BAGUIO CITY – Without naming who they were, Commission on Human Rights (CHR) regional director Romel Daguimol praised the different organizations that conducted several candidates’ forums which gave voters the chance to know the advocacies, programs and platforms of governance of those running for elective positions in the Summer Capital.
With the national and local midterm elections fast approaching, he stressed the importance of elections since it is one way to change or shift the country’s course of history. He added that without the constitutional right of suffrage, there will be those who would rule the nation in perpetuity.
Daguimol gave his remarks during a voters seminar conducted by his office Tuesday in separate venues here with representatives of various sectors in the city as participants.
With the theme, “Panahon na para maging WOKE Ka”, the activity was held in cooperation with the city human rights action team led by city administrator Carlos Canilao and Kilusan, a civil society organization.
The whole-day event’s morning session was held at the City hall multi-purpose hall with SK officers, student leaders and barangay kagawads as participants while those who joined the afternoon session at Eco-Lodge, Lower Magsaysay, were those belonging to the senior citizen, persons with disabilities (PWD), LGBT and other sectors.
Lecturers included Jhay de Jesus of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates and Jade Leung of YOUWIN, both civil society organizations. They talked about the human rights situation in the country, issues affecting human rights, its importance and how everybody can become stakeholders in protecting and respecting human rights.
Workshops were also done to gather inputs of participants that will be collated and distributed to local candidates for their information and guidance on what programs or advocacies that need to be prioritized./Gaby Keith