 The Philippines joins the global community in commemorating a landmark moment in humanity's continuing struggle for human dignity, equality and freedom. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, or UDHR, enshrines these ideals which are inalienable to all persons and indispensable to the achievement of peaceful, just and progressive societies. The Philippines pays tribute to the visionaries of the UDHR and all those who worked and continued to do so to this day to fulfill the promise of human rights for all. The Filipino nation honors General Carlos P. Romulo, a statesman and a patriot who stood for the universality and indivisibility of human rights during the drafting of the declaration. Much has been achieved over the past seven decades, but we face grave challenges, old and new, that undermine the gains that we have made. Yet again, we are witnessing the dehumanizing horrors of conflict. We are suffering from the adverse consequences of climate change that aggravate existing inequalities and impinge on the enjoyment of all human rights, including our right to development. And we are grappling with technological innovations as they transform our societies in ways we have yet to fully understand. Just as we came together 75 years ago to commit to human rights, so must we rededicate ourselves today to the UDHR. Human rights provide a solid anchor as we navigate a tumultuous world to find just and effective solutions to the many problems that we face today. The rule of law is vital to the protection of human rights and of democracy. The Philippines shall continue to further reinforce its domestic accountability mechanisms through comprehensive justice sector reforms. A training institute for forensic sciences and investigation will be established. We shall put in place a human rights coordinating council for multi-stakeholder dialogue and partnerships to advance the six work streams of our joint program with the United Nations. That will be completed in 2024. And finally, we will adopt the fourth Philippine National Human Rights Action Plan, which embraces emerging values as human rights and climate change and the rights of older persons. Inclusive consultations and the empowerment of the most vulnerable shall inform every step we make in this process. As a founding member of the United Nations, the Philippines played a constructive role in the creation of the multilateral human rights architecture that we have today. We were there from the very start in 1947 and throughout the succeeding trailblazing decades of norms building up to the present. The Philippines has always stood for effective multilateral action on human rights, one that respects national agency and capacitates duty bearers to fulfill their obligations to their people. As we look to the future, the Philippines recommits itself to multilateralism, working with partners to fix what is broken and strengthen what works. We will bring the same tenacity of purpose in our continuing collective effort to build the world free from fear and free from wants.