A Statement on the State of the Nation Under Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8, NIV
It is our fervent prayer and longing as a Council of Churches to have a government that seeks justice, defends the rights of the poor, and governs humbly before the Almighty God. However, it seems that we will have to pray and work harder.
It has been a year since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. came into power after one of the most divisive electoral exercises in our country’s history. President Marcos Jr. will undoubtedly boast about his administration’s achievements and its new governance theme or slogan, “Bagong Pilipinas,” during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA). But are these so-called achievements truly something new?
What we witness on a daily basis is the rising prices of basic commodities, while the purchasing power of the average Filipino worker cannot keep up. Moreover, the country’s inflation rate remains the highest in Southeast Asia. Therefore, the Php 40 increase in the daily minimum wage is a mere pittance. Insecure jobs continue to proliferate, and many Filipinos still live in poverty and suffer from hunger each day. In fact, the Philippines ranks fourth in poverty indicators and second in hunger within the region. To make matters worse, instead of truly addressing these problems comprehensively, it has prioritized the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund which economists from the University of the Philippines argue, violates fundamental principles of economics and finance.
Filipinos continuously feel and witness a blanket of fear creeping across the nation. The administration’s continuation and intensification of the previous administration’s bloody human rights violations, through tactics such as “red-tagging,” have silenced those critical of the government.
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration, human rights violations persist, with 351 reported drug-related killings from July 2022 to July 15, 2023, . Shockingly, there is little to no accountability for perpetrators, as only three prosecutions and convictions for drug-related extrajudicial killings have occurred since 2016.
However, what is truly alarming is the administration’s policy on peace and its impact on the civic and democratic space in the country. According to the report by the US-based Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) campaign against the communist insurgency has led to acts of violence targeting civilians, particularly in the context of “red-tagging. ” This “red-tagging” and weaponization of laws by the Philippine government occur within the context of a nationwide militarized counterinsurgency campaign.
Pres. Marcos Jr. did not pursue peace negotiations with the NDFP nor abolish the NTF-ELCAC. Under his administration, the use of such laws as the Anti-terrorism Act (ATA) and the Anti-Terrorist Financing Act (ATFA) against civil society organizations has obstructed and undermined human rights and has greatly contributed to the severe shrinking of civic and democratic space, accelerating the chilling effect to those who defend rights and life. There are currently 15 activists in Southern Tagalog, including two members of the clergy from our member churches, charged with violating the ATA while four activists in the Cordillera were designated as terrorists. The ATFA has been used to freeze the assets of church ministries and formations like UCCP Haran, UCCP Fatima, and the Rural Missionaries of the Philippines.
Even in the midst of gloom, we still welcome various efforts and steps that show a glimmer of justice. Therefore, we continue to pursue justice for the brutal crimes committed during President Duterte’s administration. We also call upon the International Criminal Court (ICC) and other international human rights bodies, such as the United Nations Human Rights Council, to continue their investigations into the ongoing human rights crisis in our country. Additionally, we pray and urge for the resumption of formal peace negotiations between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the Government of the Philippines, as this is essential in addressing the root causes of the armed conflict.
As a Council of Churches, we will continue to lift our voices without fear and pray and work for a government that respects life, seeks justice, defends the rights of the people, and governs humbly before God.
21 July 2023
REV. FELIPE B. EHICAN, JR.
Chairperson
THE MOST REV. JOEL O. PORLARES
Vice Chairperson
DR. GAY B. MANODON
Vice Chairperson
MA. KAY CATHRINE F. ALMARIO
Vice Chairperson
MS. MINNIE ANNE M. CALUB
Acting General Secretary