Open Doors 2012: Highlights of the first day

During the WELCOME REMARKS (A. Gregorio-Medel, ANSA-EAP), we heard how ANSA-EAP is fueled by dynamic partnerships with practitioners:

• Since its inception in 2008, ANSA-EAP has been welcoming novel ideas from citizen partners, including the young.
• The sustainability of governance reform rests on dynamic and constructive partnerships. Like “mabuhay! (long live!)”, the Filipino greeting used to welcome friends, ANSA-EAP has been aiming to give life to multistakeholder partnerships between and among government, civil society, and citizens in its four priority countries—Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Philippines—and in the other countries in the region.
• At this juncture, the network is wrapping up its entry phase and transitioning to a more dynamic state (consolidation phase). Four years is too short to give life to the social accountability mission.
• The network stands on the shoulders of its partners. Together, we continue to approximate the vision of a better world through social accountability (SAc).

The Aquino Government’s Commitment to Social Accountability

Keynote speech by Sec. Florencio B. Abad delivered last June 27, 2011 during the ONE. ANSA global event

In his inaugural speech on June 30, 2010, the Philippines’ new president, Benigno Aquino III, addressed the Filipino people and said, “Kayo ang boss ko (You are my boss).”

In those four words, President Aquino expressed his unqualified commitment to  accountability to the Filipino people. No Filipino president has ever expressed this as directly and simply as he has.  

President Aquino is a non-traditional politician who came to power in a non-traditional way. He never aspired to be president, but the death of his mother, the former president and revered democratic icon Corazon Aquino, caused the people to turn to him and say  “You must continue the legacy of your mother.”  

Cory Aquino’s death came at a time when the Filipino people were growing hopeless and cynical under a government that was mired in graft and corruption. After marching for 20 hours to bring their beloved leader to her final resting place, the people realized what a great loss Cory Aquino was, and how they had allowed the corrupt leaders at the time to squander the gains that the country had made under Cory Aquino’s leadership. 

It seemed as if the death of Cory Aquino gave the people the resolve not to let good government die with her. It rekindled in their hearts the fire that brought about the people power revolution of 1986, which toppled the dictator and catapulted Cory Aquino to power.