Photos: Philippines
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Professor
Maiet announcing the start of the opening ceremonies of the Legal
Empowerment National Consultation in Manila on 25-26 July 2007.
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| The welcome remarks by Dr.Emmanuel Buendia, manager, UNDP-Manila Fostering Democratic Governance Portfolio. |
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| Resurreccion Lao, ESCR-Asia Executive Director, sharing the Legal Empowerment of the Poor related Philippine processes. |
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| Mindanao: Datu Ebanta Morada, Head Regional Tribal Consultative Council, Caraga, appealing for review of laws particularly the conflict of provisions of the Mining Act and the Indigenous People's Republic Act (IPRA). |
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| From the Visayas region: Honorio Baculao, fisherfold leader from Tagbilaran, Bohol, asserting the right to fishing grounds against the big fish trawlers in the region. |
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| From Luzon, Ms.Mercedes Nicolas, head of Katining, a coalition of informal sector groups in Metro Manila sharing woes of struggle and appealing for government support during the last 10 years. |
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| Attorney Nabil Tan, representing Secretary Jesus Dureza of the Presidential Adviser for the Peace Process (OPPAP), congratulation some of the speakers. |
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| Secretary Domingo Panganiban, lead convenor of the National Antipoverty Commission (NAPC), sharing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's plan for eliminating poverty. |
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| Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban moderated the discussion on access to justice and rule of law. |
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| Attorney Glenda Litong presenting the main findings of the paper on access to justice and rule of law. |
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| Chief
Justice Panganiban and Naresh Singh, Legal Empowerment Executive Director, taking notes on Attorney Litong's presentation. |
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| Ms.Evelyn Dumdum discussing legal reforms. |
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| Engr. Myrna Nazarea, head of the Phil. Authentic Humanist Society. |
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| Caroliza Peteros, coordinator, Mediation Network (MEDNET). |
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| Mayor Danny Lim of Tagbilaran, Bohol, shared legal practices from his region. |
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| Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Legal Empowerment Board of Advisor member, asking questions from the floors and commenting on the speakers. |
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| Executive Director Singh and Chief Justice Panganiban after a successful completion of the day's first thematic discussion. |
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Percival
Chavez, czar of the Presidential Commission of the Urban Poor (PCUP)
introduced the paper on the theme of property rights.
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| Dr.Amado Mendoza, political science professor at the University of the Philippines and writer of the national paper on property rights. |
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| Mr. Francisco Fernandez, Cebu City Administrator, sharing local government practice on property rights. |
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| Erna Witoelar, Legal Empowerment Commissioner, speaking about the Milennium Development Goals, particularly the challenges in Asia. |
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| Commissioner Witoelar, Assistant Secretary Maria Teresa Soriano of the Department of Labor (DOLE) and Prof. Jorge Sibal from the University of the Philippines, SOLAIR. |
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| Ms.Nida Dans, head of All-Women's Political Caucus in Mindanao. |
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| Representative from DAMPA. |
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| Mr.Butch Fernandez, Director, Planning and Staff Division, National Economic Development |
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| Jonathan Pilien, Asian NGO Coaltition (ANGOC) |
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| Ms.Dolores Alegarbes, from ABC-Kaakbay, a construction workers NGO based in Davao City. |
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| Assistant Secretary Evelyn Gonzales of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) and Chairperson for the discussion on legal mechanisms to empower businesses. |
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| Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, Legal Empowerment Board of Advisor member. |
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| Mr.Reginald Christian Indon, writer of paper on informal businesses. |
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| Mr.Florencio Monguso presenting Bicol-Naga's good practice of helping informal businesses through positive regulatory schemes. |
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| Former Undersecretary Lucita Lazo. |
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| Attorney Gilbert Sembrano, ESCR-Asia Secretary, one of the two writers of the integration paper presenting a table baseline of laws and prgrams that affect the poor positively and negatively fom the pre-Marcos era through the Arroyo administration. |
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| Emmanuel Pelayo, ACIW, a construction related group, said that non-corporate construction workers are the least socially protected. |
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| Trinidad Domingo, small farmers leaders based in Luzon. |
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| Committments: various stakeholders pledge to implement the legal empowerment agenda in their work. |
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| Ambassador Marita Jimenez, Executive Director of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). |
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| Attorney Baratucal Candang of the Mindanao State University. |
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| Participants in the Legal Empowerment National Consultation in Manila. |
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| Poster from the National Consultation. |
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| Behind the scene, |
