National Summit on International Humanitarian Lawin the Philipppines 15 IHLRealities in the Philippines Second, by encouraging and committing everyone Secretary Ermita underscored: “Today, in our to never weaken the campaign to disseminate own backyard, our pursuit ofpolitical and socio- information and educate the public especially economic reforms are continually distracted by thosein conflict-affected areas on IHL principles. incidentsofinternal displacements, particularly Forhim,to inform and educate is to empowerand in Mindanao, due mainly to the wanton attacks mobilize the people. againstcivilian villages by rogue elementsofthe Moro Islamic Liberation Front, or the MILF, as Cited as an example on howthesestrategies are well as by terrorist groups, such as the Abu Sayaff. beingcarried outis the Philippine Comprehensive Peace Process as an importantvehicle in the “We have incidences of recruitmentofchildren implementation of IHL. by rebel groups, giving rise to children in armed conflict, or CIAC. “We havethe issue ofunexplainedkillings which the Philippine government has addressed through responsive strategies, the effectiveness of which has been affirmed by no less than international bodies, such as the European Commission and concerned Human Rights Committees of the United Nations. “And who can disregard the kidnapping of humanitarian andpeace workers by kidnap-forransom groups?” Considering the aforecited situations , he emphasized that all of these distractions indicate the urgency of stressing IHL as a template in addressing these issues. Strategies Needed To address those issues, Executive Secretary Ermita highlighted two importantstrategies that are needed to collaboratively undertake as stakeholders. First, the need to strengthen the integration of IHL in the governmentpolicy and domestic legal system. Andin so doing, the governmentitself further capacitates national and local mechanisms to ensure compliance with IHL; Oneof the Six Paths to Peace One of the Six Paths to Peace, which is the government’s current peace policy framework,is “Addressing concerns arising from continuing armedhostilities.” This componentinvolves the strict implementation of laws and policy guidelines, and the institution of programs to ensure the protection of non-combatants and reduce the impact of the armed conflict on communities located in conflict areas. IHL Implementation Along with this processis the implementation of IHL. This has been mainstreamed in the peace process with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), particularly through the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law or CARHRIHL. Likewise, the IHL is a majorreferencein the peace process with the MoroIslamic Liberation Front (MILF). During the long period ofimpasse in both peace negotiations, the IHL served as a.cloak of protection as well as hopeforthecivilians and noncombatants caught in the armed conflict. We are glad that the peace processes with both the NDF