"Marcos Jr. and Duterte are responsible for intensifying the economic crisis and fostering an administrative environment that protects the likes of Bong Suntay and Ferdinand Topacio that pervert recognized women figures and policymakers."

By KEVIN ORTIZBulatlat.com

IMUS, Cavite – Organizations in the Southern Tagalog commemorated International Working Women’s Day (IWWD) at Kalinisan, Bacoor City, Cavite on March 8 despite the provincial police’s disruption.

Gabriela Southern Tagalog led the protest with calls to end gender-based abuse and discrimination, and state-sponsored attacks against women and LGBTQIA+ activists, as well as the removal of the 12% value added tax (VAT).

Police forces tried to disrupt the demonstration by sounding their sirens and playing loud distracting music over the program.

“We will not allow police interference and disturbance to silence our calls. The economic crisis that plagues the nation is caused by imperialist greed that multiplies the hardships of women globally,” Krizia Cirujano, secretary-general of Gabriela Southern Tagalog said.

Meanwhile, women are forced to bear the weight of skyrocketing oil prices that exponentially increase the cost of basic necessities while also being on the receiving end of gender-based violence.

“Gender-based issues do not exist in a vacuum. They magnify and are magnified by pressing national issues that inch their way to livelihood and the fragile dynamics of a household. Marcos Jr. and Duterte are responsible for intensifying the economic crisis and fostering an administrative environment that protects the likes of Bong Suntay and Ferdinand Topacio that pervert recognized women figures and policymakers,” Cirujano said.

Jeverlyn Seguin, Aries Soledad, Paolo Tarra, and Jpeg Garcia were recognized during the mobilization as they were victims of terror-tagging and proposed persona non grata declarations.

“It comes to no surprise that women and members of the LGBTQ+ community are quick to serve the Filipino people and unite with their call for genuine social change. To try to declare these honorable leader activists as persona non grata in the province of Cavite is not only shameful, but it leaves no space for accountability from the military that continues to terrorize the Southern Tagalog region,” Cirujano said. “If anyone should be declared persona non grata in the province of Cavite, it should be the AFP and Task Force Ugnay given their long history of harassment in the form of red-tagging, surveillance, and terrorizing communities.”

Gabriela Southern Tagalog, sectoral organizations, and women advocates stood in solidarity with oppressed women across the globe, especially those who fell victim to the US-Israel’s wars of aggression on West Asia.

The program ended with the dancing of One Billion Rising (OBR) that symbolizes women’s continuing fight to dismantle the macho-feudal and patriarchal system that exploits women. 
“The fascist state and its police and military forces will never silence women and the LGBTQ+ community in our struggle to dismantle the broken system that exploits the people. So long as the fight for land, justice, and freedom continues, women will continue to build a better society that is truly governed by the people for the people,” Cirujano said. (AMU, DAA)

The post Southern Tagalog Women’s Day protest continues despite police disruption appeared first on Bulatlat.

From Bulatlat via This RSS Feed.