• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
An ordinance defining the rights and fundamental freedoms of human rights defenders in Bacolod City, declaring the responsibilities of the Bacolod City government, instituting effective mechanisms for their protection and promotion, was passed on first reading recently by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Authored by Bacolod Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr., the ordinance said the Bacolod City Government is committed to respecting, promoting, and fulfilling human rights as enshrined in Article III (Bill of Rights) of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. The government acknowledges the importance of fostering human rights defenders as essential mechanisms for safeguarding a democratic and just society.
The protection and presence of human rights defenders in every local government unit demonstrate a commitment to good governance, transparency, and accountability, it said.
This commitment enables the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to effectively implement its mandates and empowers everyone to uphold human rights in alignment with the international human rights standards adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, of which the Philippines is a party, the ordinance said.
The measure will be known as the “Bacolod City Human Rights Defender Ordinance”.*
