ANGARA TO ANNOUNCE UPCOMING
ANTI-CORRUPTION GLOBAL SUMMIT

Senator Edgardo J. Angara will be holding a press conference on Thursday, August 16, 11:00 a.m. at the Senate Recto Room to announce the details about the Fifth Global Conference of Parliamentarians Against Corruption, which will be held in Manila on January 31 to February 2, 2013.

Angara, Vice Chair of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC) Executive Committee and Charter President of Southeast Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC), will highlight the objectives of the conference and what the organization hopes to achieve in the coming years.

Senator Franklin Drilon and former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban will also be present at the press conference to discuss the government's ongoing campaign against corruption as well as the role of the legislature in promoting good governance. They will also provide a brief overview of the program.

"GOPAC is more than a talkfest. Previous conferences have been able to equip parliamentarians all over the world with the knowledge and tools they need to enact responsive and effective legislation that will fight and prevent corruption. We look forward to the results of next year's conference, which will go down in history as the 'Manila Declaration Against Corruption of 2012'," Angara said.

Angara added, "Being chosen as the venue of this important conference has made the country very proud and honored. "We consider this a strong vote of confidence in our commitment to stamp out corruption and bring about better governance--not only in the Philippines but across Southeast Asia."

The conference will carry the theme, "Good Leaders. Good Laws. Good Citizens". World-renowned leaders including current and former heads of states, members of the civil society, cabinet members, members of the judiciary and the academe are expected to attend the summit.

GOPAC is an international network of parliamentarians dedicated to good governance and combating corruption throughout the world. Since its inception, GOPAC has provided information and analysis, established international benchmarks, and improved public awareness through a combination of global pressure and national action.

Angara was the driving force behind the establishment of the SEAPAC which was formed to lead the regional anti-corruption effort in Southeast Asia on a coordinated and institutional basis. Parliamentarian-members from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines compose the membership of SEAPAC.

The veteran legislator sponsored landmark laws on government procurement, which radically overhauled the rules of bidding and awards in the public sector, and now stands as the country's biggest anti-corruption law. He also created the Ombudsman's Office and pushed for the ratification of the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) by the Philippine Senate.