CEDAW/C/SR.327 English Page 2 The meeting was called to order at 10.35 a.m. CONSIDERATION OF REPORTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 18 OF THE CONVENTION (continued) Third and fourth periodic reports of the Philippines (CEDAW/C/PHI/3 AND CEDAW/C/PHI/4) 1. At the invitation of the Chairpersons, Mr. Mabilangan, Ms. Nicolas and Ms. Feliciano (Philippines) took places at the Committee table. 2. Mr. MABILANGAN (Philippines) said that the ratification by the Philippine Senate of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in 1991 was in pursuance of a policy of non-discrimination that was enshrined in the Constitution. The confluence of legislative and administrative measures that had been subsequently adopted and put into operation constituted a measure of the Government’s commitment and determination to implement the Convention’s provisions nationwide. Thus, following its launching of the Philippine Perspective Plan for Gender-responsive Development, 1995-2025, the Government had, through the General Appropriations Act, especially the 1996 version, required all government departments, offices and agencies to earmark 5 per cent of their 1996 appropriations for projects designed to address gender issues. The Congress had also passed the Women in Development and Nation-building Act, a strategy for empowerment that viewed women as a sine qua non of economic growth and development. 3. His Government supported the proposed optional protocol to the Convention, which would improve and strengthen the Convention. 4. Despite the strong economic performance that was providing the impetus for social progress, especially the advancement of women, much still remained to be done. The Government continued to face considerable challenges in the social sphere following the rapid increase in population growth, widespread poverty and the scarcity of jobs, despite declining unemployment. Consequently, many Filipinos, particularly women, were forced to seek employment overseas, where they fell victim to exploitation and abuse. In that regard, his Government as particularly concerned about women migrant workers because of their vulnerability to violence and trafficking. The Vienna World Conference on Human Rights had also recognized the special importance of promoting and protecting the rights of vulnerable groups including, in particular, women migrant workers. Indeed, the plight of women migrant workers could not be disassociated from the problem of trafficking. Since 1992, his Government had been actively involved in efforts to introduce resolutions concerning violence against women migrant workers and the traffic in women and girls before the Third Committee of the General Assembly, the Commission on the Status of Women and the Commission on Human Rights. 5. Non-governmental organizations had been consulted and had played a vital role in the various initiatives that his Government had taken towards the implementation of the Convention. They had also been allies of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women in pressing for changes in the different branches of Government. / ...