Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the UN and other International Organizations in Geneva Ambassador Evan P. Garcia delivers the Philippine Statement during the UNHCR Executive Committee at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on 02 October 2018. (Geneva PM photo)
GENEVA 23 October 2018 – The Philippines highlighted some of its recent actions to help resolve the refugee problem in its statement at the annual meeting of states on refugee issues during the 69th Executive Session of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which was held from 01 to 05 October 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland.
“We reiterate that we are deeply committed to the refugees and statelessness conventions and we stand with other States in working towards providing the appropriate measures of addressing the problems of refugees worldwide,” stressed Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva Ambassador Evan P. Garcia.
He emphasized that the Philippine government attaches paramount importance to alleviating the plight of refugees, and cited that the Philippines created in October 2017 an Inter-Agency Steering Committee (IASC) Agreement on the Protection of Asylum Seekers Refugees and Stateless Persons in the Philippines. The agreement provides the basis for institutionalizing mechanisms in providing assistance and services to asylum seekers, refugees and stateless persons in the country while creating a more favorable protection environment.
Ambassador Garcia also cited that the country launched its National Action Plan to End Statelessness on 24 November 2017, which will be implemented until 2024.
At the global level, the Philippines supports the enhance cooperation and action to improve protection of disaster displaced persons by actively engaging as a Steering Member of the Platform for Disaster Displacement, a state-led mechanism that discuss issues pertaining to disaster displacement.
The Executive Committee of the UNHCR meets in Geneva annually in October to evaluate, review and approve UNHCR’s programmes and budget and to provide advise on its programs on international protection. END
For more information, visit www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinGenevaUN/