By Kristine Bernadette F. Sorianoar, violence, and insecurity in many areas of the world have forced multitudes of people to flee from their homes. The ongoing war in Ukraine, for instance, has resulted in a large-scale displacement of over 6 million people, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, a refugee is a “person who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, is outside the country of his or her nationality and is unable, or owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country; or who, not having a nationality and being outside the country of his or her former...
Notably, the totality of evidence rule eases the applicant’s burden of producing his or her supporting documents. In Section 9 of the Rule, the inability to submit the documents shall not be a ground for the denial of the petition as long as the totality of the evidence is sufficient to establish that the petitioner meets all of the qualiications and does not suffer any of the disqualifications under C.A. No. 473.