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Business and Human Rights
PHRC holds 1st Core Group Discussion-Workshop for PNAP-BHR

As lead agency for the development of the Philippine National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (PNAP-BHR), the Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC) under the Office of the President of the Philippines organized the 1st Core Group Discussion-Workshop in cooperation with the Hanns Seidel Foundation/Germany (HSF) which was held in Malacañang Palace, Manila on March 1, 2017.

Meeting, Discussion

business and human rights meeting

As lead agency for the development of the Philippine National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (PNAP-BHR), the Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC) under the Office of the President of the Philippines organized the 1st Core Group Discussion-Workshop in cooperation with the Hanns Seidel Foundation/Germany (HSF) which was held in Malacañang Palace, Manila on March 1, 2017.

The activity was participated in by senior officials from twelve (12) key government agencies that were pre-identified by PHRC based on past consultation-workshops of having a significant impact in the promotion, protection and fulfillment of human rights in the business sector.

A video presentation on the “UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: An Introduction” was shown to the group as reminder and guide for the discussions on the draft Administrative Order and the next steps toward the development of the PNAP-BHR.

Meeting, Discussion

Business and human rights meeting

Through the leadership and guidance of Undersecretary Severo Catura, Executive Director of PHRC, the core group discussed and finetuned the draft Administrative Order (AO), “Defining and strengthening government policies, plans and programs for the effective promotion, protection and fulfillment of human rights in the business sector.” The members reviewed the document line by line and shared significant inputs in line with their respective agency’s mandate, policies and programs. A final draft of the AO is expected to be submitted to the Executive Secretary for vetting and signing of the President. This will serve as take-off point in crafting the PNAP-BHR. Guidelines will be formulated for this purpose anchored on the UNGP on BHR, the output of which will be presented to the business sector and civil society organizations for consultations and agreements.

Undersecretary Catura expressed optimism that the initial results of this project initiative will positively contribute to a meaningful commemoration of Labor Day on May 1.