Speech
of
His Excellency Fidel V. Ramos
President of the Philippines
At the Human Rights Day with the Indigenous People

[Delivered at Heroes’ Hall, Malacañang, December 10, 1993]

Human rights and our
indigenous people

IT WAS the perceived abuse of human rights that brought all of us, through people power, to the EDSA Revolution in February 1986.

The scope of human rights has expanded to include not only the right to life and liberty but also special concerns such as alternative cultures, minorities, indigenous people, women, children and other disadvantaged sectors, and lately the right to a healthy environment.

We are proud to say that the Philippine concept of people empowerment born at EDSA—of the interdependence and indivisibility of political, social, cultural, economic and environmental rights—influenced the movements for people empowerment in many other countries. Through the EDSA Revolution, we Filipinos provided a new standard for human rights for the twenty-first century.

Environmental concerns and indigenous peoples

This Government has reaffirmed this contribution to international human-rights standards by pursuing people empowerment.

Today, we focus on the newly recognized rights of peoples as part of our goal of people empowerment: the rights of indigenous peoples and people’s right to a clean environment.

Our Government supports international movements for these two causes. Our 1987 Constitution provides for the protection of our environment through sustainable development and for the protection of the rights of our cultural communities. With these provisions as our basis, we have proceeded with specific measures to pursue these ends.

Since June of 1992 our country has acted substantially on at least five human-rights and eleven environment and development agreements. When the Philippines signed Agenda 21 in Rio de Janeiro last year, we pledged our commitment to promote sustainable development through environmental protection. And we immediately followed up this pledge by creating the Philippine Council for Sustainable Development, making ours the first country in Asia to take action on the covenant drawn up in the Rio Summit.

Congress, too, has done its share in environmental protection. We are now carrying out our laws against toxic waste. We are promoting the use of lead-free gasoline.

In Metro Manila we have closed the dumpsite at Smokey Mountain and we are trying to revive the Pasig River. We are cleaning our environment through our Cleaning and Greening project, which is the First Lady’s main effort.

Cleaning up Laguna Lake

We have just witnessed the signing of the agreements to adopt measures to clean up Laguna Lake and to train our children to become more conscious of their environment.

The highly successful global Youth Earthsaving Summit, spearheaded by our non-Government organizations, has merged the themes of indigenous peoples, youth partnership and sustainable development. We are especially gratified that in that global summit, graced by Nobel laureate Rigoberta Menchu, we were able to carve a name for the Philippines as a new champion of the rights of cultural communities.

I previously issued Executive Order 29 creating the National Committee for Indigenous Peoples to organize activities for the 1993 UN International Year for Indigenous Peoples. To further support our indigenous groups, my first nominee to Congress as sectoral representative of our cultural communities was Datu Joseph Sibug.

This Government commits itself to upholding the constitutional mandate to enhance the rights of our cultural communities and to protect our environment. But, just like other projects, the success of these endeavors cannot be guaranteed if we rely only on Government’s action. We need the help of our non-Government organizations. We need the help of everyone.

I therefore call on every Filipino to observe Human Rights Day by being aware of the rights of his indigenous communities and by pledging himself to protect the rights of his katutubo and to observe sustainable development measures.

Continuing the crusade for human rights

The emphasis on these new concerns is part of our goal to empower the Filipino citizenry.

Our awardees today are exemplars who stood as vanguards of the human-rights movement through their achievements in different fields of endeavor.

Special commendations go to our “Soil” awardees who have fought for the rights of our indigenous communities.

As we recognize the achievements of all our awardees, let us also thank them for their selfless dedication to these causes, which should also be the causes of the Filipino people.

We are on the threshold of a new century, and we are set to experience a new dawn in our economy. On this Human Rights Day, let us remember those who sacrificed and labored long and hard to ensure that we will enjoy our basic rights and freedoms today. Today also, let us dedicate this celebration to all who champion the rights of our cultural communities and the right of our people to enjoy a healthful environment, which is part of our right to life.