kids and cleans indoors; Cristina, 48, cooks every meal; and Marian, 58, cleans the gate and gardens, and cares for the family’s elderly. 

Even before the pandemic struck, they were only allowed a single overnight day-off every month; they remained home for the rest of the month, day in and day out.

How did the pandemic change their lives?

Photo by Sofia Abrogar

“Wala naman. Sanay na kami.” (Nothing changed. We’re used to it already.) 

This is Lea’s answer. Marian and Cristina agree: for these 3 women, 2020 was just another year of staying still.

It’s absurd to say out loud: there are people whose jobs essentially keep them captive in someone else’s home. I have heard too many employers say that domestic workers choose this life, that ‘it comes with the job.’

The reality, however, is that most kasambahays are forced into domestic work by poverty and cemented there by lack of access to education.

“Wala naman akong natapos na pinag-aralan,” (I didn’t finish formal schooling) stated Lea frankly when asked why she became a kasambahay. “Elementary graduate lang ako, kaya wala naman talaga…”

Cristina, who was first employed as a domestic worker at 14, also only finished elementary school. After giving birth to her son at 16 and her daughter at 17, she stopped schooling and started working to sustain her family. 

What-ifs

“Kung nakapag-aral ako? Ay, ang sarap!” Cristina daydreams. “Ang ganda, ganda niyan. Sino kaya ako?” (If I had been able to study? That would have been amazing! That would have been beautiful. Who would I have become?)

Cristina would have loved to pursue culinary arts given the chance; Marian too. Lea would have loved to teach Filipino if life had only been kinder. Finding fulfillment in education or employment are only things they see in dreams— or in the lives of the people they work for. 

Photo by Sofia Abrogar

Lea, Cristina, and Marian were unable to create connections or build networks that only education offers. Their circles are much smaller and the physical restrictions of their job make it difficult to develop relationships they already have. 

“May isang anak ako na hindi ako matanggap bilang nanay niya,” shared Marian, crying over her youngest daughter, her eleventh child. 

(I have a daughter who won’t accept that I am her mother.)

Since leaving her hometown of Bacolod in 2008, Marian has never had the chance to return to her bunso (youngest child).

Lea has not spent Christmas with her family in the last 20 years. As Christmas is a busy and hectic season for her employers, she’s had to stay in Metro Manila to keep the household running. Lea has lost her mother and her brother in those years, robbed of the chance to create any last nor lasting memories with them.

“[‘Kung ako ‘yung bahala,] uuwi ako talaga! Hindi ko pa na-experience ‘yun eh.”

(If it were up to me, I’d really go home! I haven’t experienced a Christmas with my family yet.)

To many Filipinos’ surprise, there is actually a Batas Kasambahay that details the lawful, rightful treatment of live-in domestic workers. Signed into law in 2013, Republic Act 10361 is the first law to recognize domestic workers as similar to employees of the formal sector. There are, however, crucial realities that the law does not consider.

One such issue is that most kasambahays come from provinces all over the country, often finding employment in the cities. The law only provides them a single day off per week, detailing no further requirements for employers to allow longer leaves for a worthwhile trip home.

Lea’s 84-year old father is all that’s left of her family back in Antique, Visayas. He’s lost his hearing, making calls close to impossible.

“Gusto ko [siyang] bigyan ng magandang birthday,” Lea shared simply. “Para ma-feel naman nila— bago sila mawala— na masaya. Never pa naghanda yung tatay ko. Surprise ko ‘yun.”

(I want to give him a birthday party so that he feels happy before he goes. He’s never had a celebration before. That’s my surprise for him.)

Family is everything for these women. Whatever they earn goes straight into the pockets of their parents, siblings, and children. Poverty does not allow respite in the material.

“Diyos ko, sa sarili ko?” (My God, for me?) Marian laughs at even the thought of self-indulgence. “Makatulong lang ako sa mga anak ko, OK na yun. Wala na akong naiisip para sa sarili ko. Makabili lang ng kain-kainin sa labas minsan, OK na. Sa mga anak lang.” 

(As long as I can help my kids, I’m OK. I don’t want to think about myself. I’m OK with just the occasional meal out. I give everything else to my kids.)

Marian had actually retired prior to the pandemic, as all her kids had found employment. But when her daughter, Arlene, lost her job last year, Marian had to work again to support her daughter and her grandson. Arlene’s son, on top of being a mouth to feed, also suffers from hydrocephalus.

“Ako na ngayon nagsusuporta sa kanya,” shared Marian. “Wala kasi siyang asawa. Anak niya yun sa pagkadalaga.” (I support her now. She isn’t married. She got pregnant as a teen.)

All P7,000 of Marian’s monthly salary goes to her daughter. Not a single centavo is left to her.

Shockingly, Marian is considered lucky with the amount she earns. 

The minimum wage for kasambahays in Metro Manila is P5,000 a month. That’s the highest rate in the entire country— employers of domestic workers in some regions are only required to pay them as little as P3,000 a month. The Kasambahay Act makes no mention of wage increases over time or any sort of financial security nor mobility besides making minimum wage.

Protecting kasambahays

Photo by Sofia Abrogar

The Kasambahay Act, besides being outdated and grossly passive, isn’t even properly implemented. 

As of December 2020, the Department of Labor and Employment and the Philippine Statistics Authority (DOLE-PSA) reported that only 2.5% of the 1.4 million domestic workers nationwide possess written employment contracts as mandated by the law. 

Over 80% of domestic workers have no social welfare benefits from the Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), and the Home Mutual Development Fund.

Marian herself has not been able to secure benefits in 12 years. She, Lea, and Cristina are among the hundreds of thousands of kasambahays without written employment contracts. Without a contract, kasambahays become vulnerable to maltreatment without legal protection.

How then are kasambahays to be protected when even DOLE has admitted to being ill-equipped to enforce the law? Batas Kasambahay has been enforceable for almost 9 years and it still does close to nothing.

Even as vaccines become more and more available, Lea, Cristina, and Marian don’t necessarily have post-pandemic freedom to hope for. Their lives might continue in the same way even when (or if) the pandemic ends. Time has taught them to love the at leasts: at least I have a job, and somewhere to lay my head. Time has normalized all of this.

“Kontento na ako dito. Masaya na ako dito. Kontento na ako,” said Lea honestly, looking back on 20 years of faithful service.

(I’m content here. I’m happy. I’m content.)

For us outside their world, however, there is plenty left to do for the women we call kasambahays. As long as the middle-class home remains a tale of two cities, no vaccine could ever end the crisis that plagues Lea, Cristina, and Marian. – Rappler.com

*Real names were replaced for the protection of sources

Sofia Abrogar is a Journalism major at the University of the Philippines Diliman. When she’s not singing or watching anime, she’s an aspiring visual journalist currently serving her college’s publication as its photo editor.

Several health experts explored possible ways to better aid women and the LGBTQ+ community in St Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine’s “Future of Health” conversation series on Women’s Day, March 8.

The Women’s Day episode tackled how the COVID-19 pandemic exposed a myriad of fault lines in global society, including longstanding gender imbalances resulting in gross socioeconomic and health inequities.

While Dr Junice Melgar, the co-founder and executive director of the Likhaan Center for Women’s Health, acknowledged that women’s health in the Philippines has “been improving incrementally and slowly,” other health experts in the episode shared how more can be done.

The health status of women was made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, as lockdowns have disrupted access to sexual health services. As part of the pandemic-driven “baby boom,” teenage pregnancy continued to rise. At the end of 2020, the Commission on Population and Development reported that 70,755 families were led by minors at the end of 2020. This is projected to balloon to 133,265 by the end of 2021.

Myn Garcia, former Deputy Director General of the Commonwealth Foundation based in London, emphasized how the pandemic, coupled with global economic downturn, armed conflict, and climate change, has made profound impoverishing effects, especially for women and the LGBTQ+ community. This has also made it more difficult for these communities to improve their situation given their financial and educational limitations.

Professor Sarah Hawkes, Director of the Center for Gender and Global Health at the University College London and Co-Founder of Global Health 50/50, highlighted how there have been huge inequalities in women participation in COVID-19 response.

Last year, a study in the British Medical Journal found out that only 3.5% of COVID-19 expert task forces worldwide achieved gender parity and 85.2% are majority men. In the Philippines, the national task force is composed totally of men, mostly with military background.

“Frontline workers such as nurses are mostly women, but leadership is predominantly male…But we all know it’s not just the case of changing the gender of the leader. If we don’t change the system and the structure that people are leading, then all you’ve done is some kind of representational change at the top,” said Hawkes.

“What we need is a common governance agenda that promotes policies, approaches and investments that aim to transform structural gender inequalities and power dynamics,” added Garcia.

Change begins at home

Hawkes reminded that if equitable change in leadership and in workplaces is to be sustained, there also must be radical changes in women and men’s roles inside the home. 

“Equally if not more pervasive is the absolute inequality in domestic care that has really been highlighted by COVID-19,” remarked Hawkes, noting that women, because of lockdowns, have brought their jobs to their home – while also fulfilling household chores. 

“Men must step up in the domestic sphere…. At the end of the day, we are merely doubling women’s workloads, which is also harmful for their health in the long term,” challenged Hawkes.

Pandemic of gender-based violence

Aside from women, the LGBTQ+ community is also suffering during the pandemic.

Dr Winlove Mojica, Board Member of the Philippine LGBT Chamber of Commerce, shared the struggles of LGBTQ+ patients with chronic illnesses such as HIV/AIDS – who, due to limited mobility resulting from lockdowns, faced difficulty accessing medications, and feared going out of their homes and revealing their status.

The LGBTQ+ community, along with women, have also had to endure gender-based violence, or are forced to stay at home with their abusers.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, everybody is working 1000 times harder to fight stigma and discrimination,” reinforced Dr. Mojica. “Abuse and violence have been boldly perpetuated against women and sexual minorities in every level of society, and this is done with impunity.”

Calling sexual- and gender-based violence “another pandemic,” ElsaMarie D’Silva, Founder and CEO of the Red Dot Foundation based in India, shared how she and her team developed a platform named Safecity, which crowdsources personal stories of sexual harassment and abuse in public spaces. Such data is used to raise public awareness and push for gender-safe communities.

“Data can be an accountability mechanism to hold the powerful to account for the promises that they have made, but more importantly for the rights that all of us have,” added Prof. Hawkes.

Intersectionality, introspection, inclusion

While some have already risen in the ranks of business, government, and academia, the majority of the world’s women and the LGBTQ+ community still face poverty and marginalization. Therefore, there is a need to embrace the lens of intersectionality, which recognizes that people are a combination of privileges and disadvantages.

Dr Mojica emphasized how men must also be included in the narrative to gain more allies for women and the LGBTQ+ community. 

“By practicing diversity and inclusion, you invite creativity, and you promote efficiency among your employees. This is always a good business decision,” he said.

D’Silva, meanwhile, highlighted the need for education at all levels, citing the need to create safe spaces for conversations.

The webinar on March 8 was the second episode of the “Future of Health” conversation series. – Rappler.com

Renzo Guinto, MD DrPH is Associate Professor of the Practice of Global Public Health and the Inaugural Director of the Planetary and Global Health Program of the St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine – William H. Quasha Memorial. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Society of Public Health Physicians and of the Advisory Council of Global Health 50/50.

Local media practitioners and academic professionals warned against the spread of disinformation in the Visayas especialy during the pandemic when, and shared ways to combat this during a virtual regional conference disinformation and democracy on Wednesday, March 17.

The conference was hosted by the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas in partnership with the Consortium on Democracy and Disinformation, UPV Division of Humanities, UPV Information and Publications Office (IPO), DYUP 102.7 FM, Rappler’s MovePH, and the Daily Guardian.

Disinformation during disasters

Assistant Professor Dakila Kim Yee of UP Visayas Tacloban College tackled how rumors and “fake news” are most especially rampant during disaster situations.

He cited the prevalence of rumors in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) due to an increased demand for information and the absence of official lines of communication.

Yee stressed the importance of being critical about the content of disaster coverage in Eastern Visayas.

He expressed concern over the shutdown of the ABS-CBN regional stations and its consequences on combatting information manipulation in regions.

“The degree of insulation [hopefully] of [media] practitioners from politicians would really be important. And ABS-CBN provided that insulation from political influences,” he said.

Derek Alviola, head of the University Integrated Media Center of the Visayas State University, echoed this, citing how the shutdown of the media giant and its regional stations paved the way for some local political families to control the news coverage in the region.

“Since the ABS-CBN regional group has been shut down, how will this affect the news consumption patterns of the people here inEastern Visayas? And probably that’s the reason why there’s an interest for some political families to establish their own media networks like radio stations or local TV networks,” Alviola said. 

He said that while internet access in the region is dismal, the spread of disinformation becomes easy because of free data. “The internet penetration of our area is contributory to disinformation.” Alviola said.

“When you have people who rely on free data for their news content, it will be easier to spread misinformation and disinformation. And I’m seeing this right now, with my own students and even those in the academe. That is something that we have to fix,” he added. 

Challenges in local media

Especially as elections draw near, Alviola highlighted the importance of keeping an eye on emerging media outlets owned by politicians, fly-by-night newspapers, and even cable television networks.

“The fight is not just on Facebook, it’s also happening in how they (political clans) are establishing their own local news network,” Alviola said.

Local journalists not only have limited resources but also face attacks and threats that affect news coverage of disasters, politicians, and other pressing issues in the region, he said.

“The critical approach to covering local political and government issues are left with national media organizations like Rappler, the Philippine Daily Inquirer who have regional correspondents. But not all local journalists are doing that because people are also afraid,” Alviola added.

Alviola also mentioned the arrest of Tacloban journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio as an example of the threats faced by local media outlets who are critical of the government, as they are easily identified and targeted.

Aside from the attacks and threats to local journalists, Philippine Daily Inquirer Visayas correspondent Nestor Burgos Jr drew some parallels on these challenges faced by local media that got worse during the pandemic.

“Community press have shut down or have reduced their workforce, and most have been transforming into digital editions only [during the pandemic]. Journalists are also limited in coverage of the news. Most of us are working from home, reliant on online press conferences. So in terms of reporting, digging up stories, there are limitations now because of the pandemic,” Burgos said in a mix of English and Filipino. 

These challenges, according to Burgos, made it difficult for local journalists to be independent in the Visayas. 

The said community publications are smaller and have less resources, and are “generally less independent.”

“Because they don’t have resources, they are dependent on ads. And many of these ads come from politicians or government offices,” Burgos said.

Building a credible audience

To counter this, community journalist Georgene Quilaton-Tambiga, a communication officer for Colegio de Sto Tomas-Recoletos in San Carlos City, stressed the importance of helping news consumers develop critical thinking. 

“How credible are the consumers of the media in our rural communities? While it takes time for a professional media practitioner and a journalist to build credibility, we are now at an age when we are also questioning the credibility of our people or audience,” Tambiga said. 

She said that academic institutions can take a more active role to help students and local news consumers to build up their credibility.

Tambiga added: “More so to develop critical thinking in analyzing news – what is ‘fake news’ from what is real. We should be the ones teaching students from the grassroots so they too can be credible reactors and commenters, not just those who read the headlines and react to the comment box like it’s nothing…thereby defeating actual unprofessional community media outfits.”

Alviola said local unions among journalists, should be strengthened in the the Visayas including campus publications.

He added that there should be more research done by the academe and community media groups to help the general population, especially the youth, to understand the context of Philippine media and “fake news.”  – with reports from  John Sitchon/ Rappler.com

While fact checks usually cover topics that are common fare for adults – such as current events or government policies – false claims can sometimes creep into subject matters easily accessible to children who are often left unequipped to detect them.

If even higher education students up to the doctoral level are found wanting when it comes to assessing information quality online, what chances do unprepared children have? 

Parents, teachers, and guardians are in the best position to impart fact-checking knowledge and the skills to younger media consumers. 

Children can start developing the habit of fact-checking with proper guidance and immersion suitable for their ages. 

Here are 4 basic fact-checking tips derived from Rappler fact checks that can be used in teaching the skill to children:

TIP #1: Verify details with official sources.

Not everything that can be found online ought to be believed. It’s important for children to know which are the reliable sources of information, and to verify claims against what details these official sources provide.

In the claim that Kabataan Partylist received about 160,000 votes in the 2019 election, the total number of votes can immediately be checked against the data uploaded by the Commission on Elections. The Comelec’s 2019 Party List Canvass Report shows that Kabataan Partylist received 195,837 votes, which is higher than what the false claim indicated.

When a suspicious claim says that it has obtained its information from an official source, it wouldn’t take much time to go straight to the official source to confirm if the information is really there. 

The claim that Guinness World Records named Marcos the best president of all time can immediately be checked by going to the official Guinness World Records website. The use of their regular search feature or their record application search feature (which contains all records but requires an account on the website) will show you that there are no official records to support the claim. 

It is also important to make sure that the information obtained is updated as of a desired time period.

TIP # 2: Look for more than one source.

There is a need to consult more than one source when looking for or verifying a piece of information, while making sure that all sources are reliable.

Multiple sources serve the children well because sometimes even those considered official or reliable can commit mistakes. For instance, textbooks can contain errors or information that conflict with other sources. 

The ubiquitous Wikipedia is not a reliable source either – even Wikipedia itself says so – mainly because anyone can edit it, though it can contain links to other useful websites.

The website of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Region XI once stated that Davao City was “reputedly the largest city in the world.” This claim conflicted with many other official data sources, such as the Philippine Statistics Authority, statista.com, demographia.com, the United Nations (UN), the 2019 Shanghai Statistical Yearbook, and the official Davao City website. 

TIP # 3: Examine social media content more closely.

Spelling mistakes, grammar errors, bad formatting, and clearly doubtful information are red flags for the need to investigate a claim further. 

In a photo that claimed that The Philippine Star ran a front-page headline that announced Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte’s candidacy for the 2022 national elections, the cover page, which was from the newspaper’s February 24, 2018 issue, was altered to show “SARA IN 2022.” 

Looking at the photo closely, the “SARA IN 2022” text seemed too tilted for a headline. The background of the same text can be seen to have a light shade of blue, unlike the rest of the newspaper which is grayish-brown. 

These observations can spur the need to check more. A further verification of this claim through a Google reverse image search, in fact, shows that the original photo contains the headline, “Speaker Sara in 2019?” An advanced fact-checking move would be to Google search another readily visible headline from the same page – like “Interpol arrests suspect in brutal slay of OFW” – to know if the article in question indeed came out.

In another claim that said that the World Health Organization released an infographic on the “7 biggest brain damaging habits,” the following should have aroused suspicion about whether WHO indeed released such information: the obvious spelling mistakes (“Stoping”), bad formatting (the “ReadForward” and “to whom you careAsI care for U”), and clearly doubtful information (really, does wearing socks while sleeping cause brain damage?).

The claim was rated false. Here, aside from checking the information with WHO, it also helps to check other trustworthy sources. In this case, Factly and The Quint also fact-checked the claim. 

Tip # 4: Know the facts; read a lot.

This is the all-encompassing tip: just know the facts. That way, you can debunk false claims as you see them right away, including claims that do not look suspicious at first glance because they sound plausible. 

Those who took their Philippine History seriously can easily debunk the claim that Andres Bonifacio was not a rebel against the government. In fact, the fact check story contained passages taken straight from textbooks to debunk the claim. It is also helpful to check the definition of “rebel” (or “rebellion”), which can be confirmed from an online dictionary like Merriam-Webster; a paper dictionary will also do. 

Indeed, checking some claims requires no more than knowledge obtainable in high school. 

In this fact-check story debunking that the Philippines is rich in water called deuterium, the relevant chemistry facts accessible at the high school level are: (1) water of any form has chemical formula H₂O and heavy water is simply water whose both hydrogen atoms are deuterium (and whose formula is written as D₂O for clarification); (2) deuterium is an isotope or one of the forms of hydrogen which is an element, while heavy water is a kind of water which is a compound. 

How can children know facts? Children can be inspired to read widely and develop good reading habits, involving proper material, including books. Doing these will enable them to accumulate a stock of knowledge that they can use to go defend themselves against polluted information on social media. 

When interested in news, children can be directed to reputable publications that follow strong journalistic standards.  

Challenge for everyone

Children could easily fall prey to disinformation. The key to beating that is to develop their media literacy early and give them proper guidance at their level.

Remind the young fact checkers that, if there is something they do not know, if there is a claim they’re not sure about, or if they want to learn more, they should ask for help from someone trustworthy.

Meanwhile, parents, teachers, and guardians can join training sessions and webinars that can help you sharpen your fact-checking skills. If you spot any suspicious claims online, you can send an email to factcheck@rappler.com and join the online community of fact-check volunteers in the Fact-checking in the Philippines Facebook group to get updates about the latest webinars, events, campaigns, and projects related to fact-checking. – Rappler.com

Percival Byron Bueser is a volunteer fact checker for Rappler, a product of our 5-week mentorship program involving exclusive, hands-on training on detecting, investigating, and verifying online misinformation and disinformation. 

His professional experiences are in the fields of teaching, public speaking, and insurance. He has also published four children’s books. He was the Board Topnotcher (ranked #1) during the March 2013 Licensure Examination for Teachers – Secondary Level as well as the batch valedictorian and a chancellor’s lister of the graduating batch of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) in 2014.

University of Cebu School of Medicine student Cy Johann Kent Romuga placed 3rd in the Physician Licensure Exam taken earlier this month, according to results released on Friday evening, March 19.  

Romuga is the university’s first medical board topnotcher. He is also the only student from Cebu who made it to the top 10 this exam cycle.

All three takers from the University of Cebu passed the exam. 

In a Facebook post, the university congratulated Romuga and the other exam passers.

This is the second batch of exam takers from the medical school, which opened only in 2015. 

Aside from the University of Cebu, all seven exam takers from the Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) also passed.

In November 2020, the University of Cebu and CIM both had a 100% passing rate.

All 15 first time examinees from the Cebu Doctors University passed the exam, while 13 out of 14 who took the exam for the second time passed.

See the complete list of board passers and the performance of schools in the March 2021 Physician Licensure Examination here. – Rappler.com

Who are your sources of news online? How well do you know them? How reliable and credible are they?

These are the questions that MovePH, Rappler’s civic engagement arm, attempted to answer during the webinar titled “Scrutinizing digital sources: How to improve your information diet” – a special session of MovePH’s fact-checking webinar series held on Friday, March 19.

Melinda Quintos de Jesus, executive director of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), shared 3 ways that readers can improve their own information diet and contribute to the better health of online conversations. 

1. Start with a personal assessment

In order to better understand the need to improve the way we consume information, De Jesus said you should start with asking yourself the following questions: What motivates you as a netizen? What is the value that drives your digital activities? What are your regular go-to sources or places? Do these include periodicals, newspapers, maybe some bloggers? How useful have these sources been for you?

“Your use of cyberspace is, after all, your own business. There is nothing that I can present to you – there is nothing anybody can do about it, unless you yourself own that responsibility and therefore understanding also what you are doing with this wonderful, grand power that has been made possible by our technological advancement in communications,” De Jesus added.

2. Familiarize yourself with the ‘most common failings’ in news reporting.

De Jesus said the most common mistakes in reporting news are the lack of providing context and background information, settling with he-said-she-said reporting, and the frequent publication of public relations materials from celebrities and politicians.

Though it’s inevitable for news organizations to make mistakes from time to time, what makes a media outfit credible is its willingness to correct its mistakes through a proper corrections policy program.

3. Go back to the basics

Lastly, De Jesus said it’s helpful to remember the fundamental principles of human communication. These are truth, freedom, justice or fairness, humaneness, and stewardship.

This means that it’s better to go to sources that are committed to publishing accurate and contextual reports, do not give in to external pressures in storytelling, give equal treatment of all sides while recognizing where the truth lies, do not cause harm, and preserve the good of the practice.

– Rappler.com

As we celebrate Women’s History Month this March, the significance of women in the community is showcased. The continuous pursuit of gender equality and the fight against oppression are highlighted this month to show support for movements devoted to women empowerment. 

In Our Shoes is a video series with women themselves emphasizing the importance of their role in society.

In this episode, we ask women, “What does it mean to be a woman?” From it meaning to be a source of inspiration to simply proving people wrong, women explain how they see themselves. – Rappler.com

This video series is co-produced by Rappler interns Kris Angel Ditan, Sarah Villanueva, and Tara Mercene.

Have you already registered to vote in the 2022 Philippine elections?

With the pandemic forcing people to stay at home, many Filipinos may still be confused about what has changed in our voter registration process given the country’s current health crisis. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is eyeing to pull in at least 4 million new registered voters by the end of the registration period on September 30, 2021.

With less than a year left until the deadline, the agency said more than two million people were already registered as new voters as of February 2021. More people can still be pulled in to register to vote.

Rappler has created a handy guide on how to register to vote during the pandemic. We’ve also gathered answers to some frequently asked questions about voter registration.

Who is eligible to register?

People may register if they meet the following requirements:

• Filipino citizen
• At least 18 years old on or before Election Day (May 9, 2022)
• A resident of the Philippines for at least one year and a resident of the place in which you intend to vote for at least 6 months

If I registered in the 2019 elections, should I register again?

No. Registration needs to be done only once.

Can I register online?

Eligible Filipinos cannot register online. They will still have to go to their local Comelec offices or the Offices of the Election Officer to submit forms, get their photo taken, and leave their fingerprints and digital signature.

Although registration cannot be done virtually, Comelec has set up iRehistro, where you can accomplish your forms online. This, however, does not mean you are registered already. Comelec explained that after completing iRehistro, eligible voters can then go to the local Comelec office or the Office of the Election Officer to personally submit their application form.

To ensure people’s safety, Comelec also shared the needed documents for registration on its website, which people can print at home and bring with them for submission. People may also accomplish the forms in their local Comelec offices or the Offices of the Election Officer.

Where should we register?

Eligible Filipinos should go to their local Comelec offices or the Offices of the Election Officer. These can be found in every district, city, or municipality. According to Comelec, these offices are usually located at or near the city or municipal hall.

In light of the pandemic, registration of voters in satellite sites is suspended until further notice. Satellite registration may only be conducted in cities and municipalities with no COVID-19 cases in the last 14 days before the actual conduct of the satellite registration, according to Comelec.

If you do not know where your local Comelec office is located, you can check out Comelec’s directory for Metro Manila offices, regional offices, provincial offices, and city and municipal offices.

These offices may most likely have a booking system for appointments. Make sure you check their specific office hours, as this varies across locations. Due to the high volume of requests and limited space, it’s best to book appointments at least a week in advance.

What are the requirements needed? Do we need to bring a negative COVID-19 test result?

Eligible Filipinos will only need to bring a valid ID and a photocopy of it. They may also bring their accomplished Comelec forms if they’ve already prepared these.

A negative COVID-19 test result is not required. Those interested in registering, however, will have to fill out a Coronavirus Self Declaration Form. Registrants who answered yes to the questions in the said form will be advised to return after 14 days to submit their forms for voter registration.

Health protocols will also be strictly enforced during registration.

Which IDs can we use for voter registration?

Registrants can bring any of the following IDs as per Comelec:

• Employee’s identification card (ID), with the signature of the employer or authorized representative
• Postal ID
• Person with disability discount ID;
• Student’s ID or library card, signed by the school authority
• Senior Citizen’s ID
• Driver’s license
• NBI clearance
• Passport
• SSS/GSIS ID
• Integrated Bar of the Philippine (IBP) ID
• License issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC)
• Certificate of Confirmation issued by the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) in case of members of ICCs or IPs
• Any other valid ID

Community tax certificates (cedula) and Philippine National Police clearances will not be honored as valid ID for the registration. 

For those who do not have any of the mentioned IDs above, eligible Filipinos may be identified under oath by any registered voter of the precinct where they intend to be registered, or by any of their relatives within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity. No registered voter or relative shall be allowed to identify more than 3 applicants, according to Comelec.

I’m 17 now but will be 18 on or before Election Day, can I still register to vote?

Minors can already register as long as they will turn 18 on or before the Election Day (May 9, 2022).

How will the registrant get their voter ID? Can we vote without it or do we need to present it on Election Day?

For now, the generation and distribution of voter ID cards is currently on hold as a result of the House of Representatives’ approval of a bill seeking to establish a national identification system, which proposes using only one ID for all government transactions.

However, upon finishing the voter’s registration, the election officer will issue an acknowledgement receipt that is attached at the end of the CEF-1 Form as proof of registration. The receipt contains the voter’s ID number.

The receipt should be presented during the elections. This will be helpful in knowing the voter’s precinct.

What is the schedule for voter registration?

From March 22 to April 4, all Offices of the Election Officer nationwide will accept applications for voter registration from Mondays to Thursdays, 8 am to 3 pm. The issuance of voter’s certification, however, will be until 5 pm. The shortened voter registration hours were done in light of the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in the country.

Previously, all Offices of the Election Officer nationwide were open from 8 am to 5 pm from Tuesday to Saturday.

Until when is the registration?

The registration will end on September 30, 2021. 

Is Comelec open for info updating (e.g change of address or civil status, typographical errors in record)

People may head to their local Comelec office to request correction or updating of entries such as misspelled or wrong names, birth date, birth place, and civil status, among others.

I already registered in my hometown, but I no longer live there. Should I register again in my present place of residence?

During the registration period, the application for the transfer of the concerned registration record can be filed with the local Comelec office of the new place of residence.

Still got queries on voter’s registration? Other registration FAQs are answered here. You can visit the official COMELEC website for more information about the registration process. You may also email move.ph@rappler.com if you want to suggest more frequently asked questions to be included in the page. – with reports from Angel Turiano/Rappler.com

MovePH, the civic engagement arm of Rappler, aims to start the conversation on what kind of leaders we need and what issues should be addressed as we approach the 2022 Philippine elections. Join the conversation here.

Tuwing Marso, nagpupugay ang buong mundo sa mga kababaihan. Madalas, may mga parada at programa ang mga lokal na pamahalaan. Minsan, namimigay ang mga institusyon ng T-shirts na lila, kulay na sumisimbulo sa kababaihan.

Ngunit sa kabila ng pagpapahalaga sa mga sakripisyo ng nanay, pagsasabing kayang gawin ng babae ang mga ginagawa ng lalaki, at paglilista ng mga unang babaeng presidente at unang babaeng piloto, nakakalimutan ng mga tao ang mga babaeng manggagawa’t magbubukid. 

Noong ika-4 ng Marso, dumalo ako sa unang pagkakataon kasama ang iba pang volunteers ng Rural Women Advocates (RUWA) sa mural-making kasama ang Amihan at Sama-samang Artista para sa Kilusang Agraryo o SAKA.

Naging makabuluhan ang araw na ito para sa akin dahil ang aming ginawa ay pagkilala sa kababaihang kumikilos para sa tunay na reporma sa lupa at nagsusulong sa karapatan sa pagkain at ayuda. 

Layon ng aktibidad na kilalanin ang kontribusyon ng kababaihang magbubukid sa ekonomiya, agrikultura, at pagsisiguro sa ating pang-araw-araw na pagkain. Ang gawaing ito ay isa ring panawagan na mabigyan ng P15,000 production support at P10,000 cash assistance ang lahat ng magsasakang naapektuhan ng pandemya.

Tulung-tulong kaming nag-trace, nagpinta, at bumuo ng mga imahen ng kababaihang magsasaka.

Pagbabalik-loob sa masa

Nakilala ko si Je Malazarte, isang mag-aaral ng Fine Arts. Siya ang gumuhit ng ilang portraits na aming inilapat sa mas malaking canvas.

Kabilang sa portraits na ito ang isang babaeng nangunguna sa community kitchen, isang babaeng naggagapas ng palay, isang babaeng dumadalo sa kilos-protesta, at isang portrait ni Amanda Echanis, isang organisador ng mga babaeng magbubukid at kasalukuyang nakakulong kasama ang kanyang apat na buwang sanggol.

Kuha ng RUWA/Amihan

Ipinapakita ng mga ilustrasyon ang mga tungkulin ng kababaihan sa komunidad – nangunguna sa community kitchen, nagiging bahagi ng mga gawaing pang-agrikultura, at nagsisilbing ilaw ng tahanan. Lahat ng ito ay nararapat na kilalanin katulad ng ginagawa sa high-paying jobs. 

“Through simple depiction, the hopes of amplifying the demands, stories, and names of these women in rural communities may open continuous discussion of their struggles and encourage actions in support of them,” ayon kay Je.

Ayon kay Je, malapit ang loob niya sa sektor ng mga magsasaka dahil ito ang pangunahing kabuhayan ng kanyang pamilya at ilang kamag-anak. Napatigil ang kanyang karanasan kaugnay ng sektor na ito noong lumipat ang kanyang pamilya sa lungsod, ngunit alam niyang hindi ito ang magiging dahilan para maputol ang kanyang emosyonal na koneksiyon sa mga magbubukid.

Habang siya’y tumatanda, mas nagiging mulat siya sa pagkaapi ng mga magsasaka at ibang sektor ng lipunan.

Nang una siyang naging miyembro ng RUWA, hindi sigurado si Je sa magiging parte niya sa organisasyon. Duda pa siya sa kanyang kakayahan. “I am still in the process of finding my voice as an artist and reconstructing myself,” aniya.

Pagkilala sa kababaihan sa kabila ng duda

Kagaya ni Je, may mga duda rin ako sa aking sarili. Pero dahil sa kakayahan na meron kami, hindi namin hinayaan na maging hadlang ang mga duda upang gawin namin ang mga bagay hindi para sa aming mga sarili kundi para sa mga tao sa aming paligid.

Kuha ng National Federation of Peasant Women – Amihan.

Nag-umpisa kaming ilapat ang orihinal na larawan na iginuhit ni Je sa canvas habang naka-project sa dingding ang digital image nito. Nakasanayan na ng SAKA ang prosesong ito kapag mayroon silang kolektibong mural-making.

Kuha ng Rural Women Advocates

Noong inabot sa akin ang lapis, nakaramdam ako ng kaba dahil hindi naman ako sanay makilahok sa mga aktibidad na nagpipinta at gumuguhit. 

Ang tanging tumatakbo lamang sa aking isipan noon ay, “Paano kung tumagal ang proseso nila sa pagpipinta dahil hindi ko ito nagawa nang maayos?”

Hindi ko hinayaan na manguna ang pangamba ko. Nilakasan ko ang aking loob, kinuha ko ang lapis, at nagsimulang tumulong sa paglipat ng larawan sa canvas. Kanya-kanya kami ng puwesto upang mailipat nang pulido ang larawan. Habang tumatagal kami sa aming ginagawa, mas nagiging komportable ako sa aking pagguhit. 

Bukod-tangi ang talento sa pagguhit at pagpinta ng mga kababaihang aking kasama. Habang kami ay gumuguhit, mayroon na ring naghahalo ng mga pintura upang makapagsimula na ang iba. Mayroong mga nakapuwesto sa sahig, nakasandal sa pader, nasa labas, at nakapatong sa mesa ang canvas – halos magkakasabay ding nagsimula sa pagpinta. 

Nakakatuwa na makita ang kababaihan at ibang kalalakihan na nagtulong-tulong upang mabigyang buhay ang mga mukha na nakaguhit sa canvas. Hindi iniinda ang tuluy-tuloy ang paggawa, halos buong araw na nakaupo sa sahig ang iba. 

Ang aming ginawa ay ginamit sa “Babae, Babawi!” benefit gig at binitbit sa Women’s March noong Marso 8.

Kuha ng Rural Women Advocates

Kuha ng RUWA/Amihan

Naging masaya ako sa aktibidad na ito dahil kahit may mga duda sa sarili ay hindi ko naramdamang baguhan ako sa aking ginawa. Ipinaramdam ng mga kasamahan ko na hindi ko kailangan maging eksperto o magaling sa isang bagay para magawa ko ito. Hindi sila nagdalawang isip na tumulong kung merong kailangang ayusin.

Nagkaroon kami ng mas malinaw na perspektibo sa tulong ng mga organisadong pagkilos. Kagaya ni Je, naging inspirasyon namin ang mga taong nakasalamuha namin upang gumawa ng sining na nagsasabuhay ng mga karanasan ng magbubukid.

Nakita ko ang dedikasyon ng bawat isa, ang kanila puso para sa pagpaparating ng mga panawagan ng mga kababaihan. Hindi madali ang aming ginawa, nakakangawit at nangangailangan ng tiyaga. Dito ko napatunayang walang mahirap at nakakapagod na gawain basta sama-sama ang kababaihan para sa iisang layunin. – Rappler.com

Si Nica Bongco ay dating social worker at ngayon ay miyembro ng Rural Women Advocates. Mahalaga para sa kanya ang makisalamuha sa komunidad, at layunin niyang makapagbahagi ng kanyang mga karanasan.

Nabubuhay kang hindi tanggap. Ito na marahil ang pinakamasakit at pinakamahirap na pakiramdam na kailangang maranasan at nararanasan sa kasalukuyan ng mga miyembro ng LGBTQ+ community. Ang mga “transgender women,” halimbawa, na kahit anong gawin nilang pagpapakababae ay itinuturing pa rin silang mga lalaki, o di kaya ay mga “babaeng may lawit” sa lingguwahe ng mga hindi makaintindi at makatanggap sa kanilang pagkakakilanlan.

Isa ito sa mga namutawi sa kuwento nina Jea, JB, Rio, Andrei at Harley, mga transgender women mula Taguig City tungkol sa kanilang mga karansan sa diskriminasyon sa paaralan at sa kanilang trabaho. Pakinggan natin sila.

Photo courtesy of Edgar Bagasol

JB, 20

“Kapag nag-o-online class kami, sinasabihan ako ng teacher ko na, ‘Ang haba na naman ng buhok mo.’ Kailangan ko na raw magpagupit, ganyan. At ‘pag nangyayari ‘yun, nawawalan talaga ako ng gana. Parang gusto ko na lang tapusin ‘yung session at hindi na mag-focus doon sa lesson. Sa school kasi namin, public school, bawal talaga ang mahabang buhok sa mga lalaki. Tapos kahit online na nga lang kami nagkikita, bawal pa rin. Bawal din mag-makeup. Ano bang problema sa buhok ko? May konek ba siya sa pag-aaral ko? Bakit ako laging napapansin? Ako ba ‘yung lesson of the day? Sa public school kasi, ganoon talaga. Pero tinitiis ko na lang kasi hindi ko rin naman kayang mag-aral sa private school, eh. Doon kasi, mas tanggap. Tinitiis ko kasi pangarap talaga ng pamilya ko na makapagtapos ako at ayaw ko naman silang biguin. Saka part kasi ako ng student council, kaya kailangan kong sumunod at maging role model sa ibang students. Pero para sa akin kasi, hindi kailanman mali ang pag-e-express ng sarili sa kung papaano mo man gusto. Kasi ikaw ‘yan eh, at ‘yan ang gusto mo. Mahirap, pero wala akong magawa.”

Photo courtesy of Edgar Bagasol

Rio, 27

“’Yung mga nakaraan kong trabaho, okay naman sila sa mga bakla, pero pagdating sa pananamit, doon sila mahigpit. Sumusunod na lang ako kasi kung hindi, mawawalan ako ng trabaho. Masakit kasi wala kang magawa. Kailangan mo lang sumunod. May isang beses din, kwinestyon ang kasarian ko noong nag-a-apply ako bilang utility sa isang kumpanya. Sabi nila sa ‘kin, kailangan daw maikli ang buhok. Tapos dapat daw hindi ako doon sa CR ng babae maglilinis kasi baka matakot ‘yung mga nagsi-CR, kasi lalaki daw ako. Baka daw masilipan ko sila ‘pag nagbibihis. Tapos sinagot ko ‘yung HR. Sabi ko, ang trabaho ko dito maglinis, hindi para manilip. At saka, ‘Babae po ako,’ sabi ko talaga sa kanya. Sabi pa noong isa, ‘Okay lang naman sa akin, pero baka sa iba kasi hindi.’ After a week, tinawagan ako and sabi, tanggap daw ako. Natauhan siguro. Pero hindi na ‘ko pumunta. Hindi ko maatim ‘yung ganoong pagtrato nila sa mga kagaya namin. Tapos nag-apply ako sa isang call center company and natuwa ako kasi natanggap ako kaagad. Kinuha ako base sa kakayahan ko at hindi sa kasarian ko. Masaya ako dahil doon. Doon ko na-realize na may mga tumatanggap pa rin pala sa amin.”

Photo courtesy of Edgar Bagasol

Harly, 23

“Nagsi-CR po kasi ako sa babae. Napagsabihan kami na ‘wag daw doon mag-CR. Nakakahiya daw saka nakaka-conscious, kasi nakikita ko raw sila nagbibihis. Doon ako sa CR ng babae nagsi-CR, kasi feeling ko, mas safe ako doon at saka babae naman kasi ako. Ang sakit lang sa feeling na sabihan na ‘Lalaki ka pa rin’ at ”Di ka dapat doon mag-CR.’ Nakaka-down siya. Nakaka-depress siya kasi ang haba na ng buhok mo, tapos may suso ka na pero tingin pa rin nila sa ‘yo, lalake. Babae na may lawit. Ang sakit lang po. Tapos gugupitan ka pa para lang makapasok sa trabaho. Bakit kailangan kong baguhin ‘yung sarili ko para makapasok. Sa trabaho namin, ‘pag nalaman nilang bakla ka, idi-discriminate ka talaga nila. Sasabihin nila, ‘Pagbuhatin ‘nyo ‘yan, lalaki naman yan eh.’ Siyempre masakit pero ako, dedma lang. Umaalis ako sa puwesto na ‘yun para lang maiwasan sila. Pero ako, nagbubuhat po talaga ako ng mga sako-sako kasi kaya ko naman eh. Ginagawa ko lang trabaho ko.”

Photo courtesy of Edgar Bagasol

Jea, 24

“Sa school kasi talaga namin, bawal ang mga transgender [people]. Na-experience ko talaga ‘yung sisitahin ka ng guard dahil may makeup ka tapos bibigyan ka ng panyo tapos pupunasan mo sa harap niya. Siyempre nakakahiya ‘yun, tapos tatakbo na lang ako sa room para umiyak, kasi napahiya ako eh. So sabi namin ng mga kasama ko doong trans, parang ‘di namin deserve ‘yung ganitong treatment. Dahil matigas ulo namin, chinallenge namin ‘yung policy na ‘yun at nagbuo kami ng sarili naming organisasyon sa loob ng paaralan. We felt na kailangan naming ipaglaban ‘yung mga karapatan namin kasi maling-mali talaga ‘yung treatment sa amin eh. We just want to freely express ourselves. Natutuwa ako kasi hanggang ngayon, ‘yung organisasyon na binuo namin, tuloy-tuloy pa rin siya. ‘Yung mga transgender students doon, puwede na silang pumasok na mahaba ang buhok, naka-makeup at nakaka-proud ‘yun, kasi iba talaga ‘yung pakiramdam pag nae-express mo freely ‘yung sarili mo, eh. Ang saya lang na ngayon ay nagagwa na nila ‘yung gusto nila. Tapos, masaya din ako kasi nilu-look-up ako ng mga mas bata sa akin. Nakakatuwang malaman na mayroon din pala akong nai-inspire na tao.”

Photo courtesy of Edgar Bagasol

Andrei, 23

“Fortunate ako kasi sa amin, puwedeng magpahaba ng buhok. Tapos may sarili kaming CR. Puwede kaming magsuot ng kung anong gusto naming isuot. Fortunate ako kasi nabigyan ako ng chance na i-enjoy ‘yung sarili ko, tapos makakilala ng mga katulad ko rin na pareho ang nararamdaman sa eskwelahang iyon. Tanggap nila ang mga katulad namin pero nalulungkot na hindi lahat ng katulad namin ay may ganoong experience. Hindi nararanasan ng mga kaibigan kong trans ‘yung nararanasan ko. Hindi ko ma-imagine kung ano ang pakiramdam, pero alam kong mahirap. Mahirap mabuhay ‘pag ‘di ka tanggap.”

Ang mga karanasang ito nina Jea, JB, Rio, Andrei, at Harley ay naging mahirap hindi lang sa kanilang pag-aaral at trabaho, kung hindi sa pagsasabuhay ng kanilang pagkakakilanlan o kasarian bilang mga transgender women. Sa likod ng mga karanasang ito ay mga pangarap na ninanais nilang matupad.

Photo courtesy of Edgar Bagasol

Photo courtesy of Edgar Bagasol

“Gusto ko pong maging model. Mahilig kasi akong mag-model-model. Gusto ko ‘yung pakiramdam na kinukuhanan ako. Gusto ko ‘yung nakaka-engganyo ako ng tao tapos nai-inspire ko sila na kahit ano ka pa, kahit transgender ka pa, kaya mong maging maganda, kaya mong maging model. Gusto ko maging proud sila sa mga sarili nila regardless kung ano man sila o kung anuman itsura nila.” – JB

“Gusto ko talagang maging team leader, kasi mahilig ako mamuno. O ‘di kaya naman, maging influencer para madami akong ma-inspire. Gusto ko kasi ‘yung ganoon, ‘yung madaming tumitingala sa ‘yo. Gusto kong mag-iwan na mahalagang mark sa mundong ito. Gusto kong maalala ako dahil sa kung sino ako at sa kung anong nagawa ko. Gusto ko talagang maging inspirasyon sa iba.” – Rio

“Gusto kong pasukin ‘yung gaming industry. Gusto ko po talagang magtapos ng computer science; nahuhumaling po kasi ako sa pagsi-stream. Papatunayan ko po sa mundo na hindi lang po lalaki, babae ang nagse-streaming, kaya din po ng mga trans. Gusto ko pong iangat ‘yung community namin sa industry na ito.” – Harly

“Um, maging teacher. Nakakatuwa kasi na may mga taong natututo sa ‘yo. At tsaka na-imagine ko na, naka-makeup ako, mahaba ang buhok ko habang nagtuturo. Ang saya lang niya isipin tapos maraming kang nai-impluwensiyahan. Tuturuan mo ‘yung mga estudyante mo tungkol sa SOGIE para paglaki nila, fully aware na sila sa mga bagay na ganito and hindi sila mangdi-discriminate ng kapwa nila.” – Jea

“Pangarap ko pong maging fashion designer. Na-inspire kasi ako kay ate Jea sa mga drawings niya. Noong nakita ko ‘yung mga gawa niya, naiinggit talaga ako. Kaso dahil broken family kami, at hindi ko sigurado kung susuportahan ng mga kapatid ko yung pag-aaral ko. Baka mag-ibang landas muna ako para makaipon. Saka ‘yung mama ko lang ang bumubuhay sa amin, tapos ngayon, nawalan pa ng work. Mahirap kasi makaipon sa pagde-design eh. Pero pagka nagkaroon ako ng oportunidad para tuparin ang pangarap kong ‘to, iga-grab ko talaga.” – Andrei

– Rappler.com

Photo courtesy of Edgar Bagasol

Photo courtesy of Edgar Bagasol

Edgar Bagasol is a development worker in an HIV-focused NGO. One of their stakeholders are the transgender people. In his line of work, he was exposed to the glaring discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. Bagasol wrote this piece because he wanted to amplify and empower the LGBTQ+ community by giving them a platform to be seen and heard.

This piece was originally published on kuwentoph.wixsite.com.