Press Release - Co-Sponsorship Speech of Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda on Senate Resolution No. 933 or “The 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of Diversity of Cultural Expressions”

Mr. President, honorable colleagues,

I rise today with a deep sense of pride as we approach to concur in the ratification of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

The Convention, adopted by the Parties on October 20, 2005, in Paris, France, defines "cultural expressions" as those that result from the creativity of individuals, groups, and societies. These expressions embody cultural content, symbolic meaning, artistic dimension, and values inherent in cultural identities.

The Convention espouses the principle that cultural diversity can be protected and promoted only if human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of expression and the ability of individuals to choose cultural expressions, are guaranteed. The protection and promotion of diversity of cultural expressions hinge upon the value of equal dignity and respect for all cultures.

Our commitment to the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions represents not only a reaffirmation of our nation's value for cultural diversity but also the culmination of a long journey that began with a call for action over 17 years ago when the Convention entered into force on March 18, 2007.

According to the records of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippines first considered ratification of the Convention as early as 2008. However, the matter was only discussed in detail during a DFA-hosted inter-agency meeting in 2014.

Because of the change in administration in 2016, the process had to start anew to reflect the signatures of the officials of the then-incoming administration.

The administration has changed, eight (8) years have passed, yet Certificates of Concurrence from seventeen (17) concerned government agencies remained incomplete.

In response to this delay, on January 25, 2023, I filed Senate Resolution No. 444, urging the concerned government agencies to expedite the submission of their respective certificates of concurrence in view of the country's ratification of the UNESCO 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

This call was heeded. The certificates of