A delegation from Taiwan’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), headed by Vice Chairperson Wang Yu-ling and Commissioners Yeh Ta-hua and Tien Chiu-chin, visited the Philippines in mid-October to engage in human rights discourse. The visit included in-depth discussions with the Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on topics pertaining to human rights, including monitoring mechanisms, education, the operation of the Child Rights Center, national inquiries, and coordination between regional offices. NHRC Chairperson Chen Chu conveyed her anticipation of learning from the CHR’s successful human rights practices through a formal letter. The CHR acknowledged the NHRC’s visit on their official Facebook page, highlighting their shared commitment to the Paris Principles. The delegation also met with other organizations, including the Philippines’ National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), the Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC), the Child Rights Coalition Asia (CRC Asia), and the Migrant Forum in Asia (MFA), to foster dialogue and collaboration.
The Philippines’ CHR, established in 1987 with commissioners appointed by the President, boasts a long history of cooperation with Taiwan’s NHRC. This visit builds on the previous interactions between the two commissions during the 2024 Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) in Thailand last month. CHR Chairperson Richard Paat Palpal-latoc personally hosted the delegation, sharing detailed insights into the organization’s human rights education programs, community engagement strategies, national inquiries on climate change, and the roles of their protection office and policy linkage center. The NHRC delegation reciprocated by sharing its own experiences in international human rights exchanges, independent evaluations of national reports on core conventions, and investigations into cases related to the rights of migrant fishers, workers, and incarcerated persons with disabilities. NHRC Vice Chairperson Wang Yu-ling spoke on Taiwan’s transformation from an authoritarian regime to a democratic society, celebrating its achievement as the first nation in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage in 2019. She also highlighted the representation of Indigenous peoples in the legislature, noting that they constitute 2.5% of Taiwan’s population but hold 5% of parliamentary seats. Commissioners Yeh and Tien further discussed topics such as monitoring mechanisms for child rights, the role of human rights defenders, democratic transitions, and migrant workers’ rights with their Philippine counterparts.
The delegation’s meetings with the CHR, NCIP, AHRC, CRC Asia, and MFA have significantly deepened the mutual understanding of human rights issues between Taiwan and the Philippines and set the stage for future cooperation on shared concerns.