UN notes Philippine gains on human rights

GAINS IN protecting human rights in the Philippines were noted by the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Foreign Affairs department said in a statement at the weekend.

“The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) adopted, by consensus, on Sept. 20 the report on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the Philippines,” the statement read.

The Philippine delegation was headed by Deputy Executive Secretary Teofilo S. Pilando, Jr., Presidential Human Rights Committee chairman.

Among those highlighted were measures done or are being implemented by the government to fulfill its commitment to the UN on human rights, such as monitoring on progress of cases on extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearance and torture.

Mr. Pilando said in the statement that “25 other recommendations that mainly pertain to treaties and conventions are being further studied in view of ongoing legislative and judicial processes related to the recommendations.”

Efforts on the labor front such as the ratification of the Maritime Labor Convention and the International Labor Organization Convention 189 on Decent Work for Domestic Workers that set standard of protection of human rights of seafarers and domestic workers were also reported.

The report completed the process that started in May 2012, the statement said.

The UPR is a peer review of the human rights records of member countries of the United Nations.

The Philippines was among the pioneer countries that were first subjected to a peer review in 2008. The present review is the second for the Philippines. The Philippines will again be reviewed in 2016. — A. S. O. Alegado, Businessworld