Pimentel commends Filipina UN official

Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III has filed Senate Resolution No. 568, congratulating and commending Victoria Tauli-Corpuz for being named as United Nations' special rapporteur on indigenous people's rights.

Tauli-Corpuz, a nursing graduate from the University of the Philippines, is a development consultant and international indigenous activist and former chair of the UN Permanent Forum on indigenous issues from 2005 to 2010 before her elevation to her new post.

The Filipina activist was chosen "because of her active involvement with the United Nations and multi-stakeholder cross-regional bodies on indigenous issues and her past collaboration with and commitment to constructive engagement among governments and indigenous peoples."

As an activist, she helped organized indigenous peoples in the community level to fight against the mega projects of then President Ferdinand E. Marcos which destroyed the environment and the ancestral homes of indigenous peoples.

Among them were the Chico River hydroelectric dam and the Cellophil Resources Corporation that then caught national and worldwide attention.

As special rapporteur, Tauli-Corpuz is now in a position to assess the condition of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples worldwide.

She will also conduct thematic research on issues relevant to the human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous peoples, and communicate with governments when human rights violations are alleged.

In his resolution, Pimentel said: "Ms. Tauli-Corpuz proved that Filipinos can achieve great things if one is dedicated to an advocacy and can help people live in a more humane and harmonious society."