THE Public Attorney’s Office and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees have renewed their partnership following the forging of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in a bid to provide legal assistance to refugees and asylum seekers, among others.
PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta signed the MOU with Atty. Maria Ermina Valdeavilla-Gallardo, UNHCR’s National Office head, who hailed the refreshed collaboration that began in 2013.
Valdeavilla-Gallardo has likewise acknowledged the ‘tireless work of the men and women of PAO’ in extending the services and protection to the concerned sector, the refugees and stateless persons in particular.
The two officials said the partnership between PAO and UNHCR has yielded positive outcomes, of which State-led free legal assistance, counselling and representation through the agency (PAO) is recognized as a best practice globally and within the region.
They stressed that the MOU outlined and established the framework of cooperation between PAO and UNHCR with regard to access to free legal assistance and representation of refugees, stateless persons, and “those seeking recognition as refugees and/or stateless persons in the Philippine context.”
“The MOU between the PAO and UNHCR is more than a piece of paper. It is a living document that ensures the protection of asylum seekers, refugees, and stateless persons by providing them immediate and free legal assistance and representation,” the PAO chief said.
Rueda-Acosta said her agency, in coordination with the UNHCR and the Department of Justice, was able to assist and provide free and competent legal services to Persons of Concern (POCs) in 2024.
”The PAO received a total of 91 POC cases in the said year, involving individuals from various parts of the world, such as Burundi, Cameroon, Yemen, Iran, Congo and Sudan.”
With the latest collaboration, Rueda-Acosta said both offices have agreed to remove MOU’s two-year effectiveness and, instead, allow the same to remain effective until revoked by either office.
The PAO head added that POCs such as asylum seekers, refugees, and stateless persons are no different.
