QUEZON CITY— In honour of the heroism of those who fought for human rights, the Commission onHuman Rights (CHR) is set to open Liwasang Diokno to the public as a freedom park today, 10 December 2018, at its central office in Quezon City.
The said space is dedicated to the late Senator Jose ‘Ka Pepe’ Diokno, who stands as a symbol of freedom, democracy, and human rights after fighting the dictatorship underMarcos.
At its centre lies a 30-tier fountain representing the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which continues to be the conscience of mankind in affirming the foundational values of freedom, justice, and peace in the world.
The installation of the statue of ‘Ka Pepe’ and the construction of the park are made possible through the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
Members of the diplomatic corps, representatives from civil society organisations, international partners, government agencies, and human rights advocates are expected to attend the event.
Aside from the inauguration, a series of activities is also slated to happen on the said date, which coincides with the celebration of Human Rights Day.
The organisation called Citizens for Promoting Human Rights (CFHR) will be having its public launch. Formed in June 2018, it responds to the current human rights challenges by promoting human rights as a Filipino value, and by serving as an alternative mechanism to receive individual and group donations of Filipinos wanting to exercise their civic duty for human rights.
CFHR is under the stewardship of a Board of Trustees composed of Amb. Albert F. del Rosario, Br. Armin Luistro FSC, Sr. Mary John Mananzan OSB, Ms. Lilian Mercado-Carreon, and Atty. Raissa Jajurie.
CHR will also be launching its Human Rights Observatory on the day. The observatory seeks to institutionalise a human rights-based approach to monitoring and evaluation of the human rights situation in the country, particularly on how the government satisfies its obligation to respect, protect, and fulfil the human rights of all.
A roundtable discussion, led by Artikulo Trese, on the different perspectives on human rights is also set to happen.
These activities culminate the National Human Rights Consciousness Week celebrated from December4-10 of every year, and the celebration of the 70th year anniversary of UDHR since its adoption on 10 December 1948.
As this year’s celebrations come to a close, CHR urges all to take a more active role in defending human rights amidst challenges that abound. The UDHR is a result of a struggle. We must take a stand for our rights and the rights of others, lest we lose it to those who seek to curtail them.■