Friday, October 10, 2008 Nograles off to Europe to attend IPU assembly
HOUSE Speaker Prospero Nograles is leading a House of Representatives delegation to the 119th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly from October 13 to 15 in Geneva, Switzerland.
The IPU is the international organization of parliaments of sovereign States established in 1889.
The Union is the focal point for worldwide parliamentary dialogue and works for peace and co-operation among peoples and for the firm establishment of representative democracy.
In a statement, Nograles said there is need for closer coordination among parliaments as policy-making institutions of all countries to address pressing issues like climate change, sustainable development and renewable energies.
"We will take this opportunity to coordinate with leaders of parliaments and strengthen cooperation on vital issues that affect both rich and developing nations," Nograles said.
"We must also move in concert with other nations to preserve and strengthen our democratic institutions by globally promoting the freedom of expression and the right of the public to information so they can actively and intelligently participate in decision-making," he added.
Other important issues that will be tackled by the IPU Assembly include advancing Nuclear non-Proliferation and disarmament; securing the entry into Force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty; and human rights.
"Parliaments have a pivotal role on these global issues on matters of policies and directions and we have this international commitment to the IPU as an active and leading member," Nograles said.
With Nograles, as head of delegation and representatives to the IPU Governing Council, are Rep. Mark Cojuangco as delegate and Rep. Eduardo Gullas as adviser to the delegation.
Also included as technical advisers are Reps. Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., Ma. Zenaida Angping; Jesus Crispin Remulla, Victor Ortega, Ma. Milagros Magsaysay, Amado Bagatsing and Rodolfo Plaza.
Since the early 1990s, the IPU has been working closely with the United Nations to make international relations and decision-making more transparent as well as more effective.
The IPU Secretariat said the idea is to create a two-way direct line of communication between the world?s foremost international organization (UN) and the national parliaments that are members of the IPU.
The IPU-UN interaction would greatly help monitor international negotiations and debates at the UN and related agencies; oversee the enforcement of what is adopted by governments; and ensuring national compliance with international norms and the rule of law.
The current IPU president is Pier Ferdinando Casini, who is former president of the Italian Chamber of Deputies. He was elected to this post for a three-year mandate on October 19, 2005 at the 177th session of the Governing Council of the IPU in Geneva.
It is most probable that the Speaker of the Indonesian Parliament, Hon. Agung Laksono, would succeed Casini whose term end this year. (BOT with PR)
