Two-and-a-half years, 15 Regional Dialogue Sessions, 2 Joint Training/Planning Sessions, 2 Human Rights Week Fora, and follow-through activities in different areas, plus a Project Information Material sum up the initial achievements of the project on “Community-based Dialogue Session on Human Rights Promotion and Protection between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, and Civil Society Organizations and Local Communities”, which is being undertaken in cooperation with the AFP Human Rights Office (HRO) and Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operations (OJ7), PNP Human Rights Affairs Office (HRAO), Alternative Law Groups (ALG), Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation (NCAF), Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP) and the Hanns Seidel Foundation/Germany (HSF).

In an effort to look at the gains and challenges of the project, and to prepare for the next steps, a Joint Planning Session was held on 22-23 June 2011 in Antipolo City with about 80 participants, representing key partners and stakeholders from fifteen regions of the country, coming together for this important activity. High-ranking officers from the AFP and PNP (5 Brigadier Generals cum Human Rights Officers from the AFP and 2 Police Chief Superintendent from the PNP) as well as key representatives from the CSOs and CHRP were in attendance. There was a “festive” atmosphere in the air in recognition of the accomplishments and positive impact of the project, and the rare opportunity to interact and exchange experiences with their counterparts from the other regions, and be informed of the future direction of the project.

CHRP Chairperson Loretta Ann Rosales was the Keynote Speaker with HSF Resident Representative, Mr. Paul G. Schäfer delivering the Opening Remarks.  Atty. Marlon Manuel, ALG National Coordinator and Project Lead Person presented a “Review of Past Dialogue Sessions and Related Activities including the General Directions for 2011-13 and recent developments, and a Presentation of the Objectives and Flow of the Joint Planning Session. He also gave an update on two recent laws: the Anti-Torture Law (RA 9745), and the Philippine Act on Crimes against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes against Humanity (RA 9851).

A Panel Discussion and Workshops were conducted for the discussion of the gains and major challenges of the project as well as the regional-level planning activity. Representatives from key government line agencies, namely, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Justice (DOJ), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and the Presidential Human Rights Committee (PHRC), and from the  Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) representing the CSOs, were present for an orientation and update on the project, and also to call on their active involvement towards the institutionalization of the project.  They expressed their respective agency’s interest and cooperation in future project activities, among others, conduct of remaining two regional-level dialogues and in the different follow-through activities at the local level, and the top-level policy dialogue.

During the Closing Program, key officers form the partner organizations, i.e., AFP, PNP, CHR, ALG, and HSF gave their respective Messages. They committed to advancing the cause of human rights through a closer and fruitful relationship with the different stakeholders, and encouraged their respective institutions and members of the core groups towards sustaining the activity at the local level.