MANILA — Lila Pilipina, an organization of Filipina comfort women, trooped to the Japan and US embassies yesterday to commemorate the International Memorial Day for Comfort Women –which was declared in a resolution passed during the 11th Asian Solidarity Conference in Taiwan but has yet to be recognized by the United Nations.
The group, together with members of Gabriela, protested the resurgence of US militarism in the country through the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).
Gabriela Secretary General Joms Salvador said yesterday that the increasing US military presence does not only attract war aggression but also forced prostitution and sexual slavery.
Meanwhile, Rechilda Extremadura, executive director of Lila Pilipina, expressed her and the lolas’ concern on the possible birth of new generation of comfort women after the EDCA has been signed.
“The lolas have experienced war and know that life was hell for them especially with the wartime sexual slavery that they were dragged into.” 
Text and photos by Anne Ednalyn dela Cruz
