Welcoming the World’s Anti-Corruption Fighters to Manila, Philippines

Manila, Philippines is poised to welcome almost 500 delegates from 78 countries across the globe as it hosts one of the largest and most significant events in the worldwide movement against corruption. From January 30 to February 2, engaged parliamentarians, concerned government representatives and passionate civil society actors will connect, educate and absorb how legislatures can fight corruption at the Fifth Global Conference of Parliamentarians Against Corruption. The Senate of the Philippines, the Global Organization of Parliamentarians Against Corruption (GOPAC), the South East Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption (SEAPAC) and the GOPAC National Chapter in the Philippines have been working tirelessly throughout the year and are looking forward to welcoming everyone in two weeks.

For those joining us in Manila and active on social media, we invite you to use the hashtag #GOPAC2013 in all your tweets and Facebook posts.

If you unable to join us in Manila, you can follow all the latest news coming out of the Global Conference on Facebook, Twitter and the GOPAC Manila 2013 website.

Twitter

• @GOPACManila2013
• @GOPAC_ENG
• @edangara
• @AkaashMaharaj
• @JohnHydeMLA

Facebook

• GOPAC Manila 2013
• GOPAC

Website

• GOPAC Manila 2013

What to Expect on Day 1: The UNCAC, Parliamentary Oversight and Anti-Money Laundering

The first day of the Global Conference will open with a warm welcome from his Excellency, Benigno S. Aquino III, President of the Philippines and our keynote speaker for the opening ceremony. President Aquino will be joined by Senator Edgardo J. Angara, Conference Chair, and Dr. Naser Al Sane, GOPAC Chair.

The day’s sessions will begin with a discussion on the landmark global convention – the United Nation Convention Against Corruption in Session 1. Hon. Amadou Bouare, member of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) Global Task Force, will present along with Dmitri Vlassis, Chief of the Corruption and Economic Crime Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Whether you are interested in how the implementation of the UNCAC can be enhanced or are simply interested in how countries can work together to promote the UNCAC, this will be an opportunity to see global minds working to fight corruption.

At Session 2 on parliamentary oversight and the role of auditing in the fight against corruption, speakers and delegates will be challenged to answer the question: are lawma-

kers above the law? Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales from the Philippines will share her views on how immunity affects the work of a constitutionally-created and autonomous body such as the Ombudsman, as well as the importance of audit and transparency towards greater accountability in governance.

The day’s sessions will end with an increasingly challenging issue in Session 3 – the recovery of stolen assets. The enormous financial loss to a country’s GDP via stolen assets takes away immensely from its support to health services, infrastructure and access to water. It in fact exacerbates poverty and political instability. Hon. Roy Cullen, Chair of the Anti-Money Laundering Global Task Force will explain the intricacies of money laundering, the international laws that criminalize it, and how countries can successfully take action against it.

For a complete list of Conference Speakers, visit www.gopacmanila2013.com

Getting Ready for Day 2: Working with Civil Society, Parliamentary Ethics and Conduct, and the Women in Parliament

If you are interested in the right to information and civil society’s role in fighting corruption, join us on the second day of the Global Conference for Session 4. Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International, and Leila de Lima, Secretary of the Department of Justice of the Philippines, will lead the delegates in a discussion about Freedom of Information laws and the power information yields in the fight against corruption.

Session 5 on transparency in public procurement and business and civil oversight, running concurrently with Session 4, will explore the tools and experiences that show integrity and fairness in public procurement is indeed possible. Session Speakers Kyle Wombolt, head of Asia Investigations and Compliance and Hamid Sharif, Country Director of the People's Republic of China Resident Mission for Asian Development Bank, will lead discussions on how civil society and parliamentarians can work together to improve transparency in public procurement.

Following our lunch reception, join us at one of the following sessions which will be running concurrently.

Hon. Ghassan Moukheiber, Chair of GOPAC’s Parliamentary Ethics and Conduct Global Task Force and Laura Sanz-Levia, Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs for the Council of Europe will discuss codes of conduct and codes of ethics and how these rules and standards are implemented in Session 6.

Hon. Nurhayati Ali Assegaf will explore how some societies are increasing women's political participation and how these efforts can result in legislation that rebalances the scales for people who bear the brunt of corruption's consequences – the poor, and women and children in Session 7.

Dr. John II.C. Nye, George Mason University, and Professor Alberto Simpser, University of Chicago, will explore recent work at the boundaries of economics, psychology, and political science which give us clues to the crucial influence of human capital on social behavior in our Special Session on human capital, social capital and institutions.

For a complete list of Conference Speakers, visit www.gopacmanila2013.com

Opportunities to Meet the Delegates

The Global Conference is about much more that the daily sessions. It’s about members having a chance to mingle with anti-corruption fighters from all over the world, sharing experiences and finding solutions that fit from one country to another.

We will start the Global Conference this year with Pre-Conference Fellowships. We invite you join us on January 30th for either our Golf tournament or a tour of Intramuros. A visit to Intramuros will provide a glimpse of the Philippines’ rich history, culture, tradition and is a fitting introduction to Old Manila’s charm and sophistication.

The evening before the opening day of the Global Conference, Senator Edgardo J. Angara, GOPAC Vice-Chair and President of South East Asian Parliamentarians Against Corruption, will be welcoming delegates at a poolside reception at Hotel Sofitel. The following evening the Philippines’ Department of Tourism will host a cultural night and reception. On the first and second day of the conference, Hon. Juan Ponce-Enrile, President of the Senate of the Philippines and Hon. Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines, will each host lunch receptions.

Don’t Leave without a Lovely Tour of Manila

Your trip to the Global Conference this year will not be complete without one of our many guided post-tours. Whether you are captivated by local cuisine, history or scenery, there is a tour to suit your interests.

You can eat your way around Binondo, the Philippines’ Chinatown. This four hour walking tour around the streets of Binondo lets you take in Tsinoy (Chinese-Filipino) history through various Chinese specialties from its small and cozy restaurants. Have a taste of fried Chinese Lumpia, Kuchay Empanada and Misua Guisado at Quick Snack located along Carvajal Street; Kiampong Rice and Peanut Balls at Café Mezzanine; Kuchay Dumplings at Dong Bei Dumplings and the growing famous Beef Kan Pan of Lan Zhou La Mien.

If you’re a history buff, you can travel around the island of Corregidor taking in the island’s historical sites. Corregidor will take you to the time when Filipino, American, and Japanese soldiers shed blood for honor and country. Today, the island serves as a landmark of peace and freedom, reminding the present and future generations to defend liberty from oppression.

For more information on the many tours available, download our Tourism Brochures.