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Nationwide Launching of Change Politics Movement

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Exactly one year before the national elections on May 10, 2010, a citizen led movement to take back politics from the hands of politicians who betray the public trust will be launched on Sunday of May 10, 2009 at the Institute of Social Order (ISO), Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City. The program will begin at 8:30 and the press coverage is open from 11:00 a.m. The Press Conference will be at 12:30 noon.

The Change Politics Movement has a core group of community organizers and development workers who recognized the need to change politics to have positive change that we all yearn and aspire for the Philippines. The movement will undergo a selection process and will choose a set of candidates that will be endorsed by the movement.

Former DSWD Secretary and Hyatt 10 member Corazon ‘Dinky’ Soliman is part of this movement and will be facilitating the program and the press conference.

The launch will be simultaneously conducted in 10 places: Quezon City, Naga, Mandaue, Dumaguete, Borongan, Ormoc, Iloilo, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro and Davao. The different assembly points will be connected by an audio conference and video link.

Please come and be part of the history making action of taking the first step to change politics.

For more information contact:

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• Pete Rahon – 0917-7337152
• Patrick Lim – 0917-8144275
• email: mbagongpulitika@yahoo.co
• Visit our social network at http://changepolitics.ning.com

Venues:

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• Gymnasium of Eastern Samar Development Foundation, Boronggan, Eastern Samar
• Father Saturnino Urios University Butuan City, Caraga
• Student Training Center Lobby, Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro
• Holy Cross College Student Lounge, Davao City
• YMCA, 151 North Road, National Highway, Dumaguete City
• GSCEP BLdg., UP Visayas, Ilo-ilo City
• Social Development Center, P. Burgos St., Mandaue City
• Xavier Hall, Ateneo de Naga, Naga City
• Metro Ormoc Community Credit Cooperative, Arrazada St., Ormoc City
• Institute of Social Order, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City

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Nationwide Citizens Assemblies Clamor for Change Politics

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Demanding an end to Filipino politics-as-usual, citizens raised their voices yesterday in unprecedented internet-linked simultaneous assemblies in ten (10) areas across the country. One year before the May 2010 elections, core members of the newly formed Change Politics Movement (CPM) from more than 38 provinces and cities converged in Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, Ormoc, Borongan, Mandaue, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Naga and Quezon City, and were linked by live video-streaming and cellular phone calls into one concerted clamor for change politics. The assemblies also served to launch CPM, which now has 2,000 core members.

“We need to take back politics from corrupt politicians and make it the sacred covenant it is meant to be, between leaders and their constituencies,” declared Dinky Soliman, one of the interim national convenors of CPM.

“Civil society has long participated in politics from the periphery — remaining non-partisan, watching and waiting for reform as winning candidates take the reigns of power, only to be repeatedly frustrated. Not anymore. It is time for us ordinary people to actively engage ourselves and assert our right to choose leaders of integrity and accountability”, said Pepe Gasapo a community organizer and CPM leader in Mandaue City.

Jing Karaos, also an interim national convenor of CPM, added that “change politics is rooted in the participatory, people-driven nature of active citizenship”. Change politics is the practice of politics guided by the principles of transparency, honesty and integrity. It protects and respects the people’s economic, social, political and civil rights. It strengthens institutions of democracy and civic engagement. It upholds the right to self determination of all peoples and equal rights of the poor and the marginalized.

The Change Politics Movement will actively recruit new members, convene dialogues and discussions with candidates who are seen to embody change politics principles and agenda, hold deliberations among members and finally select the candidates that would be supported by the movement through text voting involving all CPM members.

Under the theme, “Baguhin ang Pulitika para sa Pulitika ng Pagbabago”, the Change Politics Movement will bring together citizens who desire to actively change politics so that the principles and practice of politics will bring positive change to governance and society as a whole.

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CPM Nomination Rolling in the Provinces

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Members of the Change Politics Movement are in the process of nominating candidates for 2010 National Elections. The nomination will end on 31 May 2009. Results will be posted at the latest June 2, 2009.

Below is the CPM time table:

SELECTION PROCESS OF THE CHANGE POLITICS SET OF CANDIDATES

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• 10 – 31 May 2009: Nomination Period
• 1 June – 31 July 2009: Deliberation Period
  • Only members whose registration has been received by the national secretariat as of 5:00 PM of July 24, 2009 will be allowed to vote.
  • The final list of nominees will be circulated to CPM members by email and SMS (text) and posted on the website on 30 July 2009.

• 3-4 August 2009: First Votation

• 5-8 August 5-8, 2009: Dissemination of Results of First Votation

• 12 August 2009: Final Vote and Selection

• 13 August 2009: Posting of all CPM-selected national candidates

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NCR Urban Poor Groups nominate for 2010

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The process was enriching and enlightening for the participants. A total of 24 participated in the nomination process. They came from the urban poor communities of Tatalon, Delpan, Pasig, and relocatees of Montalban. Some participants with kids in tow, came with their own baon (lunch) and paid for their own transport coming from their communities. However, not all were ready to pay the CPM membership fee on the spot.

Although the discussion became heated at times when participants defend their nominees and citing their own first hand accounts and experiences both bad and good, the nomination ended in goodwill. Some members admitted they are pro-Erap and agreed that he will not pass the CPM set criteria should he run again for president.

They acknowledge that through the process they were able to know more about the candidates and they were able to practice active citizenship.

Result of all the nominations being conducted that will culminate on May 31, 2009 will be collated and shared to all members of the Change Politics Movement. A deliberation period takes place for two months before the final voting in August 2009.