Open Philippines to climate change refugees from Pacific nations — congressmen
CONGRESSMEN are seeking to open the Philippines to refugees from climate-stricken nations to provide them safe haven in times of natural disasters and emergencies.
House Bill (HB) No. 10490, filed last Monday, seeks to amend the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940 by allowing the Philippine President to admit environmental refugees from residents of developing island states in the Pacific Ocean for humanitarian reasons.
“It is a proactive measure that not only addresses the immediate needs of climate refugees but also sets a precedent for global responses to similar crises,” Party-list Rep. Samuel S. Versoza, Jr. said in a statement.
Home to at least 65 million people, the Pacific island nations of Kiribati, Vanuatu, and Fiji face imminent danger from intensifying tropical storms and increasing levels due to climate change, which could prompt its citizens to seek refuge in other countries, the authors of the bill said.
“The Pacific islands of Kiribati, Vanuatu, and Fiji are in imminent danger of being underwater in the next decade due to the rise of sea levels,” HB No. 10490’s explanatory note read.
Authored by Albay Rep. Edcel C. Lagman, Sr., Cebu Rep. Pablo John F. Garcia, Lanao del Sur Rep. Ziaur Rahman A. Adiong, Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace S. Barbers, and Mr. Versoza, the bill seeks to give flexibility to Philippine immigration laws by allowing “environmental migrants” access to the country “due to climate-change related harm.
“This legislation is a testament to our commitment to upholding human rights and our international responsibility,” Mr. Versoza said.
The implementing agencies of the proposed measure would be composed of the Department of Justice, Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Immigration, and the Commission on Human Rights.
