CHR seeks P4M confidential funds for victims facing threats 

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Wednesday said that the P1 million worth of confidential funds allocated for the agency under the 2026 National Expenditure Program (NEP) would not be enough should there be an increase in human rights victims facing threats to their lives. 

During the Senate Committee on Finance’s deliberations on the proposed P1.297 billion budget of the commission for next year, CHR chairperson Richard Palpal-Latoc noted that included in their wish list is the expansion and enhancement of their confidential funds to P4 million. 

“[May] 1 million.. Hindi siya kasya actually (we were given P1 million, but that’s not enough), Your Honor. It’s a good thing that right now, there’s no persons at risk under the protection of the Commission on Human Rights. But in case the numbers surge, we would require more resources for that,” Palpal-Latoc said. 

The CHR official defined persons at risk (PAR) as victims or families of victims of human rights violations who may be facing threats because of violations. 

“Sa ngayon wala kaming PAR na pinoprotektahan sa aming komisyon. But there are victims of course because of the cases being filed, their claims of violations. Pero ‘yung actual threats or imminent threats to the security, life, and safety of the victims or families of victims, sa ngayon po ay wala,” Palpal-Latoc added. 

(Currently, we don't have a PAR being protected in our commission. But there are victims of course, because of the cases being filed, their claims of violations. But as to the actual threats or imminent threats to the security, life, and safety of the victims or families of victims, we have no active cases so far.) 

Due to this, he said that the CHR is using the confidential funds for other purposes, particularly gathering information and conducting dialogues with different sectors to implement activities and programs that would address human rights issues. 

“If there are PAR, we would be using these funds for [them],” he said. 

According to Palpal-Latoc, the CHR requested a total of P2.190 billion for fiscal year 2026, but the allocation approved under the NEP was 40.76% lower at 1.297 billion. The commission was given a P1.140 billion budget under the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA). 

He also noted that the CHR is seeking additional funding for its financial assistance program for victims and families of victims of human rights violations, from the P16 million allocated under the NEP to P51.810 million. 

“In the previous years, we were constrained to reduce the amount from the original rate of P30,000 to P10,000 per victim or per case because we cannot sustain the program if we maintain the P30,000 threshold,” Palpal-Latoc explained. 

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate finance committee, then asked the CHR for the purpose of such a financial assistance program, stressing that other government agencies, such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), currently also have a similar program.

“It’s a recognition, Your Honor, that there’s a violation of the rights of the victim. It’s sort of not a compensation, but more of a recognition, actually, a support of the victims,” Palpal-Latoc answered. 

He also said that the CHR will consider tapping into the funds of DSWD for social services, as suggested by Gatchalian. Palpal-Latoc, however, pointed out that there are certain programs of DSWD that do not cover instances of human rights violations. 

“I think one of the reasons why it was not given is because other agencies, particularly DSWD, they have financial assistance programs. In fact I saw in many of the agencies, the grant of financial assistance has been removed and centralized to DSWD for efficiency purposes,” the senator said. —LDF, GMA Integrated News