Surviving Activism in the Philippines

Ampatuan
Massacre

Here is a simple way to increase life expectancy in the Philippines:

• Protect the Activists

That's it.  

For a start, incidents like the following will no longer happen.

• Mining activists won't be shot by greedy Canadian mining companies
  
• 43 Health activists won't be rounded up and be accused of terrorism in a blatant act of government posturing and scare tactics
  
• The deadliest ever massacre of journalists (34) will not be repeated
  
• People fighting to protect Filipinas from human trafficking will not be beaten to death

I could give countless more examples of stories like this.  

Since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took office in 2001 hundreds (thousands?) of politicians, political activists, journalists, and outspoken clergy have been killed or abducted since 2001 according to Human Rights Watch.  Arroyo's successor Beningno Aquino III is not doing much better.

Protecting the activists will not only increase their life expectancy, but also the countless other lives they will save.

If you get a chance to visit the human rights office in Manila, take a moment to reflect upon their martyr wall.  The wall contains hundreds of pictures of activists who have been killed or abducted.

Power to the peaceful.