Phl lauded for gains in promotion of UN human rights agenda

The United Nations (UN) Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the Philippines, Ambassador Gustavo Gonzalez, has commended the country’s efforts in advancing the UN’s human rights agenda. He highlighted the initiatives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration and the Department of Justice (DOJ) under Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

As he prepares to conclude his mission in the Philippines at the end of the month, Gonzalez expressed his gratitude for the collaboration and trust extended by the Marcos administration. 

During his end-of-mission courtesy visit to Secretary Remulla on Thursday, he acknowledged the DOJ’s efforts to address complex and sensitive issues that the government has faced since assuming office, according to a DOJ news release on Friday.

Gonzalez lauded Secretary Remulla’s “great leadership” and congratulated him on the successful implementation of the United Nations Joint Programme (UNJP) on Human Rights. He also commended the DOJ’s representation in high-level events before key UN bodies, including the UN Human Rights Council.

The ambassador recognized the DOJ’s achievements in introducing significant reforms in the criminal justice system. He encouraged Remulla to continue leveraging the UN’s expertise and support, emphasizing the enhanced capacity and presence of several UN offices in the Philippines.

In response, Remulla expressed his appreciation for Gonzalez’s contributions and reaffirmed the Philippine government’s commitment to collaborating with the UN on critical initiatives. 

He underscored the importance of the UN’s expertise in addressing technical challenges, particularly in the integration of jail management and correction systems into a unified correction-reformation framework and in tackling the growing threats posed by cybercrimes.

“It is an honor to have friends from the United Nations here in our country join us in promoting human rights. Your unwavering commitment to champion human rights throughout the world serves as a constant reminder for the Filipino people to never falter in defending and safeguarding the life and dignity of every person,” Remulla stated.

The meeting was attended by Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes Andres, Assistant Secretary Eliseo Cruz, and DOJ Human Rights Office Program Director Hazel Decena-Valdez. 

Ambassador Gonzalez was joined by UN Senior Human Rights Adviser Signe Poulsen and UN Resident Coordinator Office Chief of Staff Matija Kovac.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *