U N I T E D N A T I O N S S Y S T E M P H I L I P P I N E S December 2010

Dear UN Colleagues As we head towards the holiday season and the New Year I would like to reflect on an intensively busy but successful year for the UN in Philippines.

In case you don’t want to read any further (!) let me start by most sincerely thanking everyone of you. Your commit-ment to the UN is exemplary whether it’s in the delivery of development, humanitarian, communications, advocacy or looking after the safety and security of staff. Or whether you are in management, operations or in field support. Everyone of you count to making our UN success story. This has been a big year of change. A new government has brought the promise of a less corrupt, more people focused and social development oriented administration. We have already begun to see a turnaround in some human rights issues and almost daily now we see the call for more action on the MDGs taking root in all levels of government as well as in civil society and the private sector. We have all focused this last half year on developing a new UN programme to start in 2012 and I cannot thank enough the efforts of everyone in developing the results frameworks for our new UNDAF. The UNDAF is innovative and it is strategic and I would like to thank all members

of the UNDAF working group and the sub-outcome teams for their untiring inputs. Let us now take a well deserved short break, reflect and then return re-energized to dis-cuss how we can continue to innovate and “Deliver as One UN”. On the humanitarian front we have had a quieter year with only 11 typhoons!! But the energy and response has always been there and is seen in preparedness activities that are ongoing. The work in Mindanao has carried on and has moved towards a new phase of early recovery – let us hope this continues and we can begin to really make a dif-ference in the development of this the poorest of Regions. I particularly acknowledge all those of you based in the Phase 3 area of Mindanao and especially wish you and your families a safe and peaceful holiday season and New Year. I will spend my second Christmas and New Year amid the bright lights and bustle of Manila and look forward to being joined by my family. I hope you will all take time out to have special time with your families and loved ones, recharge your batteries and come back to an event packed 2011.

Maligayang Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon!

Message from the UN Resident Coordinator Jacqui Badcock

On December 5, International Volunteer Day (IVD), the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in the Philip-pines marked the 10th anniversary this year of the Inter-national Year of Volunteers (IYV+10) by mobilizing over 8000 volunteers from Manila based universities, volunteer organizations and communities for “Clean Up Manila Bay.” “Volunteering for the Millennium Development Goals” is the theme of this year’s observance of International Volunteer Day as well as of IYV+10. Manila mayor Alfredo Lim, UN Resident Coordinator, Dr. Jacqueline Badcock, and Oliver Wittershagen, UNVHQ Portfolio Manager for East Asia, were on hand to give mes-sages at the event. “Volunteering for the Millennium Development Goals” is the theme of this year’s observance

of International Volunteer Day as well as of IYV+10. At the same time, IYV+10 has adopted the local theme, “Build hope. Change Lives. Volunteer!”

The volunteers, including students from 20 universities, conducted the clean-up around Manila Bay and near the US Embassy. The “Clean Up Manila Bay” project was organized in partnership with Korea International Coopera-tion Agency (KOICA) and the Philpine Coast Guard Auxil-iary (PCGA), and the Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (PNVSCA). Earlier, on 3 December, a Volunteer Fair and Youth Forum on the MDGs were held at Miriam College in Quezon City and was participated in by about 500 students.

In joint observance of Human Rights Day and World AIDS Day, UNIC Manila organized a “Human Rights De-fenders” Forum last 1 December at the Civil Law Audito-rium of the University of Sto. Tomas.

Three Filipino Human Rights Defenders of Indigenous Peoples (IPs), Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), and People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) were given rec-ognition in awards ceremonies that were preceded by audio-visual presentations on the awardees’ life and advocacy work.

Mr. Dave de Vera, executive director of the Philippine Association for Intercultural Development (PAFID) and an expert in community-based and participatory map-ping to establish ancestral domain claims, received the IP Defender Award. Ms. Adeline Dumapong, the first and only international paralympic medalist from the Philip-pines, was the designated PWD defender. Mr. Jerico Paterno, an area coordinator for Pinoy Plus, a non-government organization staffed by HIV-positive patients and which provides counseling and care for persons liv-ing with HIV/AIDS, received the Human Rights Defender award for PLHA. Continued on next page...

Front,L-R: Ms. Adeline Dumapong, PWD Defender; 2 representatives of the Legal Management Society [LMS] of UST; Back, L-R: Mr. Virgilio Dolina, vice-president of the UST LMS; Ms. Teresa Debuque, UNIC Manila NIO; Mr. Jerico Paterno, Defender of People Living with HIV/AIDS; and Mr. Dave de Vera, IP Defender

UNIC Manila Honors Filipino Human Rights Defenders

International Volunteer Day 2010...

Keynote: Mr. Oliver Wittershagen, UN-VHQ Portfolio Manager East Asia

Workshop for MDGs

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Volunteers Cleaning the Manila Bay

Clean Up Manila Bay Organizers: L-R: An Seung Kwon., Koica Admin Officer; Akiko Abe,UNV Programme Officer; Alfredo Lim, City of Manila Mayor; Dr. Jacqui Badcock, UN Resident Coordinator; Oliver Wittershagen, UNVHQ Portfolio Manager; Alex Guanco, PCGA MM V Squadron leader; Emmanuel Velante, PCGA MM V Squadron Information Officer.

In observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November) and as part of the 16 days of activism of Unite to End Violence Against Women, UNIC Manila organized “Stop Rape Now! Forum on UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict” last 26 November 2010 in Pasig City, Manila.

Officers of three Philippine uniformed services, including the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Philippine Coast Guard

(PCG) participated in the Forum.

UNIC Manila NIO Teresa L. Debuque discussed the ratio-nale for the adoption of UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) 1325 and 1820, and the incidence of gender-based sexual violence in African countries. Lea Astrera, chief of technical services of the Philippine Commis-sion on Women (PCW), the government agency tasked with policy formulation on gender and women’s issues, presented the Philippine National Action Plan (NAP) on UNSCRs 1325 and 1820. Karen Tanada, a board member of Sulong CARHRIHL—a citizens’ network that promotes and advocates peace, human rights and humanitarian law in areas affected by armed conflict—reported on civil society action to promote and implement the 1325 and 1820 Philippine NAP.

High-ranking officials from the AFP, the PNP, and the PCG gave their reactions to the presentations: Col. Marian C. Aleido JAGS, Army Judge Advocate, on behalf of the AFP; Police Chief Superintendent General Gil J. Hitosis, deputy director, Directorate for Police Community Rela-tions, on behalf of the PNP and Lt. Commander Mitzi Silva-Campo, Commanding Officer, Doctrine Develop-ment and Research Institute, Coast Guard Education and Training Command, on behalf of the PCG.

An open forum followed the presentations, with high-ranking representatives of the AFP, PNP and PCG, giving their reactions and reporting on their respective agencies’ programs to ensure that women’s concerns are main-streamed in their programs and to prevent sexual violence against women. This Forum was co-organized by the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary Metro Manila V Squadron. Video documentation of this Forum can be downloaded at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G8R-vIwn1k

For photos of this event, follow this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/53259173@N07/sets/72157625414448913/

UNIC Manila Holds “Stop Rape Now!” Forum

The three human rights defenders delivered messages to the audience, which was composed of students from the different colleges of the University of Sto. Tomas, one of students were able to interact with the awardees. An open forum followed, during which the students were able to interact with the awardees.

For photos of this event, follow this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/53259173@N07/sets/72157625540215268/

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Human Rights Exhibit, Law Auditorium, UST

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UNIC Manila Honors....

UNITED NATIONS PHILIPPINESUN Cooordination Office30th Floor, RCBC PlazaYuchengco Tower, Ayala Avanue, Makati CityTel: 9010100 website: http://ph.one.un.org

Published by:United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Manila www.unicmanila.org

In an effort to work as one and share informa-tion among agencies, the UN in the Philippines is publishing this e-newsletter. Contributions may be sent to teresa.debuque@unic..org (copy furnished to charito.sanalila@unic.org) every 21st of the month.

State of World Population 2010: Women’s rights and empowerment linked to peace, security and dev’t

“What if I die? Who will take care of my younger siblings?” asked 13-year-old Tima (not her real name) as she nar-rated between sobs how her family fell apart and she was left responsible for her siblings as a result of the armed conflict in the southern part of the Philippines.

People in the audience were wiping off tears as Tima, the eldest of five siblings, ended her story with a wish for her and her four siblings to be reunited with their parents.

Poverty in their war-torn town in Mindanao drove Tima’s parents to leave them to seek jobs – her mother abroad, and her father in the country’s capital, Manila. Both par-ents never came back for their children, leaving Tima the responsibility of taking care of her siblings.

Tima told her story at the launch of the State of World Population 2010 re-port in the Philippines to demonstrate how armed conflict affects the lives of the most vulnerable populations, specifically women and children.

UNFPA Representative Suneeta Mukherjee said that in the Philip-pines, 40,000 men and women have perished in the armed conflict between government and the Communist Party of the Philippines and about 120,000 more have died as a result of the Moro secessionist movement in Mindanao. Around 16,205 families or 81,242 individuals remain dis-placed in Mindanao and are still in evacuation camps. Half of these internally displaced populations are women and girls.

“With their men fighting in the war, women and girls be-come responsible for the livelihood. They try to make both ends meet by going back to weaving, selling fruits and vegetables which they get from their farms, or operating retail stores within the camps,” Mukherjee said. The latest State of World Population report takes a look at the 10 years of implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, which aimed to put to a stop to sexual violence against women and girls in armed conflict and to encourage greater participation by women in peacebuild-

ing initiatives.

Through the stories of individuals affected by conflict or ca-tastrophe in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Haiti, Iraq, Jordan, Liberia, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Timor-Leste and Uganda, the report shows how communities and civil society are healing old wounds and moving forward. How-ever, more still needs to be done to ensure that women have access to services and have a voice in peace deals or reconstruction plans.

UN Resident Coordinator Jacqueline Badcock noted the Philippines’ effort to implement the resolution, being the only country in Asia-Pacific to formulate a National Action Plan on it.

Secretary Teresita Deles, the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, affirmed the government commitment to implement the plan, which she described as a compre-hensive agenda that covers everything that needs to be done.

“I want to make sure that we can set targets by which we will know that women’s participation in the peace process has really grown. We want to make sure that the continuing discrimination and violence against women in states of armed conflict will really be addressed,”

Deles said.

Meanwhile, Social Welfare Undersecretary Celia Capa-docia-Yangco said the government is embarking on three main poverty reduction efforts focusing on conflict affected areas, particularly in Mindanao. The efforts include a con-ditional cash transfer program, infrastructure improvement and sustainable livelihood through skills building. “These areas for convergence will not only solve the prob lem of poverty but will eventually reduce the probability of conflict in various areas. Poverty is one of the main causes of conflict; if this issue is addressed, then it lessens the detrimental effect of conflict,” Yangco said. For more information:Arlene Calaguian Alano: +63 2 901.0306 /alano@unfpa.org

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