On September 10, the United States and the Philippines co-chaired the Inaugural U.S.-Philippines Democracy Dialogue in Manila, Philippines. Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Allison Peters led the U.S. delegation and underscored the United States' commitment to and continued collaboration with the Government of the Philippines on actions to advance shared democratic priorities, including accountable governance, labor rights, protection for vulnerable and marginalized groups, and freedom of expression and media freedom. The Dialogue also discussed the October signing of a memorandum of understanding launching the Women, Peace, and Security Center for Excellence in Manila.
On September 11, DAS Peters and Philippines Assistant Secretary Jose Victor Chan-Gonzaga had civil society consultations with journalists, labor leaders, and human rights defenders. These consultations demonstrate our commitment to hear from our civil society partners regarding the state of human rights and democracy in the Philippines and how we can best engage on these issues.
