Multiple progressive organizations from various sectors convened on December 10, 2019 to commemorate the International Human Rights Day. The yearly worldwide celebration commenced at noon time as 2,000 people in attendance marched from the Provincial Capitol Lagoon to the Bacolod Public Plaza. The theme of this year’s march was “Laban Bayan, Ipagtanggol ang Karapatan” (Fight, compatriots. Uphold our Rights).

The issues highlighted this year were the Memorandum Order 32 and Executive Order 70 which has caused nearly 100 state-sponsored killings since their inception, the De-Facto Martial Law that has resulted from these two controversial pieces of legislation, the Urban Crackdown on Activists such as the infamous Undas raids at the offices of progressive groups two months ago, and the agricultural matters of rice tariffication and sugar liberalization that threaten the livelihoods of farmers and the future of the Philippines’ agri-industry alike.

A 10-feet tall effigy of Duterte was the highlight of the Human Rights Day rally as participants paraded it throughout the city center as well as lighting it up in full display at the center of the plaza. Several victims of human rights violations also stepped forward and gave their testimonies, mostly from those affected by the extrajudicial killings of the current administration, as well as those from the M.O. 32 massacres, state-sponsored synchronized raids, and human rights defenders who’ve suffered threats from the military and red-tagging.

Numerous cultural groups also enacted performances reflecting the plight of the Negrosanons in the midst of the various attacks on Negros’ marginalized sectors in the wake of the de-facto martial law being imposed including Teatro Bungkal, Teatro Kaling, and Youth for Peace and Environmental Concern. Speakers hailing from IFI, NUJP, NFSW, NNAHRA, Karaptan, BIEN, and Bayan also gave their statements about the current status of human rights in the island.“This day of international human rights celebration, despite of the tense political climate, is a manifestation that step by step Negros is rising again. This is the reason we are all gathered here today—to continue our fight and to defend our rights. We will not succumb to the threats of the state to silence those people who are fighting for their human rights”, Anne Krueger of BIEN Bacolod stated.

Meanwhile, Ereneo Lominos, Deputy Secretary of Bayan, remarked that he calls unto the people of Bacolod and Negros to stand up against the injustice and that we should be one in each other’s’ struggles in order for all of us to thrive and to uphold our rights.Individuals from a plethora of sectors participated in the event including farmers, peasants, church clergy, teachers, feminists, youth, cultural groups, and other allies to the cause—uniting for the common cause to uphold human rights.