Special human rights laws got zero funding in 2025 — CHR
By Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, Reporter
THE COMMISSION on Human Rights (CHR) on Tuesday revealed that special human rights laws did not receive any allocations under the proposed 2025 national budget, its chairperson said.
Measures addressing human trafficking, violence against women and their children and crimes against humanity, among other laws, did not receive a single centavo for 2025, CHR Chairperson Richard P. Palpal-latoc said in a congressional budget briefing.
Mr. Palpal-latoc estimated that it will cost the government about P106 million for the human rights body to effectively perform the additional mandates, under special human rights laws.
“There are several laws that provide an additional mandate to the Commission on Human Rights, and these laws were not given funding,” he told congressmen.
“Based on our computation and the budgetary requirements of these additional mandates given to us, we have estimated the amount of P106 million funding requirement,” he added.
Special human rights laws refer to measures meant to address specific human rights concerns, complementing the protection of rights enshrined under the Constitution and other treaties of which the Philippines is a party.
Party-list Rep. Arlene D. Brosas said that a law addressing enforced disappearances did not receive allocation for next year despite a clause ensuring its funding.
“This is one of the things we’re asking for because it’s a significant task,” Mr. Palpal-latoc said in Filipino, noting the importance of having a budget to fulfill its mandate of investigating alleged cases of state abduction.
The CHR was forced to squeeze in the additional obligation to their existing budget meant for jail visits and inspection just so they could fulfill it, he added. “Our resources are insufficient to fulfill this mandate.”
The commission also noted in a Viber message that “while the CHR can absorb additional responsibilities within its existing mandates, the lack of funding places a strain on its resources,” noting that adequate budgetary support is “crucial” for its operations.
“Additional responsibilities are given to the commission, but its budget remains lacking,” Negros Oriental Rep. Jocelyn Sy Limkaichong, who sponsored CHR’s budget, said in mixed English and Filipino.
Congress should look at augmenting the proposed P6.352-trillion national budget for next year so it could provide funding to the special human rights laws, she added. “We probably can augment, or whatever is the best solution, so that unfunded laws can be properly implemented.”
The CHR saw its proposed 2025 budget increase by 13% to P1.1 billion from P937 million this year.
The lack of budget for special human rights law puts into question the government’s commitment to upholding human rights, according to rights group Karapatan.
This affects the commission’s “ability to fulfill its mandate and exercise its role as a national human rights institution,” Karapatan Secretary-General Cristina E. Palabay told BusinessWorld in a Facebook Messenger chat.
“It puts into question the seriousness of the government in fulfilling its obligations as per international and domestic human rights instruments as well as its intent to uphold justice and accountability,” she added.
Despite President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s pivot towards upholding human rights compared to his predecessor, the lack of allocations to the laws shows that his promise of improving the domestic human rights situation is “empty and bankrupt.”