CCCI to join People’s Forum 2007

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. will participate in the People’s Forum 2007, a non-partisan, bottoms-up (participatory) approach towards good governance where the constituents will have the opportunity to define and present their priority concerns and needs to the candidates of the 2007 Elections.

The forum is scheduled on Monday, April 23 for Cebu City mayoralty candidates Mayor Tomas Osmeña at 10:30 a.m. and Lahug barangay captain Mary Ann delos Santos at 1:30 p.m.

Meanwhile, another forum is set for the Cebu gubernatorial candidates which will take place on the next day April 24 with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia at 10:30 a.m. and Rep. Antonio Yapha at 1:30 p.m.

The venue for both forums will be at the Eduardo Aboitiz Development Studies Center in Lopez Jaena Street, Cebu City.

The said forum provides a venue for consultation and feedbacking, thus, promotes collaboration among various sectors in civil society, private sector and government.

It also adheres to the principles of good governance - people participation, transparency, accountability, equality, and rule of law and responsiveness.

Each sector will be represented by at most three representatives during the forum and will submit three priority issues for consolidation and inclusion in the People’s Agenda.

The representatives will interact with the candidates during the forum and will be given the chance to raise on the floor their concerns to the candidate for discussion. CCCI will be represented by its trustees Virgilio Crystal - chairman of the CCCI transportation committee, Felix Taguiam - chairman of the North Reclamation Area Beautification Project; Hermelo Parot - president of Cebu Bankers Club; and Rufilo Toledo - president of the Cebu Realtors Board, Inc.

The members of the Cebu Convenor’s Group are Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc.; Kaabag sa Sugbo, Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in the Rural Areas, Barug Pilipino, UP Cebu Prof. Felisa Etemadi, Handicapped’s Anchor is Christ, Inc.; Urban Poor Alliance Cebu, Fellowship for Organizing Endeavors Inc., Cebu City United Vendors Association, Share a Child Movement Inc., Mag-uumad Foundation, Inc.; Senior Citizens Partylist, Gawad Kalinga Youth, Transparochial Migrants Inc., University of San Carlos-Political Science Department and the CCCI. — Gregg M. Rubio/MEEV