“Create Safe Pathways for Refugees and Migrants,” Philippine Mission Urges During 87th UNHCR Meeting

Deputy Permanent Representative Kristine Leilani R. Salle delivered the Philippines’ intervention during the 87th UNHCR Standing Committee meeting on 14-16 June 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland. (Geneva PM photo)

GENEVA 29 June 2023 — The Philippines urged the international community to work together to protect the rights and welfare, as well as to create safe pathways for refugees and migrants, during the 87th Standing Committee meeting organized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), held on 14-16 June 2023 at the Mercure Geneva Airport Hotel in Geneva, Switzerland. 

Deputy Permanent Representative Kristine Leilani R. Salle also highlighted the importance of providing support for refugee hosting communities to enable them to have the capacity to work towards inclusion of persons of concern, especially those in vulnerable situations including women and children, older persons, indigenous peoples, and persons with disabilities, who are also displaced due to climate change and other hazards.

“The Philippines acknowledges the collaboration with the UNHCR at the national and regional levels,” Deputy Permanent Representative Salle stated. “This motivates the Philippines’ commitment to be a modest donor to the UNHCR and several of its refugee response plans, and we encourage other stakeholders to do the same to the best of our respective abilities.”

During a separate session on statelessness, Second Secretary Jet C. Olfato shared the Philippines’ recent successes in ending statelessness, including, among others, the accession to the 1961 Convention, the Supreme Court En Banc’s approval of the Rule on Facilitated Naturalization of Refugees and Stateless Persons, and the enactment of the Foundling Recognition and Protection Act that will ensure that no child will be born stateless.

The Philippines has had a long and proud humanitarian tradition and history of being a safe haven for people fleeing persecution, including opening its doors to the nine waves of refugees. END

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