WeDpro, Inc. A feminist collective working for women’s empowerment

The following message was delivered by Camilla Hagström, Deputy Head of Operations, European Union Delegation to the Philippines, on the occasion of the WeDpro Launching and Signing of the Memorandum of Agreement with Local Government Officials in Angeles City and Olongapo City.

Leaders from government agencies and civil society, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning to all of you! I am very pleased to address you today, and even more pleased that this event is supported by the European Union (EU) through the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR).

I should say that human rights, democracy and the rule of law are core values of the European Union, and are therefore embedded in the EU’s founding treaties. The EU sees human rights as universal and indivisible and is actively promoting them within its borders and in its relations with our partner countries.

The EU’s human rights policy encompasses civil, political, economic and cultural rights. The EU considers the rights of the poor and vulnerable such as women, children and people belonging to minorities as well as displaced persons, requiring special attention in the promotion and protection of human rights. Out of the 8 guidelines adapted to date, the EU has even a set of thematic guidelines dedicated particularly to women and children. These are the EU Guidelines on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child, and the EU Guidelines on Violence against women and girls and combating all forms of discrimination against them. Over the last decade, the EU has taken important steps to prevent and combat trafficking and the exploitation of persons, and in particular of women and children. In 2005, the EU also adopted an Action Plan on best practices, standards and procedures for combating and preventing trafficking in human beings. The prevention of and the fight against human trafficking is a significant feature in the relations between the EU and its partner countries. In the next phase of our bilateral cooperation programme with the Philippines, our Governance programme will include efforts on antitrafficking. In implementing EU policies on human rights, we take a two-pronged approach: first, mainstreaming human rights concerns into all our policies and programs, and second, financing specific projects to promote and protect human rights. The WeDpro project, with a grant of €140 120.60 (approximately Php 9.8 Million) - is a reflection of such specific approach. (More project information is provided in the flyers distributed by WeDpro.)

I wish you all the best in the NGO-LGU collaboration towards an improved local cooperation and accountability of all stakeholders in human rights protection and promotion for all Filipinos, today and tomorrow. I look forward to hear about the achievements under this project in the
coming months.

Maraming salamat po! Thank you for your attention.

1-2 December 2009

The Philippine Women's Network for Peace and Security (PWNPS) condemns in the strongest possible terms the perpetrators of what is now referred to as the Maguindanao Massacre. Never in the most recent history of this bloodied nation have we seen this brutality of carnage, all for a possibility of a three year term as an official of this land!

As the figures continue to rise as bodies continue to be unearthed from the wasteland called Sharif Aguak, the municipality where more than 60 maimed and dismembered bodies of women, men and children have been recovered, we grieve and clench our fist in solidarity with the families and friends of those who died in this unbelievable massacre. As Fr. Jun Mercado (OMI) wrote:

"November 23rd is now etched in the history of the province as the day of shameless ignominy. On that day, a convoy of the women folks of the Mangudadatu clan accompanied by media people and their women lawyers on their way to the Capitol of the Province in Sharif Aguak municipality was stopped by PNP forces with hundreds of armed civilian volunteer organizations (under the command of the PNP) along the national highway in Ampatuan municipality. The convoy was directed to take the farm road leading to a deep hole meant to be the mass grave of the entire members of the convoy and also the other vehicles that happened to follow the convoy. This COMELEC decision [to transfer its satellite office in Sharif Aguak and the requirement to file the certificates of candidacy in the `capitol' ] has forced the Mangudadatu to go into the heartland of the Ampatuan clan. The Vice Mayor Toto Mangudadatu decided to go and file his certificate of candidacy. But he was prevailed upon by the mother to let the women do the filing… The mother and the religious leaders believed that an all-women delegation accompanied by media people and women lawyers would be respected. Islam strongly enjoins believers to respect women and children even during times of war."

We were all wrong. Even in "peace time", women are not given dignity. In Islam where women and children are supposedly not to be harmed even in war, the massacre showed us that the murderers had no heart, no soul to follow this revered moral and religious tradition.

To date, except for the supposed "voluntary surrender" of one Ampatuan guy, which was done in the most civil, kids' gloved manner, no one has been charged. Despite all the bravura of announcements upon announcements from Malacañang calling for justice for the victims, no one has been able to tell the Filipino people who masterminded the massacre. Despite the presence of the backhoe officially traced to the local government offices. "Circumstantial evidence", says our officials and probers. Cannot hold water in court, they say in haste even before any proper and genuine investigation could happen. How could they think that all Filipinos are naive or stupid!

It appears, as eyewitness accounts slowly come out, that the "grave" meant to hold people and vehicle, had been dug days before.

More than 20 journalists were killed. Women and children from the Mangudadatu clan are dead. Two women lawyers, Concepcion “Connie” Brizuela 56, and Cynthia Oquendo 35, died. How many more bodies does Malacanang want to have to begin in earnest, and with deep respect for the victims' families and the entire nation, arresting the mastermind and the implementers of this crime!

On November 29th, women's organizations and human rights group commemorate the fourth International Day for Women Human Rights Defenders and anniversary of the First International Consultation on Women Human Rights Defenders (WHRDs), organized in 2005 by several human rights organizations in SriLanka. From November 25 to December 10 is the global commemoration of the “16 Days of Activism Campaign to Eliminate Violence against Women and Children”. On December 10, the world celebrates International Human Rights Day.

With the Maguindanao Massacre, these commemorations are more deeply felt and assume greater significance. These in fact are not simply events to remember; these are the gruesome reminders that despite the modernity of our civilization, uncivilized evil reside in our midst.

The GMA Administration must take full responsibility for the Maguindanao Massacre. The blood of the victims lay on the doors of Malacañang.

Justice for the victims of the Maguindanao Massacre!

Justice for our journalists and media people!

Justice for our Women Human Rights Defenders!

Justice for the Filipino people!

November 28, 2009
WeDpro, Inc.
PWNPS Secretariat
Ref: admin [at] wedprophils [dot] org

An Open Letter to COMELEC

The decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to bar Ang Ladlad from being accredited as a party-list organization and run for office in the 2010 elections is one of the most absurd, unintelligent, unfair and discriminatory actions this institution has ever undertaken in recent times.

I remember that the first time Ang Ladlad applied for accreditation and was eventually denied, COMELEC posted the reason that it was not sure whether the LGBT organization had adequate membership. Now, its reason is about Ang Ladlad being a moral threat to the youth and to society. Isn't this blatant discrimination that violates all international standards of human rights to which the Philippine Government has affixed its signature? Is the COMELEC above international standards and the Philippine Government's accountability to the United Nations?

I am glad that the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) headed by Atty. Leila Delima has taken up the cudgels for Ang Ladlad. Since the CHR itself sees the illegitimacy of the COMELEC'S decision, how could COMELEC be right?

The various forms of protest over this uninformed and biased decision of COMELEC have drawn together various personalities, organizations and social movements together -- "straight" and gays/lesbians/transgenders and persons of different sexuality orientations -- to expose the bankcruptcy of COMELEC'S action. While in other countries, homosexuals have been elected to office and taken on prime decision-making positions, the Philippines is sliding back to medieval times when anything that is not the "norm" of the ruling elite is punished, banished, destroyed.

The COMELEC is the body that draws up policies so that citizens of this country can exercise their rightful duty to participate in electoral processes as duly authorized by the Constitution. By non-accreditation of Ang Ladlad, -- and accreditation of dubious pary-list groups, including groups of human rights violators, rapists, goons and criminals -- COMELEC has merely exposed its bigoted moral values, worse, its non-existent moral ascendancy to continue exercising its mandate. It lacks the credibility, therefore, to even question Ang Ladlad's integrity as not only an organization of LGBTs, but as an organization of marginalized, discriminated and silenced sectors of the population.

COMELEC must heed the call of the people. COMELEC must accredit Ang Ladlad. COMELEC must abide by the human rights standards to which it is accountable as part of Government. COMELEC must end its discriminatory policies.

Peace and enlightenment upon you, Commissioners Nicodemo T. Ferrer, Lucenito Tagle and Elias Yusoph.

WeDpro, Inc.

Ref:
Aida F. Santos
Chairperson, Board of Directors