Jerrie Abella, an AI campaigner, detailed the three critical stages where human rights violations occur: during arrests, within drug detention centers, and post-release. Abella described so-called “drug rehabilitation centers” as punitive detention facilities where individuals, including adolescents, are subjected to invasive drug tests and forced treatment. These centers, he said, do not offer rehabilitation but instead serve as sites of coercion.
Category: Health
Medical facilities can no longer cope with needs, casualties in Gaza — Doctors Without Borders
MSF recorded that only 17 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are partially functional. Six of their staff have also been killed and since October 2023, their team and patients have had to leave 14 health infrastructure due to attacks.
Special report | Young people living with HIV need strong support to fight epidemic
Young people living with HIV underscored the need to have a strong support among peers, community, and institutions to fight the epidemic.
Special report | Cases among youth reveal policy gaps in HIV law
Reports from civil society organizations and the government revealed policy gaps in the Philippine HIV law: the consenting age for HIV treatment, enforcement of sex education, and implementation challenges.
Health workers to join the partylist race
“We have no goons, guns and gold, but we have our principles and platform, our unity and our unlimited commitment to serve the people. And equally important, we have to guard against electoral fraud and attacks.”
Human rights defenders, journos need psychosocial support too
“The bruises can disappear and the wounds can heal but the mental health problem if not treated would get worse.”
Groups oppose unused health funds transfer
Health advocates said that the transfer of unprogrammed funds violates Republic Act No. 11223 or the Universal Health Care (UHC) Act of 2019.
According to Section 11 of this law, any excess in PhilHealth reserve funds at the end of the fiscal year should be used to enhance program benefits and reduce member contribution amounts.
High health expenses, inaccessible health services plague poor Filipinos
“While the people are paying high out-of-pocket expenses, [the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation or] Philhealth is earning so much profit that the Department of Finance wants to get the surplus funds for other unprogrammed expenses like Maharlika investment,” De la Paz said.
A drag queen’s fight for climate justice, healthcare, and inclusion
Even as an emerging drag queen, Celestia immediately started her career by partnering with the development and humanitarian organization Oxfam Pilipinas to create content about the climate crisis. In the form of reels, she initiated conversations about the connection between the climate crisis and public health, and how the government needs to implement policies that reduce carbon emissions.
Health workers grapple with understaffing, poor protection
Jao Clumia of the AHW said, the prolonged delay in receiving these benefits affects the morale and service of healthcare workers. They feel disheartened, leading to the exodus of frontline workers.
Massive budget cuts to make health even more inaccessible to the poor
The health department is slated to suffer a budget cut amounting to P10 billion. The Alliance of Health Workers said this will have an impact on the 69 public hospitals that they run.