GABRIELA-Southern Mindanao

20/08/2026

Public health cannot survive under political oppression. Reclaiming our health requires reclaiming our power. Let us organize in our communities, join hands with our health workers, and build a movement that forces the ruling elite to listen.

Look around you. Ask yourself a simple question: Why is getting sick in the Philippines still a death sentence for the poor? When a mother has to queue at three in the morning outside a public hospital just to get a number… when a father has to choose between buying his maintenance medicine or put...

20/08/2026

Stand with Indigenous peoples in resisting Pax Silica which will plunder our nation's natural resources and displace the Aeta.

Join us for Pax Silica, Batukan! to hear from researchers and community members about the impacts of Pax Silica.

📅 August 29, 2026 | 1:00–5:00 PM
📍 Ateneo de Davao University

Yuta ug Bahandi, Depensahan! Pax Silica, Batukan!

18/08/2026

16 years ago, from August 13-16, 2010, women from all over the world gathered in Montreal, Canada for an International Anti-imperialist Conference under the banner “For a Militant Global Women’s Movement in the 21st Century - Celebrating the Centennial of International Women’s Day”. On the final day of the conference the International Women’s Alliance was founded as a culmination of the three days of workshops, speakers, and fellowship between attendees. In calling for the conference and launching of IWA organizers stated: “We have heard of each others’ struggles, internationally and locally, have drawn lessons from them, supported each other where possible. The time has come to link ourselves organizationally to form a powerful, progressive, anti-imperialist, women’s movement in the world!”

Today, the International Women’s Alliance continues to advance campaigns, to link members together, and to carry forward the militant legacy of the sisters who have been fighting for women’s genuine emancipation and liberation for over a century. IWA has grown our membership around the world and advanced our campaigns globally and on the country and local level. Our two global regions that unite members in Asia-Pacific and Europe have planned political gatherings, conferences and campaigns that brought women together across borders to advance our solidarity and sisterhood. IWA members in Canada, the United States and the Philippines have also held country-level gatherings that have carried out militant actions confronting arm-sales conferences, international governmental forums, and fascist migrant detention centers to further advance the unity of organizations on the national level.

🔗Continue to read the statement on our website: https://www.internationalwomensalliance.org/en/statements/iwa16anniv

17/08/2026

14/08/2026

Drop the Charges Against Sis. Jacq Ruiz! Defend Women Workers’ Rights and Human Rights Defenders!

Women Workers United (WWU) strongly condemns the filing of what we believe are baseless and politically motivated charges against Sis. Jacq Ruiz, WWU Co-Convenor, Spokesperson of the Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan (KMK), and a woman worker human rights defender, in connection with the Labor Day 2026 protest.

The issuance of an arrest warrant and the filing of charges against Jacq Ruiz for allegedly violating Article 153 of the Revised Penal Code constitute a disturbing form of judicial harassment and an attempt to criminalize the legitimate exercise of workers’ rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and protest. Labor Day is a historic occasion when workers around the world collectively raise their demands for decent work, living wages, job security, freedom of association, and social justice. Participating in such democratic action must never be treated as a crime.

As a woman worker leader and human rights defender, Jacq Ruiz has consistently stood with workers, particularly women workers, in advancing their rights and dignity. Her targeting sends a chilling message to women workers and women leaders who speak out against injustice, inequality, exploitation, and violations of workers’ rights. The harassment and persecution of women worker leaders must stop. Women workers must be protected—not silenced—for exercising their fundamental rights.

WWU calls on the government and concerned authorities to immediately drop all charges against Jacq Ruiz and end all forms of judicial harassment and intimidation against her and other labor leaders including Kilusang Mayo Uno Chairperson Jerome Adonis and Joseph Mallari. We likewise call for respect for the constitutional rights to freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, association, and collective action, as well as the Philippines’ commitments to fundamental labor and human rights standards.
Instead of prosecuting workers who raise legitimate concerns, the government must address the worsening conditions that compel workers to take to the streets: inadequate wages, precarious employment, violations of freedom of association, unsafe workplaces, discrimination, violence and harassment, and the continuing erosion of workers’ rights.

Women Workers United stands firmly with Sister Jacq Ruiz and all workers and human rights defenders facing harassment and persecution. We will not be silenced.

Drop the charges against Jacq Ruiz!

Defend women worker leaders and human rights defenders!

Protect freedom of association, expression, and peaceful assembly!�Stop the criminalization of workers’ legitimate struggles!

Respect and uphold workers’ and women’s human rights!

13/08/2026

| HANDS OFF JACQ RUIZ!
Drop all trumped-up charges against labor leaders and activists!

National women’s alliance GABRIELA strongly denounces the recent issuance of arrest warrants against Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan (KMK) Spokesperson Jacq Ruiz and Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Chairperson Jerome Adonis over fabricated charges of violating Article 153 of the Revised Penal Code in connection with this year’s Labor Day protest.

This judicial harassment, based on baseless allegations by the Manila Police District and rubber-stamped without a proper preliminary investigation, exposes the US-Marcos regime’s fear of the militant labor and women’s movement. It is an obvious attempt to criminalize protest and stifle the people’s growing demand for a living wage, job security, the right to unionize, and national sovereignty.

We see this as part of the US-Marcos regime’s escalating crackdown on democratic rights—a pattern evident in the violent dispersals and mass arrests during significant protests, including International Working Women’s Day, Labor Day, and the recent State of the Nation Address (SONA). In that SONA, Marcos Jr. further proved his absolute lack of regard for the plight of workers, as he failed to respond to living wage calls and other demands of workers and instead opted to unleash vitriol against them. While the Marcos Jr. regime plunges the nation deeper into economic crisis, subservience to foreign dictates, and corruption, it responds to the people’s legitimate grievances not with solutions, but with harassment, intimidation, and legal persecution.

The specific targeting of Jacq Ruiz, a woman labor leader, further exposes the macho-fascist character of the corrupt and puppet Marcos regime.

GABRIELA stands in firm solidarity with the KMK, KMU, and all workers under attack. We call on all women’s groups, human rights advocates, and the Filipino people to vehemently expose and oppose this fascist tactic.

No amount of judicial terror can extinguish the people’s fight for their rights. We must amplify our protests, strengthen our ranks, and resist all forms of state repression. Drop all trumped-up charges against Jacq Ruiz, Jerome Adonis, and all persecuted activists now!

13/08/2026

KARAPATAN ANG MAGSALITA PARA SA MANGGAGAWA! JUNK THE BOGUS CHARGES AGAINST JACQ RUIZ AND JEROME ADONIS!

Mariing kinukundina ng Kilusan ng Manggagawang Kababaihan (KMK) ang paghain ng Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 28 ng warrants of arrest laban kina KMK Spokesperson Jacq Ruiz at Kilusang Mayo Uno Chairperson Jerome Adonis hinggil sa Art. 153 ng Revised Penal Code (tumults and disturbances of public order) sa protesta ng mga nagkakaisang manggagawa noong May 1, 2026.

Ang Mayo Uno, o Labor Day, ay araw para gunitain ang mga manggagawa na sentral sa pag-ikot ng ekonomiya ng bansa ngunit hinaharap ang matinding pambabarat sa sahod, sumisirit na presyo ng bilihin, kawalan ng benepisyo at regular na trabaho at panggigipit sa tuwing nagsasama-samang tumindig laban sa pagsasamantala. Dagdag pa para sa mga kababaihang manggagawa, nananatili ang mas matinding kawalan ng ligtas at regular na trabaho pati na ang diskriminasyon at abuso sa mundo ng paggawa.

Tampok sa Mayo Uno 2026 na nilahukan ng libu-libong manggagawa sa buong bansa ang laban para sa P1200 National Minimum Wage at pagtanggal sa kontraktwalisasyon. Ipinapakita lamang ng rehimeng ito na mas gustong nitong supilin at pasistahin ang mga manggagawa kaysa pakinggan ang mga panawagan lalo na at kamakailan lamang ay binawi ang kakarampot na ngang P85 wage increase sa NCR.

Karapatan ng bawat manggagawa, higit lalo ng mga kababaihang manggagawa na kinakatawan ni Jacq Ruiz at ng KMK, ang tumindig at magsalita hinggil sa mga isyu ng na hinaharap ng mga manggagawa sa Pilipinas. Ang paglalabas ng warrants of arrest laban kina Jacq at sa mga manggagawang nanguna sa pagtindig sa Mayo Uno ay pawang pag-apak sa karapatan ng bawat Pilipino na maging kritikal at kilalanin ang kanilang kalayaan sa pamamahayag o freedom of speech. Sa kabila ng harassment at panggigipit ng rehimeng Marcos sa pamamagitan ng pagsampa ng gawa-gawang kaso, buo ang loob ni Jacq at ng marami pang manggagawa na tumindig at lumaban para sa katarungan.

Ibasura ang gawa-gawang kaso kay Jacq Ruiz, Jerome Adonis at iba pang bahagi ng protestang Mayo Uno! Sa halip na gipitin ang manggagawang tumitindig, harapin ng gobyerno ang panawagan ng manggagawang Pilipino: itaas ang sahod, isakatuparan ang national minimum wage, wakasan ang kontraktwalisasyon, tanggalin ang VAT at isulong ang ekonomyang umiiral hindi sa interes ng dayuhan kundi sa kinabukasan ng mga karaniwang manggagawa ng bayan!

13/08/2026

Analysis and commentary by BAYAN President Renato Reyes Jr. (August 12, 2026):

Marcos 2027 budget — Preserving the status quo amid resilient corruption

Tuwing bumabagyo at bumabaha, tanong ng taumbayan, saan ba napupunta ang buwis na binabayaran natin? Bakit lagi na lang kalunos-lunos ang kalagayan ng mamamayan? Suriin natin ang proposed 2027 budget ni Marcos Jr.

In his budget message upon the submission of the National Expenditure Program, President Bongbong Marcos Jr said that his proposed budget “reflects our unwavering commitment to building a resilient, inclusive, and prosperous nation”. He calls the proposed 2027 budget as a “strategic investment in the Filipino people and in our country’s future.” This is again the biggest proposed budget in history, now at P7.2 trillion compared to this year’s P6.79 trillion and last year’s P6.32 trillion.

This year’s budget message carries the theme “people-centered growth for an inclusive and resilient future.” But looking at the submitted NEP, we see a budget that seeks to preserve the rotten status quo that has deprived millions of Filipinos a decent future.

The national budget is not just a document containing the line items and funding for programs, activities and projects. The budget is a policy statement on the priorities of the national government. Here we see what the real priorities of Marcos Jr. The regime has no program for national industrialization and genuine land reform and economic self-reliance. It merely upholds the backward, pre-industrial economic set up and the old foreign-investment-led, export-oriented, import-dependent and debt-driven economy. Marcos hails the World Bank’s classification of the Philippines as an upper-middle income economy even if by his own admission, economic growth has been sluggish in 2026 and that the peso has significantly weakened.

Debt servicing on interest payments alone for 2027 is at P1.114 trillion, bigger than the proposed budget of the Department of Education for 2027 which is at P976 billion. The proposed DepEd budget is already lower than this year’s budget of P1.015 trillion. Total debt servicing for 2027 may reach a staggering P2.704 trillion, up from last year’s P2.045 trillion. Total debt servicing eats up 37.5% of the proposed P7.2 trillion budget.

The proposed budget for health under the NEP is at P353.8 billion, lower than last year’s P448.125 million. The combined propsed housing budget for 2027 is at P5.5 billion, a far cry from the requested P60 billion requested by the DHSUD. The proposed budget for agriculture is at P261 billion which is lower than last year’s enacted budget of P297.1 billion.

The biggest budget gainers are the DPWH with P664 billion (up from last year’s P530 billion) and DoTr with P302 billion (up from last year’s P141 billion). The proposed 2027 budget will see the return of the dreaded “flood control projects” now at around P107.4 billion. Absent meaningful structural or systemic changes, since the system of bureaucrat capitalism is still entrenched, the proposed flood control projects will likely end up in corruption as well. The surge in the DoTr budget is said to be due to proposed railway projects.

The economic managers may be thinking that infrastructure projects are needed to pump-prime the economy amid the slowdown caused by the global crisis. But without the necessary development of the domestic economy which includes agriculture and industry, the pump-priming from these infrastructure projects will be largely window dressing of the economy.

The BCDA, which is at the center of the Pax Silica initiative, has a proposed budget of P1.983 billion for 2027, or P836 million more than it’s 2026 approved budget, or a whopping 73% increase. The surge in appropriations coincides with the aggressive push for Pax Silica in Central Luzon.

Of the total amount of P10.77 billion for confidential and intelligence funds for 2027, 42% or P4.55 billion are lodged under the Office of the President. Marcos Jr still has the biggest CIF of all the other agencies. Why are we against the existence of confidential and intelligence funds? Because no matter how "stringent" the existing guidelines, the proponents of the CIF are able to circumvent the guidelines and abuse the funds. The opaque nature of these lump-sum funds is the problem. The proponents are given wide discretion on how to use billions of taxpayers' money notwithstanding the existing guidelines. There are no line items or breakdown for these special funds. Any funding that is lump-sum and discretionary is simply pork barrel and gives rise to corruption.

How will Marcos fund the P7.2 trillion national budget when 2027 revenue collection is projected to be only at Php 5.206 trillion? Through more loans of course. Marcos is already on his way to beating Duterte's 6-year borrowing binge by this year.

The people must expose the anti-people, anti-national and anti-development budget. The people must fight the budget cuts in social services. The people must expose the unchanged corrupt system of bureaucrat capitalism which threatens again to make the budget the personal ATM’s of corrupt officials.

The only “resilience” we are seeing in this budget is that of unmitigated corruption. The only “people” this budget is centering on are the ruling-elite who continue to benefit from the prevailing system. The only path we are left with is collective resistance and opposition.

(Photo from IBC-13)

09/08/2026

From the International Women's Alliance: Honor International Day of the World's Indigenous People! Defend the land from corporate plunder! (August 9, 2026)

Read more: https://www.internationalwomensalliance.org/en/statements/idwip-2026

09/08/2026