saidthatColombia maintained norelations, whether diplomatic, commercial or consular, withSouthAfrica. 264.Concerning theobligation tocomplywiththeprovisions ofarticle 4ofthe Convention, therepresentative saidthattheadoption oftheCodeofCriminal Procedure attheendof1988hadbeenreported totheCommittee, andthatthe information requested wouldbesupplied inthenextperiodreport. . 265.Replying tothequestions posedinconnection witharticles 5and6ofthe Convention, t~erepresentative saidthattherewerenorestrictions ontherightto voteandbeelected. Eventheilliterate couldvote. Healsoprovided additional information, indicating inparticular thattheOfficeofthePresidential Adviser ontheDefence, Protection andPromotion ofHumanRightshadbeensetupattheend of1988toco.ordinate andfocusefforts toidentify humanright.violations. The Adviser waBresponsible forpreparing reports describing thecircuml~ances inwhich suchviolations hadoccurred anddrawing themtotheattention ofmembers ofthe judiciary andotherauthorities whosetaskitwastoinvestigate them.TheAdviser workedinverycloseco-operation withtheAtt~rney-Genera!. 266.Regarding thearrangements madetobringliteracy toindigenous Colombians livinginremoteareas,therepresentative saidthatspecial courses hadbeen organized byvolunteers f~rpeoplolivinginthosecommunities. Healsosaidthat theGovernment drewontheexperience ofindigenous Colombians initsefforts to protect theenVilynment ~ndworkedtogether withtheindigenous communities inthat Rphere. 267.Inreplytothequestions concerning theapplication ofarticle 7ofthe Convention, therepresentative saidthatthetaskoftranslating ~~ndbooks on national legislation intoascoreofindigenous languages wasarathersubstantial one,theworkbeingcostlyandextremely difficult, butthatprogress hadbeenmade Inthatareainrecentyears. PhiHpp-ille..ll. 268.Theeighth, ninthandtenthperiodic reports ofthePhilippines, presented in asingledocument (CERD/C/172/Add.17), wereconsidered bytheCommittee atits 842ndand843rdmeetings, h~luon15and16August1989(CERD/C/SR.842 and843). 269.Thereportwasintroduced bytherepresentative oftheStateparty, who highlighted theprocess ofrestoration ofdemocracy inthePhilippines, whichhad -54-ledtothefreeing ofpolitical prisoners, theestablishment oftheCommission on HumanRightsasabodycompletely independent oftheGovernment, andthe ratification ofseveral international instruments onhumanrights. However, she added,theGovernment wasfacingabrutalinsurgency thatwasdetermined to overthrow it.Sheemphasized thatracialdiscrimination wastotally alientothe Philippine soulandculture, andthatthelowlevelofsocio-economic development amongtheindigenous peoples wastheresultofcolonialium, economic explQitation andfourcenturies ofneglect onthepartoftheauthorities. Measures recently adopted toremedythesituation included theestablishment ofautonomous regions andthesetting upofthreeoffices todealwiththeaffairs ofthuvarious cultural communities. 270.Concerning article 4oftheConvention, shesaidthattherehadbeenno reports ofbreaches ofDecreeNo.13S0-A, which decl~red allviolations ofthe Convention illegal, andthatinaddition tothelegalmachinery eltablished for thatpurpose, alleged victims couldbringtheircasestotheOmbudsman andthe Commission onHumanRights. 271.Members oftheCommittee tooknotewithsatisfaction ofthereportofthe Philippines andcongratulated therepresentative oftheStatepartyonher introduction. Members alsowelcomed thestatement bytherepresentative ofthe reporting Stateontherestoration ofdemocracy inthePhilippines andexpressed theirsatisfaction overtheimportant political changes thathadtakenplaceand hadcreated conditions fortheobservance of,andgreater respect for,human rights. TheyalsonotedthattheGovernment hadnothesitated toraisethe problems itwasencountering intheimplementation oftheConvention, whichbore witness toitsdetermination toobserve theConvention. Members were,however, surprised atthePhilippine authorities' assertion thattherewasacomplete absence ofracialdiscrimination inthecountry andaskedwhether racialprejUdices persisted inpractical terms,inpartiCUlar asaresultofthecO'lntry's colonial past.Theyalsosoughtmoreinformation ontheinsurgency, themovements thatmade itup,thecircumstances oftheconflict anditsconsequences forthe implementation oftheConvention and,inparticular, forthesituation ofthe indigenous populations andcommunities livingintheaCfected ereas. 272.Members oftheCommittee welcomed thePhilippines' p~sition regarding the
**Analysis**
The text discusses the periodic report of the Philippines to the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), covering various aspects of the country's human rights situation, including the adoption of laws and policies to promote human rights, the establishment of institutions to protect human rights, and the situation of indigenous communities. The report highlights the country's efforts to address racial discrimination and human rights violations, as well as the challenges it faces, such as insurgency and colonial legacy.

**Category**
Human rights, Culture