Philippine Standard Time:

Tuesday, June 17, 2025 - 1:18 PM

  1. Home
  2. Statements
  3. Press Release
  4. Statement of the Commission on Human Rights on achieving a significant milestone with the fourth…

Statement of the CHR Center for Crisis, Conflict, and Humanitarian Protection on the need to scale up humanitarian assistance for internally-displaced persons (IDPs) due to the onslaught of Typhoon Rolly (Goni) and the Covid-19 pandemic

The country has seen how Super Typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni) has left large-scale damages to lives and properties in many areas in the country, including Catanduanes island and Albay, areas which bore the brunt of the said typhoon. The destruction posed by this Category 5 typhoon presents a greater challenge as the country continues to be in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. With such gravity of damage seen to happen, a huge number of persons are seen to massively evacuate from their areas of origin, prompting them to seek shelter in safer grounds.

In exercise of its mandate to protect and uphold the rights of the internally displaced persons (IDPs), the Commission on Human Rights emphasizes the importance of support and intervention of the national and local governments in the swift and urgent delivery of services for displaced families. IDPs are in a state of heightened vulnerability given the probability of destruction of their homes and livelihood sources, and the government has the primary duty to ensure that displaced communities remain safe and that they have access to basic provisions while in evacuation.

The humanitarian responders, including the government, must also take into consideration the risks posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Evacuation sites are oftentimes cramped, without considerable space for social distancing. Access to water, which is vital in maintenance of good hygiene, is usually an issue. Hygiene kits and supplies are also usually not included in the relief items that are distributed to IDPs.

With this, the Commission calls on to the national, regional, and local agencies such as the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and its regional and local DRRMCs; Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH); and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), among other relevant agencies, to upscale its humanitarian assistance to displaced communities and take into consideration the needs of IDPs in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Identification of more evacuation shelters is necessary in keeping the number of families limited per site. Provision of hygiene kits and supplies must be prioritized, along with the distribution of other relief items. Rapid identification of possible Covid-19 cases in evacuation centers must also be conducted. Local government units must also designate isolation facilities to separate suspected Covid-19 cases, and provide ample medical support to said cases.

The Commission hopes the government’s urgent humanitarian response in ensuring the protection and promotion of rights of IDPs. Displaced communities must not be left behind in this time of vulnerability. ###

Related Post

Other Stories

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) expresses its concern on the reported plans to construct a causeway project in Cancabato Bay, Tacloban City which may threaten the preservation and potential growth of the ecosystem in the area. The ongoing construction

Ngayong araw, 12 Abril 2020, nakikiisa ang Komisyon sa mga Karapatang Pantao sa buong mundo sa paggunita ng Pandaigdigang Araw ng mga Batang Lansangan. Ang araw na ito ay pagkakataon natin na maitampok ang hamong kinakaharap ng mga batang lansangan,

“Martial law could crush our bodies; it could break our minds; but it could not conquer our spirit. It may silence our voices and seal our eyes, but it cannot kill our hope nor obliterate our vision.” Gaya ng paniniwala

The country has seen how Super Typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni) has left large-scale damages to lives and properties in many areas in the country, including Catanduanes island and Albay, areas which bore the brunt of the said typhoon. The

21 February 2017 PRESS STATEMENT CHR refutes Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar’s pronouncement that the CHR cleared President Duterte The CHR issues this statement in response to Presidential Communications’ Secretary Martin Andanar’s statement stating that the CHR had cleared the

The Commission on Human Rights condemns the attack committed against a journalist in Brgy. San Gregorio, San Pablo City, Laguna on 15 July 2024. As part of our undertaking and commitment to foster a society where all media workers can