Insurgents barred from anti-poverty assemblies

Groups supporting armed struggle against the government are barred from joining the National Anti-Poverty Commission.

President Benigno Aquino III issued that prohibition as he imposed a new set of criteria for sectoral representatives who can participate in the commission, the policy-making body on poverty and related issues.

Mr. Aquino, at Monday’s NAPC assembly at the Philippine International Convention Center, said he has issued Administrative Order No. 21 which returned the power to the different sectors to nominate their representatives.

“During the past years, many civil society organizations have been disenfranchised from joining the NAPC process. We have now issued AO 21 to amend the implementing rules and regulations of the Social Reform and Poverty Alleviation Act to push for a more meaningful representation from our basic sectors,” he said.

“This will ensure autonomy and responsibility on the part of our basic sectors,” Mr. Aquino said.

NAPC chairman Joel Rocamora said the Arroyo administration amended the implementing rules in 2007 with Administrative Order No. 187.

“Under AO 187, it is the Palace that certifies all the sectoral representatives to NAPC. This was to ensure that groups that are viewed as not friendly to the administration were excluded. Now, we are returning that power to the sectors,” Rocamora said.

AO 187 also barred the entry of groups “directly or indirectly espousing or supporting armed struggle.”

AO 21, on the other hand, provides the following minimum requirements for participation:

– proof of legal existence such as Securities and Exchange Commission registration or local government unit or government agency accreditation; license to operate; accreditation certificate and/or other certificates as proof of legal existence such as from the tribal council of elders;

– an organizational audit system instituting an autonomous accreditation process among the organizations;

– a minimum 30 percent gender quota for women on all sectoral assemblies, including having at least one woman-nominee as sectoral representative; and

– board resolution or certification that the participant is the duly authorized representative of the organization. –Joyce Pangco Pañares, Manila standard Today