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PRESS RELEASE

Let poor & marginalized groups influence policymaking for pro-poor, pro-equality policies| SWP Press Release 28 June 2019
SOCIALWATCH PHILS·THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2019

Citizen's watchdog Social Watch Philippines Co-Convenor Dr. Maria Victoria Raquiza, in a series of lectures under the Executive Course for the New Members of the 18th Congress of the Philippines, tells neophyte legislators that studies show that when poor and socially excluded groups are able to influence public policymaking, the chances of crafting pro-poor, pro-equality policies and having better development outcomes are higher. This is the reason, she says, that citizens’ meaningful participation matter for reducing poverty and inequality, statistics for which remain alarmingly high, despite the country’s high growth rates. She further highlights that citizens’ collective and direct political action such as through dialogue, petition-signing and mass actions are vital to generating shifts in power and ensuring that politicians respond to social needs. Citing the 1987 Philippine Constitution, Dr. Raquiza emphasized the role of the State in “freeing the people from poverty” –which means not just poverty alleviation but poverty eradication, and that the Constitution recognizes the role of NGOs, community-based, or sectoral organizations in promoting the welfare of the nation.

PRESS RELEASE

Social Watch Philippines and AKTIB lead World No Tobacco Day campaign all over Metro Manila | SWP Press Release 31 May 2019
SOCIALWATCH PHILS·SUNDAY, JUNE 16, 2019

Social Watch Philippines (SWP), and partner grassroots-based organization, Aktibong Kilusan Tungo sa Iisang Bayan (AKTIB) launch activities on World No Tobacco Day 2019 with the theme “Choose health not tobacco” on May 31, 2019, Friday, in various areas of Metro Manila.

SWP and AKTIB are proponents of the “Tax Tobacco to the Max” and “Smoke-Free Environment” movements to promote health in Filipino communities, as well as the Universal Health Care for Filipinos. The “Tax Tobacco to the Max” movement in particular is crucial to the fruition of the Universal Health Care for Filipinos, as deficits of its funding can be bridged by raising the tax of tobacco products. Smoking is also one of the leading causes of death among Filipinos as it claims over 100,000 lives every year. By raising the taxes on tobacco and promoting smoke-free environments, SWP and AKTIB seek to promote the health and wellness of the Filipino people

PRESS RELEASE

A Call to PRRD: Please intervene and call on Congress to pass the Sin Tax Law! | SWP Press Release 27 May 2019
SOCIALWATCH PHILS·MONDAY, MAY 27, 2019

Social Watch Philippines a civil society watchdog, appeals to President Rodrigo R. Duterte to proactively intervene and prod legislators, especially his partymates and supporters in Congress, to act swiftly and enact a Sin Tax Law. The said law is designed to increase taxes on cigarettes and is geared toward reducing smoking prevalence among Filipinos as well as generate much-needed revenues for the country’s landmark Universal Health Care (UHC) program. While President Duterte has issued a certificate of urgency on the matter, with 6 days left in session in the 17th congress, the fate of the sin tax bill hangs in the balance.

PRESS RELEASE

A Call to the Outgoing 17th Congress: Enact the Law Taxing ‘Tobacco to the Max’ Now | SWP Press Release 24 May 2019
SOCIALWATCH PHILS·FRIDAY, MAY 24, 2019

Social Watch Philippines (SWP), a citizens’ watchdog, appeals to the legislators of the 17th Congress to enact a good sin tax law before it adjourns on June 5, 2019.While they recognize that the 17th Congress has already done much in the performance of its duty by legislating laws for the improvement of livelihoods, infrastructure, better and equitable access to education and health, they note that there remains unfinished work, namely, the need to finally enacting a good sin tax law to further increase the tax on cigarettes by PhP60 per pack and a 9 percent annual incremental increase thereafter.

Even before the start of the 2019 elections, various senate bills to increase taxes on tobacco have been languishing for over a year in the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, particularly, those of Sen. JV Ejercito (at PhP90 per pack), Sen. Gatchalian (at PhP70 per pack) and Sen. Pacquiao (at PhP60 per pack).

Features

Towards Coherent Policies for Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs) in the Philippines:
A Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Inputs to the Voluntary National Review (VNR) 2019

The upcoming 2019 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in July in New York with the theme, “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality,” spurred Social Watch Philippines (SWP) and other organizations on to facilitate a process for civil society organizations from different sectors towards engaging the Philippine government on the Voluntary National Review (VNR). With around 70 CSO participants, a consultation workshop Towards Coherent Policies for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Philippines: Civil Society Organizations (CSO) Inputs to the Voluntary National Review (VNR) was held on February 7 to 8, 2019 in Quezon City, Philippines.

The ultimate objective of the CSO Consultation Workshop was to provide a participatory and
inclusive process in crafting a parallel report that will spotlight the issues and themes important to civil
society, and provide an alternative lens to the official reading of the status of SDGs in the Philippines.
Specifically, the workshop aimed to gather the rich and diverse perspectives of the CSOs on the current
status of SDGs in the country with particular focus on the key themes of the 2019 HLPF.

Random Reflections on Day One of the UN Summit

Security was tight during the Papal address at the Opening Plenary of the UN Summit, so I missed these events as only a few civil society representatives could be accommodated, but certainly this was better than Addis Ababa during the 3rd Financing for Conference. The UN General Assembly formally adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the opening session without further debate as the document had gone through months of debates ad revisions before Member States agreed on the final text.

Ex-treasurer scores P282.2-billion presidential ‘pork’ for ‘Yolanda’

Former National Treasurer and Social Watch Philippines Convenor Prof. Leonor Magtolis-Briones questioned the P282.5-billion “presidential pork,” which is way higher than the P33-billion rehabilitation funds for Yolanda victims. She said a huge portion of the P2.264-trillion national budget for 2014 included the Special Purpose Funds (SPF) worth P282.5 billion, or the “lump-sum appropriations.” She said these funds replaced the controversial P25.6-billion pork-barrel funds that were realigned in key line agencies. Briones said it is not surprising that these funds are now the so-called presidential pork, since the disbursements will only be upon approval of President Aquino.

Programs

Social Development and MDGS

Healing the World and
Making it a Better Place

The world free of poverty is yet to be. What we are seeing now is a World that is hurting, and so deeply that there seems to be no relief or end in sight. It is now 20 years from Rio when and where most everyone agreed humanity was at a defining moment. Back then, we thought we had the answer. Now, we are not sure anymore. The human race and the planet are ailing and the present is not the future we wanted 20 years ago.

Alternative Budget Initiative

Reclaiming the People’s Purse

Public funds came from the people and should therefore be utilized primarily to ensure better quality of life for the people. But dowe hear actual voices of slum dwellers, indigenous people, farmers, fishers and persons with disabilities when the local and national budgets are being formulated and planned? Peoples’ money should improve people’s lives. Government invested billions of public funds to end poverty; but global and national economic growth left 1.9 billion people poorer and hungrier and with less opportunity for shelter, healthcare and education.

People's Public Finance Institute (PPFI)

SWP spearheads the ceation of People's Public Finance Institute, a learning center for both state and non-state actors towards making public fiance a major concern of every citizen; not just of a very small group of experts. The institute set-ups local learning hubs based in unversities and operated by pool of cadres from the academe committed to share expertise and engage the public finance processes.

Regional and Global Initiatives

Social Watch Asia and
Social Watch International

At the global level, Social Watch engages governments, the UN system, and international organizations for the fulfillment of national, regional and international commitments to eradicate poverty and achieve social progress. It regularly monitors progress and shortfall in social development based on the government’s commitment to various international conferences and agreements as consolidated in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Social Watch Philippines (SWP) turn over 200,000 signatures to Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito in support of the passage of the Universal Health Care bill and Tobacco Tax Increase bill on Thursday, September 20 during a Manila Youth Leader’s Assembly held at Polytechnic University of the Philippines Sta Mesa.

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Social Watch Philippines National Assembly

People's Public Finance Institute Workshops