March 8 2018 – International Women’s Day

RISE, RESIST, RECLAIM our rights, our voice, our territories

 

We have been told to go to hell when we filed a complaint against then candidate Duterte with the Gender Ombud for violation of Magna Carta of Women, with his rape jokes and other sexist remarks.

We were on the streets until the eve of election to urge women and men to “Resist Neo-Fascists” and not vote for Duterte-Marcos.

We continued to march, wept for, and  protested against the thousands of killings of women, men and even children under the so called War on Drugs; and kept pushing for legal, health-based and humane process for addressing drug addiction and rehabilitation.

We were vigilantly calling out sexist remarks, and anti-women actions of Duterte and his men, especially against women who are courageous enough to stand up for the truth, and against Duterte.

We have opposed Kill Bills (Death Penalty and Lowering the Age of Criminal Liability).

We have rejected Duterte’s persistency in weakening democratic institutions, and institutionalizing impunity.

We have been called “angry feminists” and without sense of humour.

We were harassed. We were maligned, threatened – on line, off line.

We keep on.   We stand against the entrenchment of feudal landlords and the wholesale land grabbing of foreign corporations through charter change. We continue to work to end  violence against women. We demand accountability to those who perpetuate misogyny. We resist fascists.

Our numbers may be few, but our voices are loud, our feet steady.  And we are growing, like flowers abloom.

We are ReSISTERS!

This international Day of Women, LILAK joins our indigenous women sisters who stand with courage asserting their rights to their land, to life with dignity;  and World March of Women-Pilipinas as we all RISE, RESIST and RECLAIM our rights, our voice, our territories  as we struggle for more humane, just, fair, societies, where women of diverse identities are respected, honoured and celebrated.

 

 

Judy A. Pasimio

Overall Coordinator

www.lilak.net

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