Focus on the Global South - Philippines Programme

Dear Readers,

We want to report to you in this issue of FoP our September highlights—and it is interesting to note that what emerge as the main themes of our featured write-ups and videos are sovereignty, independence and freedom/s.

First we recount to you the event that celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Philippine Senate’s rejection of the bases treaty with the United States in 1991.  The event was not only commemorative, but also served as reminder of how fragile our state of sovereignty and independence is with the continued presence of American soldiers and military facility on our soil.

Still, there are other forms of encroachment on our independence and freedoms.  Find out more about the TRIPS—trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights—agreement that threatens Filipinos, especially the poor’s, access to cheaper medicines as provided for in the cheaper quality medicines law of 2008.  The joint position paper of Medicines Transparency Alliance Philippines, Inc., Coalition for Health Advocacy and Transparency and the EU-ASEAN FTA Campaign Network warns us of impending bilateral free trade agreements that the P-Noy government is preparing to enter into, as these will infringe on the law and our rights. There's also a report on the regional forum of civil society groups that gathered recently in Quezon City to look into more of these agreements that can harm the social-economic and political rights of the people.


We also continue our coverage of the campaign for the passage of the Freedom of Information bill, as President Aquino remains evasive about his real stance on the bill, which was a campaign promise.  In his speech during the launch of the Open Government Partnership initiative in New York third week of September, the president again skirted the issue even when he talked about his administration’s efforts on transparency—this the coalition Right to Know! Right Now! called in an earlier statement as “double talk.” Here it should be noted that the campaign for the right to information has also been elevated to the ASEAN. Leading this initiative is the Solidarity for Asian Peoples Advocacies (SAPA) Task Force on ASEAN and Human Rights (SAPA TF-AHR) and SAPA Task Force on ASEAN FOI.  Established in 2007 in Kuala Lumpur, SAPA aims to engage ASEAN on the issue of human rights, and through its TF on ASEAN FOI, it seeks to push for the recognition of the public's right to information in ASEAN. Collaborating with SAPA on these initiatives is the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA). Focus is the convenor of the Task Force on ASEAN FOI. 

If you’ll find this introductory note a bit longer (“note” may be inaccurate), it is because such themes never fail to evoke a lot of passion from us.

Sincerely,
Editor

MAIN STORIES
Anti-bases Activists, Senators Remember Bases Treaty Rejection; Renew Calls for Independent and Free Philippines
Network Holds Regional Forum on Free Trade Agreements by Cecilia Olivet and Joseph Purugganan

STATEMENTS
Defend the Right to Health and Access to Affordable Medicines
Access to Information Essential for Public Participation (See also http://www.seapabkk.org)
Double talk on FOI: Government Long on Promises, Short on Political Will

FEATURED VIDEOS
Freedom of Information Senate Hearing

Dear Readers,
P-noy did it again—that is excluded Freedom of Information from the priority list of legislations the Executive submitted during the second Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) third week of August.  The importance of such action (or missed action) cannot be overstated so that it now becomes our highlight in this August issue of FoP News Features and Analysis. He also failed to give his administration a mark for efforts on the FOI during his second SONA in July. The campaign for an FOI bill has gone on for the last 14 years; it almost reached its conclusion—its passage into law—in the 14th Congress had it not been foiled by minions of the previous president. What the current president’s issue with FOI is what the lead article and the statement of the Right to Know! Right Now! coalition attempts to ponder on and answer here. He himself had pointed out he had questions [the list is getting longer; the list’s contents ever changing].

Still picking up from what P-noy left hanging in the SONA, this issue highlights new rounds of discussion on Industrial Policy, so that we will not only be dealing with three-letter economic policies, such as the CCT and PPP.

Here’s hoping you have a great read—and greater insights!

Sincerely,
Editor

After P-noy Fails to Prioritize FOI, Senate Begins Public Hearing

UN Expert and Philippine Economist Asserts Importance of Industrial Policy
[With Videos]

Special Feature
Six Filmmakers Chosen to ‘Re-imagine’ EDSA

Photo Gallery: EDSA Video Grants Awarding [Photos by Judy Pasimio]

Dear Readers,

For Focus-Philippines, July’s highlight is the forum “The Development Challenge under P-Noy: Tackling the Hard Questions”.  And if we go by the number, interest and passion of those who attended the forum on July 18, we’d like to believe that it was an important event for them too.  Of course the second SONA of the president  on July 25th is more national news, because what’s news in statistics that show how government is still very much behind the target number of lands for distribution under CARPER (which expires in 2014), much less in extending support for the agrarian reform beneficiaries and the entire agricultural sector; what’s sensational about statistics showing growing hunger in Mindanao, the so-called “food basket” of the country, even as small food producers continue to be marginalized in terms of control over lands and access to resources?  Is it too shocking to find out that tariff rates of the Philippines have gone down to below 10 percent in almost all economic/industrial sectors, when in fact the bound rates fought for and approved in the World Trade Organization was 25 percent?  Is this headline material that it was the government’s unilateral decision to lower tariff rates? Or that after 10 years, the EPIRA law has not resulted in cheaper efficient electricity and more access for the poor?

The papers presented in the forum (and the ardent discussions that resulted from them) which you will find in this edition of FoP are no works of spin doctors.  They are products of hard work—roundtable discussions and consultations, research, campaigns—conducted by national and regional advocacy and civil society organizations, as well as people’s organizations under Focus’ Development Roundtable Series (DRTS) which started in 2004.  After all, the people are always fearless in tackling the hard questions and seeking solutions, even through difficult paths.  But is the P-Noy government?

Sincerely,
Editor

Welcome Remarks
Fighting for a New Philippines
by Rep. Walden Bello

Philippine Trade Liberalization: Faith Damns, Losers Can only Weep
by Atty. Nepomuceno Malaluan

PPP: Puwede bang Magsilbi sa Mamamayan?
by Center for Labor Justice

EPIRA at 10: Failed Assumptions and Unfulfilled Promises
by Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III

JPEPA: Anatomy of a (Bad) Trade Deal
by Joseph Purugganan

Beating 2014: Pushing for the Decisive Implementation of CARPER
by Romeo Royandoyan, Carmina Flores-Obanil and Mary Ann Manahan

Treading Troubled Waters
by Buenaventura D. Dargantes, Mary Ann Manahan andCheryl C. Batistel

Hunger and Food Insecurity in the Mindanao Food Basket:
Confronting the Challenge of Policy Reform for Agricultural Productivity
by Salvador Feranil and Rogelio Abduhlrahman G. Teves

Policy Initiatives toward Reclaiming Development in the Visayas
by Buenaventura B. Dargantes, Cheryl C. Batistel and Dr. Teresa W. Tabada

Foreign Policy and the Visiting Forces Agreement
by Atty. Corazon Fabros

Photo Gallery
Photos by Joseph Purugganan

Dear Readers,

It’s that time of the year again, the pre-SONA (State of the Nation Address) month, when we are doing a countdown to that red-letter day in July to hear the president’s report—and either confirm or reject it.  The SONA seems to have become more significant under this administration, since its ascent to power had been largely based on the hope that P-Noy was the one among the candidates who could offer the most in terms of social, political and economic change.

What better way to do the countdown than to review the past year—P-Noy’s first year—and be prepared ourselves to know the state of our nation come mid-July.  It is in this preparation, in providing perspective, that Focus believes it can help through its most recently launched publication, Transitions (now available in our office). Apart from giving you a glimpse of what’s inside it through the book’s overview which you’ll find in this edition of FoP, you can also use as resource for your review the discussions that transpired during the forum cum launch of the book. Read Carmina Flores-Obanil’s write-up and watch the video prepared by Jerik Cruz.

Sincerely,

Editor


One Year After P-Noy’s Election:  To Where/What are we Transitioning?
by Carmina Flores-Obanil

Transitions Overview
by Clarissa V. Militante

Video of the Forum-Launch
by Jerik Cruz

Dear Readers,

Through this May 2011 edition of FoP News Features and Analysis, we want you to share with us the ASEAN civil Society Conference/ASEAN People's Forum 2011 ‘experience’.  The pursuit and promotion of alternative regionalism has always been a core advocacy of Focus. The organization has been an active committee leader/member and event participant since ACSC commenced in 2005. Even with the challenges, problems and downright controversies that have often hounded the ACSC/APF process, there remains no better alternative to the continued engagement of civil society organizations among themselves as well as with ASEAN. The ACSC/APF process, after all, should remain dynamic—open-minded to criticisms and calls for improvement, resilient and innovative in the face of states' attempts to intervene in civil society platforms/spaces.

You can get the inside stories on this ‘ACSC/APF 2011 experience’ in this issue—including some controversies, the most urgent national and regional debates and steps toward achieving a people’s alternative regionalism.

Sincerely,

Editor

People’s and ASEAN: Defining the Divide
By Jenina Joy Chavez

Civil Liberties, Alternative Regionalisms, Access to Natural Resources, Climate Change, Public Health and Trade Issues Take Center Stage
By Clarissa V. Militante

A Postscript on the ACSC/APF Opening—Civil Society Community Asserts its Space
By Clarissa V. Militante

Building an Asian Village through Music*
By Joseph Purugganan

WORKSHOP REPORTS
Navigating Critical Waters: Issues, Challenges and Alternatives to the Privatization and Commercialization of Water in Asia

ASEAN Policy Debate: Will FTAs Narrow the Development Gap in ASEAN?

Building Solidarity in ASEAN to Protect and Promote Civil Liberties

Regional Economic and Financial Cooperation amidst Crisis;  Initiatives in Asia, Latin America and Europe

STATEMENTS
Open Letter to ASEAN Leaders on the Peoples’ Right to Health and Access to Medicines
Why a Fourth Pillar on the Environment
ACSC/APF 2011 Statement

DOWNLOADABLES
Springs of Hope
FDC-Experiences in Water Privatization in the Philippines
Jakarta Water Privatization

PHOTO GALLERY
ASEAN Peoples' Forum/ACSC Jakarta, Indonesia

Dear Readers,

Our lead story talks about the government's hopeful outlook on the new round of peace dialogs with the CPP-NDF-NPA and the MILF. Are we ready to get 'infected' by this state of positive anticipation? Or have we become a jaded lot because of previous failed peace processes?; as Jerik Cruz and Cess Celestino wrote in their powerful lead piece "these are the two longest running insurgencies" that we are talking about here--"this side of the Pacific." The peace process with the CPP-NDF-NPA has gone through "40 rounds of mediation" while the one with the Moros has been a "14-year stretch" since post-EDSA 1986.

The country's peace and  security issues go beyond dealing with the insurgencies; there are key preconditions to peace after all--one of these is sovereignty, which the armed leftist movement has always put in the peace agenda. The issue of sovereignty however--as much as the issue of settling the insurgencies--is not only something that should be tabled by the negotiating parties, because it is also in the realm of the general public's aspirations. A unity statement for sovereignty and against the threat of the comeback of US bases or any form of military presence on Philippine soil brings our attention back to said issue.

Slim as the April edition is of FoP, we truly believe it takes on boldly issues that may be falling off our radar, and thus the pieces here may yet prove to be wake-up call.

Sincerely,
Editor

Pathways to Peace: P-Noy's Negotiators Express High Hopes over New Round of Peace Process
By Jerik Cruz and Cess Celestino

Unity Statement of Scrap VFA Movement

Photo Gallery: A Gathering of Pro-Sovereignty, Anti-VFA Activists, April 8

Dear Readers,

For our women's month edition, we try to give you a picture of poverty as experienced by women, both through statistics and actual stories shared by those who are facing poverty situations in their daily lives. Focus-Philippines, with its partners in the national coalition Welga ng Kababaihan (women on strike or women's strike), recently launched in a forum on gender and poverty its State of the Filipino Women report, a product of a two-year project that involved focus group discussions with women from the basic sectors in urban and rural communities.  (This report will also come out in a more popular format) The stories as well as the numbers definitely do not present a happy picture, and from the women's stories we can almost hear and feel their pain.  But this is not the only contribution of the report, as it is also a testimony to the courage of women who daily brave the effects of poverty and social-economic crisis. We might laugh at their vocabulary of food alternatives they consume for lack of resources to buy the nutritious ones, but this and their other accounts make us understand how women in poverty cope.

We also include in this edition an article about the state of Filipino women workers/migrants, lest we forget that they too go through similar challenges that women here in the country encounter, maybe at times even worse.

Sincerely,

Editor

Crisis, Hope and Change: Focus and Partners Launch Report on Filipino Women
By Mary Ann Manahan

Revisiting the State of Overseas Filipino Women Workers
By Aya Fabros

In the Midst of Mutiple Burdens
by Cess Celestino

Photo Essay: Women in Crisis, Women who Struggle, Women with Hope

Dear Readers,

February has been 'EDSA Stories month' for Focus-Philippines not only because the staff became preoccupied with the project and its launch, but more importantly because the Filipinos are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power--a form of protest action that has become a model for many other societies/citizens of the world. This occasion has become an opportunity for Focus-Philippines to join other Filipino activists and citizens, through the EDSA Stories project, in their effort to continue giving meaning to the legacies of EDSA, including remembering and confronting the negative impact on the Philippines--economy, political system and citizenry--that the EDSA historic events has created.

But of course, it is with the pride that we regale you with reports about the EDSA Stories launch. Please find in this edition a photo essay of the launch and the speeches and presentations that made February 24 a success.

Sincerely,

Your Editor

Photo Essay
EDSA Stories Launch

Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada's Inspirational Talk
(We are only young once)

Welcome Remarks
By Jenina Joy Chavez

Remembering the Events of EDSA 1986, EDSA Dos and Tres
By Jerik Cruz and Cess Celestino