KIKO URGES PNOY, SERENO, CONGRESS LEADERS: CONVENE JELACC TO INSTITUTIONALIZE BUDGETARY SUPPORT IN THE JUDICIARY

MANILA, September 6, 2012-Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan today urges the heads of the three branches of government—President Benigno Aquino III, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, and House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.—to convene the Judicial Executive Legislative Advisory Consultative Council (JELACC) as a means to institutionalize budgetary support for the Judiciary. 

”With a new Chief Justice in place, it is timely for all branches of government to come together to map out a strategic direction for judicial reforms. Of course, in order to implement the reforms that we have long been waiting for in the judiciary, the JELACC must push for greater budgetary support for the Judiciary. The Judiciary simply cannot be modernized by a measly one percent of the national budget,” Pangilinan points out.

The senator, who first proposed the JELACC in 2007, continues, “Government must be able to address the budgetary woes that have been plaguing our antiquated justice system. Matagal nang humigingi ang taumbayan ng reporma sa hudikatura, e hindi naman napopondohan ang mga repormang ito. We call on the national government to put its money where its mouth is, and invest in urgently needed judicial reforms.”

Pangilinan reiterates that the country cannot expect a first-world justice system with a Judiciary that is given a third-world budgetary allocation.

“It will not do us any good if the Judiciary continues to fall behind as the other branches of government are moving steadily forward. Let all the other branches of government reach out and lift the Judiciary from the quagmire that it finds itself in because of lack of budgetary support and lack of justices. Let us convene JELACC and institute the necessary reforms to modernize our Judiciary.”

Drilon seeks to restore DoH health facilities budget

MANILA, September 6, 2012-In a bid to promote transparency in the budget, Senator Franklin M. Drilon has asked the Department of Budget and Management to return to the Department of Health the P13.56 billion allocation for the construction and repair of health center facilities that is now placed under a new special purpose fund in the proposed P2.006-trillion national expenditures program.

“I am not very comfortable with lump sum special funds. It is very difficult to monitor and it is against the principle of transparency. The committee prefers to avoid these lump sum allocations,” stressed Drilon.

“The construction and maintenance of our rural health units and public hospitals which were left under a sorry state is crucial for us to be able to provide sufficient health care to all Filipinos, especially that we are running out of time to achieve the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UN MDGs), particularly in improving maternal health and reducing child mortality rates,” he said.

“It is imperative for the government to widen the access to healthcare services by building rural health units and puericulture centers throughout the country for these are frontline services our people in the countryside can avail of in case they have to seek medical attention,” said Drilon, adding that some people living in the far-flung communities cannot even afford to go to provincial and public hospitals to get treatment.   

At the hearing on the DOH’s proposed 55.48 billion budget on Tuesday, Secretary Enrique Ona told Drilon that the allocation for the Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) was put under the Priority Social and Economic Projects Fund.

“The DBM told that there was an incomplete identification of all the health centers to be constructed, but that has been submitted already…since the budget was submitted, it remains under the Priority Social and Economic Projects Fund,” explained Ona.

“If the condition for this health enhancement facilities program has been complied with, it is appropriate to move the budget back into the DOH budget rather than to place it in a special purpose fund,” Drilon told Ona.

HFEP has a current allocation of P5.09 billion which is under the regular budget of the health department, noted Drilon.

“Maybe the DBM can already inform the House so that when they pass the General Appropriations bill, the adjustment may already be made,” said Drilon.

“When I move this P13.5 billion without the authorization from the part of the DBM, it would be considered re-alignment and they will say it is my pork barrel unless covered by a DBM letter,” emphasized Drilon.

DBM Chief Budget and Management Specialist Cleopatra Bernardino confirmed that the DOH has already complied with the requirements last month and added that the suggestion of Drilon can be part of the errata to be submitted by the DBM to Congress.

Philrice to study rice straw as power source

SCIENCE CITY OF MUNOZ, Nueva Ecija, Sept 5, 2012-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) recently signed an agreement with Enertime, a France-based company, to assess the feasibility of using rice straw for power generation, which could help farmers reduce production cost.

“The cost of petroleum is increasing. So it’s important to develop a new energy system that will serve as an alternative to the non-renewable, highly centralized, and not diversified system. The
exact opposite of that is what we’d like to do. That means utilizing local sources of energy,” Eufemio T. Rasco Jr., PhilRice executive director, said.

The Philippines was cited as producing 15.2 million tons of rice that leave behind 11.3 million tons of rice straw a year. After harvest, farmers usually burn rice straw in the open field, causing air
pollutants such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide.

To minimize the postharvest waste, the two-year collaboration will explore the possibility of collecting, transporting, and conditioning rice straw to be used as feedstock or raw material in generating electricity.

The initiative, a part of the project," Use of Rice Straw as Fuel to Generate Electricity Using Organic Rankine Cycle Technology in the Philippines," will cover Nueva Ecija and Laguna. About 10,000 tons of rice straw per year is targeted to be acquired from these major rice-producing provinces.

Under the agreement, Enertime, a specialist on energy production using renewable resources, will finance the feasibility study once funds are granted by the French Economic Ministry’s Fund for Studies and Private Sector Support Program.

Enertime will also assess the biomass supply, estimate power plant cost, and help find project investors.

PhilRice, on the other hand, will provide rice production data and technical support in collecting and transporting rice straw, contracting rice straw supply organizing site visits, and validating
sites feasible for biomass energy production.

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) are also part of this project. IRRI will lead the study on biomass supply organization and greenhouse gas mitigation analysis while UPLB will collect power plant site data and layout for the project.

A 2010 study titled, "Energy and Food System," concluded that “as the inputs needed to support yields increase, agriculture is becoming more dependent on fossil fuels…. Renewable energy will play important role in increasing the energy efficiency of agriculture and reducing its reliance on fossil resources.”

DA-PhilRice is a government-owned and –controlled corporation that aims at developing high-yielding and cost-reducing technologies so farmers can produce enough rice for all Filipinos.

For more information, please visit or contact DA-PhilRice at Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija with telephone number (044) 456-0285 loc 512 or any PhilRice station near you. You may also visit their website at www.philrice.gov.ph or text your questions to 0920-911-1398. (Robert M. Baldago)

Philrice to study rice straw as power source

SCIENCE CITY OF MUNOZ, Nueva Ecija, Sept 5, 2012-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) recently signed an agreement with Enertime, a France-based company, to assess the feasibility of using rice straw for power generation, which could help farmers reduce production cost.

“The cost of petroleum is increasing. So it’s important to develop a new energy system that will serve as an alternative to the non-renewable, highly centralized, and not diversified system. The
exact opposite of that is what we’d like to do. That means utilizing local sources of energy,” Eufemio T. Rasco Jr., PhilRice executive director, said.

The Philippines was cited as producing 15.2 million tons of rice that leave behind 11.3 million tons of rice straw a year. After harvest, farmers usually burn rice straw in the open field, causing air
pollutants such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide.

To minimize the postharvest waste, the two-year collaboration will explore the possibility of collecting, transporting, and conditioning rice straw to be used as feedstock or raw material in generating electricity.

The initiative, a part of the project," Use of Rice Straw as Fuel to Generate Electricity Using Organic Rankine Cycle Technology in the Philippines," will cover Nueva Ecija and Laguna. About 10,000 tons of rice straw per year is targeted to be acquired from these major rice-producing provinces.

Under the agreement, Enertime, a specialist on energy production using renewable resources, will finance the feasibility study once funds are granted by the French Economic Ministry’s Fund for Studies and Private Sector Support Program.

Enertime will also assess the biomass supply, estimate power plant cost, and help find project investors.

PhilRice, on the other hand, will provide rice production data and technical support in collecting and transporting rice straw, contracting rice straw supply organizing site visits, and validating
sites feasible for biomass energy production.

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and University of the Philippines-Los Baños (UPLB) are also part of this project. IRRI will lead the study on biomass supply organization and greenhouse gas mitigation analysis while UPLB will collect power plant site data and layout for the project.

A 2010 study titled, "Energy and Food System," concluded that “as the inputs needed to support yields increase, agriculture is becoming more dependent on fossil fuels…. Renewable energy will play important role in increasing the energy efficiency of agriculture and reducing its reliance on fossil resources.”

DA-PhilRice is a government-owned and –controlled corporation that aims at developing high-yielding and cost-reducing technologies so farmers can produce enough rice for all Filipinos.

For more information, please visit or contact DA-PhilRice at Maligaya, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija with telephone number (044) 456-0285 loc 512 or any PhilRice station near you. You may also visit their website at www.philrice.gov.ph or text your questions to 0920-911-1398. (Robert M. Baldago)

Priest downplays DLSU profs’ RH bill support

MANILA, September 5, 2012— Fr. Melvin Castro has downplayed support by some professors from another Catholic university to the reproductive health (RH) bill.

Castro, executive secretary of the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Family and Life, said they have anticipated that some professors of the De La Salle University (DLSU) will also come out to support the measure.

According to him, it is just another strategy by RH lobbyists and their supporters to “pressure” the Congress to pass the bill.

“We are not in any way alarmed,” Castro said. “It only goes to show that the RH bill’s content is not really clear to others.”

Forty-seven faculty members of DLSU, this week, have endorsed the passage of the RH bill, which seeks billions in public funds to purchase and distribute artificial contraceptives nationwide.

Earlier in July, 160 professors of the Ateneo De Manila University also signed a petition calling for the immediate passage of the bill.

However, what is important, according to Castro, is that those running the said Catholic institutions are with the Church in its campaign against the RH bill.

“It is because the church’s teachings are clear to them and that they know what they’re supposed to do on this issue,” he said.

“They (professors) are contradicting the position of the very institution that they represent. It should really be addressed by their direct employers,” added Castro. [RL/CBCPNews]

Legarda Pushes for Disaster-Resilient Zamboanga Peninsula

MANILA, September 5, 2012-Senator Loren Legarda today called for greater cooperation among local governments in the Zamboanga Peninsula as she pushed for better disaster risk reduction programs for the region.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change, is organizing the fifth Regional Forum on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction, which will be held in Zamboanga City on September 6. It will be done in partnership with the Local Government Academy (LGA) and the Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID), targeting local government officials and other stakeholders.

The Senator, who is also United Nations Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia-Pacific, earlier led similar workshops for the Pampanga, Bicol, Cagayan de Oro, and Agusan river basins.

“The Zamboanga Peninsula is richly forested and blessed with several rivers and watersheds. But the pressures of modernization have resulted in deteriorating forests and pollution that threaten not only sources of livelihood but also the quality of life. Aggravated by climate change, the consequences of deforestation are alarming: flooding, soil erosion, siltation of rivers, damage to agricultural crops, and damage to infrastructure and private property are just some of the issues that the peninsula faces,” she explained.

Legarda said that local government units must turn every province, city and municipality disaster-resilient and must engage all key stakeholders and sectors, to promote cooperation and coordination among themselves, and to push for greater risk awareness in communities.

“Our actions should enable us to institutionalize a new brand of governance—the kind of governance, which ensures that environmental, climate change and disaster risk reduction laws and regulations are fully implemented. As elected leaders we have a moral obligation to the people, a commitment to good governance that transcends political and territorial boundaries,” she stressed.

“We must renew our commitment to responsible political leadership and effective risk governance and work together towards more resilient communities, and a safer and more vibrant nation,” Legarda concluded.

DENR opens P2.2M clonal propagation facility in Mt. Arayat

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga September 5, 2012-Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) recently opened its P2.2 million clonal propagation facility in Mt. Arayat National Park, Pampanga.

 

DENR Regional Executive Director Maximo Dichoso disclosed, “the nursery is expected to produce at least 15,000 genetically superior forest tree seedlings a year to support the seedling requirements of the National Greening Program (NGP) in Central Luzon.”

 

 

The facility sits on a 1.2- hectare complex and adapts the orthotropic stem cutting technology which uses rooting hormones to enhance growth of young shoots from a genetically superior parent tree in a controlled environment.

 

Dichoso added that “genetically superior forest tree seedlings are pest and disease-resistant and have bigger chances of growth and survival when used in reforestation programs. “

 

The NGP was created under Executive Order No.26 of President Benigno Aquino III to pursue sustainable development for poverty reduction, food security, biodiversity conservation, and climate change mitigation and adaptation.

 

It aims to plant 1.5 billion trees covering about 1.5 million hectares for a period of six years (2011-2016) in lands of public domain.

 

These lands include forestlands, mangrove and protected areas, ancestral domains, civil and military reservations and urban areas. (Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu)

Filipino, American soldiers construct school building in Mabalacat

MABALACAT CITY, Pampanga September 4, 2012-Armed Forces of the Philippines, through Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) and United States Pacific Air Force (PACAF) officially kicked-off its month-long Engineering Civic Action Program (ENCAP) with the construction of a classroom building at Cacutud Elementary School in Mabalacat city.

 

NOLCOM 1^st Civil Relations Group commander LTC. Rosalio Pompa said “ENCAP is an American-funded series of combined Humanitarian Civil Assistance and Civil Military Operations under Pacific Unity 12-6 that is done in partnership with the provincial governments of Pampanga and Tarlac. The school building is due for completion on September 20.”

 

Relative to this, a Medical Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) and Dental Civic Action Program (DENCAP) in a form of military exercise cum outreach will be held in Villa Bacolor in Tarlac city to test the combined response of AFP doctors and dentists and partner stakeholders in a mass casualty situation.

 

Also, two Subject Matter Expertise Exchanges (SMEEs) on Master Base Planning and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HA/DR) and Table Top Exercise on HA/DR will be held in Basa Air Base in Floridablanca town in Pampanga and Clark Air Base that is to be attended by local government officials of Pampanga and Tarlac, Philippine National Police, national government agencies and non-governmental organizations. (Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu)

Evaluate churches’ stability against earthquakes―Philvocs

MANILA, Sept. 3, 2012―After the strong earthquake which shook Eastern Visayas and Northeastern Mindanao regions evening of August 31, the director of Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, called on Catholic church officials to check on Church’s buildings to make sure these have not been damaged by the temblor.

Philvocs Director Dr. Renato Solidum said “churches, just like other structures in earthquake affected areas should be inspected by engineers to find out if these were affected by strong ground shaking.”

“All churches in general should be evaluated if these are earthquake-resistant,” he added.

Fr. Jose Edwin Juaban, parish priest of San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish in Quinapondan, Eastern Samar said while there were no casualties in his area, the church sustained cracks on its floors due to strong tremors.

“Parang pumutok ang sahig,” he told CBCP Online Radio late Monday morning.  He said he will tap local engineers to further check on the effects of the strong earthquake last Friday.

Surigao Bishop Antonieto Cabajog said he has not received any report of damage to any of the diocese’s 31 churches as of midday today.

Fr. Alex O. Bautista, an architect by profession and Consultant for Heritage Church Architecture, also said the recent strong earthquake makes it even more crucial to look into the structural stability of churches.

Interviewed at his office at the Episcopal Committee for the Cultural Heritage of the Church, Fr. Bautista said parish priests in the earthquake-affected areas should check the structure.

Professionals, such as structural and civil engineers may be tapped to evaluate the churches and look for cracks and movements in the structure and analyze to implement remedial measures.

“Actually, the strength of churches built before were due to the materials used, the adobe blocks or coral stones which provided structural stability even without steel reinforcements,” he said.

He explained the lime used in old churches was to protect the stone from deterioration as it provides the “skin” of the church structure.

“Puedeng yung makikita nating cracks ay topical lamang kung sa palitada lang makikita at pagtanggal yung palitada at yung bitak ay nasa layering mismo ng mga bato, then, something has to be done,” he added.

If and when cracks would be seen, there should be markings or “testigo” which will be the “bench mark” to check if there are other movements immediately after the fairly-strong earthquake, Fr. Bautista added.   (Melo M. Acuna)

KIKO CALLS ON DTI TO INVESTIGATE HIGH PRICES OF VEGETABLES AND FISH IN NCR

MANILA, September 3, 2012-Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan today urges the Department of Trade and Industries (DTI) to monitor closely and investigate the factors that contribute to the persistent high prices of fish and vegetables in the National Capital Region. Reports say that vendors are blaming the high cost of transport, as roads were damaged by rains and floods that wreaked havoc in the region two weeks ago.

"Halos hindi pa nga nakaka-recover ang ating mga kababayan, at ito pa ang isang dagdag-pasanin para sa kanila," points out Pangilinan, who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food. "Hinihimok natin ang DTI na imbestigahan at bigyan ng sanctions ang mga mapapatunayang nananamantala sa pagbagyo at sa mga kalamidad.”

"Kailangan manaig sa atin ang bayanihan sa mga ganitong pagkakataon. Maraming lugar pa rin sa Luzon ang lubog sa baha. Kailangan nating isaalang-alang ang kapakanan ng ating mga kababayan na hirap pa rin sa pag-ahon mula sa sakunang naranasan natin dalawang linggo na ang nakakalipas."

DOH launches anti-dengue, leptospirosis, diarrhea campaign in Central Luzon

BACOLOR, Pampanga, September 2, 2012-The Department of Health-Center for Health  Development in Region 3 (DOH-CHD-3) launched its “Oplan: Kontra Dengue, Leptospirosis and Diarrhea (DLD)” on Wednesday to address the expected rise of such diseases due to the flooding in the region.

Present on the two-day regional sanitation summit with the theme, “Oplan: Kontra DLD pag-ibayuhin, Proper hygiene isabuhay at panatilihin,” were Health Regional Director Leonita Gorgolon, San Fernando Mayor Oscar Rodriguez, health and sanitation workers from all the seven provinces of the region, and representatives of partner agencies.

The health regional director stated that amid and after floods, the DOH is prepared for the expected occurrence of said diseases.

She announced that free doxycycline to prevent and cure leptospirosis is available to those exposed in flood water on health centers and DOH-retained hospital like the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital (JBL).

Through the Aksyon Barangay Kontra Dengue (ABKD), the health department stays vigilant to eliminate dengue cases at a level that it is no longer a public health threat.

In case of diarrhea, Gorgolon advised the intake of Oral Rehydration Solution (Oresol) to prevent dehydration.

Meanwhile, Rodriguez urged the public, not only those who attended the summit, to be part of maintaining cleanliness in the environment because DLD is considered as an environment problem due to unhygienic environment.

Through this, Rodriguez believes that DLD cases will be prevented and controlled.

The city mayor is also positive on Gorgolon’s suggestion to conduct sanitation inspection on establishments such as restaurants and canteens as part of the sanitation drive. (Carlo Lorenzo J. Datu)

Ecijanos mark 116th anniversary of “Unang Sigaw ng Nueva Ecija” in 3 venues

PALAYAN CITY, Nueva Ecija, September 1, 2012-Local officials commemorate today the 116^th anniversary of the “Unang Sigaw ng Nueva Ecija” in three different venues even as the debate continues to rage on where should be the center of this year’s celebration of the historic event which put the province in the annals of history as one of only eight provinces which revolted against the Spaniards.

          

         In this provincial capital, Capitol officials led by Gov. Aurelio Umali and Vice Gov. Jose Gay Padiernos will usher the celebration ast the convention center.

           

           Separate rites have been laid down in the towns of San Isidro and Cabiao which both played a central role in the revolution.  

 In Cabiao, local officials have insisted that the center of celebrations for the annual  event should be in this town, not in the provincial capital Palayan City.

         Mayor Gloria Crespo-Congco said organizers should give justice to the heroism of Gen. Mariano Llanera by considering Cabiao as the center of celebrations, instead of Palayan.     “Cabiao should really be the center of the celebrations because General Llanera was from here,” Congco said, adding that the great revolutionary leader hailed from Barangay San Roque.

           

            The event marks the day when Llanera led home-grown revolutionaries in assaulting the Spanish garrison in San Isidro and freed hundreds of Katipuneros on September 2,1896. For its role in the revolution, the province earned its place in the Philippine flag as one of the eight rays of the sun, each ray representing the provinces that revolted against the Spaniards.

            

             Congco said she had nothing against holding festivities in other towns to commemorate the event for Novo Ecijanos to appreciate history but said Cabiao’s role should be given utmost importance.     

   

   The 66-year-old head of the marching band that stormed the Spanish garrison in nearby San Isidro town also said Cabiao should be given recognition as the sole venue for the anniversary rites.

             

             Raul Nogoy, Banda, ’96 leader said the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) should set the record straight on the revolution. He said San Isidro (then known as Factoria) can not be considered as the center of the celebrations neither because this was where the Spaniards held fort.

  

  “Don nagkuta ang mga kaaway so bakit doon (It was there where the enemy sought refuge so why hold it there),” he said.

            

            The holding of the celebrations in Palayan has also come under fire from historians who said Novo Ecijanos seem to have lost their sense of history.

           

          Noted historian Jose Hipolito Jr., the municipal planning and development coordinator, said Llanera and his fellow “coup plotters” met in the house of the Romeros here where they plotted the revolt. He said the Romeros were the ancestors of Umali.

        

       Former municipal engineer Dante dela Cruz said since he was a kid, Cabiao has been commemorating the event yearly, unlike San Isidro which started observing the event only recently. He said Cabiao always plays a significant role in revolutions, citing the Hukbalahaps (Hukbo ng Bayan laban sa Hapon), one of whose leaders, Jesus Lava, was from Barangay Sinipit.

          

         Local historical accounts said that when the Spaniards first laid siege in Manila, remnants of the forces of Rajah Sulayman sought refuge in this town. (Manny Galvez)                     

Legarda: 7.7-Magnitude Earthquake, a Call for Greater Vigilance

MANILA, September 1, 2012-In the aftermath of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that shook Guiuan, Eastern Samar and prompted tsunami alerts for six provinces in the Philippines and at least four other countries, Senator Loren Legarda today renewed her call for greater vigilance through stronger earthquake preparedness efforts.

The Senator said that after the provinces in Visayas and Mindanao experienced the strong earthquake, residents of Luzon, particularly in Metro Manila, should prepare for such strong temblor too, noting the findings in the 2004 Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study (MMEIRS).

“The MMEIRS revealed high casualties and massive destruction should a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit Metro Manila. The study also contains priority actions that should have been undertaken 3-6 years after the study was publicized to reduce the impacts of such a strong tremor,” she pointed out.

Based on the MMEIRS, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Metro Manila would cause the destruction of 40% of the residential buildings, damage 35% of all public buildings, kill 34,000 people, injure 114,000 individuals, and the ensuing fires will also result in 18,000 additional fatalities.

Legarda explained that among the priority steps that must be undertaken include the promotion of disaster-resilient urban development; ensuring the structural integrity of buildings and critical infrastructure; formulating emergency supply system of water, food and other necessities; and determining open spaces for safe refuge when tremors occur.

“We must also ensure that there are back-up systems of vital utilities such as electricity and telecommunications equipment, which are necessary for post-disaster efforts,” she said.

She also stated that local authorities and community leaders must enable citizens to respond quickly to earthquakes by giving them knowledge of what to do before, during, and after such disasters, and that every barangay must craft an evacuation plan and conduct regular evacuation drills that would help citizens find out the fastest and safest way to reach open spaces and other safe areas.

“Disaster prevention is a tall order, but it is one well worth the investment. We must prepare ourselves for more frequent natural hazards, keeping in mind that it is only through effective preventive measures that we can save lives,” Legarda concluded.

'GOPAC MANILA CONFERENCE WILL SHOWCASE ANTI-CORRUPTION GAINS IN ASIA'

Hanoi, Vietnam, September 1, 2012-Senator Edgardo J. Angara underscored that the 5th Global Conference of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) will showcase the gains being made against corruption throughout the ASEAN region, including the Philippines. 

Angara made the remarks during a meeting with Hon. Ngyuen Manh Tien, Vice Chairman of Foreign Affairs of the National Assembly of Vietnam and Head of the Philippine-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship League.

"I congratulate Vietnam for being one of the first countries in Asia to have a legal framework against corruption as early as 2005, and now having a long-term plan against corruption until 2020. This is a remarkable feat within our neighborhood," said Angara, who heads the 5th Global Conference Conference Steering Committee.

"This is the reason SEAPAC [Southeast Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption] is hosting the Global Conference in January this 2013. Because we want to show the whole world, especially the developed world, how we, the Philippines, Vietnam and the rest of Asia, are making strides in fighting corruption in our backyard. We hope you could join us actively through your support and participation," he continued.

The upcoming GOPAC Conference will be held in Manila from January 30 to February 2, 2013. With the theme, "Good laws. Good leaders. Good Citizens," the Conference is expected to draw about 350 to 400 parliamentarians from 90 member countries as well as world-renowned leaders, heads of states, members of the civil society, cabinet members, members of the judiciary and the academe. 

The event, considered as one of the largest and most important anti-corruption events in the world, will be held in Manila in recognition and support of the recent efforts of the Philippines and neighboring ASEAN countries against corruption.

"We support efforts in transparency and anti-corruption, and thus fully support the Conference in Manila hosted by the Philippines," responded Assemblyman Tien. "We will bring this up to the National Assembly, and I am confident that it will go through smoothly so we can bring many members of the assembly to the Conference." 

The 13^th National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is the highest governing body of Vietnam, a unicameral body composed of 498 elected officials serving until 2016.

Angara is the driving force behind the establishment of SEAPAC, which leads regional anti-corruption efforts on a coordinated and institutional basis through parliamentarian-members in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. 

He is currently touring the region to drum up support for the upcoming Manila Conference in 2013.