MAKATI CITY — The Makati City Government opened the 2nd Regional Forum on Human Rights Cities in ASEAN on November 3, 2026, welcoming delegates from Southeast Asia and Europe to the Dusit Thani Manila. The two-day hybrid conference brings together approximately 54 in-person participants, including 35 foreign delegates, alongside virtual attendees from across the region. Organized by the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights in partnership with the European Union and the ASEAN Governors and Mayors Forum, the event carries the theme “Localizing Human Rights for Inclusive Development Towards Localizing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.” It builds on priorities identified during the inaugural forum held in Bangkok in April 2024, focusing on multi-level governance, technical capacity-building, and inclusive institutions. For Makati, hosting the forum reinforces its position as a city where human rights commitments are translated into everyday public services.
From Declarations to Daily Life
A central message of the opening ceremony was that human rights governance must be demonstrated through local policy and measurable outcomes rather than formal declarations alone. Local officials highlighted how Makati’s 2027 Annual Investment Program links 354 municipal programs, 979 local projects, and 2,603 activities directly to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, providing a concrete blueprint for rights-based budgeting. The city’s Voluntary Local Review, which assessed progress across all 17 SDGs, was presented as a model for aligning local spending with equity and inclusion. The forum also serves as a venue for the Philippines to present its implementation of the fourth Philippine Human Rights Plan at the local level, alongside the European Union’s Governance in Justice program. These discussions aim to produce draft regional recommendations that cities across ASEAN can adopt and adapt.
Experiencing Rights in Action
On November 4, delegates are scheduled to visit three Makati sites that illustrate how local programs address the needs of children, young people, and the environment. The first stop is the Makati Youth Home, also known as Bahay Pag-asa, which provides temporary residential care, education, counseling, health services, and livelihood training for children in conflict with the law. Delegates will also visit the Teen Center at Makati High School in Barangay Poblacion, a confidential space where students aged 10 to 19 can study and receive support from trained peer volunteers and school personnel. The final stop is the one-kilometer linear park along Estero de Tripa de Gallina in Barangay San Isidro, which was recognized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-National Capital Region in March 2024 for sustainability. These site visits ground the forum’s discussions in tangible examples of how local governance can protect and uplift vulnerable sectors.
