Events:  News

In commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights this year, a Public Forum was organized on December 11, 2008 held at Rembrandt Hotel in Quezon City and supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation/Germany in cooperation with its partners, the Alternative Law Groups (ALG), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. Foundation (BSAF).

The objective of the forum was to present the project, Community-Based Dialogue Sessions on Human Rights Promotion and Protection between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, and Civil Society Organizations and Local Communities, as well as the results of the first two dialogue sessions that were recently conducted in Davao City and Naga City covering Regions XI and V, respectively. 

The Welcome Remarks was delivered by Major Rolando Dumawa, Director, Public Affairs Office of the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil Military Operations, J7 and the Opening Message was delivered by Mr. Paul G. Schäfer, HSF Resident Representative. Read more...

In support of the Human Rights Development Program of the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Human Rights Affairs Office (HRAO), a publication titled “A Compendium of International and National Laws on Human Rights” was launched last December 09, 2008 at the PNP Headquarters at Camp Crame, Quezon City. The design and printing of the compendium was co-financed by the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) of Germany. 

The event was held as part of the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and graced with the presence of the Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights, Hon. Leila de Lima as guest of honor together with Police Director General Jesus Verzosa, PNP Chief, Senior Superintendent Franklin Jesus Bucayu, Chief of PNP-HRAO and Mr. Paul G. Schäfer, Resident Representative of the Hanns Seidel Foundation/Germany who delivered their individual remarks and messages, highlighting the significance of the occasion in the promotion and protection of human rights in the country. 

Chair de Lima led the ceremonial distribution of books to Chief Supt. Yolanda Tanigue representing female police officers, Supt. Datumama Mokalid representing Human Rights Desk Officers, Supt. Edgardo Pamittan, representing Chiefs of Police (COPs), and SPO4 Rodelio Salvador, representing Police Non-Commissioned Officers.

A total of 2,000 copies were printed for distribution to all the Regional Offices of the PNP nationwide to include the Police Stations, National Headquarters and National Support Units. 

The Third Plenary Session of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) was held last 26 to 29 November 2008 in Jakarta, Indonesia, after APA was constituted in 2006.  The two previous plenary sessions in 2006 and in 2007 were held in Tehran, Iran.  APA evolved from the Association of Asian Parliaments for Peace (AAPP) in 2006.

During the meeting in Jakarta, His Excellency H.R. Agung Laksono, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, was unanimously elected president of APA for the period 2008 to 2010.  Out of the total membership of 39 Asian parliaments, 29 attended the plenary session.  Delegates participated actively during the plenary and committee deliberations.

The Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) has been a partner of APA since 2003 and has provided support in the establishment of APA through the provision of consultancy and expertise as well as the organisation of workshops and information visits to the Council of Europe (CoE) and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for members of APA Member Parliaments and for high-ranking staff of administrations of Member Parliaments of APA.  Representatives of HSF were invited to the Third Plenary Session as specials guests of the Indonesian House of Representatives.  More information on APA is available under http://www.asianparliament.org/index.html.

The Rizal Technological University (RTU), through its Department of Extension Service Office (DES), represented by its Director, Dr. Carmel T. Mosura, tied up with the European IT Service Center Foundation, Inc. (EITSCFI) to provide Basic Computer Literacy and English Proficiency training to out-of-school youth and marginalized groups of the community.

The EITSCFI has initiated skills enhancement training in several cities and municipalities in Metro Manila, including Navotas City, Makati City and Quezon City. In Mandaluyong City, the EITSCFI coordinated directly with DES in the planning and execution of its outreach program.
                                                               
The Basic Computer Literacy training program was held 18 to 19 July 2008 at the RTU Training Hall A and at the CEIT Computer Laboratory for lecture sessions and the hands-on training, respectively.  A seasoned web developer and IT training consultant to organizations such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Citibank N.A., Mr. Omar Abesamis facilitated the training program, which was attended by 35 participants. On August 29-30, 2008, the English Proficiency training, which was attended by 22 participants, was also held in the same venue.

DES provides leadership in the generation, verification and maximization of technology transfer through involvement of workable extension approaches and strategies as a support system for effective and efficient implementation of extension programs. It offers short-term courses in Basic Welding, Cosmetology, Dressmaking, Electricity, Electronics, Food Trades, and Reflexology. Through its Alternative Learning System Program, DES provides out-of-school youths and adults belonging to the marginalized groups the opportunity to earn an educational qualification equivalent to formal elementary and secondary education.

DES now continuous to move forward under a new principle “Pamantasan at Pamayanan, Kapitbisig sa Kaunlaran”.  Dr. Carmel T. Mosura initiated such a shift in response to the felt need for an extension service that is able to connect with and is accessible to the members of the community it serves.  Currently, DES has a total of 259 students.

The European Information Technology (IT) Service Center Foundation, Inc. (EITSCFI), in partnership with Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF), through a European Commission (EC) co-funded project entitled “Establishment of Market-driven and Technology-based Courses and Further Training for the Information Technology Sector in the National Capital Region, Philippines,” inaugurated the EITSC Offsite Computer Laboratory at the University of Makati (UMak) last 05 August 2008.

Distinguished guests present during the inauguration were the German Ambassador to the Philippines H.E. Christian-Ludwig Weber-Lortsch; Hanns Seidel Stiftung, e. V. (HSS) Germany Board Member and German Federal Minister of Economics and Technology Hon. Michael Glos, MdB; Makati City Mayor Hon. Jejomar Binay; UMak President Mr. Tomas Lopez, Jr.; HSS Germany Deputy General Manager Dr. Rainer Gepperth; EITSC President Mr. Henry Schumacher; HSF Philippines Resident Representative Mr. Paul Schaefer; and Delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines Public Affairs Officer Ms. Thelma Gecolea.

The computer laboratory at UMak is EITSCFI’s first offsite training facility. It is part of EITSCFI’s partnership program with academe that seeks to contribute in elevating the quality of IT education.  The computer laboratory provides a platform for effective, market-driven, and technology-based instruction in order to upgrade the competencies and expand the career opportunities of students, especially IT students, as well as Filipino knowledge workers, particularly from the under-skilled and marginalized groups of society.  The facility is equipped with twenty-one (21) computers, a multi-media projector with a wall-mounted screen and appropriate furniture for use in the delivery of general training and computer instruction as well as for EITSCFI training programs for the out-of-school and out-of-work youths, students, graduates, and public school teachers.

EITSC Newsletter October 2008 Vol. 2, No.3

The Mayor’s Development Center (MDC) of the League of Municipalities in the Philippines (LMP), with the support of the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF), conducted a five-day learning event on strategic management entitled Managing Performance of Municipal Governments: The Province of Negros.  The learning event was held last 29 September to 03 October 2008 in Bacolod City.

In attendance were 54 participants from 11 of the province’s 19 municipalities, namely: Don Salvador Benedicto, E. B. Magalona, Hinigaran, Hinobaan, Ilog, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Murcia, Pontevedra, San Enrique and Valladolid.  The mayors of Don Salvador Benedicto, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, and Pontevedra attended the workshop with their teams.  Generally, the other members of the team consisted of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator (MPDC), the Municipal Assessor, the Municipal Treasurer, the Municipal Budget Officer (MBO), and/or the Municipal Accountant.  Other municipalities were represented by their Sangguniang Bayan members, engineers, agriculturists, and other municipal employees. Read more...

The Mayor’s Development Center (MDC) with the support of the German Technical Cooperation Agency (GTZ) and the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) conducted a learning event on Integrated Solid waste Management (ISWM).  The event was held last Oct. 8-11, 2008 in Los Baños, Laguna. 

A total of eighteen (18) participants from nine (9) municipalities across the nation attended, namely: Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan; Sta. Ignacia, Tarlac; Sta. Elena, Camarines Norte; Sta. Teresita, Batangas; San Enrique, Negros Occidental; Corella, Bohol; Anahawan, Southern,Leyte; Buenavista, Guimaras; and, Opol, Misamis Oriental. 

The training team consisted of the main resource person, Prof. Fredelita Guiza of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM); the main facilitator, Mr. Rommel Martinez of the MDC; the training support team from the MDC and a documenter.  Participants had the opportunity to learn from the experiences of MDC champion mayors like DENR ASEC Gerardo V. Calderon (former mayor of Angono, Rizal) and Ms. Estelita Aquino (former mayor of Moncada, Tarlac), and the host, Mayor Caesar Perez of Los Baños. ASEC Gerardo V. Calderon discussed the rationale, health and environmental impacts and legal framework of ISWM. Prof. Fredelita Guiza lectured on the learning overview as well as an introduction to social marketing. Mayor Caesar Perez and Ms. Estelita Aquino shared their challenges and joys of introducing ISWM to their respective towns. Read more...

Extending technical assistance and livelihood skills training to the marginalized sector of the community, Rizal Technological University (RTU), through its Department of Extension Service Office (DES) represented by its Director Dr. Carmel T. Mosura, tied up with the European IT Service Center (EITSC) to provide Basic Computer Literacy and English Proficiency training to out-of-school youth and underprivileged members of society.

Headed by its Executive Director Mr. Dominic Sabado and Program Specialist Ms. Margaret Calupitan, the EITSC, a non-stock, non-profit foundation, is implementing a five-year project in partnership with Hanns Seidel Foundation and co-funded by the European Commission dubbed “Getting Human Resources Back on Track”. The project aims to increase the workforce for the IT and Business Process Outsourcing industries by providing relevant training to students, graduates, teachers, and professionals as well as the unemployed and urban poor women and youth. This is a progressive approach to help reduce poverty by developing IT/BPO human resource with underprivileged backgrounds and deficient skills. Read more...

On the occasion of the celebration of the 1st anniversary of the Human Rights Affairs Office (HRAO) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) held on July 14, 2008 at the PNP Headquarters in Quezon City, Police Director General Avelino Razon, assisted by Chairperson Leila de Lima of the Commission on Human Rights, presented to the Hanns Seidel Foundation/Germany (HSF) a Plaque of Appreciation in recognition of HSF’s support in the implementation of the PNP Human Rights Development Program.

For 2008, HSF has provided assistance in the conduct of Human Rights Training of Trainers, Deepening Seminars on Human Rights, and Community-based Dialogue Sessions on Human Rights between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the PNP, and the Civil Society Organizations and Local Communities as well as the publication of a Compendium on International and National Laws on Human Rights.

Aside from HSF, plaques of appreciation were also awarded to several institutions for their respective contributions, namely:  the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), University of the Philippines Institute of Human Rights (PIHR) and Ateneo Human Rights Center.