reform. These fora included a UNDP-assisted event where government officials
and top managers from the business community were called upon to clarify
issues and align their understanding of the UNGP BHR.
In an interview, Jesus Torres, Division Chief of the Economic, Social, and
Cultural Rights (ESCR) Center of the CHR, emphasized that even before the UNGP
BHR were identified, monitoring matters related to Business and Human Rights
(BHR) is embedded in the CHR’s mandate to keep an eye on human rights issues.
The CHR conducts data gathering and research before engaging, requesting, or
recommending to government agencies on legal issues.
CHR has also been exploring similar existing initiatives that complement
their goal to mainstream the UNGP on Business and Human Rights (Torres,
personal interview, 9 March 2017). Early this year, CHR submitted a position
paper to the 17th Congress of the House of Representatives, on the proposed
amendments to the Corporation Code of the Philippines (Batas Pambansa
Bilang 68). The Commission proposes to mainstream the UNGP BHR in the
amendment of the Code, drawing upon the second pillar of UNGP BHR: the
corporate responsibility to respect human rights (CHR, 2018).
Establishing Mechanisms and Developing BHR Monitoring Tool
Aside from building awareness on the UNGP BHR, the CHR has
sought to identify the mechanisms needed to effectively address issues
on BHR. One such mechanism is the establishment of indicators that
are needed to monitor businesses and their adherence to human rights.
Using pre-tested indicators, CHR intends to: (a) review related literature
on the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights;1
(b) engage rights holders; and (c) encourage participation of duty-bearers,
including businesses. Along this objective, the CHR is in the process of developing
a guidebook for monitoring and reporting purposes.
Providing Access to Remedy
One of the many roles of CHR is to ensure “access to remedy.” In December
2016, the CHR filed the “world’s first ever national investigation into human rights
harms resulting from climate change, despite apparent opposition from some
fossil fuel companies” (Fidh, 2016). This petition was submitted by 18 individuals
1
The International Covenant on ESCR is a UN human rights treaty that gives legal force to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
This treaty covers important areas of public policy, such as the rights to: work, fair and just conditions of work, social security, adequate
food, clothing and housing, health, and education.
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