QUEZON CITY, Metro Manila — The Philippine Red Cross (PRC), led by Chairman Richard Gordon, stands in solidarity with the country in commemorating International Humanitarian Law Day on August 12. This year also marks the 75th anniversary of the Four Geneva Conventions of 1949.

This year’s celebration of IHL Day, themed “Kamalayan, Kaliga, Kapayapaan, Kaunlaran: Kalakasan ng IHL sa Bagong Pilipinas,” was held at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City, hosted by the Department of National Defense (DND). A ribbon cutting ceremony was also held to open the photo exhibit, which showcases the country’s accomplishments in relation to IHL.

PRC Chairman and CEO Richard Gordon was joined by officials from the various member institutions of the National IHL Ad Hoc Committee such as the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

Among them were DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr.; AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner, Jr.; ICRC Head of Delegation Mr. Johannes Bruwer; CHR Chairperson Atty. Richard Palpal-Latoc; Executive Secretary Mr. Lucas Bersamin; DFA Secretary Mr. Enrique Manalo; Mr. Abunawas Maslamama, the senior minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM); and Balay Rehabilitation Center Exec. Dir. Josephine Lascano.

Gordon expressed the importance of the IHL and all states and stakeholders’ adherence to the Geneva Conventions, given war and armed conflict continues to cause harm to many people around the world.

“The IHL is meant to protect people — their lives and their rights — no matter the place, the time, their beliefs, their governments. Everyone has the right to live and live safely away from harm.We at the Philippine Red Cross live by the IHL’s principles. We strive to uphold dignity and alleviate human suffering at all costs,” said Gordon.

Since 1952, the Philippines has been a signatory to the 1949 Geneva Convention (known as IHL, Law of Armed Conflict, or Law of War). However, to strengthen the enforcement of IHL in the country, Gordon authored Republic Act No. 9851 or the “Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity,” which was signed on December 11, 2009.

This month, several PRC chapters will be holding activities to promote the IHL to the public and key stakeholders such as dissemination sessions for law enforcement personnel in Northern Samar and community leaders in Basilan; training of IHL disseminators in Davao City and Zamboanga City; and online IHL sessions for police personnel in Legazpi City.

To educate the youth on IHL, an inter-school essay writing and quiz bee competition centered on IHL will be held in Iligan City, while Naga City and Iloilo City will have debate competitions and dissemination sessions.

IHL Day is annually observed on August 12, in accordance with Executive Order No. 134, signed by former President Joseph Estrada in 1999.