BAGUIO CITY (PIA) -- The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) launched here  on Thursday (March 23) its human rights caravan dubbed “ LaKarAn" or Lakbay Karapatan Tungo sa Kamalayan.

CHR Chairperson Atty. Richard Palpal-latoc said the caravan aims to expand their services until the barangay level with the assistance of local government units. Likewise, the CHR tagets to touch base with the LGUs and other government agencies in the hope of further popularizing human rights governance and service and the importance of human rights centers in schools and barangays. 

"Ang purpose ay turuan ho natin ang ating mga kababayan ng kanilang karapatang pantao at tayo'y maging kasangkapan upang mapigilan ang paglabag sa karapatang-pantao at tayo ay makatulong para maprotektahan ang mga karapatang-pantao ng ating mga kababayan sa lokalidad," Palpal-latoc said.

Through the LaKarAn, the CHR   conducts  human rights education and promotion in the regions hopefully until the grassroots, and engage with the civil society organizations and non-government organizations and learn directly from them about human rights situation in the locality.

A series of caravan will immerse in the  communities to educate the people about their rights.

Part of the opening salvo of the caravan was  a  two-day Barangay Human Rights Action Officers (BHRAOs) Summit held on March 22-23 which was  attended by BHRAOs from the 20 districts of Baguio City.

In his message, Palpal-latoc stressed that protecting and promoting human rights is not a sole responsibility of the government but it is a responsibility of all.

"Ang tungkulin sa pag-protect and promote human rights ay hindi lang po tungkulin ng Komisyon ng Karapatang-pantao, hindi lang ho 'yan tungkulin ng gobyerno. Tayo pong lahat ay may tungkulin para protektahan ang karapatang-pantao ng bawat isa. Tungkulin din ho natin na pangalagaan at i-promote ang pagtupad ng human rights," he emphasized.

Aside from  Palpal-latoc,  the BHRAOs   also had a chance to  listen and  interact with  Human Rights Education and Promotion Office Director IV Atty. Francis Tom Temprosa, CHR-CAR Regional Director Romel Daguimol, Councilor Peter Fianza, and other officials.

Participants of the summit  elected  the new  set of federation officers and board of directors  of the  BHRAO.  Palpal-latoc administered the ooathtaking  and  led the pinning of the newly elected officers. 

The particiapnts also committed themselves to uphold, protect, respect, and fight for the rights of the Filipino people through the signing of the Pledge of Human Rights.(JDP/DEG-PIA CAR)