By Joshua Villalobos
HAPI-Bacolod Member | HAPI Scholar
As Humanist Alliance Philippines, International ushers in a new year, we also have a lot of plans and future projects in place for 2023. In past years, we have implemented projects and initiatives to advance humanism in the Philippines, encompassing education, environmentalism, and human rights. We do all of these in solidarity with other humanists around the world.
This year, one of HAPI’s most active chapters – HAPI-Bacolod – has got a lot of plans in place for these key advocacy issues that we want to focus on:
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Misinformation and Historical Distortion
One of the main problems in Philippine social media is the spreading of fake news and misinformation. Worse, there is even deliberate disinformation sometimes. There have been several attempts to distort key historical events and occurrences in the country, so HAPI-Bacolod has actively decided to tackle this issue head-on.
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The Climate Crisis and Environmental Issues
This is already a given for HAPI-Bacolod. Ever since, the chapter has actively championed climate action and campaigned for climate justice with various local, national, and international networks. -
Labor Rights Violations
Because of the involvement of some of its members in labor issues, HAPI-Bacolod is now keen to work on making this world a better place for every worker and laborer. -
Redtagging and Socio-political rights
For HAPI-Bacolod, sociopolitical rights and ensuring that you can express yourself is a key part of humanism, and that is why they took this issue has become one of their main focus areas. -
LGBTQIA+ Discrimination and Gender-based Issues
Since 2019, HAPI-Bacolod has taken part in various efforts to benefit the LGBT community in the City of Bacolod, including joining its annual pride march and lobbying for legislation with the local government. -
The Aging Population of Local Farmers and Agricultural Injustices and Issues
Bacolod is surrounded by rural areas with mostly farming households. To the members of the chapter, this issue hits close to home. -
Plastic Pollution in Coastal Communities
Over the course of HAPI-Bacolod’s several coastal clean-up programs, they have witnessed the serious problem of plastic pollution in the ocean. By far, one of the most heavily impacted sectors are the fisherfolk and communities in the province’s coastal areas
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The Education Crisis
In many reports by various national and international agencies, Filipino kids are lagging behind in mathematics, English, and general reading comprehension. HAPI-Bacolod wants to help and make a difference among young Bacoleño learners. -
Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights Problems
Beyond just Bacolod, the Philippines currently faces serious sexual and reproductive rights issues that need to be tackled. The lack of access to reproductive health information makes this problem worse. -
Community Medical and Health Care Systems
In addition to the lack of information on health and wellness, another key issue is the lack of access to medical care. In the Philippines, many people would only see a doctor if they were already on the verge of dying. With this, HAPI-Bacolod plans to organize medical missions to make medical practitioners more accessible to community members.
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Forgotten Cultural Heritage, Traditions, and Arts
The richness of Negros Occidental’s heritage and arts has been forgotten by many. Various humanist traditions and cultural practices must be preserved.
As you can see, 2023 looks to be an exciting year for HAPI-Bacolod and its partner organizations. Through your support in volunteering, donations, and partnerships, we hope to make a dent in the big issues currently happening in our society.
Should you be interested in working with HAPI-Bacolod, just message our Facebook page to connect!
