“SIBAT’s work has rarely been straightforward, with Catarata citing interference from the military as one of their main challenges. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Catarata encountered one military checkpoint after another just to reach communities like Mataragan, and “while you’re there, you get red-tagged too.”
Red-tagging is a practice in the Philippines where state authorities label an individual or organization as sympathetic to or supportive of armed insurgents. It often leads to some form of crackdown on civil society groups.
Jazmin Jerusalem of the Defend NGOs Alliance said the government is out to stifle critical voices and “hinder civil society organizations from their development work.” As of February 2025, 69 NGO workers from 21 organizations — including SIBAT — are facing terrorism charges.”
Read more here: https://news.mongabay.com/2025/02/in-remote-philippine-villages-micro-hydro-alternatives-power-indigenous-homes/
People over profits!