March 13 Internet Chat with U.S. Embassy and Philippine Human Rights Experts to Discuss the 2005 Human Rights Report

The U.S. Embassy’s Virtual Consulate Davao is hosting a live Internet chat on Monday, March 13 at 9:00 a.m. to discuss the U.S. government's 2005 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.

The chat will feature special guests Commissioner Dominador Calamba of the Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and Dr. Alymie Simbulan, Executive Director of PhilRights, a Filipino human rights organization, along with a U.S. Embassy Political Officer.

During this live Internet chat, registered participants can discuss and ask questions about the 2005 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices and human rights issues in general.

These reports, which are required annually by the U.S. Congress, cover internationally recognized individual, civil, political, and worker rights. This year’s reports will be released in Washington, D.C. at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 8 (midnight on Thursday, March 9, Manila time).

The Philippines section of the report will be available on March 9 on the U.S. Embassy's homepage at http://philippines.usembassy.gov. The text of the full report will be available at www.state.gov.

The program will start promptly at 9:00 a.m. on March 13 and last one hour. Those interested in participating in this live Internet chat should register as a user and log in by 8:45 a.m. Philippine time (Sunday, March 12, 7:45 p.m. EST).

To join the live chat, follow the instructions on the Virtual Consulate Davao’s Web site at http://www.usvirtualconsulatedavao.org.ph/ (PRESS RELEASE)