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The Manila Bulletin

RP to host ASEAN regional conference against corruption

By Joseph G. Lariosa - March 11, 2005

The Philippines will play host for the first time at the end of this month to a two-day First ASEAN Regional Conference of Parliamentarians Against Corruption at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

This was announced yesterday by Sen. Edgardo J. Angara, the Asian representative of the Global Organization of Parliament Against Corruption based at Ottawa, Canada.

At least 30 delegates from 10 countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), representing the parliaments of those countries, are expected to attend the regional event.

The countries expected to send their delegates are the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.

Angara said the main agenda of the conference that opens on March 31 is to adopt a standard that will jibe with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption that has been ratified by 16 of 30 signatory countries.

Angara asked retired Judge Dolores L. Español of the regional trial court of Cavite to take the lead in organizing the conference in her capacity as chairperson of Transparency International of the Philippines chapter.

Among the delegates from the Philippines are Ombudsman Simeon Marcelo; Purificacion Valera-Quisumbing, chairwoman of the Commission on Human Rights; Jack Jabes of the Asian Development Bank’s anti-corruption program; Senate President Franklin M. Drilon and House Speaker Jose de Venecia.

"The delegates to the conference would probably pay a courtesy call on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on the last day of the conference," Español said.

"We cannot expect 100 percent attendance from ASEAN member countries because a few of them don’t have parliaments," Angara said. "But we need to start somewhere, somehow." He is referring to Brunei and Myanmar (formerly Burma), which have no parliaments.

"We expect at least three anti-corruption legislators to be sent by their respective countries," Angara added.