AHRAP as a host organization has a long experience as former JPAG organization. Since the JPAG registration with the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been expired, the organization decided to continue as Advocates for Human Rights in Aurora Province (AHRAP) Inc.

As AHRAP, we ensure the legitimacy of the organization such as registering with the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and submitting an annual report and audited financial report to the SEC. We also have been registered at the to BIR, secured certification from the Mayor#s office, and work closely with other institutions and government agencies. We have also bank account in DBP and an operational manual for the secretariat as guide for our day-to-day undertaking.

Our former organization JPAG, has been recognized as human rights organization in Aurora, established in 1984 through the initiative of the late Bishop Julio X. Labayen OCD of the Prelature of Infanta. Although JPAG was initiated by the Catholic church, it is ecumenical in nature as the Bishop said: to uphold human rights is a duty of every truly Christian believer, the duty of everyone.

Full Project Title: Enabling the communities to uphold the people’s right to housing, enhance their livelihood, and lessen the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The main goal of our project is to further enhance the capability of the community associations and the rightsholder groups to enable them to sustain their course of action regarding their housing issue, to improve their livelihood, and to participate/take part in the upcoming elections in May 2022. As we shared in our previous project, our aim to claim the people’s rights to housing did not yet materialised due to the complex and long-term issues regarding housing that need enough time and effort. Additional factors are the COVID-19 pandemic and the militarisation. The rightsholder groups are eager to sustain their effort in the said housing issue. We must continue our skills enrichment in lobbying through seminars and training until we achieve our goal of housing. The associations, although organized and registered but have some areas for improvement towards fully “empowered organizations”. The leadership needs to enhance their skills through leadership seminars and on-the-job trainings. The community associations also should comply with the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) requirements. Their financial transactions are not well managed and they must have a bank account in the name of the association. These organisational shortcomings will be addressed during this project. The poverty situation of the rightsholder groups has been worsened during this time of pandemic. Thus the organisation is initiating small livelihood projects to augment their members’ income. We have identified projects in the communities such as: animal raising, rice and prime commodities retailing, and a junk shopbusiness. In the upcoming local and national elections in May 2022, we intend to engage the communities through voters seminars and participation in non-partisan pool watching (such as PPCRV). We will also lobby the candidates to include in their agenda the issues of social housing,livelihood and human rights.