Held on December 3, 2024, at Atencio-Libunao Hall, U.P. College of Law, U.P. Diliman, Quezon City, CBCS contributed as an expert panelist represented by Ms. Julie E. Esmael, Project Officer-IDP Project, on behalf of Chairperson Guiamel M. Alim. This activity aims to raise the awareness and understanding of relevant stakeholders and the public on internal displacement, its situational analysis, issues, gaps, and responses.
The main focus of the program is on the discussion of the displacement causes and situational analysis in the country where the BARMM was found unique due to Rido while the most common were natural disasters like flooding and heavy rain. Following this are the socioeconomic, political, environmental, and psychosocial impacts on displaced populations while attempting to assess the existing legal frameworks, policies, and governance structures for IDPs in the Philippines and identify challenges and gaps in the current legal and governance landscapes concerning displacement in the local context.
BARMM, under the representation of MP Atty. Raissa H. Jajurie, MSSD, highlighted the region’s intervention in the issue and dutifully shared the salient points of the recently passed BAA 62, also known as the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 62, known as “An Act Protecting the Rights of the Internally Displaced Persons in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, providing mechanisms, therefore and other purposes.” The first law on IDP protection in the country and in Southeast Asia.
Commission on Human Rights Chairman Dumarpa shared also some issues and mandates stressing the need to have legislation at the national level. She situated the country’s IDPs in general and discussed challenges affecting the actual management of internal displacement, especially the lack of resources and accountability.
As part of the expert panelists, Ms. Julie Esmael, Project Officer for IDP Protection, presented its advocacy works on the ground and the milestone of its support to the passage of the BARMM IDP Bill and the 15 Local Government Units with ordinances on IDP protection. By sharing its mission and mandate, she reiterated the organization’s mechanisms in lieu of durable solutions for IDPs. She also discussed the whole of society’s initiatives supporting its commitment to the normalization track of the region’s peace process and empowering the community towards personal, structural, and social transformation.
Attendees were UN Heads, Mr. Gustavo Gonzalez (Resident Coordinator) and Atty. Iya Gallardo (UNHCR), MP Atty. Raissa H. Jajurie, Cong. Jude Acidre (House of Representative, TINGOG Partylist) academes, Presidents of NGOs/CSOs, Atty. Cecilia Gimenez (Special Rapporteur on Human Rights on IDPs-2016-2022), Heads of CHR, DILG, NAPC, PDRF and CLRG, LGUs, and UP College of Law students.
The activity wrapped up with an insightful deliberation and understanding of cascading the IDP bill and durable solutions into the community as well as in the LGUs. It also highlights the BARMM IDP Bill’s clearer provisions and plans to adapt programs in support of the management of the affected population.
By: Julie Enolpe Esmael
Project Officer-IDP Protection
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