By Pia Lee-Brago, March 10, 2025; The Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has underscored its commitment to advancing human rights through inclusive governance and country-led partnerships.
At a panel discussion on “The Fourth Philippine Human Rights Plan (PHRP4): A Call to Action, A Blueprint for Country-Led Partnerships,” held on the sidelines of the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Charles Jose stated that the plan is a roadmap for mainstreaming human rights in the Philippines’ national development agenda with special focus on providing the necessary protection and opportunities for advancement to individuals and groups in situations of vulnerability.
“The PHRP4 reinforces the Philippines’ role as a staunch partner in the Human Rights Council, ensuring that human rights remain at the center of national policies and programs,” Jose said.
Undersecretary Severo Catura of the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat (PHRCS) emphasized that the PHRP4 was crafted through an inclusive and participatory process involving 485 civil society organizations and over 500 individual grassroots stakeholders from across the Philippines and the Commission on Human Rights.
The Plan consists of eight chapters covering civil and political rights, economic and social rights, gender equality, child rights, the rights of persons with disabilities, elimination of racial discrimination, migrant workers’ rights, and the prohibition of torture and other inhumane treatment. These align with the core human rights treaties ratified by the Philippines.
The PHRP4 fulfills one of the three pledges made by the Philippine government during the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Geneva in December 2023.
“It is a call for action for governance that is firmly rooted on human rights and a nation that embraces and empowers all, especially the vulnerable and marginalized,” Catura added.
Permanent Representative Carlos Sorreta, who served as moderator, said “The Philippines is investing in human rights and taking full ownership of continuing its efforts to further strengthen national human rights and accountability mechanisms. In implementing the Plan, the government will continue to engage external partners through concrete and cost-effective cooperative initiatives.”
Abner Manlapaz, co-founder of Life Haven Center for Independent Living and senior associate at the Center for Inclusive Policy, represented civil society and shared his experience and insights from his direct involvement in the crafting of the Plan.
“Moving forward, we call upon governments to deepen their collaboration with civil society, create enabling spaces for dialogue, and ensure that human rights remain a shared responsibility,” Manlapaz stated.
The side event, organized by the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in Geneva and the PHRCS, was attended by representatives of states, international organizations and civil society.
It is in line with the country’s longstanding policy of active engagement in the Human Rights Council, whose 58th session runs from Feb. 24 to April 4.