Philippines: Human Rights Education in Nueva Ecija ANITA MAGBITANG-CHAUHAN, MARITES DALANGIN, LOLITA SANTOS, AND LASILA REYES uman rights may be generally defined as those rights inherent in people and without which people cannot live as true human beings. The concept of Hhuman rights came before the creation of the United Nations (UN). However, it was through the UN that human rights gained formal and universal recognition. The preamble of the Universal Declaration There were early efforts to promote human of Human Rights states that respect for hu- rights through education in some Asian coun- man rights and dignity is the foundation of tries. In 1965, for example, Japan adopted the freedom, justice, and world peace. The UN Dowa education policy to stress the importance General Assembly has proclaimed the declara- of equality and to develop public conscious- tion as “a common standard of achievement ness against discrimination.4 However, promot- for all peoples and all nations, to the end that ing human rights education in Asian schools every individual and every organ of society, faces some problems:5 keeping this Declaration in mind, shall strive • lack of opportunities for teachers to study by teaching and education to promote respect and apply new ideas in teaching human for these rights and freedoms and by progres- rights; sive measures, national and international, to • difficulty in convincing government bu- secure their universal and effective recognition reaucrats of the importance of human and observance both among the peoples of rights education; and member States themselves and among the • resistance from teachers who fear that peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.” human rights education will be an addi- Despite international campaigns by both tional burden to their heavy teaching load. government and nongovernmental institutions to promote human rights, it is taught in few Still, human rights education continues to schools.1 Yet, education plays an important role make progress, even if slowly, among Asian in making children aware of world issues such countries, including the Philippines. as human rights, and in developing a proper This paper is divided into three parts. The attitude toward such issues early in life.2 Edu- first presents the efforts of the Philippine gov- cation is recognized by the International Com- ernment to promote human rights education. mission on Education for the 21st Century as The second part looks at how human rights a principal means to foster deeper and more education is implemented in selected schools harmonious human relations and, thereby, to in the central Luzon province of Nueva Ecija, reduce poverty, exclusion, ignorance, oppres- 100 km north of Manila. The third part pre- sion, and war.3 sents the human rights education efforts of a 47 48 • HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION IN ASIAN SCHOOLS nongovernmental organization in Nueva Ecija, On 30 October 1987, President Aquino is- the Pampamayanang Ahensya na Nagtata- sued Proclamation No.177 declaring 3-10 guyod sa Karapatan at Kaunlaran ng Tao December of every year as National Human (Pangkat) Foundation. Rights Week. It mandated the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to initiate activities that Government Efforts to Promote would highlight the observance of Human Human Rights Education Rights Week. All government offices and agen- cies were urged to conduct commemorative The 1987 Constitution upholds the dignity of and educational activities. every human person and guarantees full respect Pursuant to EO No. 27, the education sec- for human rights (Article II, Sec. 11). It also retary issued Department of Education, Cul- requires educational institutions to promote ture and Sports (DECS) Order No. 61 (9 June respect for human rights (Article XIV, Sec. 1987), ordering all schools at all levels, includ- 3[b]). ing nonformal, technical, and vocational, to Prior to the ratification of the Constitution, include in their curriculums the study of hu- then President Corazon C. Aquino issued Ex- man rights and “accompanying responsibili- ecutive Order (EO) No. 27 (4 July 1986), or- ties.” At the primary and secondary levels, dering the then Ministry of Education, Cul- human rights lessons may be integrated into ture and Sports (MECS) to include human civics, culture, geography and history, and so- rights courses in the curriculums of all levels cial studies; and at the tertiary level, in politi- of education and training in all schools. It also cal science or history. The schools were given ordered MECS to initiate and maintain regu- the option to determine how to integrate hu- lar programs and special projects, including man rights lessons into their courses. informal education and other means, to pro- CHR published A Primer on Human Rights, mote information and discussion on, and re- which was distributed to the regions to pro- spect for, human rights. vide basic information on formulating and de- The same EO ordered the Civil Service veloping instructional materials. Commission to include in the qualifying ex- The DECS bureaus, which supervise edu- aminations for government service some basic cation at various levels, including technical, knowledge of human rights. vocational, and nonformal, prepared a sug- Memorandum Order No. 20, issued along gested list of target learning appropriate for with EO No. 27, instructed the Ministry of each grade level and the corresponding proto- National Defense, the New Armed Forces of type teaching-learning materials to serve as a the Philippines, the former Constabulary, and basis for regional curriculum development and the Integrated National Police to make the evaluation. The regional directors were tasked study of human rights an integral and indis- to lead in integrating human rights in values pensable part of the education and training of education programs, development of instruc- all police, military, and other law-enforcement tional materials, and teacher training. They are personnel, especially those in charge of deten- also tasked to lead in enhancing school-com- tion and of prisoners. Completion of human munity relationship through contests and other rights courses is a prerequisite for such per- activities. sonnel’s continuance in office. The then Presi- In 1990, DECS published a batch of pro- dential Committee on Human Rights was totype teaching materials developed with sup- tasked to assist in developing appropriate study port from the Asia Foundation. The materials, courses. intended for higher education, were titled Philippines: Human Rights Education in Nueva Ecija • 49 Foundations 1 and 2, Social Philosophy 1 and 2, • Cooperative programs and networking Methods of Teaching, Student Teaching and • Linkages with local and international Health Education, and Livelihood Education. NGOs for the following: When the materials were distributed in the re- • exchanging information and transfer gions, the deans and heads of colleges were of technology to improve human convened for orientation on their use. rights and responsibilities education; On 9 December 1992, CHR and DECS • conducting programs and activities signed a Joint Declaration of Undertaking, in for the celebration of events related which the two agencies agreed to jointly imple- to human rights, including Human ment the following: Rights Week, adoption or ratification • Curriculum development of human rights instruments, etc.; • Continuing integration of human rights • generating and sharing resources; and responsibilities education in pri- • continuing advocacy and social mo- mary, secondary, tertiary, and nonfor- bilization; mal education. • creating a network to assist in human • Continuing preparation and production rights information dissemination; and of instructional materials, including au- • establishing mechanisms for initiat- dio-visual and other teaching/learning ing and sustaining common pro- aids, for both formal and nonformal grams of action. education. • Training and capability building For the joint undertaking, the CHR-DECS • Regular seminar-workshops at various Implementing Committee was created with the school levels to identify problems and following functions: solutions in teaching human rights and • operation of identified programs; responsibilities. • submission of regular progress reports to • Regular refresher courses for teachers. appropriate agencies; and • Regional and national conferences on • performance of other functions as the con- the teaching of human rights and res- cerned agencies may direct. ponsibilities. • A speakers bureau for students and In 1994, Republic Act No. 7722 put the teachers. Commission on Higher Education (CHED) • Monitoring, research, and evaluation in charge of supervising public and private in- • Regular updating, research, documen- stitutions of higher learning, including degree- tation, and development of human granting programs in all post-secondary edu- rights instructional materials. cational institutions, public and private. On 18 • Information campaign through sensi- October 1996, CHR, DECS, CHED, and tivity training and consciousness-raising Amnesty International-Pilipinas signed a activities directed in the academic com- memorandum of agreement to jointly under- munity. take the nationwide GO-NGO-Academe Con- • Assessment and evaluation of the short- sultative Workshop to define a national vision and long-term effects of human rights on human rights and produce the Long-term teaching. National Plan of Action on Human Rights • Policy and legislative support