This was announced here the other day by Spanish Ambassador Luis Antonio Calvo who said that with the end of the Fortaleza project which zeroed in on boosting human rights concerns in the Philippines, the SAICD is partnering with the EU to provide some 17 million euros to a project called “Go Just” aimed to promote governance and justice in the Philippines.
In a press conference after the blessing of a new building for the regional CHR office costing P14 million from the Spanish government, Calvo said Go Just would be a “larger program” to be jointly funded by his government and the EU.
He said the new program would cover the construction of more regional CHR offices “to strengthen the mandate” of the commission.
Fortaleza project manager Juan Pita said the fresh 17 million euros under the Go Just program would also include projects under the Department of Interior and Local Governments, the Department of Justice, and the Supreme Court.
CHR chair Chito Gascon said the 2.3 million euros under the Fortaleza project were used not only for the new P14-million CHR building here, but also for similar buildings constructed earlier for CHR offices in the cities of Tuguegarao and Legaspi. A fourth is up for construction in Koronadal City, he added.
Calvo said the assistance provided to the CHR under the Fortaleza project was aimed to “help the Filipino people, especially the most vulnerable, exercise their rights.”
Fortaleza project was launched four years ago by the Spanish government, in coordination with the CHR.
