DILG wants barangay human rights centers revitalized

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno urged all local government units (LGUs) to revitalize the barangay human rights action centers (BHRACs) for the protection of human rights of their constituents in the grassroots level.

"The move (is) in line with intensified government efforts to empower ordinary Filipinos at the grassroots to uphold and defend their constitutional rights," Puno said.

Puno issued the directive following reports that only 2,342 out of 7,270 BHRACs established since 2001 are still functional.

BHRACs are supposedly established to implement human rights protections and information in coordination with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

Puno earlier proposed a massive grassroots-based information drive to be undertaken jointly by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the CHR to make Filipinos more aware of their constitutional rights and the process on how to defend and uphold them.

At the same time, Puno had also vowed to make the DILG, including the PNP, as an active partner of the CHR in upholding and defending human rights.

Puno urged LGUs to mount information campaigns on human rights awareness at the barangay level and sponsor BHRAC-related activities.

Through Undersecretary for Local Government Wencelito Andanar, Puno issued Memorandum Circular No. 2006-45 to all local officials and DILG regional directors.

The memo reminded local officials to give priority to the BHRAC program of the CHR and review their respective human rights action plans for inclusion in their annual budget proposals.

"To further promote and protect human rights, all LGUs were also encouraged to assist the CHR in monitoring and consolidating the reports submitted by their respective Barangay Human Rights Action Officers," Puno said.

Puno also encouraged Sangguniang Barangays (barangay councils) nationwide to establish or revitalize their respective BHRACs to serve as centers for processing complaints and disseminating information on human rights concerns.

"Local government executives play vital role in ensuring the success of BHRAC programs aimed at heightening public awareness of human rights issues at the grassroots level," Puno said.

The DILG chief called on local officials to direct their respective barangays to adopt or pass resolutions creating BHRACs, select their Barangay Human Rights Action Officers and appropriate funds in operating the centers.

Local chief executives should also maintain a directory of services and programs on human rights and document human rights conditions in their respective localities, Puno added.

In every barangay where no barangay human rights action officers (BHRAOs) had been elected or where the BHRAC no longer exist, Puno said the concerned barangay chairman must designate the barangay secretary as BHRAO until a regular officer is elected in the next Barangay Assembly Day on Oct. 21.

Incumbent BHRAOs may run for reelection, but barangay secretaries are not eligible to run for such election, he said.

To monitor the compliance of LGUs with this DILG memo, Puno directed all regional officials of the bureau to submit a list of barangays with established BHRACs and their elected BHRAOs after Oct. 21.