With wars raging in countries around us and in our own shores, tyrants ruling over willing and unwilling slaves, lives being snuffed out in the name of good, and terrorists causing the world to tremble, leaders from three continents listened to our own former House of Representatives Speaker Jose de Venecia propose actions to share in the healing of the wounds of a shattered human society.
De Venecia spoke at the first meeting of the coordination committee among the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean (COPPPAL), and the Council of African Political Parties (CAPP). The meeting was held in Khartoum, Sudan a few days ago.
De Venecia expressed the hope that the tri-continental gathering of political parties “can speak authoritatively for Africa, Asia and Latin America in global councils on political and economic issues, especially the battles against poverty, terrorism and extremism, climate change and environmental degradation and the narcotics trade.”
“Our three continents – by working together – can become the stabilizing element in the emerging multilateral global balance of power,” said De Venecia, founding chair and chair of the standing committee of ICAPP, founder of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA), and co-chair of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP).
On the issue of poverty, he cited the recent OXFAM study showing the obscenity of only eight individuals owning half of the world’s wealth, while the other half, or 3.6 billion people, live in poverty.
De Venecia renewed the call for the establishment of an enlarged “Global Anti-Poverty Fund” or “Global Micro-Finance fund” to help fight poverty and inequality and help lift the poorest peoples in the region and in the world. The political parties should introduce the initiative at the United Nations and at the G-20, he said.
Tens of millions of jobs worldwide for poor people can be provided by a “Trillion Trees” program which, De Venecia said, should be championed by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the China-led AIIB, the regional banks, parliaments, political parties, and civil society. Massive tree planting, is a major way in the battle against climate change and environmental degradation which can be organized through “Billions of Trees Foundations.”
Again, on reducing poverty, he encouraged the enlargement of a business council, now composed of ICAPP and COPPAL, to include CAPP, and the African wing, in the campaign to help tri-continental trade and development and in the campaign against poverty in the world.
He passionately asked his colleagues to “join hands in actively opposing violent extremism and terrorism that have bedeviled a number of countries in our regions… We must reject every type of extremist politics, isolate and defeat those who espouse intolerance and hatred – those who advocate terrorism, extremism, and bloodshed in the name of ideology and religion.”
Significantly, he cited the importance of Inter-Faith Dialogue, in the easing of the politico-religious strife and vicious violence (that) are mounting in parts of the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. ICAPP had previously campaigned in the UN General Assembly, in the UN Security Council, and halls of the UN for an inter-faith, intercultural, and inter-civilizational dialogue to create an Interfaith Council in the UN. This proposal was approved by the UN.
Could dialogue help in the easing up of the raging, bitter Sunni-Shiite issues? De Venecia noted, “One cannot discount the magnitude of the barriers that intense doctrinal separation has raised between these two great schools of Islam.”
In his earlier letters to Saudi Arabia’s late King Abdullah and Iran’s spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, De Venecia said it would be of great relief to the world if the two leaders of Islam met in Mecca and bring about the beginnings of reconciliation and the end of violence in the lands of Islam.
Such dialogue has not taken place, said De Venecia.
He touched on three other vital issues: global warming and climate change, a summit on narcotics, and the hundreds of thousands of refugees.
Against the threat of climate change, he urged governments to overwhelmingly ratify the historic Paris Agreement, as climate change has become “a clear and present danger to our fragile planet and to the longevity of the human race.”
In the Philippines, he said President Rodrigo Duterte has “faced some criticism, but he has decisively launched an increasingly successful nationwide battle against drug syndicates.” He challenged governments and parliaments to join the intensified campaign against the narcotics trade “which has plagued the Asian, African, and Latin America regions and the global community.”
The European Union and the United Nations, he said, must be urged to continue to work together to solve the raging tragedy of millions upon millions of refugees leaving their war-torn countries and fleeing to other countries.
De Venecia ended his speech with the hope that, “Once we in Asia, Latin America and Africa, were no more than spectators to the rise and fall of foreign empires. Now we have regained command of our own fortunes. Now we have laid a foundation for the new chapter of economic and political engagement. Now we can and must begin to write our own histories.”
* * *
HIP- HOP HURRAY! Chips Beltran and UPeepz have won their second Ani ng Dangal Award from the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA). This after winning the gold prize in the 2016 World Hip-Hop Dance Competition in the Megacrew category in Las Vegas, besting groups from more than 50 countries.
This is the UPeepz’s second world gold. The first was won in the World battle, under the category “monster crew,” in Brisbane, Australia in 2013. The group’s performance merited a Philippine Senate resolution authored by Senators Grace Poe, Nancy Binay, Manny Pacquiao and Joel Villanueva, congratulating it as a model for Filipino youth.
UPeepz is a University of the Philippines Diliman-based organization founded in 2011 by Chips with a few co-dancers. Its members are college students and graduates. It has expanded to include dancers from other schools, like the Ateneo, University of Santo Tomas, De la Salle University, Far Eastern University and others.
Chips, 27, began his career as artist and choreographer while in high school at the Ateneo where he founded the school’s dance organization called Indak. He has been coaching dance groups of several universities. Under his choreography and direction, some of these have won medals in national and local competitions.
He also organized lilpeepz, the first local junior team which made it to the finals of the World Hip-Hop competition in Las Vegas and won fourth place in the junior category finals. Members are from ages 5 to 12.
Chips’ hip-hoppers hold concerts or accept engagements to raise money to be able to compete abroad. Some of them are subsidized by their parents, who are just happy to do so as they are able to go with the troupe abroad.
Chips’ real name is Rene Pio Palma Beltran. He is a consultant and mentor to Channel 5’s hip-hop team which has performed for You Tube ads. A knowledgeable fan says Chips is considered “best choreographer in hip-hop. As a coach he believes that a solid crew comes first, followed by good choreography. And commitment to excellence. A good choreographer and a dedicated team make a champion team.”
Watch UPeepz’s performance at You Tube hhi2016.
If you like to donate or ask UPeepz to perform at your events, send email to chips.beltran@gmailcom.
Email: dominitorrevillas@gmail.com