Commission on Human Rights in Quezon City on June 8, 2021 INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA /
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Thursday lauded the passing of a House Bill that provided greater protection for internally-displaced persons (IDPs).
The House of Representatives had approved on the third and final reading House Bill (HB) No. 8269 or “An Act Protecting the Rights of Internally Displaced Persons and Penalizing the Acts of Arbitrary Internal Displacement.”
“Given that the State serves as the primary duty-bearer in the provision of services and humanitarian assistance to IDPs, we note the commitment ofour legislators in ensuring that communities rendered vulnerable by disasters and armed conflict enjoy equal rights and freedoms under internationaland domestic laws,” CHR Commissioner Atty. Faydah M. Dumarpa said in the statement.
HB No. 8269 seeks to protect IDPs who are driven out of their homes as caused by armed conflicts and other instances of human rights violations by safeguarding their rights, allowing them to receive entitlements from the government.
Benefits of the bill also include a system for the provision of financial assistance and monetary compensation for damages sustained by IDPs.
“Having a national policy for the protection of IDPs will institutionalize and specify their rights and will allow them to readily claim entitlements from the government,” the commissioner added.
Dumarpa also said that the measures will further protect female IDPs from sexual abuse and exploitation.
The CHR said it is hopeful that through the bill, displaced Filipinos may be able to experience improvements to their quality of life that will allow them to live with dignity and without discrimination. —Juan Miguel Talens, trainee