PHM-Exch> [PHM NEWS] PHM solidarity with health rights activists and organizations in the Philippines

[Claudio Schuftan]

Cape Town, South Africa. Tel: 027 833833511
Fax: 027 866 707216 E-mail: globalsecretariat at phmovement.org Web:
www.phmovement.org

16 May 2019 People’s Health Movement Global: solidarity with health rights
activists and organisations in the Philippines The People’s Health Movement
(PHM) denounces the on-going smear and vilification campaign against health
rights organizations and threats, harassments and intimidation of health
activists in the Philippines. The PHM expresses deep concern over the lives
and safety of the leaders and members of progressive and dedicated
organizations who were wrongfully and maliciously labeled by the government
as terrorists and communist fronts; whose offices were visited by police
intelligence agents for their communist/terrorists profiling; and whose
leaders and members are being “tailed” and threatened. The red-tagging,
threats, harassments and intimidations of health rights organizations,
Alliance of Health Workers, Council for Health and Development, Health
Alliance for Democracy, Health Action for Human Rights, Filipino Nurses
United, Prescription for Peace, Health Sector Against Tyranny and Nars ng
Bayan (Nurses for the People) is proof of the shrinking space for civil
society organizations, most especially progressive and activist
organizations. PHM believes that organizations and advocates who work and
fight for the people’s right to health should not be subjected to
red-tagging, threats, harassments and intimidations simply for doing what
the government fails to do. PHM acknowledges the great work that the
red-tagged health organizations are doing in the Philippines. Most of them,
especially the Alliance of Health Workers, Council for Health and
Development, Health Alliance for Democracy are active members of
PHM-Philippines. The Alliance of Health Workers (AHW) is a non-stock,
non-profit, people’s organization that has been working for the economic
and democratic rights of health workers and the people’s right to health
since 1984. In its more than three decades long of dedicated work, AHW has
played major role in the enactment of the Magna Carta of Public Health
Workers (Republic Act 7305), the proclamation of May 7 as Health Workers’
Day, enactment of significant provisions in the Salary Standardization Law,
and various concerted efforts that seek to improve the living and working
conditions of public health workers. The Council for Health and Development
(CHD) is the national organization of Community-based Health Programs in
the Philippines. It is a non-stock, non-profit development non-government
organization that has provided national leadership to CBHPs since 1989. The
practice of CBHPs in the Philippines which started in 1973 is highly
recognized in the world as a good practice in empowering communities in
managing and taking care of their health. The Health Alliance for Democracy
(HEAD) is a non-stock, non-profit organization that has been working and
advocating for the promotion of people’s economic, social, political and
cultural rights to bring about national prosperity and well-being since
1984.
PHM has been working actively with these dedicated Philippine health
organizations on relevant global health issues such as the privatization of
public health services, high costs of medicine and neo-liberal policies in
health that gravely affect people worldwide. PHM views this smear and
vilification campaign as a systematic attack to spread false information,
sow fear among the people, and suppress legitimate protests and dissent of
the people. These actions are also intended to disssuade international
organizations from giving resources to the campaign, advocacy,
capacity-building, health services and many other relevant work being
undertaken by these progressive organizations. PHM stands in solidarity
with the “maligned” health rights organizations, activists and advocates in
the Philippines and the Filipino people as they fight for the people’s
right to health and serve the health needs of the people. PHM calls on the
Philippine government especially the Armed Forces of the Philippines to
stop its vilification and smear campaigns, through red-tagging and
terrorist-labelling, threats, harassments and intimidations against the
above-mentioned progressive and activist health organizations, their
leaders and members as well as development workers and human rights
defenders, their organizations and communities.
PHM Global Coordinator
On behalf of PHM Steering Council and Advisory Council
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