School. 78 The arrest of Pride 20 during the Pride March is another example. Members of the LGBQI+ community were arrested during the exercise of freedom of expression.79 As 2020 neared its end, concerns regarding red tagging and trumped up cases against activists continued. During the 18 Day Campaign to End VAW, women’s human right organizations called out against teh red tagging of women community leaders including health workers, union leaders, and indigenous women leaders. One speaker during the Commission’s Online Rally on GBV, an indigenous girl from Bukidnon lamented the persistent red tagging against their community and even against young indigenous girl defenders. She called on the CHR and the government to stop red-tagging and to respond to the plight of indgenous community. In a webinar on indenous girls held by Lilak Purple Action for Women’s Human Rights, young indigenous girls, aside from raising the issue of their right to education at a time of e-learning and digital divides, also raised alarm on the persistence of red-tagging in their communities. These accounts are certainly alarming - coming from women in the marginalized sector who are facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination. Alarming decrease in the reporting of GBV and documented accounts of breakdown of referral mechanisms; In times of crisis, incidence of GBV are expected to rise. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially during the height of the ECQ/MECQ period, the Commission observed an alarming decrease in the reporting of cases. It also documented cases of and received reports of gaps/breakdown in the referral mechanism. The alarming drop of reported GBV cases is reflected in several data sources. GBV data from March to April of PNP and data from Women and Children Protection Units of DOH reveal an alarming drop from the month prior to the ECQ. Reports and requests for assistance with the Commission’s 16 regional offices were also noticeably lower. Comparing data from 14 February to 14 March 2020, with the data from 14 March to 14 April 2020, there is a marked decrease in the number of reports before the PNP. For rape cases recorded by the PNP CIRRAS during this period, there is a 56.25% decrease of reports for women, and a 59.84% decrease of reports for rape of children80, for violations of the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children, there is a 39.92% decrease.81 This is further confirmed in the records of the Women and Children Protection Units (WCPU) of the Department of Health. Across its 23 hospitals, a comparison of reported GBV cases from March and April would show an alarming 83% decrease. If compared with the number from January, the drop of reported cases is at 89%.82 Comparing data from the previous years, the drop in reporting is even more obvious both for violence against women and violence against children. Comparing PNP Data from 1 March – 31 May 2019 with 78 Talabong, R.10 Feeding Program Volunteers Arrested in Marikina. Rappler. 1 May 2020. https://www.rappler.com/nation/feeding-program-volunteers-arrested-marikina-may-2020 79 Rappler. At least 20 arrested at Pride march in Manila. 26 June 2020. https://www.rappler.com/nation/copsarrest-individuals-pride-month-protest-manila-june-2020 80 From 144 cases to 63 for women; From 386 to 155 reports of rape of children. 81 PNP Cirras Report as shared through PNP Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) 82 Presentation by WCPU during the “ 20