As Congress deliberates on the IDP bill, local officials in the Philippines are recognizing the significance of passing ordinances that will serve as a solid legal basis in upholding and protecting the rights of internally displaced people (IDP) in their respective areas of jurisdiction.
At the sidelines of the inaugural batch of a series of capacity development sessions aimed at enriching local legislators’ experience in crafting IDP ordinances, Lingayen Municipal Councilor Jay Mark Kevin Crisostomo shared that their local government finds it difficult to address the concerns of IDPs that come to their municipality for help.
“When IDPs from other communities sought safety in the municipality of Lingayen after the Taal volcano eruption, we found it difficult to assist them with their concerns. With the absence of an ordinance, we do not know how to address their issues,” he said, adding, “I feel that this training is very timely and relevant so that we will know what interventions to provide when we receive IDPs from other areas of the country.”
UNHCR, through the SEEDS for Peace Joint Programme with UNDP and IOM, is conducting a series of IDP ordinance writeshops with local councilors from Luzon to enhance their ability to protect and uphold the rights of IDPs in all phases of displacement. © UNHCR/Karen Cepeda
UNHCR, through the SEEDS for Peace Joint Programme with UNDP and IOM, is conducting a series of IDP ordinance writeshops with local councilors from Luzon to enhance their ability to protect and uphold the rights of IDPs in all phases of displacement. © UNHCR/Karen Cepeda
In collaboration with the Philippines Councilors League, a total of 15 participants from various cities and municipalities from Luzon participated in the first leg of the Writeshop on IDP Protection Ordinance Development cum Conflict Sensitivity and Peace Promotion Training for Municipal and City Councilors held on 24-25 September 2024. © UNHCR/Karen Cepeda
The IDP ordinance writeshop was launched at the operations center of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, a private sector coordinator for disaster risk and reduction management. © UNHCR/Karen Cepeda
Experts from the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation provided a tour of their facilities in Clark, Pampanga and gave participants an overview of how the Philippine private sector is mobilized to respond to internal displacement. © UNHCR/Karen Cepeda
Organized by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency in partnership with the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), the first leg of the capacity development series was held at the Operation Center of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF) in Clark, Pampanga.
“I also experienced being displaced during disasters. My attendance here in the Luzon leg of this writeshop seminar is a milestone. Though we have many policies, our programs for IDPs are not clear,” Banton Vice Mayor Loijorge Fegalan, one of 15 participants from various parts of Luzon who attended the learning sessions.
The sessions were also useful even for those unfamiliar with internal displacement such as Alaminos City Councilor Apple Joy Bacay Tolentino who explained that she has never encountered IDPs in the almost two years that she has been serving in their local government.
“It’s really new to me. But being aware of the situation right now because of this very effective seminar, I believe that it is really a necessary ordinance for every LGU,” she said.
UNHCR will continue to support the series of capacity development sessions which will make its journey from Luzon to Visayas and Mindanao within the year to advocate for the creation of a network of strong legal frameworks for the protection of the rights and welfare of IDPs in the national, sub-national and community levels.
“The Philippines is still the most at-risk country globally, according to the World Risk Index and mainly due to high exposure to shocks, weather events, and climate change. We also know that more than 110,000 people in the country still remain displaced due to conflict and violence. As local councilors, no doubt you play a fundamental role in shaping the protection of your respective communities,” United Nations Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines Gustavo González told the participants in a video message.
UNHCR Philippines Head of National Office Maria Ermina Valdeavilla-Gallardo remarked that “it is not every day that we get to have an opportunity to discuss the plight and issues of the IDPs. As a matter of fact, the lack of opportunity to talk about it makes this population invisible. The only time that they become visible is when they come to your local government to ask for haven. Those times have to end. And through your leadership – through your active advocacy – we have the opportunity to institutionalize frameworks that would protect and support IDPs.”
The capacity development series forms part of the commitment of UNHCR under the Sustainable and Empowering Displacement Solutions for Peace (SEEDS for Peace) Joint Programme of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) with UNDP and IOM and with the support of the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS) and the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD).
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ABOUT UNHCR
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We lead international action to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. We deliver life-saving assistance, help safeguard fundamental human rights, and develop solutions that ensure people have a safe place called home where they can build a better future. We also work to ensure that stateless people are granted a nationality. We work in over 130 countries, using our expertise to protect and care for millions.
In the Philippines, UNHCR has maintained a presence for over 40 years, working on providing durable solutions to refugees, ending and reducing statelessness, and empowering displaced families.
For more information, please contact:
Karen Cepeda
External Relations Associate
[email protected]
(02) 88172398
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