Category: Documents

There are 128 churches in the country recognized as National Cultural Treasures, Important Cultural Properties, and National Historical Landmarks

LiCAS News
May 17, 2023

A Catholic priest said the Philippine Church continues to value churches and sites in the country that hold significant historical importance.

Father Milan Ted Torralba, executive secretary of the Commission on Cultural Heritage of the bishops’ conference, said efforts of the Church to declare the importance of old buildings are aimed at encouraging people to preserve and appreciate them.

“My personal motivation behind these declarations (as national cultural treasure or important cultural property) for buildings built during the Spanish colonial period is to remind every Filipino that the Church takes the lead in valuing and not forgetting the heritage that continues to benefit the people and the clergy,” said the priest in an interview with Radio Veritas 846.

He made the statement following the declaration of the National Museum of the Philippines of several churches in Bohol as significant treasures in the country.

Recently, the NMP publicly announced the designation of the San Vicente Ferrer Parish in Calape, Bohol, as a “National Cultural Treasure.”

A few days later, the Nuestra Senora del Carmen Parish in Balilihan, Bohol, also received recognition from the NMP as an “Important Cultural Property.”

“In addition to the old churches, we also recognize and value old bridges and watchtowers,” said Father Torralba, who is also the chairperson of the Commission on Cultural Heritage of the Diocese of Tagbilaran and a member of the NMP Panel of Experts.

According to the records of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, there are 128 churches in the country recognized as National Cultural Treasures, Important Cultural Properties, and National Historical Landmarks, with 21 of them located in Bohol.

Kaycee Valmonte – Philstar.com
May 11, 2023 | 4:48pm

MANILA, Philippines — Emerging ways of activism and human rights defending can be an opportunity to keep human rights intact amid shrinking civic spaces in the Philippines, a new study showed.

Among these new initiatives include using art and forming “communities of care,” which Civic Futures noted to be some of the promising opportunities to reshape civic spaces in a country transformed by an administration’s weaponization of security.

“These alternatives present pathways to reshape activism for human rights and offer possible levers of change that donors and other stakeholders can pay attention and direct resources to in the next few years,” Civic Futures noted.

Civic Futures is a venture founded by the Funders Initiative for Civil Society and the Fund for Global Human Rights. It aims to “keep civic space everywhere open” as it tracks “repressive NGO laws and the persecution of activists for more than a decade.”

The research noted that the previous administration headed by President Rodrigo Duterte waged three “wars”—most notably, against drugs, counterinsurgency, and the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic that elicited a militarized pandemic response from the government.

The study also said red-tagging, or accusing someone to be part of the insurgency without basis, “emerged as one of the most pervasive and harmful ways” the government as well as police and military personnel curtailed freedoms of individuals.

Activists in the Philippines have repeatedly been “red-tagged” either by individuals in power or by state forces themselves.

The Duterte adminsitration utilized its police and military manpower, from addressing the country’s so-called drug problem to a health crisis.

The administration’s deadly “war on drugs” saw thousands of deaths of alleged persons who used drugs, some of whom killed without due process. It was Duterte himself who ordered police forces to kill anyone who they believe is involved in the drug trade.

No Box Philippines is among the groups geared towards a health-focused and harm reduction response, instead of police action.

Survey results show that more Filipinos agree that it is dangerous to publish or broadcast anything unfavorable against the Marcos Jr. administration

LiCAS News
May 10, 2023

At least 47 percent, or nearly half of adult Filipinos, think that it is dangerous to criticize the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., says a survey by Social Weather Stations (SWS) released on Tuesday, May 9.

Survey results show that more Filipinos agree that it is dangerous to publish or broadcast anything unfavorable against the Marcos Jr. administration (47%) than those who said they were undecided (27%) or disagreed (26%).

In a statement, SWS said the survey, which was conducted in December last year, is part of its monitoring of Filipinos’ quality of life.

“This year’s special 30th-anniversary celebration of World Press Freedom Day (on May 1) calls to recenter press freedom, as well as independent, pluralistic, and diverse media, as key to the enjoyment of all other human rights,” read the pollster’s statement.

The survey found 47% of adult Filipinos agreeing (19% strongly agree, 28% somewhat agree), 27% undecided, and 26% disagreeing (14% somewhat disagree, 12% strongly disagree) that “It is dangerous to print or broadcast anything critical of the administration, even if it is the truth.”

The resulting net agreement score of +20 (% agree minus % disagree, correctly rounded), classified by SWS as moderate, is 4 points below the moderate +24 (46% agree, 22% disagree) in December 2021.

Net danger in publishing things critical of the administration falls in all areas except in Mindanao

Net agreement that “It is dangerous to print or broadcast anything critical of the administration, even if it is the truth” was highest in Metro Manila (+28), followed by the Visayas (+23), Balance Luzon (+21), and Mindanao (+13).

Compared to December 2021, the net agreement score fell from strong to moderate in Metro Manila, down from +41 (59% agree, 18% disagree) to +28 (53% agree, 25% disagree).

It also fell from strong to moderate in the Visayas, down from +36 (54% agree, 18% disagree) to +23 (47% agree, 25% disagree, correctly rounded).

It stayed moderate in Balance Luzon, hardly moving from +23 (44% agree, 21% disagree) to +21 (46% agree, 26% disagree, correctly rounded).

However, it rose from neutral to moderate in Mindanao, up from +7 (36% agree, 28% disagree, correctly rounded) to +13 (43% agree, 29% disagree, correctly rounded).

Net danger in publishing things critical of the administration stayed moderate in all educational levels except among college graduates.

The Doability, Justness, and Urgency of Living Wage

Church People-Workers Solidarity (CWS) joins the millions of workers worldwide in commemorating the Labor Day. CWS pays tribute to the working class who, for centuries, continues to advance the cause of workers for dignified labor despite various forms of state repression. This Labor Day 2023, CWS strongly emphasizes the justness, urgency, and doability of living wage in the midst of economic hardships. Therefore, CWS supports the clamor of labor unions in the country for a substantial wage increase.

The Doability of Living Wage

The minimum wage of many Filipino families has been long insufficient for a decent living. A raise has been a must. This will not only benefit the workers and their families but also the economy. CWS supports bills filed by the Makabayan bloc and other lawmakers for a substantial wage increase. House Bill no. 7568 proposed for a P750 wage increase, while Senator Miguel Zubiri’s Senate Bill No. 2002 seeks for P150 increase. CWS also supports initiatives by progressive labor groups to demand for wage increase. The coalition Unity for Wage Increase Now! (UWIN) filed a petition to increase NCR minimum wage to P1,100 for non-agricultural workers. In CALABARZON, the Workers Initiative for Wage Increase (WIN4WIN) petitioned for an increase to P750.

Moreover, CWS supports the proposal that the government shall provide wage subsidies for micro-businesses. Revenues for wage subsidies can be generated by taxing the super-rich and the biggest corporations. Big companies and top billionaires have long benefited from workers’ productivity which earned them billions of profits. A wealth tax, for example, on 2,495 billionaires can contribute to P469 billion. Wage increase creates a strong economic multiplier effect. The additional income allows the workers and their families to buy more. Filipino families spend about 43% of their income on food. Spending more money can increase demand, which in turn can boost local businesses, employment, and economic activity.

The Justness of Living Wage

Living wage is necessary and just. A just wage (living wage, family wage, fair wage, or just compensation), is fundamental to Catholic Social Teaching for it is closely linked to human dignity. Based on this dignity, workers have a legitimate claim to those essential material goods that meet basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, health, education, security, and rest. Pope Leo XIII, in his Encyclical “Rerum Novarum”, asserts that justice, rooted in human dignity, meant that a just wage is one that allows a worker and family to live in “reasonable and frugal comfort” (#34). St. John Paul II, in his encyclical “Centesimus Annus”, considers a just wage as a “legitimate fruit of work” and to refuse or withhold it “can be a grave injustice” (#15). Pope Francis, for his part, emphasizes that a just wage should not be divorced from the workers demand for “three Ts”: Trabajo (work), Techo (housing), and Tierra (land and food). In the end, it is work that gives the human person dignity.