JOURNALIST and author Marites Danguilan Vitug will deliver the 2016 Adrian Cristobal Lecture today Feb. 22, 3 p.m., at the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Conference Center, J.V. del Rosario Building, Benavidez and Trasierra Streets, Legaspi Village, Makati City. Her lecture is “Democracy Beyond Elections: Overcoming Impotence.”
The Adrian E. Cristobal Lecture Series was established by the Cristobal family, in collaboration with the Unyon ng Mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (Umpil), or the Writers’ Union of the Philippines.
It aims to honor the intellectual legacy of the late renowned writer and former Umpil chairperson.
In light of the forthcoming national elections, Vitug will propose in her lecture other modes of exercising democracy, to make it real and substantial, and to make it work for the public good.
This is in contrary to the elite rule and the power of the dominant few.
She states in the summary of her talk: “Given the oligarchic structure of our society, the prevalence of vested interests and the inequality in our midst, popular discourse should include ways to overcome our sense of impotence, of powerlessness beyond casting our votes.
“There are various paths to take. Thus, kindling our civic spirit takes more than a trip to the polling place on election day.”
Vitug is editor at large of www.rappler.com.
This lecture is co-funded by Silly People’s Improv Theater Philippines (SPIT). It is open to the public. Admission is free.
Call Eva Cadiz at 0917-8453721.