The City College of Cagayan de Oro (CCCDO) and the Geneva Office of Human Rights Education (GO-HRE) convened a development meeting on June 4, 2026 at the college library, to evaluate the implementation of the Colega Manual in Teaching Human Rights and discuss strategies for its expansion and sustainability across the Philippines.
The meeting aimed to share insights, experiences, and evaluation results from the pilot implementation of the Colega Manual in Cagayan de Oro, which will serve as a basis for scaling up the project nationwide and ensuring its long-term continuity. The meeting also addressed the contextualization of the manual for use in higher education institutions, ensuring that human rights lessons are delivered effectively and are responsive to the needs of tertiary learners. Discussions likewise highlighted opportunities for strengthened partnerships and collaborative engagements during the observance of Human Rights Month.
Representing GO-HRE were Chris Fletcher and Lorrie Curriden, International country Directors together with the Padilla couple as GO-HRE Philippine Country Directors. The visit commenced with a courtesy call to Dr. Jestoni P. Babia, College President, who welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed the institutionโs commitment to advancing human rights education through collaborative partnerships.
Subsequently, a development meeting was conducted and facilitated by Dr. Joel D. Potane and Dr. Jean T. Loquillano, the lead pilot implementers of the Colega Manual in Teaching Human Rights. The session focused on reviewing implementation experiences, sharing best practices, and identifying strategies to further strengthen the integration of human rights education among students across the Philippines. The session provided a venue for stakeholders to assess the project's progress, identify best practices, and discuss future directions for implementation.
The project leaders shared learnersโ success stories and highlighted Project ๐๐๐๐๐ (๐๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฐ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ), an extension project, as a best practice of CCCDO in bringing human rights principles to communities. Implemented through the Center for Human Rights Education, the program engaged barangay officials and community leaders in Agusan, Cagayan de Oro City, in promoting human rights awareness and integrate human rights principles into barangay governance to foster a culture of respect, protection, and promotion of human rights at the grassroots level.
The collaborative meeting concluded with a shared commitment among the participating institutions to continue strengthening human rights education and to explore opportunities for expanding the Colega Manualโs implementation to more communities and educational institutions throughout the country.
