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MANILA, Philippines — In commemoration of International Human Rights Day, the Liberal Party (LP) highlighted the youth of Hong Kong, environmental activist Greta Thunberg and Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto as the forefront of young voices standing up for human rights.
“As this year’s celebration focuses on youth standing up for human rights, we are reminded of these young voices — the young people of Hong Kong, Greta Thunberg, and our very own Vico Sotto — often at the forefront of advocating issues such as equal rights, sustainable future, jobs, and fundamental freedoms to speech, assembly, and association,” LP President and opposition Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said Tuesday in a statement.
The youth of Hong Kong made headlines this year for their democracy protests, which have been ongoing for six months already.
Thunberg, a 16-year-old climate change activist, gained international recognition after starting a school strike for the climate outside the Swedish Parliament.
Sotto, meanwhile, recently backed the protesting workers who cried foul over alleged labor practices by a food manufacturing firm in Pasig. Sotto appealed to the firm to withdraw charges against its employees who were arrested after violence erupted at the picket line.
The youth’s enthusiasm and readiness to take action, Pangilinan said, are proof of their capability to improve the society.
“Ang masigasig at malikhaing sigla ng kabataang Pilipino at sa buong mundo ay nangungusap sa kanilang kakayahang mapagbuti ang sangkatauhan,” Pangilinan said.
(The diligence and creativity of Filipino youth and the world are proof of their capacity to improve mankind.)
“Nakikita nila ang isang mundong punung-puno ng posibilidad at handa silang kumilos agad. Busugin natin kabataan ng mga karapatang kailangan tinatamasa para maabot ang kanilang mga pangarap,” he added.
(They see a world full of possibilities and they are ready to take action. Let’s fill the youth with the rights they need to reach their dreams.)
In light of this, Pangilinan urged the government to protect human rights by providing the people’s needs to “live with dignity.”
“What do people need to live with dignity? Adequate food, decent jobs and livelihoods, and access to basic services such as housing, water, electricity, health care, education, and transportation. Lahat ng ito ay karapatang pantao. Karapatan ng bawat isa sa atin (All of these are human rights. Rights of every single one of us),” Pangilinan said.
“Tungkulin ng estado na itaguyod, pangalagaan, at bigyang-buhay ang mga karapatang pantaong ito,” he added.
(It is the duty of the state to promote and safeguard these human rights.)
The International Human Rights Day is celebrated every December 10th, the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which proclaims the rights everyone is inherently entitled to regardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.