At the first meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo said the Philippines would be an active member of the Council.
Romulo also said promoting human rights is a constant endeavor for democratic governments.
"My country’s membership in this body attests to our commitment never to slacken in this task. The Philippines is honored to be among the founding members of this Council — just as it was privileged to be a founding member of the Human Rights Commission," Romulo told UN members present at the meeting.
He outlined the Philippines’ vision for the Human Rights Council and these are:
• As enabling the community of nations — in cooperation and partnership — to protect and promote the human rights of all the world’s peoples.
• As a forum in which the global community can deal with human-rights violations devoid of hidden political agendas.
• As a body geared towards maximizing capacity building and technical assistance for human rights promotion.
• As a partner, not an opponent, of states in question, particularly those in need of international assistance in the field of human rights.
He urged the Council to create strong, basic structures that will enable them to live up to the expectations of member-states.
Romulo proposed that "in choosing our building blocks for the Council, we should draw from the positive aspects of the Commission on Human Rights."
He said the Philippines would prioritize the protection of the human rights of the disadvantaged and vulnerable members of the society.
Romulo said he would focus on the protection of the human rights of migrant workers as a key feature of the country’s participation in the Council.
"The Philippines is committed to its pre-election pledge, a pledge that remains our basic reference and roadmap — to continue enhancing our own efforts to promote and protect human rights," Romulo said.
He cited the following to emphasize his commitment to protect human rights. These are: the bill abolishing death penalty; the government’s impeding concurrence to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and the Presidential Human Rights Committee’s forthcoming endorsement of the Philippine concurrence to the Optional Protocol to the Torture Convention.
Romulo also said the government is ensuring the preservation of the sanctity of human rights in quashing terrorism — particularly in drafting the anti-terrorism law.
He hoped the new Human Rights Council "will play a crucial role in the protection and promotion of human rights — and in the attainment of the universal aim of respect for the entire human race."
The Philippines was elected to the 47-member Human Rights Council last May 9.
The Human Rights Council was established to improve on the work of the previous UN Human Rights Commission. Its members are tasked to streamline existing human rights complaints and monitor procedures, through the establishment of a Universal Periodic Review of the compliance by UN member-states of their human rights obligations.
Romulo was joined by Ambassador Enrique Manalo, Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva and Alladin Villacorte, DFA Assistant Secretary for United Nations and other International Organizations.