Palace vows to uplift ‘poor, marginalized’ on Human Rights Day

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque INQUIRER PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

On the observance of the International Human Rights Day on Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque reiterated President Rodrigo Duterte’s commitment to uplift the lives of Filipinos, especially the poor, marginalized and vulnerable.

Noting that the Philippines is an active member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), and respect for human rights as State policy is enshrined in the 1987 Constitution, Roque assured that the Duterte administration “works hard with the best interest of every Filipino.”

“The Duterte Administration works hard with the best interest of every Filipino, especially the poor and the marginalized and most vulnerable, as its main concern,” Roque said in a statement.

“These are the women and children in crises situations, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, migrant workers, older persons, people and communities displaced by natural and human-induced calamities, among others,” he added.

The spokesperson pointed out that the best way to ensure a government’s efficiency is by fighting poverty.

“The best way to do this is to ensure government efficiency and effectiveness that will translate to every Filipino getting a fighting chance to overcome poverty, to uplift one’s status in society and to live a life with higher dignity,” Roque said.

“That direction is what inspires the government’s compliance with its human rights obligations. As a Nobel Peace Prize winner once said, ‘poverty is the absence of human rights’,” he added.

Roque said the government was pleased that UNHRC “unanimously accepted and commended” the Outcome Report on the Philippines’ Universal Periodic Review (UPR) this year. /je