City’s barangay human rights officers elected
The city’s Barangay Human Rights Action Officers (BHRAO) Federation Officers were elected on March 22 at the President Fidel V. Ramos (PFVR) Gymnasium during the BHRAO Summit.
These are: President, Evelyn Balisong: Vice President, Jun Orca; Secretary: Jun Cosme: Asst. Secretary, Mario Delos Reyes; Treasurer, Ceasar Peralta; Asst. Treasurer, Flora Balaba; Auditor, Ricky Santiago; Asst. Auditor, Santiago Pasuquin; and Information Officer, Ricky Hull.
Held on March 22 and 23, the first city-wide BHRAO Summit, was conducted by the Commission on Human Rights – Cordillera Administrative Region (CHR-CAR) in partnership with the City Government of Baguio and participated by officials and representatives from the city’s 128 barangays.
The Basics of Human Rights, the Role of BHRAOs in Promoting and Protecting Human Rights, and Strengthening Human Rights at the LGUs through Human Rights Action Center (HRAC) were also discussed on the meaningful day at the two-day event.
Mayor Benjamin B. Magalong, in his message read by executive assistant Benjamin Macadangdang, supported and encouraged the BHRAOs to stay true to their role in promoting human rights.
“As Baguio City Barangay Human Rights Officers, you have a vital role to play in upholding the rights of our fellow citizens. our efforts are essential to safeguarding the rights of our vulnerable sectors… I encourage you to take your role seriously and continuously educate yourselves about human rights.” the Mayor said.
“I encourage you to continue the fight for justice and the promotion of human rights. Your commitment to this cause is admirable and it is only through your dedication that we can achieve a better and more just society” he added.
The Mayor stated that the city government is always ready to collaborate with the BHRAOs and lend a helping hand in upholding the citizens’ human rights.
“It is also crucial to establish a strong relationship between barangay and the local government units. We are ready to provide you with necessary support to ensure that your efforts are successful. We can collaborate on training and education programs, and establish hotlines for reporting human rights violations” he stressed. – Paula Stephanie Morales
