"Kyoto Philippine Forum"

Date&Time:

9:00 - 18:00, March 21 (Wed), 2007

Place:

Room 207 on the 2nd Floor, East Building, CSEAS, Kyoto University

Title:

The May Elections and Peace Prospects in Moro Mindanao

Rationale:

In May 2007, the Philippines will have another round of general elections for the two houses of its legislature and for provincial and city officials. The outcome of the elections will determine whether President Gloria Arroyo will be able to continue to pursue her policies or face the rest of her term constantly being hampered by her opponents in the legislature. In the southern island of Mindanao, Arroyo also faces another challenge: making sure that a peace agreement be signed between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that would finally bring peace in the war-torn island. The only other option should the negotiations fail is to return to the battlefield.
      In this forum, panelists will discuss these two "flashpoints" in present Philippine politics. The panelists represenvting academia, the NGO sector, and social movements will discuss the factors that make the elections and the peace process vital to the survival of the Arroyo presidency. They will also re-examine the benefits and problems arising from the return of constitutional politics in the country, especially the role of crime and corruption in tarnishing the process.

Panelists:

Mr. Ricardo Reyes (Former Secretary-General, AKBAYAN Party-list)
Dr. Nathan Gilbert Quimpo (Associate Professor, Tsukuba University)
Prof. Rufa Guiam (Visiting Fellow, Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, and Professor, Mindanao State University)
Prof. Jorge Tigno (Department of Political Science, University of the Philippines)

a project jointly sponsored by　the Center for Southeast Asian Studies and the Kyoto Association of Philippine Students, KAPS