Politics of Change After the May 2010 Philippine Elections
Even after the elections, CODE-NGO continues its engagement to reform Philippine politics. It conducted a series of regional post-election workshops last June 2010 in 9 key cities around the country to evaluate and reflect on non-partisan and partisan electoral engagement of civil society groups in the recently-concluded Philippine national elections. A national conference was also held last June 26-27, 2010 in Quezon City. Aside from the sharing of the results of the regional workshops, Liberal Party Campaign Manager Butch Abad also spoke on the prospects and challenges for reform under the Administration of President Noynoy Aquino while Telibert Laoc of the National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) and Bro. Raymond Sanchez, SJ of the Simbahang LIngkod ng Bayan and Task Force 2010 also shared their experience and lessons in the 2010 elections and their post-election plans.
Even after the elections, CODE-NGO continues its engagement to reform Philippine politics. A series of regional post-election workshops were conducted last June 2010 in Metro Manila, Naga City, Cebu City, Iloilo City, Davao City, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan City and Zamboanga City to evaluate and reflect on non-partisan and partisan electoral engagement of civil society groups in the recently-concluded Philippine national elections. In this series of regional workshops, leaders of civil society groups discussed their accomplishments, as well as frustrations, during the election period and planned for their next actions.
A national conference was then held last June 26-27, 2010 in Quezon City. Aside from the sharing of the results of the regional workshops, Liberal Party Campaign Manager Butch Abad also spoke on the prospects and challenges for reform under the Administration of President Noynoy Aquino while Telibert Laoc of the National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) and Bro. Raymond Sanchez, SJ of the Simbahang LIngkod ng Bayan and Task Force 2010 also shared their experience and lessons in the 2010 elections and their post-election plans.
Meanwhile, the Change Politics Movement (CPM) also held an expanded national council meeting last June 27, 2010 where the movement renewed its commitment to continue to support reform candidates in the upcoming October 2010 barangay elections and in the 2013 mid-term elections, as well as to exact accountability from the newly- elected officials in government.
CPM is composed of individuals from various civil society organizations who believe in the principles and practice of the kind of politics that will bring positive change to governance and society as a whole. The movement underwent a process of selecting reform candidates – based on integrity, track record and capacity to win power for reform – and supported these candidates in the recent national elections.
In engaging the new government, the various individuals and organizations involved in Change Politics Movement will still continue their advocacies through their respective base organizations. However, CPM will focus on several cross-cutting issues such as: Freedom on Information and formation of local multi-sectoral social accountability networks, revamp of the National Anti-Poverty Commission and people’s participation in local governance. A technical and coordinating group focused on these issues was also created.
CPM leaders from different regions also actively participated in the preliminary national leaders conference of the People Power Volunteers (PPV) and other volunteer groups that actively supported the Aquino campaign, which was held in Quezon City last June 28-29, 2010. Proposals were raised and will be further discussed in upcoming PPV assemblies on how volunteer groups can continue to participate in anti-corruption and anti-poverty efforts. (By Sandino Soliman, Project Assistant for Advocacy, CODE-NGO).