Press Release
October 8, 2007

Villar leads RP delegation to IPU

Senate President Manny Villar is leading the Philippine delegation to the 117th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) at the Centre international de Conferences de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland starting today (Oct 8) until Wednesday (Oct. 10).

Villar, member of the IPU Governing Council and president of the Philippine IPU National Group, is accompanied by colleagues Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., Sens. Pia Compañera Cayetano, M.A. "Jamby" Madrigal, Loren Legarda, and Alan Peter Cayetano as delegation members.

The Senate President said the participation of the Philippine Senate is significant, considering that among its priority legislation are human-rights oriented: the creation of the Commission on Missing Persons that will address situations like that of Jonas Burgos; the establishment of framework of International Humanitarian Laws in the Philippines; and a revitalized Philippine Commission on Human Rights.

"We are taking part in the assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Geneva as part of our responsibility to the worldwide family of parliaments," Villar, Nacionalista Party president, said.

"We hope to contribute significantly to dialogues on important international concerns especially the upholding of human rights across the globe," the Senate President said.

The agenda of the assembly includes panel discussions on: (1) The role of parliaments in striking a balance between national security, human security and individual freedoms, and in averting the threat to democracy; (2) parliamentary oversight of state policies on foreign aid; and (3) migrant workers, people trafficking, xenophobia and human rights.

The IPU, established in 1889, is the international organization of parliaments of sovereign states. It serves as the focal point for worldwide parliamentary dialogue towards peace, cooperation, and representative democracy.

Based in Geneva, the Union seeks to foster an exchange of experience among parliaments and parliamentarians of all countries, tackles international concerns, and contributes to the promotion of human rights as an essential factor of parliamentary democracy and development. Over 140 national parliaments are currently IPU members.

Villar left the country last Saturday, after successfully steering the passage of nine vital bills focusing on social justice - an early accomplishment on the part of the Senate in the First Regular Session.

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