CHR now accepts online complaints through new portal

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights on Monday launched a new online portal where the public can file complaints digitally and track the status of their cases — a system that also gives the rights body a centralized way of monitoring human rights violations.

The human rights body said that its Management Information System Monitoring Outlet (MISMO) aims to make its human rights services more accessible to the public amid a limited number of CHR offices nationwide.

CHR Executive Director Jacqueline de Guia said during the unveiling of MISMO in May that the online portal aims to help individuals located far from the nearest CHR regional office in seeking assistance with potential human rights violations.

With only 16 CHR regional offices across the country, De Guia said that the "cost, time, and resources required" in filing grievances pose significant barriers, making it intimidating for some to file their complaints in person.

"The CHR recognized these barriers and developed the MISMO platform to enhance promptness, accessibility, and efficiency in service delivery, particularly in remote areas and for individuals unable to visit physical CHR offices to file complaints," the human rights body said in a news release.

Through MISMO, the CHR said that victims of human rights violations can more easily file complaints online by providing the necessary information for case assessment.

Once submitted, complaints are forwarded to the appropriate CHR office for review and action. The portal will also show the status and progress of cases in real-time.
 
Besides the filing of complaints, the MISMO portal also hosts other services, such as requests for technical assistance, interviews, data and statistics, accreditation for civil society organizations partnerships, among others.

The portal also benefits the CHR by providing it with a centralized management information system, which the human rights body said was a recommendation provided to them by Project Gunita co-founder and lawyer Josiah Quising.

"This initiative also aligns with the Quality Management System and Anti-Red Tape Authority guidelines, which aim to ensure the effectiveness and responsiveness of public services," the CHR said.

The portal adopts a "client-centric approach" that caters to "the vulnerable, marginalized, and disadvantaged sectors of society," the human rights body added.

The CHR MISMO portal can be accessed here.

During last year's legislative deliberations for the 2024 budget of the CHR, Rep. France Castro (ACT Teachers) said that the commission has had to "sacrifice" a couple of its mandates due to its limited budget every year. 

The CHR received P937 million for its 2024 budget, according to this year's General Appropriations Ac — a far smaller amount than its original request of P1.924 billion.