THE Philippine government has failed to implement structural reforms necessary to address widespread poverty, lack of livelihood opportunities, inadequate wages, high inflation, and food insecurity, leaving marginalized communities in deeper economic distress, according to a report submitted to the United Nations.
A report by In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (iDEFEND) to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR) claims the government has not demonstrated sufficient responses to the country’s chronic economic crises. The report highlights persistent economic disparities that prevent a significant portion of the population from fully accessing basic rights, including food, healthcare, housing, employment, and education.
Judy Pasimio, iDEFEND spokesperson and overall coordinator of LILAK, attributed the suffering of marginalized communities, including peasants, workers, and indigenous peoples, particularly women, to poor governance, corruption, and corporate-led development policies.
“The corporate-led framework of the government and mining industry are responsible for the country’s environmental crises,” Pasimio said. “Yet the Marcos administration is aggressively extracting natural resources and expediting new mining applications in ancestral lands.”
Despite a shift in leadership from former President Rodrigo Duterte to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., economic policies remain largely unchanged, said Joseph Purugganan of Focus on the Global South Philippines. While some legislative measures have been introduced to address economic issues, the administration continues to follow neoliberal economic policies, he said.
“The government’s neoliberal policies and corporate-led agenda drive continued attacks on land and environmental rights defenders,” Purugganan said. “Human rights violations persist, and relevant stakeholders remain excluded from key decision-making processes.”
The realization of economic, social, and cultural rights requires the government to create conditions that ensure these rights are met, said Rose Trajano, policy advocacy officer for iDEFEND.
“By failing to address and even being complicit in persistent attacks against indigenous, land, and environmental rights defenders—from red-tagging to criminalizing their struggles—the government is undermining its obligations to protect and uphold these fundamental rights,” Trajano said.
The Philippine government issued a response to the UN in 2024, but Jhay de Jesus, iDEFEND national coordinator, dismissed it as a mere enumeration of statistical accomplishments.
“There is a lack of critical understanding of the realities faced by communities,” de Jesus said.
The Philippines is set to undergo a review by the UN Committee on ESCR in Geneva, Switzerland, on Feb. 18-19 during its 77th session. iDEFEND delegates will closely monitor the government’s report at the Palais Wilson and plan to deliver an intervention during the informal briefing.
