Nymia Pimentel-Simbulan, the Philippine Human Rights Information Center’s Executive Director is proposing an overview of the Human Rights situation in the Philippines.

In a move to further consolidate its ranks, the Philippine NGO-PO Network for ESC Rights held its first and founding General Assembly on June 4, 2010 at the Fersal Place in Quezon City, Philippines. Around sixty (60) delegates from different people’s organizations (POs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) attended the said historical event and expressed their willingness to be part of the network. The delegates agreed that the group should be a “broad multi-sectoral movement organized (...)

Some 100 non-government organizations from all over the country under the umbrella network of Kampanya para sa Makataong Pamumuhay (KAMP or Dignified Life for All Campaign) are asking incoming President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III to adopt their pro-poor agenda.

In the Philippines, the organization PhilRights push for the enforcement, creation or amendment of ESC rights legislations.

This guidebook brings together the field experience of Terre des Hommes France’s old or recent partners such as Guamina, as part of the Malian ESC Rights Platform, Convergencia de Organismos Civiles (Mexico), FASE (Brazil), and PhilRights (Philippines) in drafting a shadow report for presentation to the UN Committee on ESC rights.

Philippine NGOs submitted an alternative report on ESC rights in 1995, in 2002 and 2008.

Why indicators? Unlike civil and political rights, ESC rights still do not have clear parameters that will indicate whether they are being realized or violated. Determine whether government policies and actions are in accordance or in violation with its ESC rights obligations. Determine whether the government is progressively implementing ESC rights. Who should set the indicators? Human Rights principles of self-determination, participation, and empowerment tell us that the people (...)

The Philippine NGO-PO Network for Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights released this press statement on the eve of the UN CESCR review of the Philippine report, in November 2008.

The filipino official report was examined by the UN Committee on ESC rights in November 2008. In this document, you will find the issues and questions raised by the Committee and the governement’s answers.

This international programme of training on Economic, Social and Cultural (ESC) Rights enforceability approaches brings together Non-Governmental Organizations from Benin, Cameroon, France, India, Mali, Senegal, Togo and the Philippines. We decided to pool our experiences, notably via this website, in order to mutually build our capacities and share them with other stakeholders. Partners: Aoudaghost Network : Senegal Unit Benin Unit Togo Unit Malian Unit and the Malian ESC rights (...)

The Philippine Human Rights Information Center (PhilRights), the research and information arm of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), a nationwide coalition of human rights defenders composed of more than fifty (50) organizations, throws its support to and calls for the immediate passage of House Bill 6342 or An Act to Regulate the Rational Exploration, Development and Utilization of Mineral Resources.

Manila, Philippines - For a lot of people rain is a symbol of wealth, but for Filipinos living in the streets, it only means cold, wet, and hungry sleepless nights. Armed with umbrellas and ready for downpour, anti-poverty group, Global Call to Action against (GCAP) - Philippines, asks President Benigno Aquino, if Filipinos having no homes is what he meant when he said in his Independence Day message last June 12 that Filipinos are now free from poverty. One out of four Filipinos are poor. (...)

Eighteen (18) human rights defenders focusing on economic, social, and cultural (ESC) rights from China, India, Philippines, and Sri Lanka came together for four (4) days from March 10-13, 2011 to share and exchange experiences in campaigning for human rights in their respective countries. The third (3rd) regional workshop under the International Training Program (ITP) of Terre des Hommes France (TDHF) and Catholic Committee against Hunger and for Development (CCFD) was also organized to (...)

This document compiles exchanges of the first international training session which took place in Bamako, April 14th-17th, 2008. The themes addressed were: the various steps of mobilising civil society on ESC rights (Setting up ESC rights platforms, Indicator setting with participative enquiries and collection of data, Lobbying, advocacy), the participation in the elaboration and modification of laws integrating ESC rights and the drafting of shadow reports.

The second international seminar of this programme took place in Bangalore (India) in June 2009. We discussed the thematics : Organizing civil society into a broad social movement, Monitoring the UN Committee on ESC rights’ recommendations, Monitoring administrative and judicial practices and Mobilizing for the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Launched in December 2011, the CSO-Peoples Monitoring Mechanism is a partnership of human rights and other non-governmental organizations, people’s organizations, and human rights defenders (HRDs) towards a more systematic and comprehensive monitoring and documentation of human rights violations in the Philippines. CSO-PMM is a watchdog and response mechanism that will harness every partner’s expertise, experience, and existing programs to gather timely information and immediately take steps (...)

NGOs and people’s organizations submitted a joint civil society report for the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) second cycle session for the Philippines by the UN Human Rights Council (UN HRC) in June next year. This submission was prepared through facilitation of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) with assistance of the Philippine Human Rights Information Center in coordination with sixty-three (63) civil society organizations in the country. Four (4) national (...)

FOOD-SECURITY advocates warned President Aquino against his administration’s decision to devolve the fundamental functions of the National Food Authority (NFA), which they fear will lead to massive importation of rice by the private sector. The Task Force Food Sovereignty (TFFS) expressed fear that the move will only lead to overimportation and smuggling of rice that will adversely affect rice trading and impact the agriculture sector, particularly rice farmers. Arze Glipo, lead convener (...)

September 14, 2011 Hon. LORETTA ANN P. ROSALES Chairperson Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP) Dear Madam, Greetings from the Philippine NGO-PO Network for ESC Rights! The NGO-PO Network for ESC Rights is a formation of about fifty (50) organizations and alliances including the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), Freedom from Debt Coalition (FDC), and Education Network (E-Net Philippines). The network was established to advocate for the respect, (...)

The story of Goldilocks workers is far from the usual “they lived happily ever after”-plot of fairy tales from which the company got its name. The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) and the NGO-PO Network for ESC Rights strongly condemn the series of rights abuses perpetrated against the workers belonging to Bukluran ng Independenteng Samahan na Itinatag sa Goldilocks (BISIG) who went on strike last March 11th, 2010 to protest the company’s labor rights violations such as (...)

Certify as urgent the following human rights bills: a.) Commission on Human Rights Charter b.) Martial Law victims compensation c.) Enforced disappearance and extra-legal killings d.) Internally displaced persons (IDPs) e.) Anti-discrimination f.) Protection of human rights defender g.) Release of detainees on recognizance h.) Reproductive health i.) Alternative Mining Act j.) Magna Carta for the Informal Sector Review, adopt and implement the National Human Rights Action Plan (...)

As President Benigno Aquino III prepares to deliver his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, rights groups challenged him to seriously pursue “zero human rights violations” during his term. According to Nymia Pimentel Simbulan of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA), PNoy “should put human rights at the heart of his governance” and adopt policies that will put a stop to killings and forced disappearances of militants and journalists. Meanwhile, Teody Navea (...)

In India as well as in the Philippines, it is mainly associations who defend economic, social and cultural rights in a situation where public authorities violate these rights on a daily basis.

Flashback on the last regional workshop that was held in Bangalore in May 2009.

The Philippines is a country rich in metal resources (gold, copper and chromium) and non-metal because it is in the area called "Pacific Ring of Fire". The Philippine Congress with the Mining Act of 1995 has decided to accelerate industrialization and to encourage economic growth. TheMining Act of 1995 is a law on large scale mining and it completely liberalized the mining industry in the Philippines by allowing 100% foreign economic projects. This is contrary to the Constitution of 1987 which prohibits it.

Manila – 300 protesters rallied in front of the Manila Hotel yesterday, demanding that irresponsible miners stay out of the Philippines. Declaring that mining has no space in the tuwid na daan (righteous path), the groups paraded graphic pictures of irresponsible mining practices, and gave the mining industry and the DENR failing marks on their attempt to drumbeat investor support large-scale mining projects in the country. The groups paraded irresponsible mining practices such as (...)

The Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) condemns in the strongest possible terms the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) decision to issue an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) for the 11, 200 hectare Mindoro Nickel Project to be ‘developed’ by the Intex Resources, a Norwegian mining company. [...] Once again, DENR has exhibited the government’s insensitivity to the predicament of local communities affected by large-scale mining and other develoment projects. In its eagerness to invite and please foreign investors, it has betrayed and violated the right to self-determination and the right to participation of its people.

This guide was completed within the framework of the programme for the exchange of experiences on economic, social and cultural rights enforceability approaches coordinated by Terre des Hommes France. It is based on stakeholders’ experiences with various practices, cultures and backgrounds in countries such as the Philippines, India, Brazil, Cameroon, Mexico and Senegal.

As the world marks the 61st anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) today, the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) is enraged over the Arroyo administration’s scheming and brazen attempts to elude accountability for its human rights violations and perpetuate itself to power. For one, the Maguindanao massacre would not have happened if Arroyo did not coddle and connive with the Ampatuans and other local warlords and political kingpins for electoral (...)

Posted on September 29, 2011 by Human Rights Online Philippines

Dark clouds are gathering over the airport as another dispute over a temporary outsourcing arrangement threatens the tense calm between the management of Philippine Airlines (PAL) and the union Philippine Airlines Employees’ Association (PALEA). In a sign of renewed stormy labor relations, PALEA held a motorcade this afternoon to protest PAL’s plan to hire on June 16 contractual workers from Lucio Tan-owned service provider MacroAsia. “We are ready to defend our jobs and the union if PAL does (...)

The Philippine Human Rights Information Center (PhilRights) is the research and information arm of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA).

PhilRights envisions a just, democratic, peaceful and prosperous Philippines founded on a culture of human rights and gender equity. It envisions a society where each individual is able to fully realize one’s potential as a human person, to participate effectively in the economic, political and cultural life, and to share equitably in the benefits of economic progress.

To achieve this, PhilRights seeks to empower Filipinos, either directly or through their organizations...

Inspite the headways in ESC rights advocacy and the convening of a broad network that drafted the 2008 alternative report, Philippine civil society groups needed to further strengthen its unity and consolidate their efforts in pursuing ESC rights enforceability and justiciability. Hence the proposal to hold a one-day consultation among NGOs and people’s organizations in the Philippines to form consensus on ESC rights-related issues, identify advocacy points, and craft common strategy and tactics.

Around twenty-five (25) human rights defenders from the Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, and China gathered for three days in Quezon City, Philippines on February 24-27, 2010 to exchange experiences, stories, insights, and methods in advocating for economic, social and cultural (ESC) rights such as food, housing, education, health, social security, and work.

Digitel workers who were on strike to defend their regular jobs vs contractualization urge President Noynoy Aquino of the Philippines to sign the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (OP-ICESCR).

Right to health, Right to food - The debate on whether or not to allow aerial spraying of chemicals in banana plantations here and in the rest of the country continues with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) calling on President Macapagal-Arroyo to shelve it.

The Philippines’ government presented its Economic, Social and Cultural Rights report on November 2008, in this article you will find the Major Recommendations of the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

On 18th February 2009 was organized a Multi-stakeholders forum and dialogue on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights in the Philippines to popularize the Concluding Observations of the Committee regarding the Philippine ESC Rights Report.

Nickel Asia Corp., the country’s largest nickel mining firm, suspended on Monday operations of its subsidiary, Taganito Mining Corp. (TMC), in Claver, Surigao del Norte province, following attacks on its mining facilities by communist rebels. The attacks are seen as a big blow to the mining sector as it highlighted security risks the Aquino administration will have to address while it seeks to attract investors. Until recently, the mining sector was the darling of the local stock market (...)

The NGO-PO Network on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights holds the Aquino administration accountable for sanctioning Philippine Airlines (PAL) outsourcing of its so-called “non-core” operations: reservation, catering and ground handling operations. PAL management calls it a “difficult but necessary transition.” We at the NGO-PO ESC Network see it as a blatant violation of the right to work and a frontal assault against dignity of labor. Come October 1, 2011, two thousand six hundred (2,600) (...)

The champions of the Philippine Revolution against colonization rose up in arms not just to fight for freedom and independence but also for lands, decent jobs, livelihood, right to education, and, essentially, the right to live humanely. It was an uprising for rights, a cry for dignity. Today, even as we proudly remember our heroes and their valiant deeds, we are still hounded by issues and atrocities that undermine human rights and attack the very fiber of our beings as individuals, as (...)

Saying that workers’ rights and dignity should be the priority of President Benigno Aquino III, several human rights groups expressed dismay over the recent Malacañang ruling upholding the Philippine Airlines’ move to sub-contract its Airport Services, In-flight Catering, and Call Center Reservations Units. According to the PAL Employees Association (PALEA), this spin-off plan could lay off 2,600 workers. The NGO-PO Network for Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, a broad coalition of (...)

On October 22, 2009, the Philippine NGO-PO Network for ESC Rights publishes a statement on the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights.

This document was drafted within the framework of the economic, social and cultural rights methods exchange programme (“ESC Rights Action”) lead by Terre des Hommes France. It deals with methods to impact public policies followed by stakeholders with various practices, cultures and experiences.

Recent Supreme Court decision on a very old land dispute in the Philippines. Related to right to land, food, and work.

To: The President of the Republic of the Philippines We, the undersigned are extremely concerned about the situation of the indigenous peoples and rural communities of Palawan Island (the Philippines’ last ecological frontier). Palawan is part of the Man and Biosphere Reserve program of UNESCO and hosts 49 animals and 56 botanical species found in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. MacroAsia mining corporation and Celestial Nickel Mining Exploration Corporation (currently being (...)

The “Summer University on International Solidarity” will take place from 7 to 10 of July 2010 in Bordeaux (France). Terre des Hommes France co-organized a module on Human Rights and Dignity and a workshop on the right to food in the Philippines with the participation of its partner, Bernardo D. Larin from PhilRights.

Since June 2008, Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Phils., Inc. manufactured and delivered twenty four vessels, 14 of which is worth $850 million. For the last two years, Hanjin remains the top exporter in Subic Freeport Zone by earning a total amount of $ 372.74 Million freight on board (FOB) . With an initial investment of $721 Million, the South Korean conglomerate started operating in May 2006. It was the largest foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Philippines that inked a (...)

This third session ends the cycle of training over three years dedicated to the exchange of experiences to enforce ESC rights.

Knowing one’s human rights is a necessary condition for people to claim and assert them. "Training on Your Rights: Modules on Monitoring Economic, Social and Cultural Rights", consists of several modules that will equip people with needed skills to monitor and document the realization or abuse of their rights.

We, members of civil society groups affiliated with the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) and the NGO-PO Network on ESC Rights implore President Benigno Aquino III through the UPR delegation led by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to accept and concur with recommendation 131.6 of the draft UN Human Rights Council Working Group Report which request the Philippines to “consider the possibility of ratifying the OP-ICESCR (Palestine); Sign the OP-ICESCR (Portugal); Ratify (...)

Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City- Workers from Koalisyon Kontra Kontraktwalisasyon (KONTRA) and Church Labor Conference (CLC) held a protest action today in front of the Korean Embassy calling for Korean-owned Hanjin to adhere to internationally recognized rights like safe and humane working conditions and the right to self-organization. Hanjin which started operating in Subic in 2006 has been notorious for reported violation in occupational health and safety standards that has resulted in (...)

URGENT ACTION (Philippines): Harassment, Intimidation and Arbitrary Arrest and Detention of Three Hanjin Workers Background Information Case: Arrest and Detention / Harassment Name of Victims: Gilbert dela Peña, Renante Buccat, Benjamin Abenes, Jr. Place of Incident: Hanjin Shipyard, Subic Bay Freeport, Province of Zambales Date of Incident: May 17, 2011 Alleged Perpetrators: Senior Managers of Hanjin led by Mr. Kim Yong and (...)