The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) starts its 37th year of public service on May 3, 2024, under the banner of “CHR @ 37: Komisyon para sa Bayan, handang maglingkod maging sino ka man.”
The theme underscores the CHR’s commitment to serve all individuals by “adapting, innovating, and transcending boundaries amidst the dynamic landscape of our digital era.”
The CHR was created as an independent office on May 5, 1987 under the 1987 Philippine Constitution and established by virtue of Executive Order No. 163.
In his remarks during the kick-off event, CHR chairman Richard Palpal-latoc emphasized the importance of keeping up with the changing times as he announced the digitalization of the CHR this year.
This year’s anniversary parallels with the second-year celebration of the 6th Commission en banc (CEB). Under the leadership of the 6th Commission, CHR has made key progress in its various flagship programs under its four key mandates, namely Protection, Policy, Promotion, and Prevention.
Among the flagship program of Palpal-latoc was the “Lakbay Karapatan Tungo sa Kamalayan or Lakaran” to widen the Commission’s Promotion mandate through human rights education caravan in grassroots communities. Since its inception last year, the Lakaran has already visited 9 provinces.
Through this program, CHR was able to establish over a hundred Barangay Human Rights Action Center in partnership with local government units across all regions as well as around fifty-eight (58) Center for Human Rights Education in partnership with various educational institutions across the country.
“We will be launching on 13 May 2024 the CHR MISMO, the CHR online complaint portal that will enable us to reach our clients, especially the most vulnerable ones, real time, anywhere in the country, including remote areas. This is our response to the fast-evolving digital world where emerging issues on human rights continually surface,” Palpal-latoc said.