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AMIHAN
AMIHAN–National Federation of Peasant Women
AMIHAN–Pambansang Pederasyon ng Kababaihang Magbubukid
FormationOctober 26, 1986
HeadquartersQuezon City
Chairperson
Zenaida Soriano
Secretary General
Catalina "Cathy" Estavillo
AffiliationsBagong Alyansang Makabayan, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas
Websiteamihanwomen.org

The AMIHAN–Pambansang Pederasyon ng Kababaihang Magbubukid (National Federation of Peasant Women) is national Filipino organization of peasant women and peasant women organizations advocating for genuine agrarian reform and women's rights especially in the countryside. The organization does efforts in campaign and advocacy, organizational building and leader development, research and education, and local and international solidarity.[1]

The organization is an affiliate of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas.[2]

History

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The organization was established on October 26, 1986, with six provincial chapters and has expanded into nineteen provincial chapters in nine regions.[1] AMIHAN was formed as a response to the need of giving a collective response to through advocacy intended for the welfare of women in the agricultural sector with an organization headed and participated by women in order for themselves to fully participate in peasant struggles and break free from misogynistic stereotypes placing women as week and submissive. The name AMIHAN is attributed to amihan or northeast wind, associated with women.[3]

As of 2023, the organization has expanded to thirty-five chapters with almost 14,000 active members.[3]

Advocacy

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Secretary-General Cathy Estavillo speaking at a peasants' rally, 2025.

The organization focuses on Philippine peasant women, which is said to be the largest women sector in the country. The agricultural sector faces deep poverty where seven out of then farmers in the Philippines have remained landless, and there are related issues such as workers' rights and equality. They claim that peasant women have not been recognized by government authorities. In 2021, the average wage gap between peasant men and women is at ₱30, according to studies by the Philippine Statistics Authority. Additionally, peasant women face the struggle of breaking free from traditional gender norms as they have usually have been given roles such as serving or cooking. The sector also faces red-tagging, harassment, and other human rights violations.[3][4][5]

Economically, in serving peasant communities, AMIHAN has led campaigns for free land distribution, production support for farmers and fisherfolk, post-calamity rehabilitation, food security and self-sufficiency, and opposition against militarization and other human rights abuses. AMIHAN, along with rice watch group Bantay Bigas (Rice Watch) has been at the forefront against Rice Liberalization Law.[6] AMIHAN helped organized Bagsakan (lit. bring down) activities where agricultural goods are brought down from the provinces to cities such as Manila in order to help sell the produce of farmers.[5]

Human rights advocacy

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AMIHAN and its members have faced red-tagging and other human rights violations. In 2018, highways from Cordon, Isabela to Tuguegarao, Cagayan have been filled with sacks red-tagging them as "terrorists" and recruiters of the New People's Army (NPA) where the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) placed a ₱1-million bounty on Cita Managuelod, AMBI Amihan Isabela leader. Organizations have condemned these attacks as manifestations of both the militaristic and misogynist attacks under the Duterte administration.[5]

On October 15, 2019, International Day of Rural Women, AMIHAN protested in front of Camp Aguinaldo against the militarization of rural communities by the AFP especially with the implementation of martial law in Mindanao and the Memorandum Order 32. They cited the reports of human rights group Karapatan where among the victims of human rights violations from July 2016 to June 2019, 31 were women, 29 were elderly, and 10 were minors. Chairperson Zen Soriano also said that there were attacks against women under militarized circumstances, including sexual harassment and humiliating acts.[7]

In 2020, members of AMIHAN faced the attacks in a farmland called Hacienda Yulo in Laguna. Armed goons hired by the Yulo clan and the Ayala have threatened a group of peasant women. The Yulo-Ayala have been wanting to convert the area into a country club and golf course.[4][5]

In December 2020, AMIHAN researcher in Cagayan Valley Amanda Echanis was arrested in Baggao, Cagayan but was acquitted on January 14, 2026, from charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.[8]

In 2021, a Bagsakan and relief operations activity from Central Luzon farmers was intercepted by the authorities simply because they were carrying publicity materials from AMIHAN.[5]

The organization had their bank account frozen by the Anti–Money Laundering Council because of red-tagging in Mindanao where the Philippine government has allegated that they finance the activities of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the NPA. AMIHAN has rejected the allegation and said that they were denied due process.[6] Organizations such as the Council for People’s Development and Governance has denounced such attacks against AMIHAN, echoing this as an attack on all civil service organizations in the country.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "About". Amihan. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
  2. ^ Productions, Kodao (2021-08-13). "KMP: Gov't anti-insurgency drive targets farmers, people's organizations". AlterMidya. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
  3. ^ a b c animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1695&context=conf_shsrescon. Retrieved 2026-04-10. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ a b "Defend Peasant Women: Stitching to Resist". socialtextjournal.org. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
  5. ^ a b c d e Philippine Collegian. "State of the Peasant Women Community in the Philippines". phkule.org. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
  6. ^ a b "Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women". Business and Human Rights Centre. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
  7. ^ Juan, Ratziel San. "On Rural Women's Day, peasant groups call on military to pull out of communities". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2026-04-10.
  8. ^ Villa, Kathleen de (2026-01-15). "Court clears student activist after five years in detention". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved 2026-02-11.
  9. ^ "CPDG Statement of Solidarity with Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women". CPDG. 2025-08-14. Retrieved 2026-04-10.