ILOILO CITY – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is not bestowing the title of Human Rights City to Iloilo City or any other locality.
"It is not CHR declaring the title. It will be a self-declaration by the Iloilo City government," said CHR-6
Director Jonnie Dabuco, following reports claiming that the agency would make the declaration based on the announcement by Mayor Raisa Treñas.A group raised concerns and alleged that policies of the present and previous Treñas administrations violated basic human rights.
Christopher Montaño, CHR-6 Human Rights Promotion Division chief, said the role of CHR was misinterpreted and misunderstood.
Montaño explained the CHR is merely facilitating local government units (LGUs) to adopt the framework established by the United Nations (UN) in 2025 that local governance should be anchored on protecting and fulfilling human rights.
“It’s very clear in the UN framework that it will be the LGUs that will make the declaration,” Montaño said.
According to Montaño, a Human Rights City declaration would be an LGU’s commitment to the UN framework for “transformative approach to urban governance, emphasizing the integration of human rights.”
Montaño said that CHR presented to Iloilo City and San Jose de Buenavista in Antique province the UN framework for Human Rights City as the two LGUs have shown interest and participated in seminars and workshops on grassroots approach on human rights.
For Iloilo City, another reason was the creation of a Human Rights Action Center (HRAC) in 2023 by former Mayor Jerry Treñas.
CHR-6 Information Officer Arnel Muyga added that there are processes to be undertaken before an LGU can declare, including a counterpart legislation by the city or municipal council.