Bill protecting internally displaced people filed

MANILA, Philippines - A bill protecting and promoting the rights and dignity of internally displaced people (IDP) has been filed in the Senate.

Sen. Teofisto Guingona III’s Senate Bill 2368 proposes that the government adopt as a policy a rights-based approach to protect people displaced by armed conflict, organized violence and clan wars.

Guingona said internal displacement is a humanitarian issue that is brought about mostly by long-running insurgencies, as well as by natural and man-made calamities.           

He said involuntary displacement is a serious social problem that needs to be addressed as it results in loss of lives and property.

He said it also causes psychological trauma, family disintegration, disruption of education, loss of employment and anarchy. 

The proposed measure defines “internal displacement” as an involuntary movement or forced evacuation or expulsion of any person or group of persons to avoid armed conflict, violence, violations of human rights, development projects and natural and human-induced disasters.

“IDP should not be considered merely as collateral damage of armed conflict or other humanitarian emergencies, as each one of us has a stake in human security and development,”  Guingona said.