CHRP celebrates 22nd anniversary

Butuan City (5 May) --

The Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP) celebrates its 22nd Foundation Day today, May 5. The then President Corazon C. Aquino signed Executive Order No. 163 on May 5, 1987 which gave birth to the CHRP. CHRP Caraga Region was opened on October 24, 1996. Since then, it has shared in performing the Commission's mandate of protecting and promoting human rights thru investigation of complaints for human rights violations, legal aid and counseling, visitorial services over jails and detention centers, monitoring of cases, financial assistance, education and information services.

With a very limited personnel complement, CHRP Caraga Region built and tapped alliances with other government organizations, non-government organizations and civil society organizations to enhance protection and promotion of human rights. Among others, the following are accomplishments and activities undertaken:

1. Regular conduct of human rights orientations, lectures, seminars and trainings upon PNP officers, military and CAFGUs as well as education, information and training on human rights for government officials and employees and the general public;

2. Investigation of human rights violations, legal aid and counseling, regular jail visitations and other human rights protection services;

3. Integrated the rights based approach to development (RBAD) in the Barangay Development Plan (BDP) of Butuan City thru development of tools and participated in writing the Barangay Development Planning Manual;

4. Organized the Internally Displaced Persons Caraga LINK or IDP Caraga LINK which is CHRs arm in responding to and monitoring adverse situations causing or affecting internal displacements in the Caraga region;

5. Implemented the Human Rights Community Development Project jointly undertaken by the members of the CHRP and the New Zealand Human Rights Commission to the Higaonon tribe in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur; and

6. Attendance to meetings of inter-agency committees to which it is a member and participation in activities jointly undertaken.

CHRP Caraga personnel are confident that the proposed organizational structure of the regional office will be approved and implemented during the term of the Fourth Commission. This will pave the way for employing additional personnel to carry out the mandate of CHR in Caraga region. (CHR-Caraga/PIA-Caraga)