2007-01-26: General Update

There is a whole lot going on but we do not wish to tip our hand too much and provide potential adversaries with an advantage, so we’ll stick with the mundane for this update.

We must note the high-level policy forum of January 19 regarding the future of the LRA, especially because of the involvement of the World Bank. The WB is probably still smarting from the lessons served up by the very savvy President Marcos more than 20 years ago but that is no reason for them to influence ongoing withholding of the GOLD, much less is it cause for them to interfere with straightening out the land titles issue. Year after year HB #1573 sponsored by Congressman Marcelino Libanan--an Act penalizing issuance of false titles--sits without being acted upon. There is still some hope that the land titles issue and the ‘Marcos’ Gold issue will be addressed in the upcoming elections.

Board Member Professor Jaime Ramirez returned from an investigative trip to Cagayan de Oro with much to report about the plight of the IPs there--and the hope that the Foundation can work with them to alleviate some of their problems. As with other IP situations (such as the Dumagats with whom we have been working), it really just depends on developing RIGHTEOUS political will!

Keep copying those Powerpoint CDs, people: We need AWARENESS going into elections!!