The House of Representatives is seen at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City. — PHILIPPINE STAR/MIGUEL DE GUZMAN

A BILL that seeks to set up a refugee coordinating body to protect refugees and streamline the asylum-seeking process in the Philippines has been filed at the House of Representatives.

Party-list Rep. Jude A. Acidre, one of the authors of House Bill (HB) No. 10799, said the state should not discriminate against refugees applying for asylum in the country.

He cited the need to strengthen the rights of stateless persons, which are enshrined in international conventions that the Philippines ratified, he said in a statement on Thursday.

The Philippines is a party to the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol on refugees.

“This bill is a testament to our unwavering dedication to upholding human dignity and ensuring no one is left behind,” the congressman said.

The Philippines and the United States agreed to temporarily host a limited number of Afghan nationals awaiting resettlement in the US, the Foreign Affairs department announced earlier this week. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio

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