2012 ‘Freedom Project’ award open for nominations

By Jaime S. Cabag, Jr.

Friday 22nd of June 2012

ILOILO CITY, June 22 (PIA6) -- The Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom – Philippine Office is now accepting nominations for the 2012 “Freedom Project” award that aims to recognize outstanding initiatives that promote, safeguard and maximize the benefits of freedom.

These initiatives include legislation, policies and programs that made an impact in the national or local scene, and that transplanted the concept of freedom into practical ideas that engage the public.

Foundation Country Director Jules Maaten said the project also seeks to translate freedom from a mere concept to actual programs that bear the standards and exemplify its values such as participatory democracy, good governance, human rights and free trade.

Maaten said that it is the objective of the foundation that the initiatives be emulated towards the achievement of what President Aquino has said as “true freedom”.

The recipients of the award last year included the following: Enhanced Literacy Program of Tagum City, Davao del Norte; Platform Human Development 2010, a United Nations (UN) Project; House Bill No. 3773 filed by Rep. Erin Tanada, which seeks to institutionalize the participation of bonaq fide civil society organizations in budget hearings and deliberations in Congress, national government agencies and local government units; Yellow Boat Project of Zamboanga City; Pera ng Bayan of the Department of Finance; Sustaining Teaching Experience Program of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas; and, Programs and Services to Empower the PWDs of Carmona, Cavite.

Nominations may be submitted on or before July 31, 2012 online at www.fnf.org.ph or by filling up the form and mailing it to: MCPO Box 9126, Makati City.

The Freedom Project is part of the “It’s All About Freedom” campaign of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), which is a German political forundation that advocates liberal democracy. (FNF/JSC/JCM/PIA6)