THE Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) and Bro. Armin Luistro, FSC have been announced today as the recipients of Amnesty International Philippines Ignite Awards for Human Rights Season 2 Most Distinguished Human Rights Defenders for organization and individual categories respectively. Together with them are recipients of the Young Outstanding Human Rights Defender, Lorenzo Miguel Relente, and Art that Matters for Literature, Michael David Tan.
Ignite Awards for Human Rights is given to Human Rights Defenders to recognize the impact their work brings in changing peoples’ lives through mobilization, activism, and rights-based policy advocacy. First, of its kind, it is Amnesty International Philippines’ highest honor given to human rights defenders in the country.
“This season’s recipients come from varying human rights backgrounds, from press freedom and right to education to gender equality and SOGIESC rights, but they share one dedication, that is to the fight for basic rights of Filipinos. They truly ignite the human rights cause, speaking up against injustices and exposing inequalities on behalf of those who, otherwise, will not be heard,” said Butch Olano, Amnesty International Philippines Section Director.
The nominations for Ignite Awards Season 2 was opened a year ago on the same day the winners were announced this year, May 28 is Amnesty International’s 59th anniversary. It took the organization a year to finalize the nominations and vetting process together with a Selection Committee and its Board of Judges chaired by rights lawyer Chel Diokno.
“Amnesty International Philippines strongly believes that our individual and collective power as a people working towards transforming and uplifting each other should be given due recognition and appreciation despite the political turmoil the country has been experiencing for a few years now. It is necessary to shine a spotlight on those individuals who continue to pave the way for collective action,” added Olano.
Amnesty International Philippines celebrates the spirit of activism and exceptional courage the Ignite Awards recipients continue to show while faced with an unprecedented public health emergency. The organization emphasizes that taking action to safeguard human rights has become more important especially now more than ever.
“When people lead in taking a stand for human rights especially in difficult situations, it emboldens many others in their struggles against injustice. Our Ignite Awardees’ commitment is all the more remarkable because of the alarming levels of repression and inequality that ordinary people are experiencing amid this pandemic,” Olano said. (PR)
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