MANILA, Philippines – An independent non-governmental organization in the United States showed how the Philippine government’s effort on upholding basic freedoms are bearing fruit.
This was the report of US-based organization Freedom House on a recent survey, as told by Malacañang Palace.
Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Philippines stood out among the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in terms of political rights and civil liberties.
“Malugod na tinatanggap ng Pilipinas ang ulat ng Freedom House, isang pandaigdigang non-governmental organization na naka-base sa Washington, D.C. sa Estados Unidos, na sa ikaapat na sunod na taon napanatili ng ating bansa ang puwesto nito bilang isa sa 59 na bansang itinuturing na partly free sa buong mundo (The Philippines welcomes the report of Freedom House, an international NGO based in Washington D.C., for its report where the Philippines maintained a ‘partly free’ status),” Coloma said on state-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
He noted the Philippines was tops among ASEAN member countries when it got a score of 3 in the categories of political rights and civil liberties.
Under Freedom House’s rating system, a score of one meant the most free and seven meant least free. Coloma pointed out other Asian nations got a score of 4.
Coloma pointed out the Philippines’ scores may also be due to the reforms the Aquino administration had adopted to uphold democracy and human rights.
“Ang resulta ng nagsabing pag-aaral o survey ay pagpapatunay lamang na nagkabunga ang mga isinagawang reporma ng pamahalaan upang mapangalagaan ang demokrasya at maitaguyod ang karapatang pangtao at kalayaan sa pagkilos ng ating mamamayan na siyang susi sa pagpapatatag ng mga pampublikong istitusyon ng isang progresibong bansa (The results of the survey showed the fruits of the reforms by government to uphold democracy and human rights, which are key to a progressive nation),” he said.
