Press Release
December 28, 2012

300 LAWMAKERS TO ATTEND 2013 GLOBAL ANTI-CORRUPTION
CONFAB IN MANILA

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - Close to 300 parliamentarians from six continents worldwide will troop to Manila next month to attend the 5th Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC). They will be joined by 144 Philippine lawmakers, the largest contingent to the conference.

Senator Edgardo J. Angara, Vice Chair of GOPAC Executive Committee and the Charter President of the Southeast Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC), said the Manila hosting of GOPAC 2013, a historic first, is a vote of confidence on the Aquino administration's anti-corruption efforts.

"Achieving good governance and fighting corruption can be strengthened by building networks among institutions. International cooperation is a key ingredient. Just as corruption transcends borders, so too must we fight it on a transnational level," Angara said.

President Benigno Aquino III will keynote the four-day conference that will run from January 30 to February 2.

Among the foreign speakers are Huguette Labelle, former Deputy Minister of Canada and Chairperson of the Board of Transparency International and Ghassan Moukheiber, Vice Chairman of the Arab Region Parliamentarians Against Corruption.

GOPAC is the only parliamentary network with the singular focus of combating corruption.

"We want to show the whole world, especially the developed world, how we, the Philippines and the rest of Asia, are making strides in fighting corruption in our backyard," Angara said.

The 2013 GOPAC Conference will have the theme, "Good Laws. Good Leaders. Good Citizens."

Mr. Aquino earlier ordered government agencies to assist the Senate in hosting the conference.

The President said hosting the GOPAC convention will highlight and establish the country's earnest determination to eliminate corruption and poverty in all fronts.

"It is essential for the executive department and other government agencies to assist in the preparations for, and ensure the success of the GOPAC Conference here in the Philippines," he said.

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