(January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018)
I. Introduction
Officially established on October 27, 2011, the Foundation for Liberty and Prosperity is now on its seventh year of operation. Led by its Board of Trustees — namely Retired Chief Justice (CJ) Artemio V. Panganiban, Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, Washington Z. Sycip† [until October 7, 2017], Edilberto C. De Jesus, Elenita C. Panganiban, Maria Elena P. Sandejas-Yaptangco, Jennifer J. Manalili, Evelyn T. Dumdum and Joel Emerson J. Gregorio — the FLP has steadily gained recognition from its stakeholders and partners through its various programs, projects and activities.
The Foundation’s vision is a society that fully appreciates the necessity of “Liberty & Prosperity” and their essential interdependence. It underscores FLP’s core philosophy, that liberty and prosperity are mutually inclusive. The Foundation’s mission is to educate the people regarding this fundamental and essential interrelation between liberty and prosperity by initiating, maintaining, organizing, and supporting projects aimed at promoting, educating, training, developing, assisting and protecting liberty and prosperity under the rule of law. This year, FLP continues to implement its program on legal education with focus on four (4) key areas of development as stated in its Manual of Operations: “value formation,” “legal and scholarly education,” “information dissemination and philosophy propagation” as well as organizing “fora, events, conferences and the like.” The Foundation has also sponsored and undertaken activities that likewise advance a fifth key area of development: “publications and media disseminations.”
FLP Officers
The FLP continues to serve its purpose through its FLP officers, namely CJ Artemio V. Panganiban (Chairman of the Board), Evelyn T. Dumdum (President), Rebecca G. Felix (Treasurer), Joel Emerson J. Gregorio (Corporate Secretary), and Susana N. Gavino (Executive Director). In addition, the chairs of the various standing committees are: CJ Artemio V. Panganiban (Executive Committee), Rebecca G. Felix (Finance Committee), Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez (Governance Committee), and Edilberto C. De Jesus (Education Committee).
The first batch of officers were CJ Artemio V. Panganiban, Chairman of the Board, Maria Elena P. Yaptangco, President; Evelyn T. Dumdum, Executive Vice President; Elenita C. Panganiban, Treasurer; and Joel Emerson J. Gregorio, Corporate Secretary.
II. Ongoing Programs and Projects
The FLP was founded to perpetuate the core judicial philosophy of then Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban — that jurists and lawyers should not only safeguard the liberty of our people but must also nurture their prosperity under the rule of law. In the first few years since its incorporation, FLP focused on the following activities: (1) FLP’s first project, the “Chief Justice Panganiban Professorial Chairs on Liberty and Prosperity,” (2) the official FLP Website (www.libpros.com), and (3) the “Liberty & Prosperity Journal,” hitherto an e-newsletter. By 2018, the Foundation is implementing two education-centered programs to complement its first project: the FLP Dissertation Writing Contest and FLP Legal Scholarship Program.
Professorial Chairs Program
The “Chief Justice Panganiban Professorial Chairs on Liberty and Prosperity” is being implemented for more than six (6) years now following its launch on 18 September 2012 at the Metrobank Auditorium, Makati City. This project is in partnership with the Metrobank Foundation, which has so far donated a total of One Million Four Hundred Thousand Pesos (₱ 1,400,000) in co-sponsorship of the program. The total funds for the project, including FLP’s co-sponsorship fund, amounts to Two Million Eight Hundred Thousand Pesos (₱ 2,800,000).
intended its first program, in the format of the professorial chair project, to be educational and implemented in an academic setting. The main objective is to get educational institutions and law schools to research and propagate the philosophy at the level of the academia (including training of students, professors, lawyers, and judges.)
started with the appointment of nine (9) deans of distinguished law schools and the Chancellor of the Philippine Judicial Academy (PhilJA).[1] The outputs varied in form from traditional lectures, debates, as well as moot court competitions. The written lectures from the chair holders have been uploaded to the FLP website and published in the Liberty & Prosperity e-newsletter. These shall be compiled and will eventually be published in a book form as well as other modes of communications under the information, education and communication projects of FLP.
In 2017, four new appointments were made: Dean Melencio S. Sta. Maria, Far Eastern University, Dean Gemy Lito L. Festin, Polytechnic University of the Philippines; Professor Elizabeth Aguiling-Pangalangan, University of the Philippines College of Law; and Professor Tanya Karina A. Lat, Ateneo de Manila University School of Law. This brings the number of chair holders to 13.
The table below shows the output of each chair holder:
| Date | Chair Holder | Output | |
| 1 | 17 October 2018 | Dean Joan Sarausos-Largo, University of San Carlos School of Law and Governance (Cebu City) | Writ of Prosperity |
| 2 | 12 May 2018 | Dean Gemy Lito M. Festin, College of Law, Polytechnic University of the Philippines | “Tutelary rules principle” as legal tool for easing economic rights’ access to justice in the Philippines
|
| 3 | 21 April 2018 | Dean Sedfrey M. Candelaria, Ateneo de Manila University School of Law | Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Context of the Peace Process with the CPP-NPA-NDFP: Issues and Concerns |
| 4 | 26 September 2017 | Dean Melencio Sta. Maria, Far Estern University Institute of Law | Human Rights, Politics, International Law and Trade Arrangement and Economic Prosperity: A Reading of the Philippine Situation |
| 5 | 9 December 2016 | Dean Joan Sarausos-Largo, University of San Carlos School of Law and Governance (Cebu City) | Charting the Patch to a Relevant and Responsive Legal Education in the Philippines: A Draft Law Curriculum for the 21st Century Filipino Lawyer |
| 6 | 26 November 2014 |
Dean Mikhail Lee. L. Maxino, Silliman University College of Law (Dumaguete City) |
Right to life, Liberty, Prosperity: A Seamless Trilogy to Prosperity |
| 7 | 11 September 2014 | Dean Joan Sarausos-Largo, University of San Carlos School of Law and Governance (Cebu City) | ASEAN Integration 2015 and the Imperative for Reforms in the Legal Profession and the Legal Education in the Philippines |
| 8 | 5 March 2014 | Dean Sedfrey M. Candelaria, Ateneo de Manila University School of Law | The 2014 Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban – Liberty & Prosperity Public International Law Moot Court Competition |
| 9 | 21 February 2014 | Dean Nilo T. Divina, University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law | The Unpaid Creditor vs The Distressed Debtor: Proposals to Balance their Competing Interests |
| 10 | 7 February 2014 | Dean Andres D. Bautista, Far Eastern University Institute of Law | Regulating the Practice of Professions by Foreigners
|
| 11 | 29 November 2013 | Dean Sedfrey M. Candelaria, Ateneo de Manila University School of Law | Comparative Analysis of the Memorandum of Agreement on the Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) Aspect of the GRP-MILF Tripoli Agreement on Peace of 2001 and Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) |
| 12 | 3 October 2013 | Dean Reynaldo U. Agranzamendez, University of the Cordilleras College of Law (Baguio City) | The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA): A Vehicle for Liberty and Prosperity
|
| 13 | 20 August 2013 | Dean Joan Sarausos-Largo, University of San Carlos School of Law and Governance (Cebu City) | LIBRT, The Economic Provisions of the 1987 Constitution be Amended so as to Allow Liberalization of Economic Policies by Congress
University of Santo Tomas Law Debate Team Position Paper on Charter Change University of San Carlos Law Debate Team Position Paper on Charter Change |
| 14 | 18 April 2013 | Chancellor Adolfo S. Azcuna, Philippine Judicial Academy | Supreme Court Decisions on the Economic Provisions of the Constitution |
| 15 | 13 March 2013 | Dean Sedfrey M. Candelaria, Ateneo de Manila University School of Law | Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban Liberty and Prosperity Debate (Finals)
The Constitutionality of the Aurora Pacific Eco Zone (APECO), per LIBRT R.A. 9490 (as amended by RA 10083) APECO Position Paper: Affirmative APECO Position Paper: Negative |
| 16 | 6 March 2013 | Dean Joan Sarausos-Largo, University of San Carlos School of Law and Governance (Cebu City) |
The Powerful Judiciary and Rule of Law in the Philippines |
| 17 | 5 November 2012 | Dean Jose Manuel I. Diokno, De La Salle University College of Law | The Philippine Judiciary: Problems and Prospects
|
| 18 | 19 September 2012 | Dean Sedfrey M. Candelaria, Ateneo de Manila University School of Law | Finance and Law: Understanding the Institutional and Functional Role of the International Monetary Fund During Sovereign Debt Crisis Situations |
FLP Dissertation Writing Contest
The FLP Dissertation Writing Contest is a five-year program which aims to augment the Foundation’s first project by incorporating new, dynamic and perhaps more profound input to the body of works discussing FLP’s core philosophy. We believe that the fresh insight and unique perspective of law students will provide bold, novel and innovative avenues for the development of the Foundation’s tenets.
FLP will look for the best thesis and/or dissertation – or its equivalent in law schools not offering the Juris Doctor program – that espouses the philosophy of liberty and prosperity under the rule of law. The contest is co-sponsored with the Ayala Group and implemented in cooperation with the Philippine Association of Law Schools (PALS).
The contest is open to third year and fourth year law students as well as those taking up Master of Law. Only one (1) entry per student is allowed. Each entry must be a thesis/dissertation or its equivalent that espouses the philosophy of liberty and prosperity under the rule of law. An entry must be certified to have gone through the process of a thesis/dissertation or a procedure similar thereto and that it is of thesis/dissertation type and quality.
The Foundation will also tap its roster of professorial chair holders, among others, to create the Panel of Judges who will choose the winning entries and conduct dialogues where the winners shall discuss, argue and debate their submissions, engendering a deeper understanding of the core philosophy of the Foundation. These discourses on their work with the Panel of Judges will foment the kind of analysis that will contribute to the evolution, development and enrichment of the Foundation’s philosophy. FLP will also constitute a Screening Committee to assist the Panel of Judges.
Up to twenty (20) qualifying entries will be chosen by the Screening Committee from all entries submitted. Thereafter, a short list of up to ten (10) entries will be chosen from the twenty (20) qualifying entries.
The FLP Panel of Judges will choose the five (5) recipients of the primary awards (first, second and three third places) from the shortlisted entries. Monetary awards are as follows: ₱300,000 to the first-place winner, ₱200,000 to the second-place winner, and ₱100,000 each to three (3) third place winners. These winners will also receive plaques of recognition. The twenty (20) qualifying entries chosen by the FLP Dissertation Contest Committee will each receive ₱20,000 and a certificate of award.
The Ayala Corporation has already agreed to facilitate the provision of funds for this project through its various partners and have committed to FLP the funding for the entire five-year program.
Activities in AY 2017-2018. Deadline for submission of entries was on November 30, 2017. The Foundation received a total of 18 entries from the following schools:
| School | No. of Entries |
| 1. Ateneo de Manila University | 7 |
| 2. Centro Escolar University | 1 |
| 3. De La Salle University | 1 |
| 4. Far Eastern University Institute of Law | 1 |
| 5. Polytechnic University of the Philippines | 1 |
| 6. San Beda University – Manila | 1 |
| 7. University of Oxford | 1 |
| 8. University of the Philippines | 1 |
| 9. University of San Carlos | 4 |
| Total | 18 |
Of the 18 entries, only 6 entries were considered for the final round by the Panel of Judges, chaired by Senior Justice Presbitero J, Velasco, Jr., with Former Secretary of Education, Dr. Edilberto C. De Jesus, PALS President and Ateneo Law School Dean Sedfrey M. Candelaria, Ayala Managing Director and General Counsel Atty. Solomon Hermosura, and Ateneo Law School Professor Tanya Karina A. Lat as members.
The final judging of entries was done on February 8, 2018. The judges were unanimous in awarding the first and second place winners. They also agreed no entry qualified for third place. The winning entries are shown in the table below:
| Place | Name | Title |
| 1st Place |
1. Raphael Lorenzo Aguiling Pangalangan, University of Oxford |
Enforcing Liberty and Prosperity through the Courts of Law: A Shift in Legal Thought from Juridification to Judicialization |
| 2nd Place |
2. Tess Marie P. Tan, University of San Carlos
|
Liberty and Prosperity in the Digital Age: Determining the Proper Treatment of Online Intermediaries in Light of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights |
| Other Finalists | 3. Rexlyn Anne M. Evora, Polytechnic University of the Philippines | Delivering to the Poor: Microfinance Policies in Cooperatives in Rural Areas in the Philippines as a Means in Promoting Entrepreneurship and Economic Independence |
| 4. Helen May M. Frias, Far Eastern University | The Role of Private Justice: Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in the Promotion and Protection of Liberty and Prosperity Under the Rule of Law | |
| 5. Janine Faye A. Napoles, Centro Escolar University | Leadership Quality Reconsideration: Strengthening the Vanguards of Liberty and Prosperity through the Imposition of Academic Qualifications on National Elective Officials | |
|
6. Odulio, Joben Mariz Tiongco, Ateneo de Manila University |
Weeding out the Fake Grassroots: Expanding the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 to include Online Astroturfing as an Offense |
Awarding of prizes and plaques/certificates of recognition was done on March 23, 2018 at the Ateneo Professional Schools Auditorium.
Activities in AY 2018-2019. The FLP conducted an information campaign regarding the contest in all law schools of the country. Flyers and posters were sent to the law schools throughout the country through their respective deans for dissemination to the law students to encourage them to submit entries to the dissertation writing contest. FLP officials visited law schools in the National Capital Region and in Cebu and discussed the mechanics/guidelines of the contest. Among these law schools are the University of the Philippines, Ateneo Law School, De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, Centro Escolar University, Far Eastern University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of San Carlos, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, and San Beda University. Information regarding the contest were posted online on the FLP and some law school websites and through social media – Facebook pages of FLP, PALS, Association of Law School Students of the Philippines, and law schools. FLP also tapped its scholars in disseminating information regarding the contest to their fellow students.
The FLP Education Committee Chairman initiated discussions with some law school deans and Holders of the Chief Justice Panganiban Professorial Chairs to get the views of the Deans on how to improve the number and the quality of the dissertations submitted to the FLP. The Education Committee also wanted an opportunity to understand the research priorities of the country’s best law schools and how the FLP, through the awards competition and its other programs, might be able to help them achieve their objectives.
As a result of these discussions, the FLP Board approved the following changes in the contest guidelines:
- Some law schools allow students to submit a collective dissertation to fulfill JD requirements. FLP will allow these collaborative dissertations to be considered for the Awards Program.
- Faculty mentors of winning contestants shall receive monetary awards as follows: Php 100,000 for the faculty mentor of the first-place winner, Php 75,000 for second-place winner, and Php 50,000 each for the 3 third place winners.
Deadline for submission of entries was moved to end of April 2019 on the request of UP college of Law as this is the time when papers of their students are expected to be completed.
Meanwhile, FLP organized its Board of Judges with Supreme Court Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe (Chairman), and Retired Supreme Court Justice Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez, PALS President Joan Sarausos-Largo, Ayala Corporation Managing Director and General Counsel Solomon Hermosura, and Atty. Joel Emerson J. Gregorio as members.
FLP Scholarship Program
This is a four-year program. The Foundation is sponsoring a unique, merit-based FLP Scholarship Program. Co-sponsored by the Tan Yan Kee Foundation and also undertaken in cooperation with PALS, it aims to look for the best and the brightest law students in the country.
There will be ten (10) scholars for the program and the scholarship is open to those entering their third year as law students. FLP is opening ten (10) slots to all law schools that have obtained a passing percentage above the overall passing percentage for the bar exams of the relevant year based on the statistical data from the Supreme Court Office of the Bar Confidant. No law school shall have more than three (3) awardees in a year.
Applicants must submit an essay written in English with a minimum of two thousand (2,000) words and a maximum of 3,000 words. The essay must be on the philosophy of the Foundation, expanding on and espousing the precept: safeguarding of liberty and nurturing of prosperity under the rule of law, and how he/she will apply the same in his/her legal career.
There will be an interview to be conducted by the FLP Panel of Judges who will be given full discretion in the conduct of the said interview. The Panel shall consider the candidate’s ability to demonstrate clearly, logically and concisely what he/she has done and intends to do to propagate and espouse the philosophy of liberty and prosperity under the rule of law. Although the scholarship is merit-based, the less privileged shall be preferred in case of a tie between two nominees. Selection shall be final when affirmed by the FLP.
Awardees must agree to the terms and conditions of the FLP Scholarship Program, including but not limited to, the requirement to provide volunteer services for the Foundation as well as giving back to the FLP Scholarship Program to ensure its sustainability such as teaching law subjects that espouse the philosophy of liberty and prosperity, developing a concept/program along the philosophy of the FLP and commitment to mentoring other law students, subject to institutional arrangements with partner law schools. Awardees must likewise agree to enter into a formal commitment agreement with FLP and the pertinent academic institution for this purpose.
Each of the ten FLP Scholarship is a monetary scholarship award of ₱200,000 of which a maximum of ₱100,000 shall be for tuition fee and ₱20,000 for book allowance. The remaining ₱80,000 shall constitute the scholar’s stipend. For the tuition fee component, only such amount needed shall be given to the awardee. If the tuition fee component of the monetary scholarship award is in excess of the awardee’s tuition, the balance shall be used by FLP for the scholarship program. If the awardee is entitled to another scholarship award, he/she will still receive the monetary scholarship award to be provided by the FLP.
The Tan Yan Kee Foundation has provided a total of Ten Million Four Hundred Thousand Pesos (₱10,400,000) for the first three academic years of the program.
Activities in School Year 2018–2019. The FLP is continuously undertaking activities that will broaden the reach of its programs. As usually done at the start of its program implementation, FLP conducted an information campaign on the FLP legal scholarship program in the 31 law schools of the country that had a percentage of passing higher than the overall percentage of passing for the 2016 bar exams. FLP produced handouts and posters and sent these to the qualified law schools throughout the country through their respective deans for dissemination to the law students to encourage them to submit applications to the legal scholarship program. Posters were also displayed in the law schools’ bulletin board.
FLP officials visited law schools in the National Capital Region and in Cebu and discussed the mechanics/guidelines of the program. Among these law schools are the University of the Philippines, Ateneo Law School, De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, Centro Escolar University, Far Eastern University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of San Carlos, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, and San Beda University. Information regarding the contest were posted online on the FLP and some law school websites, and through social media – Facebook pages of FLP, PALS, Association of Law School Students of the Philippines, law school student councils, and law schools. FLP also tapped its incumbent scholars in disseminating information regarding the scholarship program to their fellow students.
In the meetings with law school deans, FLP officials learned the challenges law students face in applying for FLP scholarship: the requirements of the FLP scholarship program are too high, students are having a hard time getting the grades required in the program, most of their students are working students and this contributes to the difficulty in maintaining high grades.
AY 2017-2018 Scholars. The final judging and selection of FLP Scholars for AY 2017-2018 was done on February 2, 2018. In addition to the five (5) AY 2016-2017 scholars who were able to maintain their scholarship grants, new scholars were chosen for AY 2017-2018. Thus, the scholars for AY 2017-2018 are as follows:
| NAME | SCHOOL | |
| A. Third Year Students | ||
| 1 | Abot, Leo Francis F. | ADMU |
| 2 | Almerino, John Anthony F. | USC |
| 3 | Cortez, Arvin Paolo D. | ADMU |
| 4 | Ilao, Mikael Gabrielle E. | UCordilleras |
| 5 | Manuel, Kenneth Glenn L. | UST |
| 6 | Perez, King Anthony Y. | UCebu |
| 7 | Quising, Josiah David F. | FEU |
| 8 | Rojas, Jun Dexter H. | PUP |
| 9 | Salvacion, Julienne Therese V. | SBC- Manila |
| 10 | Villarico, Ma. Vida Malaya M. | PUP |
| B. Fourth Year Students | ||
| 1 | Badua, Karina Mae A. | UST |
| 2 | Borja, Sean James B. | ADMU |
| 3 | Castillo, Kaycelle Ann M. | FEU-Makati |
| 4 | Dy, Ervin Fredrick H. | UP |
| 5 | Evora, Rexlyn Anne M. | PUP |
| 6 | Gaw, Katrina Monica C. | ADMU |
| 7 | Macasarte, Summerson A. | St. Thomas More |
| 8 | Reago, Nigel Carmelo Q. | DLSU |
| 9 | Tiglao, Jose Angelo C. | DLSU |
| 10 | Vergara, Althea A. | USC |
| 11 | Vergara, Vanessa Gloria S. | ADMU |
Awarding of prizes and plaques/certificates of recognition was done on March 23, 2018 at the Ateneo Professional Schools Auditorium.
Of the ten (10) 3rd year FLP Scholars, only eight (8) were able to meet the requirements for another year’s scholarship award in AY 2018-2019.
AY 2018-2019 Legal Scholarship Program. For the school year 2018-2019, Twelve (12) scholarship awards were announced for the following: 10 scholars for incumbent third year law students, and two (2) scholars for incumbent fourth year law students. The deadline for submission of entries was on September 16, 2018. The Foundation received 13 applications from 3rd year students and 4 applications from 4th year students from the following schools:
- Ateneo de Manila University
- Centro Escolar University
- De La Salle University
- Far Eastern University-Makati
- Saint Louis University
- San Beda University-Manila
- University of San Carlos
- University of Santo Tomas
- University of the Cordilleras
The Board of Judges for the interview and final judging of applicants to the Legal Scholarship Program for S/Y 2017-2018 was organized with Supreme Court Senior Justice Antonio Carpio as Chairman, and Former Secretary of Education Dr. Edilberto C. De Jesus, PALS President and USC Law School Dean Joan Sarausos-Largo, Tan Yan Kee representative Ms. Elizabeth T. Alba, and Atty. Joel Emerson J. Gregorio as members. Final evaluation and interview of applicants was done on December 6, 2018.
The scholars for AY 2018-2019 are:
| NAME | SCHOOL | ||
| 3rd year students | |||
| 1 | Abratique, Banoar R. | University of the Cordilleras | |
| 2 | Barredo, Pamela Camille A. | Far Eastern University | |
| 3 | Bulacan, Angelette C. | Far Eastern University | |
| 4 | Domingo, Stephanie Mae B. | University of the Cordilleras | |
| 5 | Guinto, Maria Carissa C. | San Beda University – Manila | |
| 6 | Guttierez, Patrick Angelo M. | Far Eastern University | |
| 7 | Matsumura, Mayumi G . | Ateneo de Manila University | |
| 8 | Obra, Juralyn Lilian A. | University of the Cordilleras | |
| 9 | Perez, Carmella Gaye D. | University of San Carlos | |
| 10 | Ramirez, Edrea Jean V. | University of Santo Thomas | |
| 4th Year Students | |||
| 1 | Abot, Leo Francis F. | Ateneo de Manila University | |
| 2 | Almerino, John Anthony F. | University of San Carlos | |
| 3 | Carpio, Micah Celine S. | De La Salle University | |
| 4 | Cortez, Arvin Paolo D. | Ateneo de Manila University | |
| 5 | Ilao, Mikael Gabrielle E. | University of the Cordilleras | |
| 6 | Malabad, Alimar Mohammad | San Beda University – Manila | |
| 7 | Manuel, Kenneth Glenn L. | University of Santo Thomas | |
| 8 | Perez, King Anthony Y. | University of Cebu | |
| 9 | Rojas, Jun Dexter H. | Polytechnic University of the Philippines | |
| 10 | Villarico, Ma. Vida Malaya M. | Polytechnic University of the Philippines | |
Awards Ceremony for FLP Programs AY 2017-2018
The awarding for FLP Programs in AY 2017-2018 was held on March 23, 2018 at the APS Auditorium of the Ateneo de Manila, Rockwell Drive, Makati City. Supreme Court Acting Chief Justice Antonio T. Carpio awarded the 21 FLP scholars for the FLP Legal Scholarship Program while Supreme Court Senior Justice Presbitero J. Velasco awarded the winners and finalists of the 2017-2018 Dissertation Writing Contest of the Foundation for Liberty and Prosperity (FLP) and the Ayala Corporation.
As guest of honor and speaker, Acting Chief Justice Carpio delivered his message titled “A Culture of Respect for, and Understanding of, International Law“.
FLP Newsletter
FLP has so far released twelve (12) e-newsletters. The two most recent issues are ready for printing and release. These are Volume VII Issue 1 and Volume VII Issue 2. Volume VII Issue 1 features the winning entries of the 2017-2018 Dissertation Writing Contest and the awarding of FLP scholars for AY 2017-2018. It also presented brief summaries of the public lectures of Professorial Chair Holders, PUP College of Law Dean Gemy Lito L. Festin (‘Tutelary Rules Principle’ as Legal Tool for Easing Economic Rights’ Access to Justice in the Philippines) and ADMU Dean Sedfrey M. Candelaria (Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Context of the Peace Process with the CPP-NPA-NDFP: Issues and Concerns). Volume VII Issue 2, on the other hand, provides a brief overview of the papers of the finalists in the Dissertation Writing Contest AY 2017-2018. It also announced the FLP Dissertation Writing Contest 2018-2019. It also features the public lecture of Professorial Chair Holder, Dean Joan Sarausos-Largo: Writ of Prosperity.
FLP Website
The Foundation has continued to use a simple, neat and uniform design aesthetic for its website (www.libpros.com) that remains consistent whatever device is being used to view or access it – either desktop, tablet or smartphone. It features front and center the three (3) education programs being undertaken by the Foundation: the Chief Justice Panganiban Professorial Chairs on Liberty and Prosperity, FLP Dissertation Writing Contest and the FLP Legal Scholarship Program. The guidelines and forms for the dissertation writing contest and the legal scholarship program have also been uploaded and are ready for download by interested participants and the public. The current composition of the Board of Trustees has also been updated. The FLP Secretariat continues to work with the site’s administrator, Mr. Kristian Jeff C. Agustin, to further improve and enhance the website.
III. Recent Developments in 2018
19th PCNC Annual Assembly
The Foundation, through its Treasurer and Executive Director, participated in the 19th PCNC Annual Assembly held last June 6, 2018 at the JY Campos Hall, UNILAB Bayanihan Center, Kapitolyo, Pasig City. As one of the accredited members in good standing, FLP was able to participate in the discussions and vote for the new members of the PCNC Board of Trustees.
IV. Future Plans and Direction
FLP Visual Art Competition
A project proposed by Mr. Kristian Jeff C. Agustin, the Liberty & Prosperity: Images, Figures, Expressions (LIFE) is a visual art competition that aims to make known the Foundation’s philosophy of “liberty and prosperity under the rule of law” in creative ways. It is designed after three well-established and long-running visual art competitions in the Philippines, namely: the DPC-PLDT Visual Art Competition, the Metrobank Art & Design Excellence Competition and the Shell National Students Art Competition.
By launching a new visual art competition, the FLP can make itself more relevant to the country’s art and culture scene, which is very instrumental in capturing or defining the “zeitgeist” of a particular society. For instance, today’s zeitgeist of “Filipino Democracy” has eventually latched on to the consciousness and culture of Filipinos by way of the media’s constant revisiting of the EDSA People Power Revolution and representations of the spirit of “Filipino-ness” (especially by means of evocative images and stories). Hence, to better promote its vision of “a society that safeguards liberty and nurtures prosperity under the rule of law” to the public, the FLP must tap and develop the potential of Filipino artists, designers, and other creative practitioners.
Coffee Table Books on the Professorial Lectures
and Speeches of CJ Panganiban
FLP also plans to partner with the Metrobank Foundation regarding the publication of two (2) coffee table books: one, a compilation of the lectures and output delivered under the CJ Panganiban Professorial Chair Program; and two, a compilation of selected speeches of CJ Panganiban. Metrobank Foundation agreed in principle to sponsor said coffee table book projects and offered to assist FLP in undertaking the same considering that they have had several similar projects. The first coffee table book is at the concept development stage.
Support to the Reform Program of the Judiciary
and the Ombudsman
In terms of its commitment to reforms, FLP plans to work closely with the SC and the Office of the Ombudsman in establishing a reform program patterned after the SC’s Action Program for Judicial Reform (APJR). The Foundation is planning to seek the assistance from the World Bank (which provided the funding for the APJR) and other international funding institutions in this endeavor.
Legal Education Reform Program
Another avenue as regards reform (as well as education) is FLP’s plan to partner with the Legal Education Board in developing a program to reform the legal education in the Philippines.
Teaching Exemplars on the Rule of Law
The Department of Education (DepEd) has adopted the teaching exemplars on the rule of law developed under the Public Education on the Rule of Law Advancement and Support (PERLAS) Project of the Supreme Court and DepEd. The exemplars integrate concepts of the rule of law into the basic education curriculum to educate and inform the public on the functioning of a society anchored on the justice system and to mold the students into becoming responsible and law-abiding citizens. A total of 112 teachers from 82 public schools nationwide have been trained on the use of these exemplars in 2011.
FLP will collaborate with the Department of Education in revisiting these exemplars and enhance these as may be necessary to keep these relevant to the current situation in the country. FLP plans to assist in the roll-out of these exemplars to all public and private schools in the country.
FLP Museum
The Foundation is looking at establishing an FLP Museum where various memorabilia and important items will be kept and made available for viewing of the public. This will be through a possible purchase of the entire floor of a building in FEU Makati at cost which the Chairman has proposed to the Chairman of FEU to be put up in the land purchased by FEU where the old 6-story Zuellig building is located at the corner of Ayala and Buendia Avenues. The Chairman of FEU said that she will bring this proposal to the Board of FEU and that she agrees in principle to sell one floor to the Foundation.
V. Assets and Financial Position
As reported by then FLP President Maria Elena P. Yaptangco in her First Annual Report (2012), the Foundation was incorporated with a total of two million pesos (P2,000,000.00) as initial funds, contributed by retired Chief Justice Artemio V. Panganiban. At present, based on the 2018 Audited Financial Report presented before and approved by the Board of Trustees, the Foundation’s total assets is seventy-one million eight hundred ninety-two thousand six hundred thirty pesos (₱71,892,630.00) which includes the value of the PCCI property in Makati.
FLP’s depository bank is Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI). The funds may be withdrawn only by signature of two of its four authorized signatories, preferably, the President and/or the Treasurer.
Apart from its cash assets, the Foundation is the recipient of copyrights over the “Ageless Passion” musical compositions of Mr. Ryan Cayabyab and lyrics thereto by Mr. Kristian Jeff C. Agustin
[1] These were—surnames in alphabetical order—(1) Atty. Reynaldo U. Agranzamendez (Dean, University of the Cordilleras College of Law); (2) retired Supreme Court Justice Adolfo S. Azcuna (Chancellor, PhilJA); (3) Atty. Andres D. Bautista (Dean (until 2014), Far Eastern University Institute of Law, now Commission on Elections [COMELEC] Chairman); (4) Atty. Sedfrey M. Candelaria (Dean, Ateneo de Manila School of Law); (5) Atty. Danilo L. Concepcion (Dean, University of the Philippines College of Law, now President of the University of the Philippines System); (6) Atty. Jose Manuel I. Diokno (Dean, De La Salle University College of Law); (7) Atty. Nilo T. Divina (Dean, University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law); (8) Atty. Joan Sarausos-Largo (Dean, University of San Carlos School of Law and Governance); (9) retired Supreme Court Justice Eduardo B. Nachura (Chairman, Arellano University Law Foundation); and (10) Atty. Manuel Quibod (Ateneo de Davao University College of Law). Regrettably, the 10th appointee failed to respond to FLP’s cordial invitation and appointment letter; hence he was eventually and decidedly removed from the list of chair holders.