The municipality of Amadeo is famous for its Pahimis blend that is a combination of the robusta, arabica, and excelsa varieties. It has more than 4,700 hectares dedicated to coffee production in the uplands of Cavite. This has made coffee the main crop and economic driver of the town. 

However, for 67-year old Lucinda Amparo, former municipal agricultural officer of Amadeo and a coffee farmer herself for 37 years, the town’s main economic driver has slowly been overshadowed by several other cash crops in the town. 

“As of present, hindi na katulad ng dati ang kape gawa ng climate change at gawa ng ang kape ay tumatanda na. Ngayon, dahil ang lupa namin ay marami nang tanim, hindi na masyadong nag-bobloom ang kape. May mga prutas na kasi,” Amparo said. 

(As of present, the quality and quantity of harvest is not the same because of climate change and aging coffee. Since our farms have a variety of planted crops, coffee cherries do not bloom that much anymore.)

Drastic environmental impacts

Among the several factors of the climate crisis that greatly impacted the Amadeo coffee industry was the Taal ashfall in January 2020. 

According to Arnold Bay, secretary and licensed coffee evaluator of Cafe Amadeo Development Cooperative, the impact was not only on the number of harvests but also on the quality of the coffee affected by the ashfall. 

“During that time, sad to say, nag-close ang Cafe Amadeo. Malaking epekto sa income namin at kung paano ang kakainin sa susunod na araw, ” Bay said. 

(During that time, sadly, Cafe Amadeo had to close. It had huge effects on our income and what we will eat in the following days.)

Following the enhanced community quarantine announcement, operations were hampered for the cooperative. The impediment caused significant fallouts in its agricultural economy being that it is among the local cooperatives that supports more than 500 of its members. 

The coop’s recovery was also disrupted by persistent challenges of extreme, variable weather conditions experienced in the country. This affected the consistency in farming practices and stability of yields that severely affected farmers’ income. 

As a solution, the Department of Agriculture in Amadeo, of which Amparo was agricultural officer until 2022, recommended intercropping of coffee plants along with other fast-growing crops such as corn, banana, and rambutan among others.

Degenerating coffee economy

This government intervention also aimed to address the declining income sources of local farmers who are highly-dependent on coffee farming. “Nagtatanim pa ng iba pang crops dahil kailangan talaga kumita. Halimbawa, nag-ani ka ngayon ng saging, after two (2) days ay may aanihin ka na ulit. Iba ang kape, maaani mo siya matapos ng tatlo o apat na taon,” she added.

(Farmers have to plant other crops because they really have to generate extra income. For example, if you harvest bananas now, you can harvest again after two days. It’s different for coffee because you will only harvest it in three to five years.)

According to Amparo and Cafe Amadeo, there was a time coffee production alone could sustain every farmer’s household throughout a year because of abundant harvests. However, recently, this has not been enough to tide them over annually. 

“Para sa mga farmers na walang pinagkukunan ng trabaho, hindi talaga [sapat]. 500 kada isang lata. Kung maka-ani lang sila ng dalawampung lata [sa isang taon], paano nila mai-budget monthly ang pera nila?” Amparo said. 

(For farmers who do not have other sources of income, it’s not [enough]. 1 can cost Php 500 each. If they only get to harvest 20 cans in a year, how will they budget their income for that monthly?)

Furthermore, the cost of labor to coffee farmers also has unstable rates. “Ang pagbabayad ay arawan at nagre-range ng P500 – 700 per day. Malaking bagay para sa isang [farm] owner na magbabayad siya tapos iyong na-harvest ng laborer ay hindi naman karamihan,” Bay said.

(Payment is daily and ranges from Php 500 – 700 a day. That’s a lot for a farm owner to pay that much while harvest for coffee is little.)

Other experienced challenges

The aging coffee, its farmers, and the absence of a motivated youth sector in coffee farming are major burdens of the Amadeo coffee industry. 

Farm lot owners in Amadeo have options to hire laborers to continue coffee farming. However, as farmers themselves age, the number of laborers also decreases together with the pay that both lot owners and farmers get.

Younger generations also lack the interest and motivation to be involved in coffee farming because of the long waiting periods for harvest. “Siyempre, ang gusto ng mga kabataan ay akinse o katapusan ay may kita. Eh kasi nga naman kapag farming, hihintayin mo siya. Kahit na umani ka ng libo, hihintayin mo siya,” she said.

(Younger generations want to have income by the mid- or end of the month. In farming, you will have to wait. Even if you can harvest thousands of yields, you still have to wait.)

Rich taste of hope

The local government and Cafe Amadeo are striving to assist the industry through various livelihood projects and loaning programs.

“Isa sa advocacy ng Cafe Amadeo ay ang tulungan ang mga taga-rito sa Amadeo (sa paghahanap buhay). Ang goal ni Cafe Amadeo ay matulungan ang mga farmers para ang mga nahaharvest nila na kape ay mayroong mapagdalhan,” Bay explained. 

(Among the advocacies of Cafe Amadeo is to help citizens of Amadeo in their livelihoods. Our goal is to help our local farmers so that the coffee that they harvest will have a place to go to.)

Despite these initiatives, Amadeo farmers believe that there is hardly an emphasis on the town’s then-plentiful coffee farming. However, this does not dull their hope of redeeming back the title of being the country’s coffee capital. 

Their one big message? Keep the fight alive. 

“Para maging coffee capital kami ulit, kumbaga sa tulong ng local government unit (LGU) at Cafe Amadeo, at the same time, mahalaga ang tulong ng bawat isa. Hindi kakayanin ng farmer lang, o LGU lang, o Cafe Amadeo lang. Mahalagang tulong tulong ang lahat,” Amparo said as she emphasized on the significance of the participation of every sector in the community.

(For Amadeo to be the coffee capital again, through the help of the local government and Cafe Amadeo, at the same time, every person’s help is important. A farmer alone, the LGU alone, or Cafe Amadeo alone cannot do this. Every single effort is important.)  – Rappler.com

Joey Alberto is a Development Communication undergraduate from the University of the Philippines Los Banos. She is currently a volunteer for Rappler’s MovePH to practice and hone her interests in community and development journalism.

Sarrat police identified the village officials as Arniel Paulino of Barangay 1, Reynante Hermano of Barangay 24, Agnes Domingo of Barangay 12, Jil Aguilar of Barangay 16, and Richard Agpaoa of Barangay 11 – all from the same political party.

All five barangay captains personally reported to the Sarrat Municipal Police Station the alleged threat against their lives on Tuesday, December 12, after they received wrapped gifts with a “white ribbon, an angpao (red envelope) with a small black pin inside, a candle, and a black shawl.” These items are used as part of funeral customs and traditions in the province.

After they received the gifts, all of the barangay captains received the a text message written in Ilokano from an unknown number that said, “Naimbag ken nagasat a bigat apo Capitan Naawat mo met laeng tay regalo [?] (Good Morning barangay captain, did you receive the gift[?])”

Investigators said that all the village captains believed that the act was connected to the upcoming Liga elections in Sarrat on December 15.

The Liga ng mga Barangay is an organization of all barangays throughout the country which is composed of different chapters, including the municipal, city, provincial, metropolitan, regional, and national chapters.

The duly elected president of the Liga at the municipal, city, and provincial chapters shall serve as ex-officio members of the Sangguniang Bayan, Sangguniang Panlungsod, and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, respectively.

The police said that one of the five village chiefs seeking protection is eyeing to be elected as president of the Sarrat chapter of the Liga.

Police said that they have augmented the security and law enforcement operations in Sarrat town following the incident. The village officials were also provided with security to ensure their safety.

Other possible motives are being looked into, said police,

 Captain Reycar Almazan, Sarrat police officer-in-charge, said in a separate press conference on Wednesday that the gifts were left at the barangay halls, and some were left in front of their houses.

The incident happened nearly two weeks after the killing of Helen Abrigado, a village chief from nearby Marcos town.

On December 1, Abrigado was shot dead by still unidentified men while she was on her way home after attending the Christmas kick-off at the Marcos municipal hall. – Rappler.com

Various organizations assisting these families are calling for volunteers and donations. They are hoping to raise enough funds for these refugees to remain together as one community.

The refugees are mostly families of Filipina wives who converted to Islam and married Palestinian citizens, then benefited from the Philippine government’s repatriation program for Filipinos in Gaza. The Gazan refugees initially settled in the UP campus starting late October. 

Half of the refugees are pure Gazans – some of whom are professionals back in their homeland.

The groups that mobilized to help the refugees include the Philippines-Palestine Friendship Association (PPFA), Sandugo – Movement of Moro and Indigenous Peoples for Self-Determination, Philippine Palestine Solidarity Center, and the University of the Philippines Student Regent. 

“The PPFA, they were the first to respond, and sought our help through this UP engagement. They think that because we are national minorities, like we work with Lumads, we work with Maranaos in the Marawi siege… UP, through the student regent talked directly to the chancellor because I think UP has a statement that was released supporting Palestine,” said Sandugo Movement co-chairperson Amirah Lidasan, in a mix of Filipino and English. 

Through its previous engagements, such as its annual Lakbayan for Lumad communities, UP Diliman has sought to be a sanctuary for marginalized communities and national minorities. 

According to Lidasan, various advocacy groups reached out to the UP Student Regent for assistance to house refugees within the campus. Through this combined effort, the Philippine Palestine Solidarity Center was formed. 

Lidasan pointed out how Gazans have suffered much violence yet have only left their homes for shelter in a foreign country during this recent war.

“Actually, ngayon lang kami nakameet ng Gazans, I don’t know kung papaano kasi ‘di naman talaga sila umaalis sa kanilang lugar. Nung nagkaroon ng repatriation, doon mo na makikita na talagang karamihan ay Gazans,” said Lidasan.

(Actually, it is the first time we met Gazans, I don’t know how because they don’t really leave their place. When there was repatriation, we noticed that most of them were actually Gazans.)

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The UP Student Regent also lent their support to raise awareness for the refugees’ plight through the UP system-wide Day of Solidarity for Palestine on December 7 which consists of donation drives and other activities to support their needs. 

Assisting refugees

While the university offered its facilities for their shelter, students and professors took part by donating clothes and cooking food for the refugees. Religious Muslim groups such as Tahabas Man Foundation also helped build a makeshift kitchen for refugees so they could prepare their own preferred Palestinian food.

Apart from in-kind donations, there are also available centers offered by religious groups in Southern Tagalog and Cavite that house refugees privately. Certain individuals also helped by setting up their own donation drives on social media and helping crowdsource for leads to possible shelters. 

However, Lidasan also said that, despite the outpouring of support from groups and individuals, there is a limit to these resources. Private efforts are filling gaps in government policy. She urged government to play a bigger role.

While the government had promised to give its “utmost support” for Filipino refugees and their families, most of them still do not have a place to go upon arriving in the Philippines. According to Lidasan, there were even reports of Filipinos being stranded in airports. Thus the need to keep releasing press conferences and connect with different centers that are willing to host families.  

“They [government] played the hero that yes we will repatriate the Filipinos…but they also created a problem because where will these families go? If they promised you, how far is the repatriation?,” she said. 

To address these gaps, Lidasan demands that the government boost additional support for these families.

“Sagutin nila yung rights na dapat na ibigay sa mga kasamahan nating Palestinian as refugees, and itong hinihingi nitong mga kababayan natin – kasi pamilya ‘yan na pinromise-an so dala-dala nila yung bulk ng families nila na…wala nang connections dito,” she added. 

(They should address the rights of our fellow Palestinian as refugees, and what Filipinos are asking for – because they promised to those families and they are bringing the bulk of their families here who no longer have connections here.) 

Ways to help

Given the current challenge in securing a new shelter for these refugees, religious advocates along with student organizations are calling for volunteers, and accepting monetary and in-kind donations.

You may extend your assistance through the following organizations. All of these will be consolidated through the Philippines-Palestine Friendship Association:

• Philippines-Palestine Friendship Association
• Philippine Palestine Solidarity Center
• UP Office of the Student Regent 
• Philippine Collegian
• Kabataan Partylist 

Aside from the donations, Lidasan highlighted that it is also important to amplify their voices and give them a platform to air their concerns.

“Amplify their voices, tell their stories about them. So let’s help, that’s what we’re asking the public… Let’s give [them] dignity,” Lidasan added in a mix of English and Filipino. – Rappler.com  

The International Day of Human Rights celebration is observed annually by different countries following the 1948 United Nations General Assembly that adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This year, the theme of the celebration “Freedom, Equality, and Justice for All” highlights the new and ongoing struggles on the recent pandemic, conflicts, climate justice, and rampant inequalities. 

As part of the celebration, various groups are holding different events and activities to highlight the diverse aspects of human rights that are being advocated for in the country. 

Here is a developing list of events joining for the celebration of the human rights declaration: 

Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission BARMM

The Bangsamoro Human Rights Commision BARMM is organizing “Run for Kawagib” on Sunday, December 10, 5:30 am, at Bangsamoro Government Center in Cotabato City. The theme for the event “Kawagib for All: Dignity, Freedom, Preservation of Identity, Peace and Justice” is pursued for the benefit of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of Maguindanao del sur. 

Registration ragnes from P50 to P100. Cash prizes also await winners from the men and women division. 

You can register online through this link, or visit the following stations:

• BHRC Regional Office at 1F, Japan ARMM Friendship Hall and Training Center Bldg., Bangsamoro Government Center, Cotabato City.
• BHRC Provincial Office Mag-Sur at door 6, 2F, Building 2, Al Nor Complex, RH IX, Cotabato City
• BHRC Provincial Office NCCPO at City Traders Lower Ground, Governor Gutierez Avenue, RH7, Cotabato City 

Engage Media

Engage Media, in partnership with the University of the Philippines Film Institute, DAKILA, Active Vista, Foundation for Media Alternatives, Cinemata, and Computer Professionals’ Union, premieres #TechTalesYouth, a digital rights film collection made by local and international filmmakers on Thursday, December 7, at the University of the Philippines Diliman Cine Adarna.

Human Rights Institute-Commission on Human Rights 

The Human Rights Institute is holding a 75-day campaign from September 27 to December 10 as part of the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 

The celebration of Human Rights Day will also feature competitions that encourage discourse on human rights through different forms of art. Among them are the 2nd Inter-Law School Human Rights Debate Tournament, extemporaneous speech and singing contests. The finalists will be invited to present their performances on Thursday, December 7, at 9 am and 1pm respectively, via Zoom. 

The semi-final and final rounds of the Inter-Law School Human Rights Debate will take place at the Hive Hotel in Quezon City. The date is still to be announced. 

The Human Rights Institute is also holding the 2023 Gawad Karapatang Pantao which aims to recognize government employees and agencies for organizing programs and activities championing human rights. Winners will receive a plaque and a P25,000-cash prize. The awards ceremony will take place on December 10, at the Bulwagang Ka Pepe Diokno, and will be live streamed through their social media pages. 

You may check the Human Rights Institute Official Facebook Page for more information on their 75-day campaign. 

Human Rights Online PH

Human Rights Online PH invites everyone to the 7th Freedom of Expression Regional Conference themed, “Youth Action for Promoting Freedom of Expression in Southeast Asia,” to put weight on the “crucial role young individuals play in advocating for freedom of expression and combatting disinformation.” The two-day conference will happen on December 1 to 2, at the Hive Hotel and Convention Place, Quezon City, and via Zoom.

For online attendance, you can register at this link. There are limited slots only. 

National Council of Churches in the Philippines

The National Council of Churches in the Philippines, through the European Union-supported project “Enhancing Advocacy and Action for Human Rights Defenders at risk in the Philippines,” will hold the 2nd Annual Forum on Human Rights, “KATUNGOD”,  on Thursday, December 7, from 2 pm to 5 pm, at the College of Social Work and Community Development (CSWCD) in the University of the Philippines Diliman. 

The forum is part of the UP CSWCD “Day of Remembrance 2023: Paggunita at Pagtatanghal sa mga Katutubong Tapang at Dangal ng mga Bayani Laban sa Diktadurang Marcos,” which was established in 2018 to honor the members of the UP community who were involved in the resistance against Martial Law in 1972. The commemoration s from September to December 2023. 

National Union of Journalists of the Philippines

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), in partnership with Altermidya, Bulatlat, Concerned Artists of the Philippines, among others, launches Freedom X arts and media festival themed, “Defending Press Freedom, Protecting Human Rights,” on December 2, 2023 at the Palma Hall in University of the Philippines Diliman. 

For those who are interested in setting up a booth/display during the fair, contact Dolly Recto at dolly@nujp.org. 

Panatang Luntian

Climate justice advocacy group Panatang Luntian is holding their “Ma”K”-alam: Klima at Karapatan” webinar and forum on climate change and human rights on Friday, December 8, from 6 pm to 7:30 pm, via Zoom. It will tackle the “critical connection between human and environmental rights amidst the climate crisis.”

This is held to commemorate the Global Day of Action for Climate Justice on December 9, and Human Rights Day on December 10. Register here to join.

Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates

The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) launches the #YouthEmerge Human Rights Festival: Raising Voices, Building Futures, featuring several interactive sessions that aim to collaborate and unite the youth to learn, express and shape the world hand in hand. 

Participants can attend the event for free on Thursday, December 7, 5 pm, at Loyola Heights, Quezon City. 

PAHRA is also organizing, “KAPAYAPAAN, KALIKASAN. KABUHAYAN. KARAPAT DAPAT PARA SA LAHAT,” which highlights the urgent call against war and conflict, and ending hostility and violence. The assembly will be held on Saturday, December 9, starting from the Bantayog ng mga Bayani at 8 am, and ending at the Elliptical Road in Quezon City. 

Sining na Naglilingkod sa Bayan

Artist collective SINAGBAYAN will launch “UMAKLAS! Awit ng Paglaya” on Saturday, December 9, from 4 pm to 8 pm, at the Commission on Human Rights Office, Diliman, Quezon City. The organization will also hold a “Free The Artists Press Conference ” at 10 am of the same date before the EP launch.

The UMAKLAS! EP is an effort made by SINAGBAYAN and Barangay Pesante Combo, which aims to support the Free the Artists Movement, an initiative consisting of progressive Filipino artists that aim at aiding cultural laborers. All proceeds from the EP launch will go to this campaign to support Alvin Fortaliza and Amanda Echanis. 

The UMAKLAS! EP is now available for pre-orders through this link:: https://forms.gle/korDFjfCkxb7VzXB7. You may also buy physical copies of the EP on the day of the launch. 

SOS Yamang Bayan Network

Multi-sectoral alliance SOS Yamang Bayan, convened by the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center, is inviting everyone to its concert fair, “Kung Atin ang Mundo,” which will be held on Sunday, December 10,  from 3 pm to 9 pm, at the University of the Philippines Hotel in Diliman, Quezon City.  

The event advocates #justmineraltransition amid the “growing demand for minerals for renewable energy, laying open critical areas and ancestral lands to more mining.”

The concert-fair will feature artists such as The Ridleys, ACT!, and Jerry Something, among others. 

Entrance to the event is free to the public. 

Tongtongan ti Umili-Cordillera Peoples Alliance

Baguio-based advocacy group Tongtongan ti Umili-Cordillera Peoples Alliance in partnership with several organizations, is mounting a day of protests and performances on Sunday, December 10, starting from 1 pm, in Baguio City. With the theme, “Tumindig para sa Karapatang Pantao, Dignidad, Hustisya, at Demokrasya,” the event celebrates the recent decision of the Baguio City Council to adopt Resolution No. 763, which declares Baguio as an “Inclusive Human Rights City.” 

The schedule of the event is as follows:

• Session Road for Human Rights: A safe space for art, busking, placard making, and advocacy for rights – 1 pm to 4 pm at Skyworld Junction, Calderon Street corner Session Road
• March for Human Rights, Assembly – 4:30 pm to 5 pm at the Post Office Park
• Tindig Karapatan: Solidarity Night for Human Rights – 5 pm onwards at Igorot Park

University of the Philippines Baguio Alliance of Concerned Students

The University of the Philippines Baguio Alliance of Concerned Students, in partnership with the Campus Alliance for Dedicated and Unified Action UPB, invites students to its “MARCH FOR HUMAN RIGHTS” on Sunday, December 10, at 4:30 pm, at the university’s Post Office Loop.

The protest advocates indigenous people’s rights and climate justice, among others. 

We Effect Philippines

Swedish-based development organization We Effect Philippines, in partnership with the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, Institute for Philippine Cooperative and Social Enterprise Development, among others, invites everyone to the Human Rights Concert 2023. With the theme “Fulfilling the Promise of Freedom, Equality, and Justice,” the concert will be held on Sunday, December 10, at 6 pm at the Liwasang Aurora, Quezon Memorial Circle.

It will feature performances by Pordalab, the UP Repertory Company, Teatrong Bayan ng LUPA, among other artists. The event is free of charge.

Youth for Human Rights International – Eastern Visayas

The Youth for Human Rights International is calling out for participants to join their poster making and spoken word poetry contest, themed “Consolidating and Sustaining Human Rights Culture into the Future.” 

To join, register through the following links:

• Poster making competition: https://forms.gle/NRPHUimFdDETy4s26
• Spoken word poetry competition: https://forms.gle/kxbvqPpVu8ZgBycw6

There will also be a series of workshops on basic photography and filmmaking happening in the morning. 

The whole-day event will be held on Sunday, December 10, from 7 am to 5 pm, at Leyte National High School, Tacloban City. 

– with reports from Joey Alberto and Bless John Esteriaga/ Rappler.com.

Do you know of other events and activities in celebration of International Human Rights Day? Email them to move.ph@rappler.com.

Joey Alberto is a Development Communication undergraduate from the University of the Philippines Los Banos. She is currently a volunteer for Rappler’s MovePH to practice and hone her interests in community and development journalism.

Bless John Esteriaga is a Rappler Volunteer from Negros Occidental. He graduated with a degree in English Language Studies, he serves as an executive head of Akbay La Carlota – Youth, a youth-serving non-political, non-profit  organization in La Carlota City. 

The rate being hiked here is the BSP’s key policy rate, which is technically called the overnight reverse repurchase facility. This figure is the central bank’s main tool in signaling its stance toward the economy.

Because Thursday’s rate hike didn’t come during a scheduled meeting, it’s called off-cycle. This off-cycle rate hike is significant because prior to it, the central bank had maintained its key policy rate at 6.25% since March 2023 as inflation began decelerating. 

But after inflation picked up its pace again for the second straight month in September, the BSP decided to already raise rates, instead of waiting for its upcoming November 16 monetary policy meeting. 

“The Monetary Board recognized the need for this urgent monetary action to prevent supply-side price pressures from inducing additional second-round effects and from further dislodging inflation expectations,” BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. said on Thursday.

How does the BSP’s rate relate to inflation?

The key policy rate affects the interest rate that banks charge to consumers – in other words, the interest that you’ll have to pay on your loans with the bank. 

Theoretically, increasing interest rates could control inflation by discouraging consumers and businesses from borrowing and spending, which could then bring down prices of goods and services.

“Rate hikes are designed to slow economic growth by making loans more expensive.  A policy rate increase would make it more difficult to access financing, which could lead to slower business expansion and job creation. This is by design,” ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa told Rappler.

However, raising the BSP’s rates won’t immediately have an impact on inflation because the higher rates will still be working their way through banking loan channels. This means the effects on inflation and the economy can take between 9 and 12 months to manifest.

In the meantime, the “urgent monetary action” that the BSP took by raising rates is its way of signaling that it is trying to manage inflation expectations seriously. Inflation expectations simply refer to what consumers and analysts expect future inflation will be.

“If we all think inflation will be high in the future – for example, next year – this may result in behavior that will simply reinforce the increase in prices even further,” Mapa said.

In fact, BSP Governor Remolona admitted that the central bank might not have looked closely enough at expectations from consumers and businesses.

According to the central bank’s Consumer Expectations Survey, about 92% of consumers and firms think that in the next 12 months, inflation will still be above 4%, which Remolona described as “worrisome.”

Why? If the general expectation is that prices will still be high, then businesses might start raising prices now in anticipation of higher inflation next year, which only reinforces and causes inflation to go up. 

“This can snowball into prices spiraling out of control and is one reason why BSP can opt to hike in a ‘show of force’ to indicate it will do all it can – given its limited powers – to fight off inflation, even at the expense of growth,” Mapa said.

That’s why to quell the anxiety around prices moving higher, the BSP is hiking rates – even if it causes “collateral damage” to economic growth.

Managing inflation expectations could then help the BSP steer the economy toward a stable 2024 inflation path. With the rate hike, the central bank expects headline inflation to return to around 3% beyond July 2024. The government’s target range for inflation is 2% to 4%.

How will this affect you?

For consumers, the BSP rate hike will mean that they’ll have to pay higher interest on their loans. Credit, in general, will also be more difficult and expensive to come by.

Consumer loans – housing loans, personal loans, and auto loans – are generally priced based on the BSP’s key policy rate, meaning that consumers will be immediately faced with more expensive loans.

However, that will also depend on whether your loans are on a fixed-rate or variable-rate basis as only loans with variable-rate financing will be affected by the hikes. Your existing amortizations on your loan will be higher, which will also whittle down your purchasing power and hurt consumer consumption in the economy.

Meanwhile, credit card loans are priced based on a separate interest rate cap, which the BSP has maintained at 3% a month. This cap will be in force for at least the next six months from August 2023, or until February 2024.

How will this affect the economy?

The economy is expected to slow down as businesses and consumers rethink funding their activities using loans that are now more expensive.

“The negative impact of rate hikes on bank lending will result in less investment activity in the economy, which will result in lower productivity and slower GDP (gross domestic product) growth,” Mapa told Rappler.

So why would the BSP want higher interest rates if these only hurt consumers and economic growth? Security Bank chief economist Dan Roces said the central bank is “considering the longer-term outlook and the risks.”

“Monetary policy operates with a lag. As such, [raising rates now] will be sort of preemptive, recognizing that the benefits will outweigh the costs to the economy,” Roces told Rappler.

And according to the BSP, the aggressive tightening that it is imposing isn’t the reason behind any slowdown in economic growth.

“The tightening, as far as we can tell, has not really affected growth prospects. GDP growth slowing down is because of pent-up demand waning,” the central bank governor said. 

“But we’re watching that very closely. We don’t want tight monetary policy to affect negatively our growth prospects.”

Are rate hikes the best tool against inflation?

Earlier in October, National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Balisacan warned that further interest rate hikes “will hurt the economy, will hurt consumers, will hurt producers.”

Balisacan disagreed with the central bank’s decision to continue to raise interest rates, which he said would have “long-term effects.”

“If I were on the Monetary Board, I would say no because we have been the most aggressive in our region in raising interest rates,” Balisacan told reporters on October 6. 

Although he said the economy could withstand more rate hikes if needed, he said that doing so would put the economy even further away from its peers in the region.

“That’s not something we can be proud of, because that’s increasing the cost of production, depressing consumer demand,” he added.

Economists have noted that the BSP’s tools – in this case, its rate hikes – may not be the most effective way to solve the current inflation situation. That’s because inflation right now is being largely driven by supply-side factors, like expensive rice and oil products.

“We also know very well that the source of the inflation is supply-side. It’s not the demand-side that requires monetary solution,” Balisacan told reporters.

Security Bank’s Roces also noted that monetary policy actions like rate hikes “may not be as effective when inflation is supply-side driven.”

Rate hikes can only impact inflation by alleviating demand-side pressures, so a policy rate hike may not necessarily bring prices of oil and rice down immediately, ING Bank’s Mapa said.

But as far as the BSP is concerned, monetary policy tightening is really the only action that it can use to temper inflation.

“​​Monetary policy cannot control supply-side price shocks, but it can serve to break the link between those supply-side shocks and expectations, and also the link between those supply-side shocks and second round effects – including, for example, transportation fare hikes and minimum wage increases,” BSP Governor Remolona said on Thursday.

“So that’s what we worry about. That’s what we focus on.” – Rappler.com

On September 14, lawyer Maria Saniata Liwliwa Gonzales Alzate was shot dead in broad daylight at around 4:55 pm. She was killed inside her car parked right in front of their house along Santiago street, Zone 2, in Bangued town.

A closed circuit television captured the killing. In the video, the two assailants were seen riding a motorcycle when they stopped in front of the window of Saniata’s car. One of the suspects then fired his gun. The police said the assailants fled towards Barangay Consiliman, in the same town. 

In a conversation with Rappler, Abra Regional Trial Court judge Ralph Alzate, the slain lawyer’s husband, said he went to their farm on the day his wife was killed. At around afternoon when he arrived, he said he did not see their car and was told that his wife went out to pay their electric bill.

Not long after entering their house, Ralph saw his wife arriving with their car, but Saniata did not immediately enter their residence. Then gunshots followed – Ralph said he heard over five of them in succession.

Alarmed, Ralph immediately approached their car outside to check on his wife. He said they had to break their car’s window to get Saniata inside the vehicle. Seeing that his wife was shot, Ralph called for help from their neighbors.

They immediately brought Saniata to Dr. Petronilo V. Seares Sr. Memorial Hospital. Unfortunately, the lawyer did not survive and expired at around 5:05 pm.

Ralph said his wife did not receive any threats prior to her killing.

Tough lawyer, but a mother, too

Going beyond her sworn duties – this is how Ralph described his late wife.

As a public interest lawyer, Saniata assisted and helped countless indigent clients, including victims of former president Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody drug war. According to Ralph, his wife helped clients who were victims of illegal arrest at the height of Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs.

Saniata did not only practice law in her home province, but also outside her home turf. In Abra, Saniata was known as the lawyer who would handle the cases that her pañeras and pañeros wouldn’t accept.

“Ang lagay rito, siya ‘yung salaan. ‘Yung mga ayaw ng ibang abogado na hawakan dahil sensitibo o may mabangga, ine-endorse sa kanya,” Ralph told Rappler. “And most of the time, abonado pa. Bibigyan niya pa ng pamasahe ‘yung mga kliyente.”

(Here, she acted like a sieve. The cases that other lawyers refused to handle – either because they were sensitive or they entailed going up against someone powerful – were endorsed to her instead. And most of the time, she shelled out her own money. She even gave some of her indigent clients transportation money.)

Among the most important legal victories Saniata secured was the issuance of a writ of amparo – a protective writ – for her client.

In February this year, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) – the national organization of Philippine lawyers – commended Saniata after a regional trial court issued the extraordinary writ that gave protection to her client, Excel Billedo. The client was allegedly abducted, detained, and tortured by police personnel in Bangued town.

“The IBP likewise recognizes the brave efforts of Atty. Liwliwa Alzate, Abra Chapter immediate Past President and former Legal Aid Committee chair. Her able representation of her clients have aided them in their quest for justice despite great risks to herself. It is a sterling example of lawyering for the public interest,” the IBP said in a statement early this year.

Truly, Saniata was known for her courage and commendable performance in the legal profession. She served as president of IBP Abra chapter for two terms, and as the organization’s former legal aid committee chairperson.

Saniata was recently appointed IBP Commissioner on Bar Discipline, tasked to investigate and look into disciplinary cases against lawyers filed before the IBP. Aside from this, the slain lawyer was also a staunch supporter of former vice president Leni Robredo, and was a convener and active member of 1Sambayan Abra chapter.

Saniata never knew what fear was in exercising her duty as a lawyer. “‘Yung asawa ko kasi, very strong-willed siya eh. Ako naman, sige lang. I keep reminding her. Very passionate siya eh. ‘Yan din ang nami-misinterpret ng iba, ‘yung pagiging passionate niya, akala nila rude.”

(My wife is very strong-willed. I was very supportive of her because she’s very passionate. Other people misinterpreted that – her being passionate, they thought was rude.)

Saniata obtained her law degree from Arellano University in Manila and was admitted to the Bar in 2002. She entered private practice in Metro Manila, working at the San Pedro Law Office in Mandaluyong in the early 2000s. She also worked as one of the counsels of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples.

She met her husband when he was working as a prosecutor at the time. When they got married, Saniata had to choose: stay in Manila or settle down in her home province of Abra. The lawyer chose the latter and lived in Bangued with her husband.

Saniata and Ralph were blessed with four sons. The eldest is in senior high school, while the youngest is in grade 6.

Ralph said his wife was a disciplinarian, but a kind and sensible mother to their children. In their free time, the family enjoyed cycling and tending to their farm – hobbies Saniata and Ralph passed on to their sons.

No escape from killing

Unfortunately, Saniata was not the first and last victim of killings that targeted lawyers.

The slain Abra lawyer is the third to be killed since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assumed office in June 2022. Prior to Saniata, there were two lawyers who were killed: Danny Pondevilla on December 20, 2022 and Elmer Mape on August 22, 2023.

Pondevilla was shot dead outside a foodcourt in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental in 2022. The lawyer, who served as general manager of Northern Negros Electric Cooperative, was killed while inside his car that was parked along 16th Lacson Street. A motorcycle-riding assailant fired at him, hitting the back of his head.

Mape, meanwhile, was killed while he was harvesting corn in his farm in Barangay Calbugos, in Villaba, Leyte. The police said the suspect, whom they claimed to be a former rebel, drew his gun and shot the lawyer twice.

Based on the available data, there have been 118 lawyers killed from 1972 to the present. The data is based on Rappler’s independent tally, along with data from the Supreme Court (SC), Department of Justice, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL), and the Free Legal Assistance Group. The data spans eight presidents: from late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos up to his son, incumbent President Marcos Jr.

The highest number of lawyer killings recorded under a president was during the time of Rodrigo Duterte with 66. Duterte is also known for his bloody drug war, where around 30,000 people were killed, based the tally of human rights groups. (READ: LIST: Judges, prosecutors, lawyers killed under Duterte gov’t)

Former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo comes after Duterte, with 22. The lowest number recorded was during the time of the late president Fidel V. Ramos: zero.

Judiciary’s actions

NUPL president Ephraim Cortez explained that threats against lawyers affect the performance of their duties.

“Killings of, or any threats, harassments, and intimidation of lawyers have a chilling effect on lawyers, which affects their independence and even their competence in representing their clients. This has an adverse effect on the right to due process because lawyers may now be intimidated and refuse to handle specific cases, or affects, in certain way, their independence and competence in providing legal services,” Cortez told Rappler.

Aside from instilling fear in people, the killings of lawyers also affect citizens’ access to the legal system because legal professionals act as a bridge between the two, according to NUPL Metro Manila Secretary General Kristina Conti.

“Killing lawyers silences an advocacy, and cuts this crucial connection from the community to the so-called ivory towers, the courts. Killing lawyers tells the general public that what you cannot win by reason, you can win by violence,” Conti said.

At the height of threats against lawyers in 2021, the SC issued a statement: “To threaten our judges and our lawyers is no less than an assault on the Judiciary. To assault the Judiciary is to shake the very bedrock on which the rule of law stands.”

This statement was an unprecedented move – given persistent threats against the legal profession at the time, there was mounting pressure from lawyers demanding action from the High Court.

The SC also mentioned in its statement the intent to review the protective writs for better protection of lawyers. The SC, however, did the review only after years of repeated appeals to revise and strengthen the writs.

Must Read

Supreme Court to finish review on protective writs by early 2024

On September 22, the High Court announced that it would finish its review by early next year, 2024. Meanwhile, the SC announced on Thursday, September 21, that it would meet with the IBP, local courts, and law enforcement groups to discuss better mechanisms to protect lawyers.

As of writing, authorities have yet to arrest the killers of the slain Abra lawyer. – Rappler.com

The law allows surveillance over anyone who has been designated as a terrorist without due process and it has since been weaponized against those who oppose the government, with or without arms. 

In August, lawmakers condemned the “dangerous trend” of using the anti-terror law as an alternative way to solve crimes after Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo “Arnie” Teves Jr. was designated a terrorist by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC).

Along with this, marginalized groups such as indigenous and peasant leaders, community journalists, and human rights defenders have been targeted the most through the means of threats, false charges, and abductions. 

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN)– Cavite spokesperson Marcus Confesor said during a protest event that the Martial Law regime was no different from the anti-terror law under Bongbong Marcos.

“The human rights violations, forced disappearances… and other social ills during Martial Law are not only those that are still imminent and prevalent under Bongbong Marcos’ regime, but much worse had happened upon his assumption of office…The injustices and state terrorism intensifies, he being the chairman of National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) which uses public funds to sow terror among the dissenters, activist and to the poor in general,” Confessor said.

To address the Anti-Terrorism Act and more, here are some of the protests conducted across the country in commemoration of the 51st Martial Law anniversary:

Luzon

Baguio

University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) spearheaded a mass protest in the Cordillera. At least 800 students, teachers, and members from other sectors gathered at the school campus with a mass formation at Baguio City’s Post Office before marching along Session Road. 

The protest was only one of the events in “UP Baguio Remembers: Saan To Manen! Never Again to Martial Law,” an initiative of UPB University Student Council’s (UPB USC) that coincides with the UP Day of Remembrance held every September 21. On this day, the UP community joined the nation in remembering the atrocities of Martial Law. 

Cavite

Anakbayan Kalayaan, along with other groups and organizations in Cavite, joined a protest seeking justice for Martial Law victims and the current injustices faced by youth activists and progressive individuals due to the current anti-terror law.

They also gathered to call out the rampant attacks against human rights activists from Southern Tagalog, namely: Jasmin Rubia, Kenneth Rementilla, Jpeg Garcia, and Hailey Pecayo.

Along with this, religious group Union Theological Seminary gathered in their chapel in Dasmariñas City in Cavite, to remember the atrocities faced by the victims and survivors of Martial Law.

“We gathered to remember the martyrs named and unnamed during the first quarter storm. We gathered to remember the stories of Martial Law survivors…. We gathered to lament the eerie and unsettling similarities between Martial Law and the Anti-Terror Law,” said in a statement posted in Union Theological Seminary-Philippines Facebook page.

Naga City

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) – Camarines Sur along with BAYAN – Bikol, Karapatan Bikol, and other progressive organizations launched a protest program at Plaza Oragon, Naga City. This served as the initiating event of their protest throughout Naga City where members of various sectors such as farmers, students, women, and workers participated.

Protesters expressed solidarity through calls to continue the struggle in ensuring that the atrocities of Martial Law shall never be repeated. 

“Liban sa impunidad na ating nararanasan ngayon na syang legasiya ng Martial Law ni Marcos Sr., hanggang kay Marcos Jr., garapalang pandarambong din ang hatid ng Marcos-Duterte tandem na lalong nagpapalubha sa kalagayan ng milyun-milyong mamayang Pilipino na nasasadlak sa sosyo-ekonomiko, pampulitikal, at pangkulturang krisis ng ating bansa,” said BAYAN – Camarines Sur in a Facebook post. 

(Other than the impunity we are experiencing as manifested by the legacy of Marcos Sr.’s Martial Law, until that of Marcos Jr.’s, the Marcos-Duterte tandem has also brought a shameless era of corruption which has aggravated the suffering of millions of Filipino citizens amidst the socio-economic, political, and cultural crisis of the country.)

Visayas

Cebu City

Led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) – Central Visayas, various progressive groups and labor unions, such as Anakbayan CIT-U and Alyansa sa mga Mamumuo sa Sugbo-Kilusang Mayo Uno, participated in a multi-sectoral mobilization in Cebu City.

Condemning the human rights violations in the country, the groups marched along Fuente Osmeña Circle to Colon Street with placards and tarpaulins containing critical messages against the Marcos Jr. – Duterte administration.

lloilo City

Student leaders, organizations, and students from the Iloilo and Miagao campuses of University of the Philippines Visayas conducted a snake rally to encourage other students in joining the ​​Martial Law sectoral mobilization in Iloilo Provincial Capitol.

According to a statement from UPV Student Council, the university “continues to stand firm against the dictatorship of Marcos Sr., 51 years ago, and against the puppet, oppressive, and fascist administration of Bongbong Marcos today.”

Negros Occidental

Sectoral group Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY) marched down the streets of Bacolod City in solidarity with the locals echoing the alarming similarity of martial law under Marcos Sr.’s regime with the anti-terror law of the Duterte administration.

“Sa kabila ng karahasan at kahirapan, patuloy na lumalaban ang mamamayan para sa pagsusulong ng tunay na demokrasya, kagalingang panlipunan, at kapayapaang nakabatay sa hustisya,” said in a post in  Kadamay’s Facebook page.

(Despite the rampant poverty and violence, the Filipinos continue to strive for true democracy, social good, and peace based on justice.)

Additionally, Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Operator Nationwide (Piston) joined the protest in Bacolod City, highlighting the call for justice for the thousands of Escalante massacre victims that happened one day before the 13th year of Martial Law. 

Mindanao

Davao City

BAYAN-Southern Mindanao and Anakbayan-Southern Mindanao along with other progressive groups, human rights advocates, and labor leaders staged a protest in Davao City to commemorate the 51st anniversary of Martial Law. 

Converging at Freedom Park, the protesters echoed calls for justice for the atrocities during first Marcos regime while reminding people to continuously fight the oppressive systems Filipinos endure today.

“​​The atrocities and abuses committed by the Marcos Sr. dictatorship continues as an undeclared Martial Law in the form of an ‘anti-terror law’ worsens red-tagging, terror labeling, threats, harassment, as well as forced abductions and disspearances towards activists and progressive individuals, aggravated during Marcos Jr’s term,” Anakbayan-Southern Mindanao said in a Facebook post. 

— with reports from Katrina B. Antonio, Chariza Leen Crudo, and Mari George Sta. Ana/Rappler.com 

Katrina B. Antonio is a Rappler volunteer from Ateneo de Manila University. She is currently a fourth year student taking up Bachelor of Arts in Communication.

Chariza Leen Crudo is a Rappler volunteer from De La Salle University-Manila. She is currently in her last year taking up Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts.

Mari George Sta. Ana is a Rappler volunteer from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. She is currently in her final of year of taking up Bachelor of Arts in English Language Studies.

Dr. Pae Aldaba, the older brother by 12 minutes, graduated as the valedictorian of St. Luke’s College of Medicine – William H. Quasha Memorial’s batch of 2023 and received the second highest latin honor– Magna Cum Laude. He also received numerous awards such as the Most Outstanding Intern in Pediatrics and Most Outstanding Overall Intern.

On the other hand, Dr. Lu Aldaba finished in the Top 3 of the University of the Philippines Manila College of Medicine Class of 2023 and also graduated Magna Cum Laude. He was awarded several medals such as the Espiridion C. Reyes Memorial Medal of Excellence in Physiology and the Gregor T. Alvior Jr. Award for Academic Excellence in Medicine.

They are also the first doctors in the family, which calls for an even bigger celebration for the Aldaba household. However, despite all these achievements, the twins remain humble and never forget to look back at where and how they began.

A sense of responsibility

Wanting to become a doctor is just a childhood dream for many. But for the twins, their desire to enter the medical field stemmed from their sense of responsibility to their community.

Dr. Lu Aldaba particularly recalled a specific moment that triggered his interest in entering the field. He narrated that during his high school immersion in a rural province, he encountered a group of people selling sketchy products that claimed to cure different complications such as diabetes, cancer, and even blindness.

In the country, all medical and food products must pass the Philippine Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s standard before allowing these for public consumption.

“I didn’t have to be a doctor to know what a scam was but at the same time I felt powerless to do anything even though I knew it was wrong to not speak. I guess that sense of not being able to do anything was the first time that I ever seriously considered going to medicine, and the rest is history from there,” Lu added.

Dr. Pae Aldaba said he was inspired by his brother which greatly affected his decision to pursue medicine. “[Although] We don’t want to be exactly alike, we like to develop as different people but we try to differentiate as much as possible [while] still [going] towards the same goal. It’s like our skills complement each other.”

A marathon, not a race

Although the twin doctors went to different medical schools, they shared the same difficulties and faced similar obstacles.

“The sudden transitions into the academic and the hospital-based parts of medicine are the hardest parts for us and usually where people learn that medicine isn’t for them. The other aspect is that it’s really a marathon and not a race. Endurance [and] perseverance is the most important quality for surviving it, not speed or brilliance or any other trait,” Dr. Lu Aldaba emphasized during the interview with Rappler.

Dr. Pae Aldaba shared that he had to learn how to say “no” to hang-outs and family gatherings because medical school had to go first. But for him, the main struggle did not lie on missing out on these moments but more on knowing that their families and friends understood the gravity of their responsibilities. 

“Getting high grades, or acing your tests in medicine isn’t just a nice bonus. It is a requirement both legally and ethically, morally speaking… If we mess up, that’s someone’s life in danger,” Dr. Pae Aldaba underscored.

When asked about how they were able to triumphantly jump all the hurdles they encountered in medical school, the twins said that there was no “secret technique” nor a shortcut to success. What motivated them to continue was a good support system.

“It’s a marathon so having those people who help and lift you up when you need a boost are the most valuable things you can have in this long and difficult journey,” Dr. Lu Aldaba said. “It’s fine to take occasional breaks and rest, but never give up on sprinting towards their final goal.”

A systemic problem

Now that they are halfway through their medical journey, the Aldaba twins said there are still many steps they must accomplish before becoming full-fledged doctors, such as residency, training, and specializations. However, they both expressed their desire to pursue their respective professions in the Philippines.

Currently, our country is experiencing a shortage of medical professionals due to brain drain in the past decades. According to Senator Pia Cayetano, this decline includes not just Filipino nurses but also “pharmacists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and everything that makes a health system sustainable.”

For the twins, the ongoing healthcare crisis is a systemic problem that requires an equally systemic solution. They echo the importance of making smart investments in healthcare to address this issue and if possible, completely change the system for the better.

“The Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) program, building large hospitals, [and] training more specialists are mere band-aid solutions. [We should focus on] making medicine accessible physically, geographically, and financially,” Dr. Lu Aldaba said.

Dr. Pae Aldaba suggested that government work more on making primary healthcare accessible in different parts of the country. According to him, it would be more beneficial for people to hear medical advice about prevention instead of going through complicated procedures to treat their health problems that have gone unrecognized and unprevented due to the lack of readily available primary care doctors. – Rappler

Chariza Leen Crudo is a Rappler volunteer from De La Salle University-Manila. She is currently in her last year taking up Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts.

Here in the Philippines, which has more than 180 languages, the Filipino deaf community has been adjusting to new words in the current context to make sign language more inclusive. 

In an interview with Rappler, organizations advocating for the deaf – Hand and Heart, and Deaf and Terp – showed dedication to promoting the use of Filipino Sign Language (FSL), as opposed to the usual American Sign Language (ASL) and Sign Exact English (SEE).

“I realized that I wanted to help the deaf community. To be a role model for the deaf community, to empower them so that they can stand against the challenges and oppression [the deaf faces]. Because I believe that the deaf, we are equal with the hearing,” Gen Diokno, co-founder of Hand and Heart, signed as interpreted by her co-founder, Elyse Aquino.

Deaf and Terp sign language news interpreter Bayani Generoso shared that when he first moved to Bicol after living in Canada for 30 years, a lot of the locals had a hard time understanding his ASL. 

For instance, “coconut” in ASL is only indicated by one sign where one holds their hands in a circle and shakes it next to their head. However, as Filipinos interact with coconuts in several ways, multiple signs have developed for it; one sign shows the act of husking a coconut and another makes use of one’s arm as a tree and then removing a coconut with the other.

However, even with established signs, FSL is a dynamic system of communication that grows with the times. 

Just as people feel the need to keep up with the evolving language of the internet, the Filipino deaf community consistently has conversations within their group to come up with signs for new concepts, such as “Twitter,” “Instagram,” and “views.” Outside of the online bubble, the Filipino deaf community has also been compelled to create signs related to the coronavirus disease. 

As a whole, FSL is simply a more visual sign language as influenced by Filipinos’ unique use of body language. As observed by Deaf and Terp’s Generoso: “I think as Filipinos, we all love to communicate with our bodies, we love pointing [with our mouths]. We’re also very visual as Filipinos, we love to understand things through seeing.”

FSL is essentially an act of painting pictures with your whole body to communicate, so if you happen to be skilled in the parlor game charades, then you already have a head start. 

How FSL helps

According to Diokno, participants join Hand and Heart’s FSL workshops for varying reasons – some are special education teachers wishing to accommodate deaf students, while others are parents wanting to communicate with their deaf children. Whatever their motivation, participants who finish FSL training are able to connect more deeply with the deaf people in their lives. 

On the other hand, Deaf and Terp opts to have an all-deaf faculty in their training sessions to ensure that they are purely influenced by the lived experiences of the deaf. 

“We want students to empathize with the deaf experience. That’s how deaf people live all their lives, being in situation[s] when nobody understands them. So as a hearing student having a deaf teacher, yes, it’s difficult. It’s challenging, but it’s worth the experience,” Natividad said.

Christine Baculio, a deaf teacher at Deaf and Terp, said that many of her students are often confused when first learning FSL, but this motivated her to teach more thoroughly.

“I would really emphasize the five parameters of sign language, the facial expressions, the movements, so that hearing people can sign like deaf people,” Baculio said as interpreted by Natividad.

Despite being a language of its own, FSL is often thought of as directly mimicking spoken language. However, FSL consists of five parameters: hand shape, location, palm orientation, movement, and non-manual signal (NMS), all of which can make the difference between a genuine response and a snarky remark.

Even after her students have graduated, Baculio encourages them to tap into their social skills and befriend those in the deaf community: “It’s not enough to be learning just in class in the FSL course, you really have to go out to the deaf community, be exposed, and meet with them,” she signed as interpreted by Natividad.

Integration in schools

In 2018, Rodrigo Duterte’s administration passed Republic Act 11106, declaring FSL as the official sign language of the Filipino deaf. Despite this, Natividad believes the law suffers from a lack of formal implementation. 

Amid long lines and often intimidating officers, there is also a scarce number of professionals who employ sign language, leaving basic services inaccessible to deaf people. “It’s the hearing that is able to give them access to basic needs, meaning proper health and government assistance,” Natividad shared. 

While schools in the Philippines have strived to offer foreign language classes, many do not give their students the chance to learn FSL.

Bayani shared that the notion of ASL being superior to FSL is prevalent, preventing the Department of Education from adjusting the educational system to fit the needs of deaf students.

Sharing this sentiment, Diokno believes the integration of FSL in academic curriculum will help bridge the seemingly daunting gap between deaf and hearing people. “[Hearing people] will not be afraid in approaching deaf people. They can help each other without boundaries,” Diokno shared as interpreted by Aquino. 

In an act of blurring these boundaries, an honor graduate recently delivered a graduation speech in sign language for her deaf parents. This serves as an exceptional instance of inclusion towards the deaf – but it does not have to remain so uncommon. 

“I hope that more hearing people will learn FSL to be able to create better friendships [with the deaf]. The more that people get to know our language and culture, the [more] they can help us,” Diokno added as interpreted by Aquino. – with reports from Katrina B. Antonio/Rappler.com

Katrina B. Antonio is a Rappler volunteer from Ateneo de Manila University. She is currently a fourth year student taking up Bachelor of Arts in Communication.

No, this tikling is not the avian kind which can be seen in rice paddies. Tikling is what Hagonoy locals christened the modified version of tricycles that are high enough to wade through their flooded streets.

This adaption of a ubiquitous mode of transportation has become a crucial part of Hagonoy’s disaster preparedness. Because of the tikling trike, Hagonoy locals can cope with floods and high tides.

The improvised trike was named after the Southeast Asian bird tikling or barred rail which can walk over rice paddies because of its long legs. This bird was the inspiration behind the long fork or tinidor of tikling tricycles which were custom-built to be elevated, enabling these trikes to pass through floods. 

Hagonoy is a coastal municipality that sits on the northern shores of Manila Bay. Because of its location, the town is prone to intense flooding during high tides in the rainy season. The area is also a natural catch basin which makes it vulnerable to back flooding as it collects flood waters from the elevated surrounding towns. 

Recently, Bulacan was placed under a state of calamity due to the effects of Typhoon Egay, following the southwest monsoon coinciding with high tide. 

Modifying the ordinary tricycle

Jennie Crus, 58 years old, is a tricycle driver in Hagonoy. He has been plying the roads of his hometown for 35 years. He decided to modify his tricycle into a tikling in 2021. 

“Dahil sa tubig, hindi naman puwedeng mababang [tricycle] pumasada, dahil ‘yung tubig dito e minsan hanggang hita, pinakamababa hanggang tuhod. Papaanong hindi ka magpapataas ng [tricycle]?”  Crus said. 

(Because of the water, you cannot operate lower tricycles. Because the water here can sometimes reach from your knees to your thighs. How can you not upgrade your tricycle?)

It cost him over P5,000 to customize his tricycle. He then spends about P700 a week for maintenance when his bearings, sprocket, and chain start to get rusty due to the salty floodwaters.

Crus said this maintenance cost can take a toll on the pocket of a tricycle driver like him who earns P600 to P800 a day. 

His earnings are only enough to feed and sustain the needs of his family

“Kapag nakakaipon kaunti, sa maintenance lang napupunta. Nakakabili rin [ng] bigas kapag maganda ‘yung pasada, [kaso] hindi naman kasi araw-araw maganda ang biyahe,” Jennie said. 

(When we save a few, it just goes to maintenance. We are able to buy rice when the trip is good, but it does not happen every day.)

As for the fare, the price of tikling trips almost doubles during high tide. On normal days, the usual tricycle fare would cost about P20 to P40. This goes up to P60 on days when the road is flooded.

The severest coastal flooding Crus could remember was waist-deep. A forecast from the town’s vice mayor on social media warned residents to anticipate a 5.2-meter rise in tide happening in August.

“Umaabot hanggang bewang ‘yon. Puro tikling lang ang makakapasada,” Crus said recalling the earlier high water event.

(It reaches up to your waist. Only tikling can go through.)

Struggles in riding the tide

As much as it helps wade through inundated roads, Rodel Reyes, 39 and also a tikling driver, said that some people are hesitant to ride a tikling because of its unusual height.

“Sa pasahero naman, kapag walang tubig, natatakot ‘yung ibang sumakay kasi baka raw bumuwal,” Reyes said. 

(When it comes to passengers, when there is no water, they are scared to ride because the vehicle might tumble.)

Just like any other vehicles, tikling trikes are also prone to accidents. Crus narrated his experience when he encountered trouble while transporting passengers during a high tide.

“Noong nakaraang linggo lang, nagtataka ako bakit ayaw umusad ng motor ko, nalaglag pala ang kadena…ang ginawa ko kinapa ko na lang,” said Crus. “Kaya lang basang-basa salawal ko, tinulak ko pa sa may medyo mataas.”

(Just last week, I was wondering why my tricycle won’t move. I realized the chain fell off. But it was submerged in the water. What I did was to grope for it. My clothes got soaked in water, I had to push my vehicle to a higher area.)

Another dilemma that tikling drivers face is the availability of good opportunities when there is no flood. Residents only ride a tikling during high tide. Tikling drivers are left idle when the roads are dry. This forces them to look for other sources of income.

Despite the drastic effects of coastal flooding in Hagonoy, most residents remain here as they are sentimentally tied to their houses and the communities they grew up in.

Call to action

The local government unit (LGU) of Hagonoy’s solution to this coastal flood problem is by building river dikes and elevating the road. However, residents like Crus and Reyes are not satisfied with this action.

“Gumagawa naman sila ng aksyon, kaso lang napakatagal. Kagaya sa pagpapataas ng kalsada sa Brgy. Mercado, ang tagal gawain. Mga pasahero doon nagrereklamo na…yung mga emergency roon, ililipat pa ng tricycle kasi putol ‘yung kalsada dahil itinataas,” Reyes said.

(They are doing actions, but it is slow. Like the elevation of the road in Brgy. Mercado, it is very slow. The passengers there are already complaining. Then in some cases of emergency, they have to transfer to another tricycle because the road is not complete yet.)

For Crus, elevating the roads is also not effective as it will only leave the houses more submerged in water. 

Although the coastal flood gives them an opportunity to earn as tikling tricycle drivers, Crus and Reyes, said they still consider the rising tide as a menace.

“Hindi naman blessing ‘yung high tide na ‘yan. Mas maganda pa rin kung walang high tide. Kaya lang kami nagtitikling dahil nga ‘yung tao walang masakyan at wala kaming mapagkunan [ng kita],” Reyes said. 

(The high tide is not a blessing. It is still better if there was no high tide. The only reason we use tikling is because the people have no means of transportation and we also don’t have a source of income.) – Rappler.com

Amiel Antonio is a Rappler intern from Bulacan State University — Main Campus. He is an incoming fourth-year journalism student.