12 July 2016 - Social Welfare and Development Undersecretary Vilma B. Cabrera affirmed the Philippines’ continued commitment in the fulfillment of its human rights obligations to its people, including the internally displaced persons (IDPs), during the 32nd Session of the Human Rights Council on June 20.
In her statement, Undersecretary Cabrera highlighted Philippine laws and various existing mechanisms of the Philippine government aimed at preventing internal displacement and protecting its displaced persons.
She said that the displacement in the Philippines should be understood in the context of the existence of natural geo-hazards, long-term armed insurgencies, and sporadic civil unrest in some indigenous communities owing to the culturally-rooted Rido system.
Further, she explained that the Philippine approach to the IDP issues goes beyond the provision of care and assistance to those displaced such as food, assistance for return, resettlement or local integration. More importantly, the roots of displacement and vulnerability of the IDPs are also addressed.
On displacement caused by natural disasters, Undersecretary Cabrera informed the Council that the Philippines is also set to introduce an amendatory bill to the country’s disaster risk reduction management law in order to strengthen the government response mechanisms to IDP issues.
Undersecretary Cabrera delivered the country’s response to the country visit report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Internally Displaced Persons to the Philippines (IDP) Mr. Chaloka Beyani. END