A network of lawyers, law students, paralegals and other trained volunteers from 28 organizations all over the country has been formed to provide legal services and help safeguard the election process, a press release from the group said.

The Legal network for Truthful Election or "LENTE" aspires to gather 10,000 volunteers to monitor the canvassing of votes in the 1,600 municipalities and 81 provinces at the national level.

The lawyers' group has been organized by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and One Voice, of which former Comelec chairman Christian Monsod is chair.

Legal services at local and national levels will be made available to offer a quick legal response to election complaints and irregularities. Co-convenors of LENTE are Jose Vicente Salazar, national president of the IBP, and Carlos Medina, Jr., executive director of the Ateneo Human Rights Center, and chief legal counsel of One Voice, the press release said. The training of volunteer-trainors is ongoing, while regional, municipal, city and provincial training sessions will start this week. More volunteers among non-partisan groups and citizens are sought to help ensure the integrity of the May 14 elections.

Volunteers from Negros Occidental and nearby areas may call the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Bacolod, at the Bishop's House in Bacolod City, at Tel. Nos. (034) 433-3310, 434-4978, and 434-4978 (fax).

They may also get in touch with the Social Action Center of San Carlos, Bishop's House Compound, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental - (034) 312-5411 / (034) 729-909 / (034) 312-6248 - fax, or e-mail at laude@yahoo.com, the press release added.*

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Partylist pushes law to ban
discrimination in workplace

Women's Party-list Babae para sa Kaunlaran or Babae Ka chaired by Sally Dagami said it will prioritize the passage of the "equal employment opportunity law" to ban discrimination by age, gender and religion in the process of employment.

Dagami said "discrimination in employment is illegal and immoral and has been practiced in this country but the Department of Labor and Employment has done nothing about it," a press release from the group said. It is about time that this discrimination, especially against women who are pregnant and all citizens who are above 35 years old, be considered an offense punishable with imprisonment, she added.

Ruth Vasquez, president of Babae Ka, said the group is finalizing research work on the preparation of a bill on equal employment opportunity.

She said that if they are given the chance to make it to Congress, this will be the first law that Babae Ka will file. It will be patterned before the 'Age Discrimination Act of 1967' enacted by the Congress of the United States, Vasquez said in the same press release.

The proposal, she said, will make it unlawful for any employer to fail or refuse to hire or to discharge any individual or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual's age, gender and religion.

Even the printing of any employment advertisement that tends to be discriminatory to age, sex and religion shall be unlawful In this proposed bill, Vasquez added in the press release.*

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IN LAS VEGAS
Alumni to hold
general assembly

The St. Joseph-La Salle Alumni Association will hold the "Ugyunan sang mga Taga St Joseph-La Salle sa Las Vegas 07," its second General Assembly on May 26-27, at the California Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, a press release from the group said.

At least 100 members have confirmed their participation in the event aimed at uniting the alumni anywhere in the world, it said.

The association was founded two years ago by members in the US who formed a "bond-of-brothers/sisters" organization aimed at helping their Alma Mater's poor and deserving students to have a hopeful future through better education, the press release said.

The group launched a campaign to reach out to other alumni not only in the U.S. but also all over the world, through phone calls, emails, text messages, and letters.

The association currently supports four scholars and is hoping to add four more each school year. It has donated sports equipment and financial aid to the school.

It also recently held a fund-raising campaign to support the scholarship fund for next school year. Friends and relatives were invited to play golf, table games and bonding at Rodolfo 'Boy' Geronca's residence in North Hollywood, the press release added. Alumni and those interested in the activities of the group email Lucien Leyes at lucien_leyes@yahoo.com, or sent to sjhs_bacolod_alumni@yahoogroups.com, the press release added.*

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