THE PHILIPPINES Context and existing response There is significant momentum to address statelessness in the Philippines, demonstrated by the Government’s active engagement with UNHCR to resolve situations of statelessness in the country since 2010 and the Philippines’ ratification of the 1954 Convention in 2011. Current activities to reduce statelessness and to identify and protect stateless people focus on three populations of undetermined nationality or at risk of statelessness: unregistered children, children in migratory settings, and people of Indonesian descent. Indonesia and the Philippines agreed on an Action Plan for 2014-2016 allowing for confirmation of nationality for people of Indonesian descent in Mindanao. UNHCR supports bilateral engagement between these two countries on policy and solutions options and has been facilitating the implementation of registration and nationality confirmation activities in Mindanao since 2014. Between January and 1 December 2016, 4,112 people of Indonesian descent living in the southern Philippines were confirmed as nationals of either country, including 1,736 children. Capacity-building activities are being undertaken for relevant government agencies, and advocacy activities focus on access to civil and birth registration documentation, accession to the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, policy options and pending legislation on citizenship for foundlings and the ongoing revision of Philippine Immigration Law. Free legal aid and legal counselling services have been made available to all people of concern to UNHCR through the Public Attorney’s Office, a network of university-based legal aid centres, and paralegal volunteers. Strategy and partnerships UNHCR's strategy in the Philippines is to support the Government in developing and implementing a 10-year National Action Plan to End Statelessness, in collaboration with other agencies. The draft National Action Plan covers seven Actions from the Global Action Plan (specifically 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9 and 10). Priority outcomes will focus on greater reduction of statelessness through registration and confirmation of nationality for people of Indonesian descent, developing policy and operational responses, amendments to legislation and regulations addressing issues related to foundlings, gender discrimination, naturalization, and civil registration, strengthening capacity for statelessness status determination, accession to the 1961 Convention, and improved identification focusing on two populations at risk of statelessness in the context of the Philippines, namely children in migratory settings, and the Sama ethnic group. Vision for 2019    Thousands of individuals, i.e. the majority of the individuals of Indonesian origin, have had their nationality confirmed. Improved quantitative and qualitative data available on stateless populations. Concrete steps taken towards nationality law reform. 29