Congress urged to pass bills protecting refugees, stateless persons

MANILA, Philippines — Congress needs to pass the “historic” humanitarian bills that would protect refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons, advocacy groups said as they stressed how thousands of Filipinos are displaced by disasters every year.

In a statement released recently, the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development and the Child Rights Network said they want the Senate and the House of Representatives to prioritize the passage of the Internally Displaced Persons Protection Bill and the Comprehensive Protection for Refugees and Stateless Persons Bill.

The first bill addresses the needs of internally displaced persons for durable or long-lasting solutions, such as safe and dignified voluntary repatriation, local integration and resettlement to a place of their choice.

This bill was approved by the House of Representatives in July last year, but has yet to be deliberated in the Senate.

Meanwhile, the second bill seeks to strengthen the Department of Justice Refugees and Stateless Protection and Policy Unit in addressing the applications of refugees and asylum-seekers, who come to the country hoping for another chance at life and becoming citizens who fully contribute to the nation.

“If these bills become law, the country’s humanitarian workers will be given the much-needed resources to carry out their mission,” the groups said.

“We cannot afford to have another disaster or displacement without these protections in place,” they added.

The groups also stressed the importance of providing support to humanitarian workers.

“When crises happen, humanitarian workers are at the front lines to provide adequate food, shelter, protection, and health services to evacuees,” they said.

“Providing this support may mean the difference between life and death, especially for children and infants, as diseases like diarrhea in evacuation camps can be an instant killer,” they added.