Reclaim Democratic Spaces
Broad Nets, Narrow Freedoms: The Chill of the New Espionage Act
October 6, 2026Broad Nets, Narrow Freedoms: The Chill of the New Espionage ActPosition Paper of the Defend NGOs Alliance on HB 964223 September 2026 The Defend NGOs Alliance strongly opposes House Bill No. 9642, “An Act Expanding the Coverage of Espionage Law,” cited as the “New Espionage Act,” authored by Representative Zamora (Y.M.), Oducado, Suan, Romualdo, and […]
CHR holds 2nd Roundtable Discussion on the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill
September 26, 2026QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) organized its second roundtable discussion on the Human Rights Defenders (HRD) Protection bill aiming to consult stakeholders from various sectors and advocacies for inputs into the draft legislation. The roundtable discussion is part of a series of consultations the Commission has conducted to develop a […]
The Paradox of Violence: The False Rhetoric Behind “Terror Grooming”
Aira Cobico | September 15, 2026The recent school shooting incidents that happened at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, and at the Ateneo de Zamboanga University Junior High School less than two months later, resulted in deaths and injuries that prompted public debate over school safety, violent influence among youth, criminal liability, and access to firearms. Several […]
When “Counter-Terrorism” Becomes a Weapon Against Civil Society
Dom Ybera | September 15, 2026When “Counter-Terrorism” Becomes a Weapon Against Civil Society: FATF, Financing Laws, and New Legal Threats in the Philippines This article traces how an international financial-compliance regime became a domestic tool of repression in the Philippines, and how new legislation pushed through Congress threatens to expand that tool considerably. A Community Organization Frozen OutFor years, the […]
CPDG Denounces NTF-ELCAC Disinformation and Calls for Abolition
September 1, 2026The Council for People’s Development and Governance (CPDG) strongly denounces the latest round of disinformation from the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the broader security establishment it represents. Manufactured “Partnerships”NTF-ELCAC recently circulated a post describing a briefing with a UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN […]
The Cost of “Development”: Mining, Militarization, and the Philippine Climate Crisis
Normel Bermundo | July 29, 2026The Philippines is experiencing an escalating climate crisis as the country’s political and economic systems, dominated by vested interests, exacerbate the impact of climate change. The OECD, in its 2026 economic survey on the country, reports more intense and frequent typhoons, accelerated sea-level rise, and more extreme rainfall events. All these pose grave risks and […]
CPDG Denounces Case Against Anti-Mining Lawyers in Nueva Vizcaya, Urges Anti-SLAPP Bill Passage
July 29, 2026The Council for People’s Development and Governance (CPDG) joins various organizations and individuals in condemning yet another cyber libel case filed by the North Luzon Mineral Resources Corp. (NLMRC). Lawyer Edgardo C. Balgos was slapped with a case days after the same mining company filed a legal complaint against Atty. Fidel Santos. Both public interest […]
Press Release: CSOs, Media Reject the Trap of Emerging Terror Bills
July 25, 2026On July 17, 2026, the Council for People’s Development and Governance (CPDG), Altermidya, and IBON Foundation held a consultation forum on the implications on what civil society regard as emerging additional “terror” legislation. Titled “It’s a Trap! The Perils of Emerging Terror Bills”, pending legislation at the 20th Congress: Digital Media Anti-False Information Act or […]
CPDG Denounces Police Dispersal and Illegal Arrest During Rubio Visit
July 24, 2026The Council for People’s Development and Governance (CPDG) strongly denounce the police force’s brutal dispersal of peaceful protesters during the visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on July 22, which resulted in multiple injuries and the illegal arrest of a 22-year-old Center for Environmental Concerns (CEC) volunteer and media worker. We likewise denounce […]
Silencing People’s Voices: State Censorship in the Anti-Disinformation Bills
July 20, 2026Silencing People’s Voices: State Censorship in the Anti-Disinformation BillsA Position Paper on House Bill (HB) 9465 and its Senate CounterpartDefend NGOs Alliance17 July 2026 The Defend NGOs Alliance strongly rejects HB 9465, otherwise known as the “Digital Media Anti-False Information Act”, and its counterpart in the Senate. The alliance opposes its railroaded passage in Congress, […]