US report: Red-tagging...

PAGE 2 deeming it “overbroad and violative of freedom of expression.”

Opponents argued the legislation could be used to tag some common speech or innocuous political activities as incitement to terrorism.

Some leaders of communist and leftist organizations, rural NGOs and human rights defenders complained of routine surveillance and harassment.

“Although the government generally respected restrictions on search and seizure within private homes, searches without warrants continued. Judges generally declared illegally obtained evidence to be inadmissible,” the report pointed.

Impunity remains

The government investigated some reported human rights abuses, including abuses by its forces and paramilitary forces, “but concerns about police impunity remained, given reports of continued extrajudicial killings by police.”

“Officials frequently engaged in corrupt practices with impunity,” the report said.

Major human rights issues in the Philippines included credible reports of unlawful or arbitrary killings, including extrajudicial killings; forced disappearance; torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by and on behalf of the government and other physical abuses by non-state actors; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary and high-level and widespread government corruption, among others.

The State Department report also highlighted the continued harassment of and physical attacks on journalists, usually by government officials and powerful individuals.

The report noted that while the Constitution provides for freedom of expression, including for members of the press, “threats and actions by government, allied groups and powerful individuals against journalists, media organizations, government critics and others continued.”

“Journalists continued to face harassment and threats of violence, including from individual politicians, government authorities and powerful private persons critical of their reporting. These abuses intensified during the election season,” the report pointed out.

The report noted that media generally remains free, active and able to voice criticism of the government, despite the chilling effect caused by the killings of journalists and political pressure on specific major media organizations.

On Oct. 3, radio broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa was killed in an ambush on his way to work. Mabasa was a prominent radio host who reported on government corruption and had challenged the Marcos administration and the former Duterte administration on human rights and the protection of fundamental freedoms. He was the second journalist killed since President Marcos took office in June. Another radio broadcaster, Renato “Rey” Blanco, was killed in September. The Philippine National Police (PNP) created a special task force to investigate Mabasa’s murder, admitting it was “highly probable” he was killed because of his reporting.

In November, the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) filed murder charges against suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag, deputy security officer Ricardo Zulueta and 10 other prisoners after the self-confessed gunman linked them to Mabasa’s killing. Five journalists were PAGE 4

California Volunteers, the agency which administers the College Corps program is hoping to recruit 3,000 participants for the 2023-2024 academic year. Priority applications were due March 15, but deadlines vary at participating campuses.

The College Corps program is currently available to full-time enrolled undergraduate students. Eligible students must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Qualify for a Federal Pell Grant

• Qualify for a State Cal Grant

• Qualify for a Middle Class Scholarship

Need to work part time and/or borrow student loans

In its first year, the California College Corps recruited a diverse group of participants, with 80% students of color and 500 socalled DREAMERs. College Corps fellows are placed in communitybased organizations working in K-12 education, climate action, and food insecurity.

Confronting multiple crises

At a March 13 news briefing, jointly organized by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media, California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday noted Governor Newsom is aware of the multiple crises confronting the state.

“We’re facing a student debt crisis. We’re facing crises of enormous existential issues, a climate crisis, a food insecurity crisis, education disparity crises. And we’re also, at the same time, facing a crisis of the spirit,” said

Fryday.

“College Corps helps us address all of these multiple crises at once,” he added. “These young people are doing really meaningful work for all of our communities. They’re doing work around climate change. They’re doing really critical work around food insecurity, helping get food to those who need it the most, and dealing with the education disparities that we’re seeing, especially among our low income youth coming out of COVID.”

College Corps volunteer Emilio Ruiz spoke about how the program had transformed his life. The 24-year-old, who is studying at CSU Long Beach with the intent of pursuing a career in education, comes from a troubled childhood. “School was always my safe space. It was always the place where I could go to steer clear of my dilemmas and adversities, and where I could lean on adults to get support and praise.”

Through the College Corps at the Beach internship program, Ruiz was placed with Ground Education, a nonprofit organization that teaches outdoor and garden-based learning. Finding purpose through service

“Ground Education is a shining example of the goal of creating safe spaces in schools for children. By being able to work with this incredible organization, I feel like I’ve gone from being a student who once desperately needed a safe space to learn, to being the trusted adult who can provide students with an environment where they have a deep sense of belonging and know that they are seen, heard, supported and valued,” said Ruiz.

Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center and the coinstructor of the GGSC’s Bridging Differences online course, noted that anxiety and depression have been spiking on college campuses.

“Many clinicians like myself are hearing from students that hopelessness, purposelessness, and isolation are contributing to a sense of not feeling like they belong, and not knowing where they can get help,” said BriscoeSmith.

“So we are hopeful that the College Corps program provides an antidote: finding purpose through service. Being able to see yourself and the folks that you serve is an amazing opportunity for transformation and connection,” she said.

Project Optimism Ishmael Pruitt, co-founder and CEO of Project Optimism, said his epiphany came about as he mentored students at PAGE 4