The Philippine government has moved to attract private and foreign investment in renewable energy by removing caps on foreign ownership of solar, wind and ocean projects. At the same time, authorities have intensified "red‑tagging"—publicly labelling activists and community organisations as linked to the New People’s Army or other armed groups. The Supreme Court ruled in July 2023 that the practice threatens victims' "right to life, liberty, or security." Red‑tagging expanded under the Duterte administration (2016–2022) and has continued under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Two long‑standing community organisations say they have been targeted and that the measures have concrete effects. The Leyte Center for Development (LCDe), led by Jazmin "Minet" Aguisanda‑Jerusalem, helped thousands after Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013 and was recognised internationally in 2018. LCDe had bank accounts frozen in April 2024 and in July 2025 its leader pleaded not guilty to three counts of terrorism financing; the charges rest on testimonies from four alleged former rebels. The freeze has suspended LCDe projects and limited emergency relief during a season of typhoons.
Sibat, which has delivered clean technology in rural areas for decades, says it has also faced accusations. It installed a solar‑powered water pump in June 2025 for Typhoon Rai victims in Ubay; Rai struck in late 2021 and was the second deadliest natural disaster worldwide that year. Sibat’s executive director, Estrella "Tata" Catarata, faced terror financing charges in May 2023; an AFP official publicly linked her to the NPA in April 2024, and she filed a defamation suit a year later. Harassment reportedly led two engineers to resign, and staff say they must work to persuade local officials and sometimes invite EU diplomats to keep projects running.
UN experts have criticised the practice. Ian Fry said in 2023 that the AFP and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF‑ELCAC) systematically red‑tag defenders and that the task force appears to use its powers to protect powerful economic interests. Irene Khan reported in June 2025 that the NTF‑ELCAC "appears to be a major instigator of the practice" and that red‑tagging is often followed by unlawful surveillance, criminal prosecution, threats and even killings. Experts say red‑tagging affects activists and the communities they serve and can reduce access to services and aid.
Difficult words
- red‑tagging — publicly labelling activists as armed-group supporters
- terrorism financing — providing money or resources for violent groups
- freeze — to stop access to money or fundsfrozen
- defamation — a false public statement harming someone's reputation
- surveillance — close watching or monitoring of people or places
- intensify — to become stronger or more severeintensified
- instigator — someone who starts or encourages harmful actions
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Discussion questions
- How might red‑tagging affect delivery of humanitarian aid and disaster relief in affected communities?
- Why might the government remove foreign ownership caps for renewable projects while red‑tagging community organisations?
- What steps could international donors or diplomats take when local NGOs are accused of links to armed groups but provide essential services?
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