As we look forward to sharing the joy of Christmas festivities with our loved ones, albeit subdued, in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) wishes to convey our prayers for safety and healing of everyone.
This year, while the Covid-19 crisis reminds us of our shared fragility and vulnerabilities, it also underpins how everything and everyone is truly connected. We see that eradicating the pandemic in one community will never be achieved unless it is done in all communities; that the success and safety of our frontline workers are linked to our willingness to stay home; and that the efforts of the government, civil society, and individual citizens must be all guided by a shared commitment to put forward the human rights and dignity of everyone in coping with the health crisis.
The Commission echoes the call of the UN Secretary General António Guterres in his Human Rights Day address that people and human rights must be at the front and centre of response and recovery, and that it is also high time for us to adhere to a universal, rights-based frameworks. Covid-19 is not only a health crisis but also a human rights crisis.
While we face great trial and tribulation, this shared global challenge also provides moments of hope which ignited movements that call for genuine societal change. Though we see each day the pain of lost loved ones, unemployment, economic uncertainty, and various forms of distress, we see the strength of communities, the selflessness of our responders, and the opportunity for us to do more and to do better.
The pandemic reveals the ills of our society that have long been plaguing our systems. The rage and strong desire of citizens to hold people accountable prompted them to consistently voice out their grievances and demand justice for all the violations and inaction of the responsible institutions.
We at the CHR always stand with the most vulnerable, marginalised, and disadvantaged. We strive to speak truth to power, call out State abuse, and continue to promote and defend human dignity for all while advancing the common good. In this time of great challenge, let us all continue to work within our local communities to provide a source of strength and support for those in need. We need to reflect on the universal Christmas message of peace and goodwill to all and look for ways on how we can alleviate the sufferings of our fellows.
This Christmas season, as we commemorate the birth of a saviour, we must hold on to our renewal of faith in our mission to end all forms of injustice and impunity, while extending care and compassion to all individuals living in the margins. As a Christmas wish, we call on our elected and appointed officials to be more circumspect and respectful of their sworn responsibility of protecting and promoting the rights and dignity of every Filipinos.
From the Commission on Human Rights, a blessed and merry Christmas to all!