Philippine News Digest 71
March 08 - 19, 2004
Contents:
Indigenous
peoples harassed by military
World
celebrates International Women's Day
Asian women's life is under the threat of HIV
Indigenous
peoples harassed by military
Militarization in the countryside
particularly in Zambales continues un-abetted affecting mostly indigenous
peoples, according to reports received by Fr. Donal O'dea, coordinator of
the Zambales Indigenous People's Apostolate. A few weeks ago in Palauig,
an Aeta was reported missing and is suspected to be dead while two others
were able to escape from the raid conducted by the military. Last February
7, a certain Ka Agustin Daylo from San Felipe, Zambales was shot to death
by still un-identified perpetrators in broad daylight. He was with his
family cleaning their backyard when the incident happened. On March 9, an
encounter broke out between the military and the New People's Army killing
eight rebels and one from the government's side. Two others were wounded.
World
celebrates International Women's Day
President Gloria Magacapal-Arroyo
signed on the occasion of International Women's Day Republic Act 9262
otherwise known as the Anti-violence Against Women and Their Children Act
that penalizes the abuse of female partners and their children by
imprisonment of up to 16 years. Kalakasan Foundation, a group that works
against domestic violence, explained that the law protected only women and
children because there were no statistics showing men on the receiving end
of domestic violence. Meanwhile, the women's rights group Gabriela staged
a rally in Manila to call for a rollback in prices of basic commodities
since the worsening economic situation is especially hard on women who
handle the family budget. In Baguio City, some 200 indigenous women's
rights advocates from 13 countries participating in the Asia Indigenous
Women's Conference donned their traditional clothes and joined a rally
marking international women's day along Session Road. Source:
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 9 March 2004.
Asian
women's life is under the threat of HIV
Year after year, the HIV infection rate among Asian women is soaring while AIDS is spreading all over Asia. According to UNAIDS deputy executive director Kathleen Cravero, “women's infection rates in the region had jumped 10 percent in the past two years and would likely soon match that of men if governments fail to take action” She added that “women make up 30 percent of adult infections in Southeast Asia and in some countries this is fast moving toward 50 percent.” In Thailand for example, 40 percent of new infections occur between spouses, with 90 percent of them from husband to wife because many husbands have several extra-marital partners.
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