Group launches Tagalog policy source books

MANILA, Philippines - A human rights institution on Friday launched a Tagalog policy source book to help farmers, the fisherfolk, and the urban poor learn, through their own language, issues on empowerment, their rights, the law, among others. The Economic, Social and Cultural Rights–Asia (ESCR–Asia) presented to government and civil society representatives the book “Legal Empowerment: Kalagin ang Bigkis ng Kahirapan," a Tagalog version of an English-language policy resource book on empowering the masses through the knowledge of law. The 2nd edition of “The Way Forward: A Policy Resource Book on Legal Empowerment of the Poor in the Philippines" upon which the popular version was based was also introduced. Both versions contain four themes: access to justice and the rule of law; property rights; labor rights; and legal mechanisms to empower informal businesses. “The ignorance of the laws and policies disable [the poor] to protect themselves against coercion, creating situations where they no longer have control over their lives and future," said ESCR–Asia in a statement. The books “were published to raise consciousness, educate and involve the various stakeholders in making the law work for everyone," with the popular version concentrated on making the law more understandable to people from the grassroots, said ESRC–Asia. “Itong popular version will be very useful to us…Madaling basahin, very interesting," said Lina Sarmiento, chief of the Philippine National Police Human Rights Affairs Office. She said the ESRC–Asia publications inspired her to initiate a popular version of the PNP Citizens’ Handbook, which is currently in the works. “Malaking tulong po ang pagbibigay ng kaalaman sa iba’t ibang batas," said Josephine Parilla, of the Pambansang Tagapag-ugnay ng mga Manggagawa sa Bahay. ESRC–Asia executive director Resurreccion T. Lao said a Cebuano version of the policy resource book is also in the works. The first edition of “The Way Forward" was launched in 2007 and publicized in early 2008 through a caravan that navigated through areas in the Visayas and Mindanao. The popular version and the 2nd edition of “The Way Forward" were produced by ESRC–Asia in coordination with the United Nations Development Program, University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance, the UN High Level Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway. - GMANews.TV