National Inquiry on the Impact of Climate Change
on the Human Rights of the Filipino People
12 December 2017
PRESS RELEASE
CHR holds conference with the parties
QUEZON CITY—The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) called on the petitioners and
respondents for a conference on Monday, December 11, for its ongoing landmark national
inquiry meant to examine the possible contribution of carbon majors on climate change and
its effects on the human rights of the Filipinos.
“The inquiry hopes to shed light on the petition filed before the Commission on the alleged
responsibility of companies using fossil fuel, also known as ‘carbon majors’ on the reported
effects of climate change on the Filipino people,” said CHR Commissioner Roberto Eugenio
Cadiz, who chairs the said national inquiry.
The petition, supported mostly by farmers, human rights groups, and concerned citizens, was
filed after a spate of natural disasters such as Super Typhoon Yolanda, internationally known
as Typhoon Haiyan, visited the Philippines.
National inquiry
The conference officially set the groundwork for the first formal inquiry hearing to be
conducted at the end of the first quarter of next year, 2018.
“The Commission accepted the petition, in accordance with our general mandate to uphold
the human rights of all Filipinos and, towards this end, to investigate and monitor all matters
concerning the human rights of the Filipino people,” Commissioner Cadiz explained.
CHR is also mandated to monitor compliance by the government with its domestic and
international human rights obligations, such as those involving treaties, conventions, and
customary international law, including the Paris Agreement, the Kyoto Protocol, the
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