BUTUAN CITY—Without birth certificates, children are more vulnerable to poverty and exclusion. They are unable to access public education, nor are they eligible to avail of the government’s social-welfare programs such as “4Ps,” which are intended to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty in the Philippines.
“We are grateful to FSUU, because whenever they came to our community, they helped everyone,” said Bae Avelyn Makigod, another Manobo tribal leader. “They never chose one group over another. Our children have birth certificates—thanks to them.” EU Delegation to the Philippines’s head of Cooperation Christoph Wagner explained the reason for their support to initiatives such as this one: “Access to justice is fundamental to building a fair, inclusive, prosperous and peaceful society. The EU has been a committed partner to the Philippines’s justice sector reform since 2006, and our engagement stems from the importance we attach to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
With a total grant of €19 million, or P1.1 billion over a period of four years, GOJUST supports the Philippine government’s efforts to improve access to justice for all Filipinos and thus, contribute to inclusive and sustainable socioeconomic development.