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CONTACT US:

 

Social Watch Philippines

#40 Matulungin St.

Central Village,

Quezon City

 

Contact nos.

Telefax: +63 02 4265626

Tel No.:  +63 02 4265632

 

Email: sowatphils@gmail.com

 
Text Box: ALTERNATIVE BUDGET INITIATIVE • FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT • MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS • LOCALIZING THE MDGS Text Box: Alternative poverty estimates say progress is too slow to achieve the Millennium Development Goals By Social Watch International Contrary to repeated mainstream claims that poverty is diminishing fast in the world, the coverage of the basic needs required to escape poverty is slowing down and even regressing in many places, says the 2008 Basic Capabilities Index (BCI) released yesterday in New York by Social Watch , a network of more than 400 civil society organizations in 70 countries. More Text Box: CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS URGE CONGRESS TO ADOPT PEOPLE’S ALTERNATIVE BUDGET PROPOSAL “Protect the poor from the economic slowdown.” This is the call of orange-clad members of the Alternative Budget Initiative (ABI) members as they trooped to the House of Representatives Session Hall Lobby holding orange umbrellas as symbols of protection for millions of poor Filipinos. Members of the ABI campaign, which is globally recognized as one of the best practices in budget advocacy, attended the last day of Congress’ plenary sessions on the 2009 budget to urge the Representatives to adopt the alternative budget proposals formulated by civil society groups and their partner legislators. “We challenge Congress to scrutinize the executive budget and adjust it to account for the emerging worse scenarios for the rest of the year and for 2009,” said Prof. Leonor Briones, lead convenor of Social Watch Philippines which organized the ABI. “This entails prioritizing essential social programs that will protect the poor, and spur the domestic economy, which are what the civil society’s alternative budget proposal enshrines,” the former national treasurer added. More