Tingog Party-list led by Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez and Rep. Jude Acidre, alongside House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez has filed a landmark bill on Tuesday that seeks to protect refugees and stateless persons.
The Comprehensive Refugees and Stateless Persons Protection Bill (House Bill No. 10799) underscores Tingog’s commitment to broadening the circle of compassion for each and every person.
“This bill is a testament of our unwavering dedication to upholding human dignity and ensuring no one is left behind,” Acidre said. “As the world celebrated World Humanitarian Day last August 19, we reaffirm our pledge to protect those who seek refuge.”
House Bill No. 10799 stipulates that there should be a non-discriminatory approach in the application of the refugee and stateless status determination procedure, considering factors such as age, gender, disability and diversity, as enshrined in its Section 3.
Additionally, the bill adds the importance of non-deprivation of refugee or stateless status and non-discrimination in the application of the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol and the 1954 Statelessness Convention, regardless of race, religion, political opinion, or country of origin.
Acidre highlighted the Philippines' long history of openness to refugees: “Historically, the Philippines has always welcomed refugees, such as in 1923 when it welcomed 800 White Russians who fled the Soviet Revolution of 1917. Just recently, the Philippines and the United States inked a partnership allowing Afghans to transit in Manila while waiting for their Special Immigrant Visas to the States.”
The bill seeks to establish a Refugees and Stateless Persons Protection Office (RSPPO) under the Department of Justice (DOJ) for policy and program coordination.
The Philippines is known globally to be a safe space for refugees as it is one of the pioneer countries in the Asia-Pacific region to become a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol.
In the Southeast Asian region, the Philippines is the first to ratify the 1954 Statelessness Convention and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. It has also adopted the Global Compact of Refugees in 2019 and made pledges in the Global Refugee Fora in 2019 and 2023.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimates 120 million people forcibly displaced as of May 2024.
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