Profitable Partnerships: A workshop on business and human rights in select countries in Asia
- Details
Profitable Partnerships, a workshop on business and human rights in select countries in Asia, was conducted by RAFI-SHIFT - New York and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights-Asia (ESCR-Asia), in cooperation with the Makati Business Club (MBC), the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines (CHRP), the Asia Pacific Pathways to Progress Foundation (APPFI) and the Asian Consortium on Human Rights-based Access to Justice (HRBA2J-Asia).
Held at the Asian Institute of Management on November 4, 2014, the workshop endeavored to attain an increased understanding of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, learn and appreciate emerging practices in the Philippines, Korea, Japan, China, and Mongolia, and to listen to a presentation on a proposed Reporting and Assurance Framework Initiative (RAFI).
The speakers include Caroline Rees, president of SHIFT, Hon. Loretta Ann Rosales of the CHRP, Dr. Marina Durano of the University of the Philippines (UP), Mr. Peter Perfecto, Executive Director of the Makati Business Club and representatives from human rights organizations from Mongolia, China, and Japan. Representing APPFI, Dr. Baviera chaired the session on East Asian cases. Representatives from the CHRP, peoples’ organizations, CSOs, NGOs, academe, business groups, embassies, government and media attended.
Dr. Aileen Baviera, President & CEO, introduced members of the foundation's Advisory Board, the Honorable former Prime Minister Cesar Virata and Chairman of Iloilo Economic Development Foundation and La Filipina Uy Gongco Alfonso Uy. The Board of Trustees was also represented by its Vice President and UP Associate Professor Antoinette Raquiza, Dean of the UP Asian Center Eduardo Gonzalez, former Philippine Permanent Representative to ASEAN Wilfrido Villacorta, Chairperson of the Government Negotiating Panel for Talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, and businessman Johnny Tio Co. Also at the roundtable were distinguished experts including former Undersecretary of Policy of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Lauro Baja; President of the Maritime League Commodore (ret.) Carlos Agustin; founding President of Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran, Inc. Teresita Ang See; Director of the Center for Intelligence and National Security Studies (CINSS) of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research (PIPVTR) Rommel Banlaoi; UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea Director Jay Batongbacal; President of the Philippine Association of Chinese Studies (PACS) Chito Sta. Romana; Director of the Confucius Institute at the Ateneo de Manila University Ellen Palanca; and Harrell Wong (representing Special Envoy to China Carlos Chan).