LENTE (Legal Network for Truthful Elections)—the first nationwide network of lawyers, law students, paralegals and other trained volunteers set up by various non-partisan groups engaged in election monitoring work in the Philippines—has launched its own talk show in the Philippines’ Destiny Cable's GNN channel 8. The aim of the program is to continue fostering debate of the importance of free and fair elections, and the role the population plays in achieving them.  

"Lente" is hosted by LENTE's attorneys Rona Caritos and April Rose Mabanes, who founded the show with Sara Saguitan.  It airs every second and fourth Saturday of the month at 9 pm. 

The first episode, which aired on January 15, featured special guests Michael Dioneda, the director of the National Capital Region (Metro Manila)  within the Philippines election commission and Frances Aguindadao, election officer of Pasay City, which is within the National Capital Region. Both the first and the second episodes focused on voting and registration.  

The LENTE TV show can be watched here:

http://www.youtube.com/gnnlentetv 

IFES has been working with LENTE since 2007 by providing the civil society organization funds and technical support to strengthen their internal and organizational capacity, and support their election monitoring efforts and reform initiatives. In preparation for the May 2010 elections, IFES supported LENTE to be able to expand to 38 law schools nationwide.  LENTE is headquartered in the Ateneo de Manila law school in Metro Manila.