Earlier discussion has shown how the economic devastation of the pandemic hit the most vulnerable groups and population. This section discusses this further, taking on data from the Commission’s monitoring as well as data from partner CSOs as they document stories of women, girls, and LGBQI+ communities on the ground. In particular, it expounds on the situation of women with disabilities, women IDPs, urban poor women who are mostly informal settler families, women widows of Extrajudicial killing during the pandemic, women in detention, and women and LGBQI+ human rights defenders. At the onset, it must be stated that various surveys already highlight how the pandemic exacerbate existing inequalities. The GIA led by UNFPA is among the earliest assessment highlighting this. It reported that vulnerable groups have been rendered more vulnerable by the crisis, specifically, 60% of Indigenous Peoples, IDPs, and Urban Poor women report not receiving enough ‘ayuda’ or assistance from the government.53 It also responded that many respondents who are elderly, IDPs, urban poor, and members of indigenous communities perceive that government assistance is insufficient for their needs.54 This section discusses how women and girls who are previously marginalized are rendered even more vulnerable by the pandemic. Supporting data were gathered from the Commission’s human rights monitoring with women in the marginalized sector and with the LGBQI+ communities. Kwentong Kababaihan at Krisis (Sectoral Monitoring: Urban Poor Women) Sectoral monitoring by the Commission with urban poor women in Navotas highlighted how the pandemic exacerbated their already difficult situation. Prior to the crisis, the women members of the Pederasyon ng mga Maralitang Novoteno already shared their issues pertaining to their tenure insecurity, lack of access to utilities, absence of social protection and violence experience in the hands of State forces. This pandemic, the accounts of women showed heightened food insecurity due to loss of income sources/employment and heightened threats from state forces due to containment measures. Of the fifteen women interviewed in Navotas, four had family members currently detained either for alleged drug cases or curfew violations. Two of the fifteen also complained of violation of domicile – with alleged state forces repeatedly entering and ransacking their houses without warrants. In all these instances, no complaint was filed as the women were afraid of reprisals. The strict implementation of quarantine rules and the ambiguity of protocols led to violation and arrests within the community. The burden of finding ways to address incarceration of family members further add to women’s burden during the pandemic. One woman from Navotas shared ‘sa mga protocol tulad ng curfew, araw ng pamamalengke hindi naiform ng barangay at sundalo ang mga tao. Minsan kahit araw ng labas namin ay nanghuhuli sila kahit nakalimutan mo lang ang iyong quarantine pass’ [In protocols like curfew, and even during scheduled market days, the barangay and the soldiers would fail to inform us beforehand. Sometimes, even on days we are supposed to be allowed to go out, they would arrest us if we forget our quarantine passes]55 Compounded issues could be seen in the case of Rina, 48 years old urban poor woman with 8 children and who takes care of a sick husband. She shared ‘Sa ngayon wala na kami kuryente dahil ang kuryente sa lugar naming ay jumper lang. Ang aking mga anak na nag-aaral, sobrang hirap sila mag module – walang ilaw. Inaasahan naming ang pangalawang ayuda pero hanggang ngayon wala pa. Kaya pinagkakasya ko nalang ang kita ko sa paglalabada para sa pagkain… kung minsan lugaw, kung kulang kapi a tinapay nalang. Sa ngayon gumagawa ako ng paraan paano mabayaran ang penalty ng aking anak na nahuli sa 53 Silayan, see note 19 Silayan, see note 19 55 KKK: Kwentong Krisis at Kababaihan. Sectoral Monitoring of Women in the Marginalized Sector – urban poor of Navotas 54 12