Written for The Diplomat
A report by British advocacy group Global Witness highlighted the continuing attacks against environmental defenders in the Philippines.
Its latest report documented 16 killings in Asia in 2022, 11 of which took place in the Philippines. Since 2012, the Philippines has been listed by the group as the worst place in Asia for land and environmental defenders, with 281 people killed. The group further noted that a significant number of the victims were advocates against destructive large-scale mining operations.
President Marcos has not commented on the issue which is consistent with his silence on issues related to human rights. He never mentioned the human rights record of his administration in his recent State of the Nation address. Ironically, Marcos has called for global action to fight climate injustice. He should at least lead by example by taking concrete steps to enhance the country’s readiness to face the harsh impact of climate change. This includes reversing harmful and destructive projects which are mostly sponsored by prominent tycoons, and also providing protection to environmentalists who help ensure that communities are empowered and organized to sustain a cleaner and greener future.
Philippines Suspends New Travel Rules Amid Public Outcry
Written for The Diplomat
The Philippine government suspended its revised travel guidelines for Filipinos going abroad after legislators, business groups, travel agencies, and migrants described the new requirements as “coercive, restrictive, and redundant.”
Labor group Migrante reminded authorities to focus on the more essential aspects of the anti-trafficking campaign. “The government should go after human traffickers, and not their victims. It can only counter human trafficking effectively if it starts creating decent jobs at home – and stop its intensification of the country’s labor export program,” the group said in a statement.
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