2024 Malaya movement USA

immersion trip

Immersion trips are an opportunity to integrate with different sectors and classes of Filipino society to learn firsthand what economic and political conditions communities experience. When we integrate with different sectors — such as the urban poor, fisherfolk, and farmers — we also learn how they are waging campaigns for human rights, democracy, and sovereignty in the Philippines. We integrate the lessons we learn from on the ground to inform and grow our campaigns as Malaya Movement USA.

These trips also serve as an avenue to echo the issues experienced by marginalized sectors of the Philippines to the broader international audience. They contribute an important role in communities that are subjected to the state’s threats and harassment by effectively drawing international attention and support to their particular struggles.

Current Human Rights Situation in the Philippines

This year marks the 52nd anniversary of the declaration of martial law under Ferdinand Marcos Sr. The son of Marcos Sr. and current president Bongbong Marcos claims that the human rights situation is improving under the guise of “Bagong Pilipinas”, attempting to distinguish himself from his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte and late father. As the first immersion trip undertaken in Malaya Movement’s history, this was a historic opportunity to learn about the true human rights situation in the Philippines.

Despite the Marcos regime’s denialism, our members witnessed how the economic realities of displacement, deep poverty, environmental plunder, and state repression persist for the Filipino people. The past 2 years under Marcos Jr. have been marked by 105 extrajudicial killings, 75 frustrated extrajudicial killings, 15 enforced disappearances, 42,426 victims of forced evacuation, 63,379 victims of indiscriminate firing and 44,065 victims of bombings. In August 2024 alone, three more activists went missing, bringing the current number to 15, or 70% of Duterte’s record of 21 forcibly disappeared throughout his six-year term. Increasing US militarization in the region worsens incidences of human rights violations and escalates Chinese military aggression against the Filipinos, in spite of the US’ claims to protect them.

We listened to stories of how the right to freedom of association and to freedom of expression for trade unionists and journalists remains threatened under a culture of impunity and fear. Rather than providing greatly needed public services, we saw how the state and local government continues to neglect families who are demanding relief from increasing typhoon calamities. “Development” projects such as land reclamation in the Manila Bay, the creation of expressways, and building new housing subdivisions exacerbate displacement for Filipinos already struggling to secure a livelihood, instead of addressing the root problem of landlessness and agrarian crisis.

As we’ve seen for ourselves during our immersion, Filipinos are struggling to support their families and bear the brunt of fascist policies.