Philippines: Where does the FOI campaign go from here? (tags)
Today, we close our people’s campaign for the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill in the 15th Congress. We have, to the extent that our capacities and limited resources permitted, exhausted all avenues that we thought were open to us to get positive, decisive action from the leaders of the House of Representatives and from President Aquino no less.
Philippines: Coalition Clamor for the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill (tags)
Still enough time for FOI – if House leadership supports it. With only nine session days remaining before Congress adjourns for a long election break, members of the Right to Know Right Now Coalition are reminding members of Congress that they still have enough time to pass the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill even without the prodding of Malacanang.
Philippine Gov’t reminded to respect local ordinances on mining (tags)
Manila – Government must in fact recognize local ordinances that uphold biodiversity conservation and promote human rights especially of the Indigenous Peoples, instead of threatening them with the primacy of national policies, said Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) reacting on the much-delayed Executive Order on Mining.
Double-talk on FOI: Philippine gov?t long on promises, short on political will (tags)
On President Aquino?s Open Governance Partnership (OGP) ON 20 SEPTEMBER 2011 in New York, President Benigno S. Aquino III will deliver the keynote address at the Open Government Partnership (OGP) forum dubbed ?The Power of Open: A Global Discussion?. The conference brings together governments and representatives of civil society, industry, academe, and media. The panels will discuss the role of openness in improving government responsiveness and accountability, fighting corruption, and creating efficiencies, innovation and growth.
AJLPP CONDEMNS US INTERVENTION IN MINDANAO (tags)
“We want peace now, stop the Philippine military offensives in Mindanao.” The Alliance-Philippines strongly demanded that the US-Arroyo regime stop all military offensives in Mindanao and return to negotiations. The AJLPP also condemned the US armed intervention in Mindanao. This as the number of war refugees swelled up to 300,000 from 210,000 in two weeks as the conflict escalates. The AJLPP also supports the stand of Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo that “arming civilians would not help the government’s efforts to restore peace in southern Philippines. He said, “We are against it, because violence can never be a solution. It will not solve the problem,”
International Women's Day in the Philippines (tags)
Women of different political groups and professions were present at the March. Thirteen major groups joined forces under the banner “Martsa ng Kababaihan”. Present in big numbers were members of Akbayan, LABAN ng MASA, Bayan, Black and White Movement, women advocate groups like Gabriela Women’s Party, Welga ng Kababaihan, and WomenSpeak. In an interesting twist of history, this was the first time that the women’s movements gathered together in a common cause since the Marcos dictatorship.