PRESS RELEASE
by International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines-Canada | May 22, 2026
Vancouver, BC — More than 240 people gathered in person and online on May 19 at the University of British Columbia (Henry Angus Building) for a public event calling for justice for the victims of the Negros 19 massacre and expressing solidarity with Filipino farmers and peasants struggling for land, livelihood, and human rights in the Philippines. The program brought together students, academics, and community members, and featured cultural performances, reflections on rural struggles, and a solemn tribute to victims of violence in farming communities.
The keynote speaker, Danilo Ramos, widely known as “Ka Daning,” spoke on the theme “Land is Life.” Ka Daning is the national chairperson of the Kilusan ng Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (National Peasant Movement of the Philippines), the biggest alliance of peasants and farm workers in the Philippines. He described how many Filipino farmers continue to struggle with landlessness, displacement, poverty, and violence while a small group of wealthy landowners control large areas of agricultural land.
“Farmers feed the nation, yet many remain among the poorest,” Ka Daning said. “The struggle for land is the struggle for dignity, livelihood, and justice.”
Ka Daning also highlighted the contrast between the Philippines’ rich natural resources and the ongoing poverty in rural communities. He pointed out that despite fertile farmland, abundant marine life, and vast mineral wealth, many Filipinos continue to experience hunger, forced displacement, and a lack of stable economic opportunities.
He also raised concerns about the Philippine government’s counter-insurgency programs and growing military cooperation between Canada and the Philippines, including the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SoVFA), saying these policies increasingly treat community organizing and activism as security threats and contribute to human rights violations by strengthening security programs that place peasants, Indigenous peoples, workers, and human rights defenders at risk when they organize to defend their rights and livelihoods.
“Canadians should ask important questions about how international agreements affect human rights,” Ka Daning said, renewing calls to review and cancel agreements that may contribute to militarization and repression.
The event featured responses from community leaders including Migrante BC, which emphasized the importance of international solidarity for Filipinos overseas.
Erie Maestro of Migrante BC/Canada said, “Many Filipinos abroad came to Canada seeking better opportunities, but our hearts remain connected to our families back home. When farmers and rural communities suffer violence and displacement, migrant families also feel the impact. Justice for the Negros 19 is not only a Philippine issue — it matters to Filipinos everywhere.”
Closing the event, Ka Daning issued a call to action, urging youth, students, overseas Filipinos, and international allies to “sow seeds of hope for the people” by strengthening solidarity for dignity and justice in the Philippines and supporting ongoing movements for human rights and social change.
The event was organized by community and solidarity organizations, including the Canada-Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights, International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines-Canada, Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle, BAYAN BC, Migrante BC, Anakbayan BC, and Gabriela BC, in partnership with the UBC Centre for Southeast Asia Research, Bici Libre, UBC Sprouts, and Climate Justice UBC. Dinner was served and catered by Plato Filipino, with material support from the UBC Centre for Southeast Asia Research and UBC Sprouts. ###
Reference:
Jeff Solis
ICHRP BC/Canada coordinator
[email protected] | [email protected]
CJ Demanarig
Migrante BC
Deputy Secretary General