One Billion Rising on Valentine’s Day

Different women groups together with various individuals dance to One Billion Rising (OBR) on Valentine’s Day, February 14 at the University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) Parking Lot as part of the Global Campaign of Ending Violence Against Women.

Shannen Dela Cruz, Chairperson of Innabuyog-Gabriela Youth (IGY) UP Baguio Chapter says One Billion Rising stands for the total number of women who will experience violence throughout their lifetime.

“According sa statistics ng United Nations, one out of every three women ay makakaranas ng karahasan sa buong lifetime nila, so pag kinompute natin iyon, mag-eequal sila sa one billion kaya siya One Billion Rising. Isang bilyong babae ang babangon,” Dela Cruz remarked.

(According to the statistics of the United Nations, one out of every three women will experience violence in their lifetime and if we calculate the total number, it will equate to one billion, the reason why it was called One Billion Rising. One Billion Women will rise.)

Audrey Corse, Secretary-General of Innabuyog – Alliance of Women’s Organizations in the Cordillera further explained the importance of the campaign. She emphasized the call “One Billion Rising for Revolution.”

“Ang call pa rin natin is One Billion Rising for Revolution. Bakit rebolusyon? Nakikita kasi natin na hindi matutuldukan ang lahat ng karahasan, pang-aabuso laban sa mga kababaihan at bata kung walang system’s change na mangyayari. So our call for revolution is a call for system’s change,” Corse affirmed.

(Our continuous call is One Billion Rising for Revolutuin. Why revolution? We see that the violence against women and children will not end if there will be no system change. So our call to revolution is a call for system’s change.)

One Billion Rising is held annually on Valentine’s Day. It was also performed during March 8 in celebration of the International Women’s Day. The month of March is also Women’s Month wherein various activities will be conducted by IGY. Photo exhibits, chalk art, educational discussions and a forum about Anti-Sexual Harassment Orientation will be held. There will also be a basic self-defense training that will be offered. As a culmination activity, there will be a Women’s Night with the theme: “Respect Existence or Expect Resistance: Demand Safe Space for Women.”

Continuous Resistance

Recently, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) has intensified the Whole-of-Nation approach or President Rodrigo Duterte’s campaign against Communist Terrorist Groups (CTG) naming Gabriela Women’s Party as a front organization for CTGs. Even One Billion Rising was tagged as a communist act.

Corse strongly condemned these allegations against all critics, especially women’s critics of the current administration.

“While we are coordinating the One Billion Rising activities to the city government, we have learned that the NICA (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency) attempted to dissuade several supporters of the OBR by saying that they should not participate in the One Billion Rising campaign because it is a campaign led by CTGs. Is there anything terroristic with what we are doing? With our dance?” questioned Corse.

Corse further stated that “it is political persecution and red-tagging of activists in general that is an act of terror because it makes everyone of us who are critical of the current regime open targets of human rights violations. “

The Innabuyog, together with IGY and other groups continue their call to end all forms of Violence against Women and Children.

By Pia Mari Rebato