Welcome Message from European Union Ambassador Alistair MacDonald

Workers’ Electoral Watch: National Labour Consultation
Welcome Message by EU Ambassador Alistair MacDonald,
Manila, 22 February 2010

Fr. Dizon, Mr. Natividad, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen – good morning. I was glad to join you this morning, and am very pleased to have the opportunity to address you on the occasion of today’s National Labour Consultation. And I’m even more pleased that the EU was able to support this project through the EIDHR – the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights.

Today is the 24th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA Revolution, which brought the Philippines back to its democratic path after years of martial law and conjugal dictatorship. I am convinced that the Philippine workers’ movement will contribute tremendously to the strengthening of democratic processes in 2010, via active participation in the first-ever automated national and local elections, just as it contributed to the overthrow of the dictatorship in 1986.

I would like to share with you this morning some thoughts on key EU policies on human rights, and then speak of our thoughts on the upcoming elections.

While the EU, with its origins, in the EEC, is often seen as an essentially economic community, with economic goals, this perception reflects a fundamental misunderstanding. The origins of the EU were fundamentally political – it was created with the grand objective of bringing an end to 70 years of European civil wars, and of preventing such fratricidal conflict recurring, by means of making our economies so closely integrated that war would no longer be an option. And the evolution of the EU since the Rome Treaties were signed in 1957, while visibly economic in many of its actions, has emphasised the political, social and human character of the European integration process. It is not for nothing that the Lisbon Treaty, entering into effect on 1 December last, enshrined into law the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, or that 2010 has been declared as the European Year of Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. Nor is it by chance that the EU is not only the world’s largest single market, and the world’s largest source of FDI – but also the world’s largest source of ODA, and the world’s largest contributor to humanitarian assistance.

Human rights, democracy and the rule of law are core values of the European Union, and are therefore embedded in the EU’s founding treaties. The EU sees human rights as universal and indivisible and is actively promoting them within its borders and in its relations with other countries. The EU’s human rights policy encompasses civil, political, economic and cultural rights, while respect for human rights is not only a prerequisite for countries seeking to join the Union, but also a precondition for countries wishing to forge trade and other agreements with the EU, and an “essential element” in all such agreements that the EU enters into.

The EU has long been active in supporting both development and democracy in the Philippines – we have worked actively with both governmental and non-governmental partners, in supporting actions to promote human rights and good governance, at the same as we help to strengthen the country’s ability to meet the MDGs.

I mentioned earlier the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights, or EIDHR. The main purpose of this programme is to support “the development and consolidation of democracy and the rule of law, and of respect of all human rights and fundamental freedoms in third countries worldwide”. The EIDHR has a global budget of €1 billion for the period 2007-2013, and within this we have this year provided grants totalling €1.2m (approx PhP 8 million) to seven separate projects in the Philippines working to support transparent and clean elections. (And this is additional to grants addressing other human-rights issues, such as violence against women, children in conflict and so on). I’m delighted that EILER’s project on “Workers Education and Monitoring for Clean Elections” is one of these funded by the EIDHR, with a grant of €60,000 (approx PhP 3.9m) – but won’t say any more about it now since colleagues from EILER will be best placed to speak of that.

Before I return tot he topic of the May elections, I would like to say that 2010 is not just an important year for the Philippines – it’s also a very important year for the EU, since in December last the Lisbon Treaty came into effect, and we now have an institutional setup intended to make the EU “fit for purpose”, to address the opportunities and challenges of the 21st Century. The Lisbon Treaty builds a more democratic and transparent Europe, and a more efficient Europe. It also aims to strengthen the EU’s global voice, as well as enhance our capacity to respond to the regional and international challenges of the 21st Century. The EU Delegation in Manila, together with our Member-State Embassies, will certainly be working hard to contribute to these global goals.

Returning to the upcoming elections here in the Philippines, regarding the 2010 Philippine elections there are just four points I would like to make – bearing in mind that I am not a Filipino citizen, and that it is you that will make the difference, not any outside observer :
first, I would note that the automated elections, for 267 national posts and 1,650 local posts (as of last count), with all the opportunities and challenges which this provides, can only succeed if the electorate exercises their franchise – so it will be essential that you exercise your right to vote;
second, your vote can only be effective if you have made the effort to identify the issues and choose your candidates accordingly. So it will be no less important that you exercise your right to know (or to know more) about the policy and governance agenda of the candidates – including of course their stand on human rights issues;
thirdly, I have to say that the individual, in our modern society, is only one voice among many. For that voice to be heard, you have to join your voice with others, and you have to exercise your right to organise and mobilise, if your voice in favour of fraud-free and violence-free elections in your country to be heard.
and finally, I would offer the thought that the ---- of governance is not so much in the hands of those who govern. Rather, it truly is in the hands of those who are governed – and it is your choices, your voice, your vote which will set the course of Philippine democracy for the six years ahead, and for all the years after that.

There is no doubt that 2010 will be an interesting year, in the best Chinese sense of the word. I am sure however that it will be an excellent year for the Philippine democracy, and an excellent year for EU-Philippine relations. I would like to end therefore by wishing you every success in carrying forward the Workers’ Electoral Watch (WE Watch) – the EU is proud to be your partner in this endeavour, and I look forward to hear of your success in the months ahead.

Maraming salamat po, sa inyong lahat, sa inyong trabaho!