While waiting for the participants of the Capability Building Session to convene in the plenary hall, a member of the CHR team gave an intermission number. PART 2: CAPABILITY BUILDING WITH DETENTION FACILITY STAFF VI. Welcoming of Participants In order to formally open the second part of the activity, Mr. Arendain asked Ms. Lainne Lyn Glase to share a brief welcome message. In her welcome remarks, Ms. Glase explained that the activity plays an important role in developing their capacities and knowledge most especially in handling their clients. In her words she emphasized: “this is a venue for us to know the propert way of treating PDLs and to consciously uphold their basic human rights”. After this, Mr. Arendain introduced the CHR team to the participants and introduced the first learning session. VII. CHR Background and Mandate At 1:42 in the afternoon, a learning input on the Mandate of Commission on Human Rights was facilitated by Mr. Alfonso Balansag Jr. This session allowed the participants to understand the role of CHR in the promotion and protection of human rights. Below are the salient points of Mr. Balansag’s input: • To start his presentation, Mr. Balansag asked the participants about their perceptions on the Commission on Human Rights. He then presented some of the common perceptions about CHR. Among these common perceptions are the following: CHR favors criminals, CHR as enemy of the state; and CHR as allies or protector of drug dependents, drug lords, criminals, and rapists. Mr. Balansag clarified these perceptions by narrowing his discussion on the importance of Human Rights and the Mandate of CHR. • In order to deepen the participants’ understanding of the importance of Human Rights, Mr. Balansag provided the definition of human rights according to the United Nations, Commission on Human Rights, and late Senator Diokno: o United Nations: human rights are generally defined as those rights which are inherent in our nature and without which we cannot live as human beings. o CHR: human rights as the supreme inherent and inalienable rights to life, to dignity and to self-development. It is the essence of this rights that makes man human. 25