Profiling Of Organizations

This portion shall highlight the three organizations, namely Project SOW, PAGHILOM, and Commission on Human Rights (CHR) IV-A, profiled by the researchers to know the different programs, services, and strategies they implement to help the EJK surviving families. Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, the three organizations were sent interview questions through email and they sent the answered tool back through email as well.

VISION, MISSION, GOALS The Program PAGHILOM, spearheaded by the AJ Kalinga Foundation, Inc., has the vision to “Recreate and empower lives of the wounded and victims,” and the mission to “Enable widows, orphans, family members and communities of EJK victims to reach their full potential and facilitate more effective interaction with the larger social environment. Specifically, PAGHILOM aims to help the families of EJK victims in healing and rebuilding their lives.” According to one of their field staff, PAGHILOM aims to:

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“Tulungan ang mga pamilyang nabiktima ng extrajudicial killing na muling maibalik ang buhay na nasira, bigyan [sila] ng pangkabuhayan, [at] tulungan ang mga naulila na makapagaral” (Help families who are victims of extrajudicial killings to rebuild their lives that have been destroyed, give them livelihood opportunities, [and] help the left-behind children to be able to study)

Demographics of Clients Since its conception, PAGHILOM has accommodated over 300 clients across Bulacan, Quezon City, Caloocan, Navotas, and Tondo. They mostly cater to women as a surviving spouse, child, or parent. The surviving families typically engage in irregular jobs with unstable income. Because of this, livelihood is identified to be one of the major needs of the surviving families, along with legal, medical, and educational assistance. The families also seek legal aid not only regarding the EJK case per se, but also recurring instances of police presence or intimidation.

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Services Offered to EJK Surviving Families PAGHILOM offers the following services to its clientele, which they do so by stages: (1) Food and Health Care, (2) Psycho-Spiritual Intervention, (3) Legal Assistance, (4) Educational Assistance, and (5) Livelihood. This is to ensure that the survivors’ basic needs are being met first, before their other needs contributing to empowerment are focused on.

For biological assistance, medical assistance and food packs are being provided by PAGHILOM. For psychological assistance, PAGHILOM provides Psychosocial-spiritual Intervention (PSI) Sessions where clients undergo twelve counselling sessions, theater activities, and retreats. Their economic/financial assistance includes livelihood loans for those with businesses or who want to have their own, financial assistance, equipment for those with businesses, financial literacy training, and basic entrepreneurship training. For their social/educational assistance, PAGHILOM provides financial assistance and gadgets for their enrolled children clients, and their PSI sessions serve as a way for the clients to socialize with and relate to other EJK survivors. PAGHILOM provides legal assistance to clients in that they connect the clients to legal organizations for case documentation, legal counselling, and case litigation for special cases. Lastly, for their other services, the organization provides funeral assistance to clients when needed.

Partner organizations In an attempt to provide a holistic recovery process for the surviving families, PAGHILOM maintains a network of organizations that offer different forms of support. In terms of legal aid, PAGHILOM works with IDEALS Inc., a legal focused non-government organization for legal rights education and case documentation, as well as the CHR, the government agency mandated to investigate human rights violations in the country. Aside from legal assistance, PAGHILOM also works with the CHR for financial support. PAGHILOM also partners with the academic institutions DLSU and ADMU. DLSU provides financial and food provision to the organization’s members and educational assistance to their children. Meanwhile, ADMU, through the Center for Family Ministries Foundation (CEFAM), accommodates clients’ Psycho Spiritual and Counseling needs.

Best Practices PAGHILOM considers their PSI as one of their best practices. In this program, beneficiaries meet with counselors to process their trauma and help them reintegrate to society with improved well-being. By gathering the surviving families, the PSI also provides a safe space for the beneficiaries to share their feelings and empathize with a community that has the same experience. Eventually, the beneficiaries also become support systems of recent surviving families that come to the organization. Retreats and theater activities are also sponsored.

Knowing the surviving families’ economic profiles, PAGHILOM allocates regular financial and food provisions. It also aims to empower them economically by offering zero-interest loans. In fact, some beneficiaries are now successfully running their small businesses using the initial capital from the organization.

Overall, PAGHILOM strives to provide a comprehensive coping and recovery program by including legal, educational, and health care assistance in its services (and by establishing referral pathways), and ultimately involving the surviving families in organizational processes not just as beneficiaries but also leaders through their Point Person system.

Challenges faced by Clients in Accessing the Organization’s Services The pandemic restricted mobility and forced limitations in the implementation of PAGHILOM activities. For example, some people in need of medical assistance could not come to the office. Shifting to online platforms also imposed communication challenges and consequently created disadvantages in the effectiveness of the PSI. Unstable network signals also affected food pack distribution efficiency.

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Challenges faced by the Organization and Ways Forward For their psychological services, PAGHILOM faces the challenge of their beneficiaries not being ready to undergo the PSI sessions. Since the clients experienced grief and trauma from the abuse they were subjected to, they are finding it hard to fully commit to the PSI sessions. Thus, PAGHILOM sees to it that they have constant open communication with their clients. Another challenge that they face is the limitations faced by the implementation of their PSI sessions due to the pandemic. Because of limited mobility, the PSI sessions which were formerly held face-to-face now have to be held online, which affects the quality of the sessions. Despite this, PAGHILOM uses online video call applications such as Zoom to still provide sessions which mimic faceto-face interaction to some extent. They also provide load allowance for the beneficiaries to be able to attend the Zoom sessions.

For their economic/financial services, PAGHILOM acknowledges their limited resources and budget for the said services. As such, they partner with possible funders and donors who might be able to provide additional resources that PAGHILOM can direct to their clients.

For PAGHILOM’s social services, the pandemic limits the face-to-face interaction the beneficiaries have with each other. It affects the quality of socializing and connection the clients have with other survivors and their friends, which PAGHILOM tries to combat by conducting Zoomustahan sessions. These sessions give the opportunity for the beneficiaries to check in on each other and resume their usual bonding sessions. PAGHILOM’s legal services are being challenged by the constant intimidation and abuse by the police. There are also cases handled by the organization that warrant immediate response from lawyers. Thus, PAGHILOM, in partnership with legal groups, provides (1) human rights education, (2) paralegal training, (3) information dissemination regarding (a) actions to do in cases of police abuse and (b) information about legal groups should the clients have legal concerns, and (4) directly connecting the clients to legal groups when the situation calls for it.

With all these challenges, PAGHILOM recognizes the need for the following: (1) the organization’s own lawyer who can represent their clients in courts, (2) further awareness-raising and education training on human rights for the clients, such that their knowledge can be broadened and they can assert their rights, and (3) proper processing of the clients’ emotions and thought processes as a means for healing and recovery. According to their technical staff, responding to the aforementioned needs is a necessity, because “Mahalaga na malaman ng publiko ang tunay na nangyayari sa anti-illegal drugs campaign ni Duterte, upang managot ang dapat managot at mabigyang hustisya ang pagkamatay ng mga biktima” (It is important for the public to know the real incidents behind Duterte’s anti-illegal drugs campaign, such that the people responsible [behind the campaign] are held accountable and the victims are given justice). Randy Delos Santos also added the need for (4) psychological assistance

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VISION, MISSION, GOALS

Project Solidarity with Orphans and Widows (Project SOW) is a joint project of Ina ng Lupang Pinangako Parish, St. Vincent School of Theology, and De Paul House. It is a community-based rehabilitation program established in 2016 for families of victims of EJK in Payatas B, Quezon City (St. Vincent School of Theology, 2021). The general objective of the program is:

To assist the families of the victims of EJK in their recovery by providing psychosocial interventions and treatments that will respond to their economic needs, their quest for justice, and their desire to be healed from the trauma brought about by the tragic death of their loved ones so that they may learn better ways of coping with the challenges of new life situations. (SOW Project, St. Vincent School of Theology, 2017).

The specific objectives of the program are to help families in their healing and recovery from grief and deep emotional trauma, economically capacitate them, ensure the educational access of the children left behind, and support them in their quest for justice (St. Vincent School of Theology, 2017).

Demographics of Clients SOW provides services and assistance to around 30 to 35 families of victims of EJK who are residents of Payatas B in Quezon City. The members are composed of mothers and wives who have lost their loved ones due to the drug war. Payatas was a former dumpsite area with some residents dependent on this for their living. Because of this situation, the most common problems faced by the members of SOW are poverty, lack of income and livelihood, and the struggle to provide for a better future for their children. The mothers, widows, and orphans are usually the ones left behind in these cases of death and loss. Losing the breadwinner of their families due to EJK has also greatly affected their financial capacity to provide for their daily needs and support their loved ones.

Services Offered to EJK Surviving Families In line with their goals, Project SOW offers different assistance to their beneficiaries. For the healing and recovery of the beneficiaries, they conduct psycho-spiritual interventions such as formation sessions on the emotional trauma brought by the EJKrelated incident, personality development and psychological empowerment, spiritual formation, annual recollection, and bi-monthly Mass in Ina ng Lupang Pinangako Parish. The organization also monitors the progress and development of each member to ensure their safety and well-being.

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To aid the biological/physiological needs of the families, SOW provides relief goods and medical assistance. On the other hand, financial assistance to the families in need in times of emergencies are given occasionally, depending on the urgency. Social gatherings such as bi-monthly gatherings and community outings are conducted to strengthen the relationships of the families and their relationships to other members. For their livelihood assistance, SOW Project has a social enterprise that helps the widows earn income through working as tailors in the sewing shop established by the organization located beside Ina ng Lupang Pinangako Parish. Additionally, SOW has training sessions where the widows are taught and assisted in finding viable sources for livelihood for them to regain their economic independence. The organization also helps the children of the bereaved mothers through scholarships and financial support for their education and academic needs (SOW Project, St. Vincent School of Theology, 2017).

SOW also helps the families access justice through their legal assistance. The organization recognizes that all their members are human rights victims, hence the need for a legal intervention to promote justice and accountability. The organization has done legal and paralegal networking to lawyering groups and other legal bodies for this need. Paralegal clinics and legal consultations have been conducted where the violations committed to the victims are documented, affidavits are produced, and other legal concerns are answered by paralegals and lawyers. Some of the beneficiaries have filed cases in court and they are being supported and assisted by the organization’s legal networks. The organization is also partnering with media bodies to report the EJK-related incidents in the community (SOW Project, St. Vincent School of Theology, 2017).

Partner organizations To support or address the other needs of their members, SOW has reached out to and partnered with different organizations that share the same vision and can address the concerns such as food, livelihood, and legal support.

For needs such as food, SOW receives food assistance and relief packs from PAGHILOM’s Baigani. Meanwhile, the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentian Communities) supports them through rice subsidies and assistance to their other needs.

The Office of the Vice President (OVP) has been providing SOW members with livelihood opportunities and referrals to other groups that may be able to help them as well. As families of victims of HRVs, the members of SOW are also in need of legal support and assistance, and this service is being given to them by IDEALS, Inc. Through IDEALS, their cases have been documented and they were given legal advice on how to proceed should they wish to pursue their cases.

Best Practices SOW believes that the program and its activities such as the formation sessions and psychological empowerment have helped the families deal with and heal from the trauma that they have experienced when their family member died. The program has been immensely helpful particularly during the first few months of the incident. Their members have shared that undergoing the program has helped them lessen the burden of their emotions and has given them clarity during their darkest moments.

Along with the emotional and psycho-spiritual support, SOW has also assisted the families with their financial and economic concerns. In this COVID-19 pandemic, the sewing project has been a great source of income for their members, who would otherwise be unemployed or would lose their employment due to the quarantine restrictions.

Challenges faced by clients in accessing the organization’s services While SOW aims to provide adequate support and assistance to its members, there are factors that affect the families in being active in the organization and in accessing the services. The capacity of the members to access the services and projects of SOW are sometimes affected by their personal concerns such as having unstable family relationships. Due to the complicated nature of their personal lives and family members, they sometimes have difficulty in reaching out to SOW for their needs and concerns. Since they are the ones who are now expected to focus on addressing the needs of their families, they are unable to participate in the activities of the SOW program.

The current pandemic and the quarantine protocols have also affected their members and the conduct of their regular activities and projects. Due to the shift to online and modular classes, mothers are also expected to stay at home to take care of and teach their children. Prioritizing the basic needs of their families, such as having food on their tables, has become more pressing for the members rather than their participation in the program’s activities.

Challenges faced by the organization and Ways Forward Although Project SOW has numerous services being offered, the organization is also facing hindrances and challenges in providing their best to their beneficiaries. One of the most pressing challenges is the COVID-19 pandemic where some activities of the organization are temporarily discontinued due to lockdowns and strict protocols

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implemented in the community. The organization’s psycho-spiritual interventions, social gatherings, paralegal clinics, and legal consultations are halted and no actions are done yet.

Additionally, SOW is challenged on how to sustain some of the existing assistance they provide. They are actively looking for donors to sustain their food supply and medical resources, and their sewing area needs rehabilitation for it to function to its maximum capacity. A related challenge is how to sustain their sewing business. The organization perceives the need for training on this aspect to strategize on how the business will become more sustainable and more beneficial to the members. Another challenge is the future litigation of the filed cases of its members in court once these cases progress. They will be needing future legal assistance from legal bodies who will commit in the legal representation on behalf of the members.

SOW acknowledges the need to augment all their programs and services towards sustainability in order to provide the best services for their members and ensure that their basic needs are met.

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Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Region IV-A

Vision, Mission, Goals The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) as an independent National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) has a mandate “to conduct investigations on human rights violations against marginalized and vulnerable sectors of the society, involving civil and political rights” (CHR, 2018). CHR, along with all its regional offices, is committed to provide accessible and excellent public service that upholds human rights principles and standards. The institution envisions to have:

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A just and humane Philippine society of persons equal in opportunity, living a life of dignity, and forever vigilant against abuses and oppression” with a mission to be the “conscience of government and the people, we seek truth in human rights issues and prevent incidence of human rights violations. As a beacon of truth, we make people aware of their rights, and guide the government and society towards actions that respect the rights of all, particularly those who cannot defend themselves —the disadvantaged, marginalized, and vulnerable.

and a mantra that says, “CHR: Dignity of all.”

For the sake of this study, the researchers will primarily focus on one of its regional offices, CHR-Region IV-A (CHR IV-A). The geographical scope of CHR IV-A covers the entirety of CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), also designated as Region IV-A, and in terms of ethno-linguistic background, is considered as “Southern Tagalog.”

Demographics of Clients CHR IV-A caters to different vulnerable, marginalized groups, and disadvantaged groups, primarily children, women, elderly, and persons with disabilities whose human rights have been violated. In addition to supporting families who have experienced the death of loved ones through EJK, primarily characterized by the killing of a male family member, some of the key clientele and the corresponding CHR IV-A services are:

1. Survivors of violence against women and children (VAWC) and gender-based violence (GBV) abuse, including rape - Financial assistance for everyday basic needs, and transportation costs associated with the filing of cases against their abusers; 2. Surviving family members of those whose loved ones have been unjustly killed - Relevant financial assistance;

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3. Families struggling with lack of financial custody or support for children - Mediation is facilitated in order to have both parties talk about how to ensure financial support for children; 4. Persons deprived of liberty - Provision of legal updates regarding the status of the case.

In general, CHR IV-A provides free legal advice regarding the different legal concerns of their clients. They also extend their services to families of their clients who are confined against their will in hospitals due to their inability to pay for hospital services rendered to them. Economically underprivileged laborers and the poor are assisted accordingly as well. Within the context of the pandemic, viable citizens for emergency subsidy through the government’s Social Amelioration Program (SAP) are also accommodated.

Services Offered to EJK Surviving Families As a CHR Regional Office, CHR IV-A conducts both “motu proprio” or “upon complaint” investigations. According to its “Guidelines and Procedures in the Investigation and Monitoring of Human Rights Violations and Abuses” (2012), CHR, including its regional offices, sub-offices, or desk offices, can conduct investigations regarding HRV cases that have been directly reported to them (upon complaint), or they could utilize their mandate to initiate investigations based on relevant reports or information they gather (on its own initiative or motu proprio).

CHR IV-A offers the following services to its clientele: (1) Psychosocial Support, (2) Legal Assistance, (3) Economic Support, and (4) other relevant services. The agency recognizes the need of the affected families to express their thoughts and emotions with regards to the human rights violation they experienced. Lawyers and investigators provide psychosocial support as they interview the affected families and enable them to freely communicate their feelings and highly sensitive information regarding what they know of the EJK. Their clients also receive legal assistance such as legal advice and help on filing administrative and criminal cases. They also extend economic support as part of reparation to the families of the extrajudicial killings victims. According to circumstances and justifiable criteria, CHR IV-A also offers other forms of support to provide security to the affected families that experience anxiousness, traumatized by the event, and being harassed or threatened by the perpetrators. Under their “Witness Protection Program” (WPP) surviving families and witnesses are brought to a “sanctuario” to ensure their safety against external threats. Lastly, biological or basic needs of family members could be indirectly addressed through the provision of financial assistance that would enable clients to provide for themselves, in addition to provisions assured to them if they were to undergo WPP in addition to the physical security extended to them by WPP.

Partner Organizations The agency, through its interviewers, did not mention any organization that they work and/or collaborate with, particularly in assisting EJK survivor families.

Best Practices CHR IV-A shared that one of their best practices to encourage the victims’ families to proceed on filing a case against the perpetrator of the crime is through allowing the affected families to narrate the story of the victim. The information shared is documented and the free legal consultation allows family members to make an informed decision regarding their next legal steps, such as whether they are to file for a legal case or otherwise.

Challenges faced by Clients in Accessing the Organization’s Services The institution shared that one of the most salient challenges they face is the fearfulness of the clients regarding the potential harm they could face from the different individuals and authorities behind the killings of their loved ones. They fear that their safety and security is threatened once the perpetrators learn that they are going to file a case.

Challenges faced by the Organization and Ways Forward CHR IV-A was challenged on handling clients with mental health issues and concerns that are not usually handled by their agency. Despite the challenges they face when dealing with such clients, they ensure that they are able to provide support by referring them to investigators who are specialized to handle such cases. The participants of the research recommend an earlier assessment regarding the mental condition of their clients.

Lastly, the respondents believe that there is a need to further strengthen their financial and legal services catered towards EJK affected families.