International Bulletin Updates Featuring Cooperation Projects with SAP Issue #1 - December 2007 Published by AKBAYAN Citizens’ Action Party,

THE 2007 AKBAYAN GOVERNANCE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE CONFERENCE Harnessing Lessons towards “Transformative” Governance

Coming as it did from a somewhat shocking were among the eight Swedish nationals currently setback during the May 2007 National Midterm in the Philippines to visit SAP's partner Elections, the Akbayan Citizens' Action Party had organizations, especially within the Youth and immediately implemented a series of Women Sector. Being elected local officials, they organization-strengthening activities in order to took the opportunity to visit their colleagues in regain its momentum. These activities culminated Philippine local governance work. in the Transformative Governance Conference organized by Akbayan's Governance Affairs The SAP, through MP Leif Pettersson, expressed Committee (GAC) last September. its solidarity with Akbayan's local government officials and reiterated that “everything begins This conference, with the theme, “ Harnessing with you and me.” Meaning that the solution to the Lessons of the 2007 Elections for people's perceived problems begins when those Transformative Governance,” was attended by same people firmly decide to do something about more than 40 local government officials who are those problems. This realization, he reiterated, also Akbayan members. Topics for the 2-day was what drove the Swedish people all those conference included a presentation and analysis years to actively and critically engage in of the results of the May 2007 Elections; an governance. overview of the proposed 2010 National Political Project; a review of Akbayan’s proposed electoral The comrades from Sweden also related how reforms; Akbayan's proposed “new” they practiced local governance in their own organizational thrust; and the proposed Party- country. Mr. Bertil Kinnunen gave an overview of building and Local Governance theme to guide the Swedish Political System and explained how Akbayan in its preparations for the 2010 this system took more than a hundred years to Presidential Elections. Before the conference develop and “mature” into the system that is in ended, the participants also held a planning and place today. He especially highlighted the fact strategizing activity on how to effectively that what we see today in Sweden was very much implement the new directions in their respective different from what existed when the first attempts areas. at reform were done.

In addition to the local conference participants, MP Hanna Bergstedt explained how the current five official representatives from the Social Swedish Welfare System worked and why it was, Democratic Party of Sweden (SAP) – Party in reality, a very fragile system. She explained Ombudsman, Bertil Kinnunen ; Members of how the sustainability of such a welfare Parliament, Leif Pettersson and Hanna system was inextricably tied up with the Social Bergstedt ; Erica Wallin , SAP Women Democrats maintaining its majority in Sweden's Representative and Chair of Education; and government. In fact, with the SAP's recent loss of Susanne Andersson , SAP Women Chair – were majority status in the Swedish Parliament after also able to attend. The five Swedish comrades

AKBAYAN Updates 1 International Bulletin the last elections, the conservatives were already Needless to say, the Pinoy women delegates starting to erode some of the welfare laws (she couldn't agree enough with this. cited Sweden's Tax Rate for richer people as an example) that SAP had worked so hard to enact. Mr. Bertil Kinnunen summed up their presentation by saying that the Philippines, just like Sweden, Susanne Andersson also gave a short history of will have to discover its own style for governance. the achievements of socialist women in Sweden He likewise warned that the “Swedish style,” no beginning with their winning the right to vote in matter how effective it has been or how desirable 1921 and how they later won parity with men it may seem, will work only for Sweden. when it came to representation in Sweden's Party-List system. Erica Wallin, on the other hand, The challenge, therefore, was for the Philippines, shared some of the problems and issues that led of course by Akbayan members who have women in Sweden are still facing today. Both been elected into office, to develop its own agreed that there was still much work to do when effective style of governance, a truly “Tatak it comes to women empowerment in Sweden. Akbayan” way.

SAP Representatives visit critical Akbayan areas in Nueva Ecija, Bulacan and Pampanga

The Akbayan Citizen's Action Party and the SAP have been partners since 2001, when several representatives from SAP attended Akbayan's First Regular Congress (held in Marikina City). Since then, SAP has been regularly sending official delegations to the Philippines to visit its partner organizations and exchange learnings and experiences with their local counterparts.

This year, four SAP delegates – Bertil Kinnunen, Leif Pettersson, Hannah Bergstedt and Helena Proos (SAP's Labor Representative) – were able to visit the following areas: Angeles City in Pampanga; the Municipalities of Laur and Guimba in Nueva Ecija; and San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan.

Although they were not able to witness the events of the last May elections – SAP MPs Olle Thorell and Lars Granberg were COMPACT Election Observers then – their visit, nevertheless, allowed them to feel the “election fever” connected to the coming October Barangay Elections, in which many local Akbayan planned to run.

SAP delegates with Pampanga Governor, Ed Panlilio, and Akbayan Secretary General, Arlene Santos. Gov. Panlilio, a former Catholic priest, won despite overwhelming odds against the annointed candidates of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in her own home province. Gov. Panlilio later went on to expose the recent 500,000 Pesos bribery attempt made by GMA's people on several governors who were called to Malacanang Palace for a meeting.

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(Right) At the office of Mr. Bong Alvaro, Akbayan Pampanga Division Head and currently City Administrator of Angeles. Mr. Alvaro is one of the founding members of Akbayan and was one of the very first party members to run for public office during Akbayan's experimental foray into local elections in 1998.

(Left) Visit with Mayor Daus of Laur, Nueva Ecija. Mayor Daus' slate won overwhelmingly during the May elections with 6 out of 7 Akbayan candidates for Councilor making the cut. This feat was doubly significant because they were going up against a member of a long-entrenched Laur political clan.

(Right) Courtesy visit to Mayor Boyito Dizon of Guimba, Nueva Ecija. Mayor Dizon, although not officially related to Akbayan, has long been supporting the efforts of local Akbayan leaders in Guimba and is considered by them to be a very important ally, especially since the militarization of Nueva Ecija is still ongoing. Mayor Dizon provided a Police escort to accompany the SAP visit to the interior municipalities of Guimba so that the group wil not be delayed by the many Army checkpoints still in place.

(Left) Outside the Multi-purpose Hall constructed by Akbayan in Barangay Galvan, Guimba, Nueva Ecija. After 2 days of continuous travelling, the SAP delegates stretch their legs before meeting the local Akbayan people. The SAP delegates later became minor 'celebrities' when several elementary school students suddenly asked for their autographs.

AKBAYAN Updates 3 International Bulletin (Right) SAP deleates meet the leaders and members of Akbayan-Galvan. Discussions centered on the recent spate of harassment by the military of residents suspected of being communist sympathizers. Several Akbayan leaders who were forced to leave their villages during the height of the military operations have now returned and are even contemplating running in the coming October Barangay Elections.

(Left) Two incumbent City Councilors and several Barangay officials, apart from the local Akbayan members, attended Akbayan-San Jose del Monte City's meeting with the SAP delegation. Topics discussed by the two parties included taxation rates and how best to implement them; how to effectively counter corruption in the local bureaucracy; effective campaign styles; and the concept of a “Welfare State” and how it can become a reality in the Philippines.

ADVANCING THE ALTERNATIVE AND CONFRONTING THE CHALLENGES AKBAYAN Youth finally holds its Founding Congress

After eight years of being “just” a coalition of young people working for or allied with the Akbayan Citizen's Action Party, and after three Pre-congresses in this year – Luzon and NCR Pre-congress, held in August in Quezon City; Visayas Pre-congress held also in August at Lahug, Cebu City; Mindanao Pre-congress held in September in Cagayan de Oro City – the Akbayan Youth finally held its Founding Congress this November.

With the theme, “Building the Socialist Future,” the Founding Congress was attended by over 150 delegates, representing 42 provinces and 7 national organizations. During the 3-day event, the youth delegates discussed the different conjunctural, ideological and organizational issues faced by the Filipino youth of today.

This historic event was opened by former Youth National Coordinator, Jonas Bagas, who reviewed the milestones of Akbayan Youth's history and reminded the delegates of the rationale for its conception – which is to challenge the status quo that imposes poverty and injustice on the Filipino people.

AKBAYAN Updates 4 International Bulletin Keynote speaker Congresswoman Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel, Akbayan's Representative in the Philippine House of Representatives, challenged the delegates to unleash their idealism and use this as their shield when confronting the country’s situation, marred as it is by corruption, deception, cynicism, poverty and a “ of impunity.”

Akbayan's National President, Mr. Ronald Llamas, also dared the young delegates to rise above the seemingly hopeless environment, which is characterized by the people’s extreme dissatisfaction with government leaders, and a very palpable atmosphere of desperation and Akbayan Youth's organizational narrative, apathy. Mr. Llamas also reasserted that socialist Constitution and By-laws, and General Program principles and order stand as the clear alternative of Action was presented, deliberated on, and to the current, bankrupt system. Akbayan's approved during this event. This was done in Secretary General, Ms. Arlene Santos, on the order to institutionalize Akbayan Youth as the other hand, shared the Mother Party’s general youth arm of the Akbayan Citizens’ Action Party. directions towards 2010. A total of 23 resolutions were passed during the Leaders of various national and international Founding Congress. These included the Topic organizations, including the youth arms of allied Outlines of the new Basic Orientation Module and Social Democratic parties, were also in of the proposed Political and Ideological Course; attendance. These included Kai Burmeister of proposals regarding key campaigns on the JUSOS (Germany), Anna Crowe of the New Akbayan Platforms on Education and Decent Zealand Young Labor, Wilson Requez of the Livelihood, and on Gender, Environment, and the Young Progressives Southeast Asia, Khun-glang Political Participation of the youth; Akbayan Khukhuntin of YPD (Thailand), Erwin Razak of Youth's solidarity with the people of Burma and Pergerakan (Indonesia), Mari Zakariasson of call for deepening in Southeast Asia. SSU (Sweden), Mirko Herberg and Gus Cerdeña of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, Tord Dale of Finally, the members of the National Executive AUF (Norway), and Bianca Lapuz of the Student Committee and National Council of the Akbayan Council Alliance of the Philippines. The Youth were elected. They will serve until the First International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) also Regular Congress in 2010. sent a solidarity message for the ocassion.

AKBAYAN WOMEN'S STORY

The Akbayan Women, just like everyone else in the Party, were very much preoccupied with preparations for the two elections in 2007: the May National Mid-terms and the October Barangay Elections. This is not surprising since many Akbayan women actually ran for office during the Barangay Elections and many actively campaigned for selected candidates during the May Elections. Needless to say, the Electoral Committee of the Akbayan Women was working extra-hard during the latter half of this year. While the Akbayan Women were in the midst of their preparations for the October Local Elections, two delegates from Sweden, Susanne Andersson and Erica Wallin of SAP/S-KVinnor , happened to also be in the country, and they maximized their stay by visiting their partner organizations in Zamboanga, Bohol and Cebu.

In Zamboanga , Miss Andersson and Miss Wallin Swedish women shared stories about SAP and met with Akbayan's Division officials and with about Sweden, especially its current demographic leaders from different sectoral organizations, profile, political and economic situation, and notably the tricycle drivers', community women women's participation within SAP. The two women and vendors' groups. In these meetings, the two also shared specific tools – SWOT and Four-

AKBAYAN Updates 5 International Bulletin NGO ( ACCORD ), the Swedish visitors were updated regarding the situation of Zamboanga's women, their current advocacies and struggles, and including the various ways by which local women cope with the peculiarities and challenges that go with living and working in a multi-cultural city such as Zamboanga.

The planned Cebu visit, unfortunately, didn't go as well as the Zamboanga trip because the delays in flight schedules totally wrecked the schedules for meetings. Still, the two Swedish delegates were able to meet briefly with Kim Karisma , the Akbayan Women organizer for Cebu City, and so Corner Analysis – which their local counterparts were kept abreast on Cebu's news, views and can use for their training sessions. issues, so to speak.

Akbayan Division leaders, on the other hand, The last area visited was the island of Bohol , shared about the current status of local party units, where several manucipalities, especially Catigbian especially with regard to women's participation and Jagna, have long been “bailiwicks” of and empowerment, and about Zamboanga's Akbayan. current political and economic situation. In Catigbian, Akbayan National Council member and current Municipal Councilor, Ms. Doris Dinorog-Obena , acted as official host to the two S-Kvinnor delegates.

The two Swedish delegates had a chance to meet with community women representatives and Barangay Council officers of one of the barangays in Catigbian and exchanged stories and experiences regarding the situation of women their respective communities.

For more information about AKBAYAN, please visit our website. In a separate meeting with another women's organization ( Mujeres ) and with the staff of a local www.akbayan.org

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