Children and Militarization
Despite various proclamations by the Philippine government and local laws protecting children, the current situation in the Philippines is still dangerous for them. A majority of children come from the most vulnerable sectors of society, and are victims of poverty, lack of access to education, and the effects of state violence in their communities.
From Duterte’s “war on drugs” to the current climate of red-tagging, intimidation, arrests, disappearances, and extrajudicial killings under Marcos Jr., the human rights situation is dire. The Philippine government’s so-called “counterinsurgency” strategy, essentially a war against all forms of dissent, has led to an increase in militarization of many urban and rural communities. Militarization results in interruption to daily life, fear, and grave violations of human rights.
Effects of Counterinsurgency
Caught up in the midst of these challenges are Filipino children.
The children who are particularly affected by counterinsurgency are those who live in militarized communities, those who have parents accused of being supporters of the New People’s Army (NPA), or those who are branded as communists themselves by the military. Children living in the midst of militarization suffer from trauma after experiencing indiscriminate bombings and shellings of their communities, displacement from their homes, or loss of family members.
State Terror During US Military Exercises
According to an ICHRP fact finding team in 2023, the US and Philippine military made use of civilian spaces such as classrooms during the Balikatan joint military exercises. The two military forces engaged in side-by-side exercises framed as “building a classroom”, which was in reality training and intelligence work. Soldiers traveled around Alicia, a town in Isabela province, mapping the community, and American soldiers occupied four elementary schools as part of the training. When community members learned of the arrival of the military to “build a classroom,” they became afraid and worried that the military presence would entail heavier surveillance. The use of civilian objects, especially those meant for children such as schools, is a violation of international humanitarian law.
State Repression of Lumad Schools
The Lumad, an indigenous people living in remote rural areas in the southern Philippines, have faced brutal repression in the process of operating schools designed to address the needs of their community. These schools were created to preserve and pass on their native languages, traditions, and agricultural knowledge, as well as teach subjects like mathematics, science, and literacy. The Lumad schools provide essential education to children in areas where the Philippine government has failed to do so.
Under Duterte, the government and military accused the Lumads of being associated with the armed communist movement. They claimed that the schools were being used to recruit young people into rebel forces, and were teaching subversive ideas to students. The military and local authorities launched violent attacks to force the closure of these schools, leading to the eventual displacement of many Lumad families. Civilian families were forced to seek refuge in urban areas, severely disrupting their way of life and education.
A Thousand Voices: Building Solidarity with the Filipino Children
Children should be considered sacred. They should be able to go to school unbothered, and spend time with their friends and families without anxiety. Filipino children deserve to live a childhood unencumbered by fear and violence.
In time for the Children’s Month commemorated in the Philippines, our webinar on November 24 will tackle the current situation of the Filipino children, highlighting the impacts of human rights and international humanitarian law violations. It will feature resource speakers from the Children’s Rehabilitation Center and Salinlahi.
This webinar will also serve as the launch of a year-long solidarity campaign by the Foundation for Filipino Children, a member organization of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines.
Register at ichrp.net/FFCVoices
