Postcards after the drug war

It went from promises to end illegal drugs in three to six months, to countless protests from human rights activists, and a vice president appointed and (eventually fired) to head the government’s campaign on illegal drugs.

- Philip M. Jamilla 

Three years have passed and the brutal war on drugs continues to rage on, leaving thousands dead in its wake and with the death toll showing no signs of stopping anytime soon.

But once it’s all done and over, what would our society look like? These postcards imagine what life would be after the drug war: warnings, despair, repentance, and above all, messages of hope and struggle.

A child who lost their father in the drug war

During Duterte’s regime, tens of thousands of lives were claimed in the Drug War. Losing anyone in our lives is a terrible experience, but losing family is devastating. I am one of the many, many children orphaned by this unnecessary war. By losing our parents, we have lost so much more than any child should bear to lose: Our innocence, our safety, our homes. Because of bullets and unfounded claims, we were forced to grow up too soon.