The Philippines: Uniting partners in a vision for change

Promoting collaboration to address the human rights impacts of climate change is a key priority for the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHR). This includes contributing to regional responses to safeguard human rights and supporting the efforts of the Philippines’ representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). 

The Commission has documented insights and best practices from communities, businesses and the government to prepare a substantive proposal on the proposed framework on environmental rights in Southeast Asia.

Background

In 2015, the CHR accepted a petition that served as the legal basis of a landmark inquiry into the impact of climate change on the human rights of the Filipino people. During the inquiry, the CHR held consultations and public hearings across the country, as well as in London and New York.

The National Inquiry on Climate Change (NICC) – the first of its kind in the world to examine the impact of ‘carbon majors’ corporations on climate change and human rights – received submissions from advocates, academics and legal and scientific experts. It also heard directly from farmers, fisherfolk, indigenous communities and Filipinos affected by typhoons – including Typhoon Yolanda, which devastated parts of the Philippines in November 2013 – and other natural disasters.

The report of the NICC documents adverse impacts on a wide range of fundamental human rights. It includes the testimonies and experiences of women, children, indigenous peoples, older persons, LGBTQIA+ persons, and persons living in poverty. It also highlights the human rights impacts for future generations and includes recommendations for the government and its agencies, for ‘carbon majors’ and carbon intensive industries, for investors and financial institutions, for courts, for civil society organisations, for legal professionals, for other NHRIs, and for the United Nations.

Building on the release of the report and its efforts to promote dialogue and cooperative action at the local and national levels, the CHR has prepared and implemented an engagement strategy to support efforts to develop a proposed framework on environmental rights in Southeast Asia.

Snapshot: Climate change, the environment and the Philippines

Strategic engagement on the right to a healthy environment

Between September 2022 and February 2023, the CHR conducted a series of meetings and workshops with key national stakeholders and the Philippines’ Representative to AICHR. Consistent with the CHR’s ongoing outreach efforts following the release of the NICC report, this engagement sought to promote dialogue on the linkages between the environment, climate change and business and human rights, as well as strengthen partnerships in support of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

Goals

The CHR’s engagement strategy sought to:

• Take stock of best practices of, and challenges faced by, national government agencies, local government units, the private sector, civil society organisations, academics and marginalised communities, in the context of the environment, climate change and business and human rights
• Establish and deepen the relationship with the Philippines’ Representative to AICHR, in the context of the environment, climate change and business and human rights
• Provide a platform for policy development with key stakeholders and provide substantive input to support the development of a proposed framework on environmental rights in Southeast Asia.

Project planning and design

Preparation and planning were key to delivering an effective engagement strategy. A series of preparatory meetings were held via Zoom in September and October 2022 involving CHR staff and the APF to discuss the objectives, scope and methodology for engaging with national stakeholders and the Philippines’ Representative to AICHR. 

Additional internal meetings were held in November and December 2022 to review progress and ensure that the scheduled meetings and workshops were proceeding as planned. The project built on the key findings and recommendations of the NICC.

Engaging with the Philippines’ Representative to AICHR

The ten-member AICHR holds two regular meetings per year, with additional meetings convened as required. Decisions made by AICHR are based on consultation and consensus. As part of its mandate to develop guidance on human rights issues in the ASEAN region, AICHR is currently considering the development of a regional framework on environmental rights.

Learning session and workshop for national stakeholders

From 16-18 November 2022, the CHR hosted a dialogue with key national stakeholders to share the findings and recommendations of the NICC report and discuss the linkages between the environment, climate change and business and human rights. The three-day program included a focus on the gender dimensions of climate change and the right to a healthy environment.

Recognising the urgent need to promote coordinated action on climate change, the program was designed to engage with and gather insights from different sectors.

The ‘learning session’ component of the program explored the many ways that climate change is impacting on the human rights of Filipinos. This was followed by a ‘workshop’ component to: take stock of best practices and challenges in the context of the environment, climate change and business and human rights; explore opportunities for collaboration; and gather recommendations for priority actions.

Writeshop on a regional framework on the environment

In February 2023, the CHR brought together 75 participants from national government agencies, the private sector, civil society and academia for two days to gather and synthesise input on the proposed framework on environmental rights in the ASEAN region. 

Participants worked in groups to complete a matrix of content that may be considered in the development of a regional framework, including: the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment; the right to health, the right to food security and nutrition; the right to water and sanitation; the right to livelihood; the right to social security; the right to adequate housing; the right to preservation of culture; the right to self-determination; the right to development; the right to equality and non-discrimination; and the rights of future generations and intergenerational equity. 

A final document – ‘Regional Human Rights Framework on the Environment and Climate Change in Southeast Asia’ – was provided to the Philippines’ Representative to AICHR. It is a comprehensive and substantive contribution to support the development of a proposed framework on environmental rights in the ASEAN region.

Outcomes

Through its activities, the CHR was able to build new relationships and deepen existing ones in support of its efforts to address the human rights impacts of climate change for people in the Philippines and the broader Southeast Asian region.

The CHR’s primary focus was to initiate a dialogue with the Philippines’ Representative to AICHR. This was achieved by hosting bilateral meetings and seminars, as well as participating in regional workshops organised by the APF attended by AICHR Representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand.

This engagement helped the CHR build a strong understanding of the role of the Philippines’ Representative to AICHR and her priorities with regards to the development of a proposed framework on environmental rights in the Southeast Asian Region. This open exchange allowed the CHR to identify how it could best support the Philippines’ Representative, including through the development of a substantive proposal on the content for the proposed regional framework.

Ongoing engagement

Through its strategic activities, the CHR was able to establish a constructive and collaborative relationship with the Philippines’ Representative to AICHR. In addition to the meetings it organised, the CHR was invited by the Office of the Philippines’ Representative to attend stakeholder meetings on the development of the proposed framework on environment rights in Southeast Asia.

Drawing on the insights and contributions of multiple stakeholders across key sectors, the CHR provided a substantial contribution to the Philippines’ draft position on the proposed regional framework. The CHR will continue to support the Philippines Representative as the discussions on the possible regional framework progress during 2023.

In addition to the project activities, the Philippines’ Representative to AICHR provided a message of support which was shared at a CHR event – ‘Roundtable on Climate Change, the Environment and Human Rights’ – held during Human Rights Week in December 2022.

Further, the Office of the Philippines’ Representative to AICHR has engaged with the CHR on other human rights issues of concern, including a request for an opinion on the situation of Filipino human rights defenders living outside of the Philippines.