Human Security in Practice: The Philippine Experience(s) from the Perspective of Different Stakeholders

This paper explores how human security is viewed in the Philippines. The research collects and maps out perspectives and interpretations of human security among key stakeholders in the Philippines, namely academics, government officials and agencies, civil society groups, and local communities. The research methods employed are: review of academic literature, relevant policy documents, position papers, etc.; face-to-face or online interviews with different stakeholders; and focus group discussions with some local communities. The following are the major questions: (1) How do stakeholders and their institutions understand human security as a concept? (2) What are the different threats or risks to human security in the Philippines and the region? How can these be addressed or are these already being addressed? Who can address these risks and threats? (3) Has the concept of human security been mainstreamed in government and society? What are the future prospects of promoting the practice of human security in the country? Based on the study, there is an acknowledgement among different sectors in the Philippines of the importance of the human security concept, despite diverse understanding across sectors, in dealing with various threats and vulnerabilities faced by various groups in the Philippines. However, the concept itself needs further clarification and contextualization in the local setting to be better understood and used by a larger group of people. Currently, the concept is used by a limited group of people, mostly academics and some civil society groups. While there should be efforts to further clarify the concept, there should be efforts as well to make it understandable to more people, particularly those vulnerable to security threats and risks.