Philippines highlights climate change, good migration governance in address at UN

Addressing the General Assembly today, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs for the Philippines, Albert del Rosario, highlighted, among other vital elements of the international agenda, the need to address the issues of climate change and migration.

“The Philippines knows only too well the urgency of building a climate-resilient economy, being one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world and having experienced, almost two years ago, the devastating impact of Super Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest typhoon to have made landfall in recorded history.”

“Given the new normal of mega-disasters,” he said, “the Philippines will continue to play an active role in tackling the issues of climate change, resiliency and disaster risk reduction and management.”

Mr. del Rosario said the Philippines would promote a meaningful outcome for the upcoming climate change conference in Paris, and urged the international community to adopt “a new, legally-binding agreement that is universal and equitable, one that ensures a bright and low-carbon future for the next generation.”

Speaking on disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM), he noted that the Philippines would be guided by the Sendai Framework for 2015-2030. He added that, while the framework recognizes that States have the primary role in DRRM, the responsibility should also be shared with local government and the private sector, among others.

Mr. del Rosario also highlighted the issue of migration.

“We deeply appreciate the UN's recognition of the Philippines as a model of migration governance because of its comprehensiveness in terms of managed deployment, solid protection component, diaspora engagement and re-integration,” he said. “Both the UN and the Philippines believe that migration governance is really about giving migrants a 'human face.'"

He also stressed that migration “must be a shared international responsibility” and that migrants’ human rights must be fully respected in all circumstances.

Turning to the subject of human trafficking, the Minister said his nation would work with other governments to strengthen anti-trafficking mechanisms.