Institute of Politics and Governance

Republic of the Philippines
Supreme Court
Manila
(continued)

THE PARTIES The Petitioners

1. Petitioner Alternative Center for Organizational Reforms and Development, Inc. (ACORD) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at the Second Floor, Ever Theater Building, Tomas Claudio Street, Zamboanga City. ACORD is a non-governmental organization with capability-building programs and services on local governance. ACORD is represented in this Petition by its Executive Director, Mr. Romeo C. Bacharo.

2. Petitioner Balay Mindanaw Foundation, Inc. (BMFI), is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at 63-a 12th Street, Zone 2, Bgy. Upper Bulua, Cagayan De Oro City. BMFI is a Mindanao-based non-governmental organization engaged in sustainable integrated area development towards building empowered sustainable communities. It is represented in this Petition by its Executive Director, Mr. Charlito Manlupig.

3. Petitioner BARRIOS, Inc., is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at Lot 9, Block 4, Aquino St., Doña Soledad Subdivision, Labangal, 9500 General Santos City. It is represented in this Petition by its Executive Director, Mr. Mario Aguja.

4. Petitioner Camarines Sur NGO-PO Development Network, Inc. (CADENET) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at CASAFI Compound, Liboton Street, Naga City. CADENET is a network of non-governmental and people’s organizations operating in the province of Camarines Sur who decided to come together in 1993 to advance the agenda of people’s participation in governance processes in Naga City and the province of Camarines Sur. CADENET is represented in this Petition by its Executive Director, Ms. Marilou Perez-Capucao.

5. Petitioner Center for Participatory Governance (CPAG) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at 59-I Jennifer’s Apartment, Gen. Echaves St., Cebu City. CPAG is a Cebu-based resource center for local governance and active citizenship. It seeks to institutionalize the precepts of people empowerment and harness the ideals of genuine people participation towards principled partnership with the government. CPAG is represented in this Petition by its Executive Director, Mr. Alvin M. Dizon.

6. Petitioner Environmental Legal Assistance Center, Inc. (ELAC) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at No. 14 Queens Road, Cebu City 6000. ELAC is a non-governmental organization that seeks to protect and assert environmental rights and equitable access and control of the natural resources of the Philippines. It is represented in this Petition by its Executive Director, Atty. Andres Canivel.

7. Petitioner Fellowship for Organizing Endeavors (FORGE) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at Door No. 4 Middle Road, Queens Road, Cebu City. FORGE works with the urban poor and believes that through its core program – community organizing – a gender-sensitive and ecologically balanced society where the marginalized sectors are culturally, spiritually, economically, and politically empowered will be achieved. It is represented in this Petition by its Program Officer, Ms. Ma. Estela P. Vasquez.

8. Petitioner Foundation for Local Autonomy and Good Governance, Inc. (FLAGG) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at No. 92-A Masikap Extension, Central District, Diliman, Quezon City. FLAGG seeks to uphold the autonomy of local governments and the accountability of both national and local governments. It is represented in this Petition by its President, Mr. Roberto Pagdanganan.

9. Petitioner Institute of Politics and Governance (IPG) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at No. 44 Maginhawa Street, UP Village, Quezon City. IPG is a non-governmental organization that works to further democratic governance in the Philippines by pushing for the implementation of genuine local autonomy and governance, the strengthening of barangay governance, education for active citizenship, and greater participation of women in governance. IPG is represented in this Petition by its Executive Director, Ms. Maritona Victa-Labajo.

10. Petitioner KAISAHAN para sa Kaunlaran ng Kanayunan at Repormang Pansakahan (KAISAHAN) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at No. 43 Masikap Street, Barangay Pinyahan, Quezon City. KAISAHAN is a social development organization established in 1990 to assist in the promotion of a sustainable and humane society through the empowerment of marginalized groups in rural areas. It assists these sectors in undertaking their own development priorities and participating in local democratic processes. It is represented in this Petition by its Executive Director, Mr. Tomasito S. Villarin.

11. Petitioner Manggagawang Kababaihang Mithi ay Paglaya (Makalaya) is a non-stock non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at No. 102 Scout De Guia Street, Barangay Sacred Heart, Quezon City. MAKALAYA is an organization of women workers from formal and informal labor that organizes, educates, mobilizes and advocates for gender equality and social justice; to develop their potential as leaders towards freedom and women’s empowerment in society. It is represented in this Petition by its Chairperson, Ms. Teresita Borgoños.

12. Petitioner Naga City People’s Council (NCPC) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at CASAFI Compound, Liboton Street, Naga City. NCPC started as an organization of the non-governmental/people’s organization community in Naga City, which had long been operating and involved in various government programs and activities. With the passage of the Naga City People Empowerment Ordinance in 1995, NCPC gained the recognition and acknowledgment of the local government of Naga City. NCPC is now represented in Naga City’s local development council and other local special bodies. As a network of accredited non-governmental and people’s organizations, NCPC seeks to lead a common direction for non-governmental and people's organizations in terms of partnership with the local government of Naga City. NCPC is represented in this Petition by its Vice Chairperson for External Affairs, Mr. Rolando V. Salazar.

13. Petitioner NGO-PO Council of Camarines Sur for Community Participation and Empowerment, Inc. (NPCCS) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at CASAFI Compound, Liboton Street, Naga City. NPCCS is an aggrupation of accredited non-governmental and people’s organizations operating in the municipalities of the province of Camarines Sur, in particular, and the entire province, in general. To date, it has a membership of 45 non-governmental and people's organizations. NPCCS is represented in this Petition by one of the members of its Board of Trustees, Atty. Nelson Legacion.

14. Petitioner Pailig Development Foundation, Inc. (PDFI) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at No. 13 Bauhina Orchids Street, San Miguel Village, Pala-o, Iligan City. It is a service agency committed to the development of the 44 barangays of Iligan City through democratic people’s participation. It is represented in this Petition by its Executive Director, Mr. Antonio M. Liao.

15. Petitioner Philippine Ecumenical Action for Community Empowerment Foundation, Inc. (PEACE Foundation, Inc.) is a non-stock, not-for-profit, non-sectarian and national network of social development organizations and provincial non-governmental organizations committed in the development of community-based resource tenure, duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at No. 262 15th Avenue, Cubao, Quezon City. It is a broad based sector network working for the empowerment of stakeholders in their community resources. It is represented in this Petition by the Chairman of its Board of Trustees, Mr. Oscar F. Santos.

16. Petitioner Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA) is a non-stock, non-profit organization engaged in rural development, duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at No. 59 C. Salvador Street, Loyola Heights, Quezon City. Established in 1984 as a nationwide network of non-governmental organizations responding to rural poverty and underdevelopment, PhilDHRRA has sixty-five member organizations whose collective spread covers some seventy of the seventy-five provinces in the country. PhilDHRRA is represented in this Petition by its National Coordinator, Mr. Philip Peñaflor.

17. Petitioner Pilipina, Inc. (Ang Kilusan ng Kababaihang Pilipino) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at Room 203 PSSC Building, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City. Pilipina is a mass-based feminist organization, which affirms the vision of a transformed society in which both women, and men shall possess dignity, autonomy and equality. It works for women’s full participation in public governance, with stress on public office and movements for social change. Pilipina is represented in this Petition by its National Coordinator, Ms. Elizabeth U. Yang.

18. Petitioner Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal (SALIGAN) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at Ground Floor, Hoffner Building, Social Development Complex, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City. SALIGAN is a legal resource non-governmental organization, an alternative law group composed mostly of lawyers, doing developmental legal work with farmers, workers, the urban poor, women, and local communities. SALIGAN has a local governance program that focuses on the democratization of local governance and the effective participation of the people in local governance. SALIGAN is represented in this Petition by its Executive Director, Atty. Raissa H. Jajurie.

19. Petitioner Urban Land Reform Task Force (ULR-TF) is a non-stock, non-profit corporation duly organized and existing under Philippine laws, with address at No. 8, Alley 8, Project 6, Quezon City. ULR-TF is a national coalition of urban poor organizations. It seeks to develop concrete resolutions of selected urgent issues in the urban poor communities. It also works for urban poor representation in all levels of governance. ULR-TF is represented in this Petition by its President, Mr. Fidel Rancio.

20. Petitioner ADELINO C. LAVADOR is a Filipino, of legal age and with business address at No. 8, Alley 8, Project 6, Quezon City. She is a member of the Barangay Development Council of Barangay Culiat, Quezon City. Petitioner ISABEL MENDEZ is a Filipino, of legal age and with business address at the Barangay Hall, Barangay Atabay, Alcoy, Cebu. She is the duly elected Punong Barangay of Barangay Atabay, Alcoy, Cebu. She is authorized by a Sanggunian Barangay Resolution to be one of the petitioners in this case. A copy of the resolution is attached to this Petition as Annex E. Petitioner CAROLINA ROMANOS is a Filipino, of legal age and with business address at the Barangay Hall, Barangay Daang Lungsod, Alcoy, Cebu. She is the duly elected Punong Barangay of Barangay Daang Lungsod, Alcoy, Cebu. She is authorized by a Sanggunian Barangay Resolution to be one of the petitioners in this case. A copy of the resolution is attached to this Petition as Annex F.

21. The petitioners are taxpayers and Filipino citizens or non-stock, non-profit corporations composed of Filipino citizens. The petitioners can be served summons and other processes through the undersigned counsel at the address stated below.

22. The petitioners are bringing this case as real parties in interest and as a class suit in their capacity as taxpayers and citizens, for themselves and in behalf of all taxpayers and citizens similarly situated. The petitioners are filing this Petition for themselves and others who are similarly situated but are so numerous that it is impracticable to bring them all before the Honorable Court.