"The NCR minimum wage remains far below the estimated family living wage, which labor advocates say now exceeds P1,300 a day."
"The people were forced to leave their homes and livelihoods to accommodate military operations that do not serve their interests."
"For too long, platform companies have profited from a business model built on precarious work, low pay, and the denial of labor rights."
For the organizers, the impeachment trial is not simply another political battle in Manila—it is a test of democratic institutions and the Filipino people's capacity to demand accountability from those in power.
But while Ceeka’s condition remains stable, her family said that military personnel continue to make repeated attempts to approach her inside detention.
Even if non-binding, the ICJ advisory opinion is expected to influence international labor jurisprudence and state compliance with labor conventions.
For rights defenders, the Cauayan incident cannot be separated from this broader climate of militarization and impunity.
“This appears to be another attempt of the Marcos Jr. regime to hide its war crimes from international eyes.”
Central to the criticism was the reported live-firing of a US Tomahawk missile that traveled approximately 630 kilometers from Tacloban City to Nueva Ecija.
Julie Ann Balora an organizer of the National Federation of Sugar Workers, was traveling with companions from Victorias City when an unmarked vehicle cut off their van along a circumferential road in Barangay Matab-ang, Talisay City.
“If we are ‘at peace,’ why does the armed conflict persist?”
It linked these operations to sustained military support from the United States, particularly through Foreign Military Financing (FMF), which has risen from about $40 million annually from prior 2024 to a $500-million package announced in July 2024, alongside expanded joint exercises such as Balikatan.
The growing militancy among workers reflects the severity of the crisis gripping their livelihoods.
Ceeka has been transferred to the San Jose District Jail, where she will remain while her case remains pending.
The lawyers raised a fundamental question: if the alleged violations are punishable only by fines, why were individuals arrested or taken into custody?
Witness accounts gathered by the group indicate that he was hit by bullets coming from the direction of government troop positions.
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