HUMAN  RIGHTS  CENTERS  MANAGEMENT  OFFICE  

CENTER  FOR  CRISIS,  CONFLICT,  AND  HUMANITARIAN  PROTECTION  
 
 
SUMMARY  OF  ISSUES  
National  Inquiry  on  the  Human  Rights  Situation  of  Internally  Displaced  Persons  
 
 
Manila  Hearings  
Proposed  Dates:  30  September-­‐01  October  2021  
 
 
I. Introduction  to  the  Manila  hearing  
 
In   pursuit   of   its   Constitutional   mandate   to   protect   and   promote   human   rights   of   Filipinos,  
the  Commission  on  Human  Rights  (CHR)  undertakes  the  National  Inquiry  on  the  Human  Rights  
Situation  of  Internally  Displaced  Persons  (IDPs).  The  National  Inquiry  aims   to  come  up  with  a  
thorough   and   evidence-­‐based   review   and   assessment   of   the   current   structures   in   place   as  
regards  humanitarian  assistance  for  IDPs,  and  to  identify  gaps  in  the  delivery  of  humanitarian  
services   for   displaced   communities,   particularly   those   involving   the   protection   of   human   rights,  
among  other  objectives.    
 
To  achieve  these  goals,  a  national  hearing  shall  be  conducted  by  the  CHR  to  look  into  rights  
issues  related  to  displacements,  and  the  underlying  causes  of  such  concerns.  The  assessment  of  
human   rights   situation   of   IDPs   conforms   to   the   human   rights   frameworks   provided   in   treaty  
bodies,   conventions   and   guiding   principles,   and   other   instruments.   Humanitarian   standards,  
such   as   the   minimum   standards   set   by   the   SPHERE   Project   and   the   Inter-­‐Agency   Standing  
Committee  (IASC),  are  also  used  as  basis  in  assessing  human  rights  conditions.  
 
The  Manila  hearings  of  the  National  Inquiry  will  look  into  the  general  policy  context  and  
program   implementation   of   national   agencies.   The   aim   is   to   review,   and   if   necessary  
scrutinize,   the   policies   and   mandates   of   agencies   as   regards   a   specific   human   rights   issue  
pertaining  to  displacements.  Most  of  the  questions  shall  take  the  form  of  what  and  how,  as  these  
questions  inquire  on  both  the  agency  mandate  and  the  program  implementation  of  the  agency.  
By   asking   such   questions,   it   should   become   clearer   to   map   out   the   role   and   responsibility   of  
each   agency   in   the   provision   of   quality   services   to   IDPs,   as   well   as   to   identify   accountability  
should   there   be   breaches   or   violation   in   the   overall   human   rights   situation   of   displaced  
communities.  
 
 
II. Issues  
 
 The  CHR  lists  the  following  issues  that  the  hearing  in  Manila  aim  to  shed  light  on:  
 
 
 
 
National  Inquiry  on  the  Human  Rights  Situation  of  Internally  Displaced  Persons  (IDPs)  in  the  Philippines  
Summary  of  Issues  –  MANILA  HEARINGS  
Page 1 of 4  
Center  for  Crisis,  Conflict,  and  Humanitarian  Protection  
Commission  on  Human  Rights  of  the  Philippines  
 A. Barriers  to  access  to  services  (Day  1)  
 
Displacements   expose   affected   persons   to   vulnerability   and   risk   of   having   their   human  
rights   violated   or   disrespected.   The   CHR   has   monitored   concerns   of   IDPs   as   regards   access   to  
services,   and   protection   from   displacements.   Adequate   healthcare   is   usually   difficult   to   access  
due   to   unavailability   of   medical   personnel,   equipment,   supplies   in   evacuation   and   transitory  
sites.   Education   for   children   is   also   disrupted   by   the   use   of   school   facilities   as   temporary  
shelters.   The   quality   of   food   provided   to   IDPs   is   also   complained   of   duty   to   lack   of   nutritional  
value  and  limited  variety.  Water  and  sanitation  and  hygiene  (WASH)  access  is  also  challenging  
across  many  displacement  contexts.  
 
The  following  are  the  main  issues  raised  by  civil  society  groups  and  IDP  stakeholders  during  
the  CHR  monitoring  missions:  
 
1. Access  to  healthcare  during  the  pandemic;  
2. Children’s  right  to  education,  in  view  of  use  of  schools  as  evacuation  camps;  
3. Access  to  water  and  WASH  facilities;  
4. Involvement   of   IDPs   in   the   programming   of   food   and   relief   distribution   in  
displacement  sites;  and  
5. Policy  for  local  governments  to  support  IDPs.  
 
The  questions  during  the  hearing  could  include  the  following,  with  follow-­‐up  questions  to  
be  asked  should  the  need  arise:  
 
1. What   is   the   scope   of   intervention   of   the   agency   as   regards   IDP   protection   (including  
delivery  of  services)?  
2. What   is   the   current   policy   framework   used   by   the   agency   in   conducting  
humanitarian  response  and  emergency  relief?  
3. How  many  IDPs  have  been  catered  to  by  the  agency?  
4. How  does  the  agency  involve  IDPs  in  the  programming  of  relief  programs?  
5. How   does   the   agency   improve   IDPs’   access   to   relevant   services   (i.e.   food,   potable  
water,  WASH  facilities)?  
6. For  facilities,  how  many  access  points  were  established  in  evacuation  sites,  by  virtue  
of  internal  policy  or  memoranda?  
7. What   are   the   grievance   mechanisms   in   place   for   IDPs   to   report   their   situation   or  
questions  to  the  agency?  
8. What   is   the   average   response   rate   and   turnaround   time   for   the   agency   to   address  
IDP  concerns?    
 
 
B. Right  to  Livelihood  (Day  2)  
 
In   its   monitoring   activities   and   conversations   with   stakeholders,   the   CHR   has   noted   that  
livelihood  opportunities  for  IDP  families  are  usually  limited,  and  that  the  opportunities  offered  
to   them   do   not   correspond   to   their   skills   or   desired   livelihood.   As   regards   resettlement,   IDPs  
also   find   it   difficult   to   continue   with   their   pre-­‐displacement   livelihoods   as   the   new   settlement  
sites  are  usually  far  from  their  places  of  origin.  There  were  also  reports,  particularly  in  Marawi  
City,  where  IDPs  reported  that  they  were  not  able  to  receive  livelihood  cash  assistance  on  time  
or  in  full,  and  for  some,  they  did  not  receive  any  cash  assistance  at  all.  
 
The  following  are  the  main  issues  raised  by  civil  society  groups  and  IDP  stakeholders  during  
the  CHR  monitoring  missions:  
 
 
National  Inquiry  on  the  Human  Rights  Situation  of  Internally  Displaced  Persons  (IDPs)  in  the  Philippines  
Summary  of  Issues  –  MANILA  HEARINGS  
Page 2 of 4  
Center  for  Crisis,  Conflict,  and  Humanitarian  Protection  
Commission  on  Human  Rights  of  the  Philippines  
 1. Limited  opportunities  for  livelihood  offered  to  IDP  families;  
2. Issues  in  the  distribution  of  livelihood  cash  assistance;  
3. Previous  skills/jobs  of  IDPs  were  not  capitalized  on;  
4. Resettled  communities  lack  access  to  their  previous  livelihood;  and  
5. Trainings   and   livelihood   support   provided   do   not   match   the   requested/desired  
options  of  IDPs  that  correspond  to  their  skills/knowledge.  
 
The  questions  during  the  hearing  could  include  the  following,  with  follow-­‐up  questions  to  
be  asked  should  the  need  arise:  
 
1. What  are  the  agency’s  interventions  for  livelihood  for  IDPs?  
2. What   are   the   statistics   on   the   distribution   of   livelihood   assistance   to   IDPs   catered   to  
by  the  agency?  
3. How   does   the   agency   involve   IDPs   in   the   programming   of   their   livelihood   assistance  
programs?  
4. What   are   the   grievance   mechanisms   in   place   for   IDPs   to   report   their   situation   or  
questions  to  the  agency?  
5. What   is   the   average   response   rate   and   turnaround   time   for   the   agency   to   address  
IDP  concerns?    
 
 
III. Proposed  Programme  
 
Program  of  Activities  
DAY  1  

(1  week   Registration  of  participants  through  Zoom      

before  the   Online  Platform  Meeting      
Hearings)          
    Closing  of  Registration   CCCHP  
A  day  before  
each  hearings  

09:00-­‐09:15   Opening  Remarks   Focal  Commissioner  

09:15-­‐09:30   Background  of  the  Inquiry   HRCMO  Director  (in  Manila)  

●      Rationale   Regional  Directors  
●      IDP  Legislative  Advocacy  
●      Development  of  an  Evaluation  Tool  for  
Government  Humanitarian  response  for  
IDPs.  

09:30-­‐  09:50   Results  of  the  Inter-­‐Agency  Consultations   CCCHP  

and  survey  involving  CSOs  

09:50-­‐  10:00   Call  for  the  first  issue   CCCHP,  as  secretariat  
     
Administration  of  Oaths   (Will  request  the  Legal  Office  for  
support)  

10:00-­‐  11:00   Testimonies  and  Statements  on  the  IDP   IDP  leaders,  CSOs,  LGUs  
issues:  Barriers  to  access  to  services  

National  Inquiry  on  the  Human  Rights  Situation  of  Internally  Displaced  Persons  (IDPs)  in  the  Philippines  
Summary  of  Issues  –  MANILA  HEARINGS  
Page 3 of 4  
Center  for  Crisis,  Conflict,  and  Humanitarian  Protection  
Commission  on  Human  Rights  of  the  Philippines  
11:00-­‐12:00   Clarification  for  additional  statements  and   Focal  Commissioner/  
testimonies   Director  

12:00-­‐  13:00   Lunch      

13:00-­‐13:15   Call  for  statements   CCCHP  

Administration  of  Oaths  

13:15  -­‐  15:00   Testimonies  and  Statements  on  the   Rep  from  National  Government  
identified  gaps,  including  presentation  of   line  agencies,  LGUs,  CSOs,  NGO  
mandates  

15:00  -­‐  16:00   Clarification  and  all  for  additional   Focal  Commissioner/  
statements  and  testimonies   Director  

16:00-­‐  16:30   Synthesis  for  the  first  issue   CCCHP  

 
 
Program  of  Activities  
DAY  2  

09:00  -­‐  09:15   Registration    

09:15-­‐09:30   Recap   CCCHP  

09:30-­‐  10:00   Call  for  the  second  issue   CCCHP,  as  secretariat  
     
Administration  of  Oaths   (Will  request  the  Legal  Office  for  
support)  

10:00-­‐  11:00   Testimonies  and  Statements  on  the  IDP   IDP  leaders,  CSOs,  LGUs  
issues:  Right  to  Livelihood  

11:00-­‐11:30   Clarification  for  additional  statements  and   Focal  Commissioner/  

testimonies   Director  

11:30-­‐  13:00   Lunch      

13:00-­‐13:15   Call  for  statements   CCCHP  

Administration  of  Oaths  

13:15  -­‐  15:00   Testimonies  and  Statements  on  the   Rep  from  National  Government  
identified  gaps,  including  presentation  of   line  agencies,  LGUs,  CSOs,  NGO  
mandates  

15:00  -­‐  16:00   Clarification  and  all  for  additional   Focal  Commissioner/  
statements  and  testimonies   Director  

16:00-­‐  16:30   Synthesis  for  the  second  issue   CCCHP  

16:30  -­‐  16:45   Ways  forward   Director  

16:30  -­‐  16:45   Closing  Ceremony   Focal  Commissioner  

 

National  Inquiry  on  the  Human  Rights  Situation  of  Internally  Displaced  Persons  (IDPs)  in  the  Philippines  
Summary  of  Issues  –  MANILA  HEARINGS  
Page 4 of 4  
Center  for  Crisis,  Conflict,  and  Humanitarian  Protection  
Commission  on  Human  Rights  of  the  Philippines