Genuine NGOs raise howl

MANILA, Philippines - A coalition of non-governmental organizations lamented yesterday that the P10-billion pork barrel fund scandal has besmirched the reputation of NGOs with genuine programs.

Eden Divinagracia, executive director of the Philippine NGO Council on Population, Health and Welfare Inc. (PNGOC), said public perception of NGOs has changed since the pork barrel scam broke out.

“With the high-profile case bombarding the ordinary Filipino’s consciousness almost everyday since the scandal surfaced, it is but natural that the mere mention of the word NGO would conjure images of billions of pesos being methodically stolen from unsuspecting taxpayers,” Divinagracia said in a statement.

She said the controversy had cast serious doubts on the legality and missions of NGOs in general, to the detriment of the beneficiaries of the legitimate ones.

“The extent of the plunder and malversation of public funds in connection with the biggest swindling case to hit the country is indeed appalling,” she added.

She urged those in the NGO community not to be demoralized and “to watch the unfolding events very closely without losing sight of policies they are currently implementing.”

PNGOC is composed of 97 NGO members that advocate the welfare and protection of women and children.

Divinagracia also expressed apprehension that the pork barrel scam would take its toll on legitimate advocacies like the implementation of Republic Act No. 1035 or the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RP/RH) Law.

“Pending the implementation of the law, women are placed in a disadvantaged position. They will continue to be vulnerable to maternal health complications in the wake of the Supreme Court’s status quo ante order stopping the government from implementing the RP/RH Law,” she said.

The law is one of the landmark legislations slated for discussion in the 7th Asia-Pacific Conference on Reproductive Sexual Health Rights to be held for the second time in Manila in January.

The conference is a civil society-led regional forum for inclusive participatory dialogue on sexual and reproductive health rights.

The gathering was conceptualized during the progress review of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in The Hague, Netherlands in 1999.

Divinagracia said the conference is set to look at the “roles and accountability of different stakeholders, lessons learned and issues and challenges in realizing country commitments to the ICPD Program of Action and in attaining the UN’s sexual reproductive health and rights-related Medium-term Development Goals.”

More than 3,000 participants from all over the world are expected to attend the conference.

Leading the list are representatives from women’s organizations, youths, policymakers, program managers, health professionals, researchers, interfaith groups, social scientists, activists and international donor agencies.

The first conference was convened in Manila in 2001 by the PNGOC while subsequent conferences with varying sexual reproductive health and rights themes were held in Bangkok (2003), Kuala Lumpur (2005), Hyderabad (2007), Beijing (2009), and Yogyakarta (2011).