On its 34^th day, the Senate acting as trial court on the impeachment case against Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, suspended its proceedings as Congress takes recess and a number of senators already have booked flights for trips abroad.  Trial resumes on May 7 when Congress resumes regular session.  By then, senators, hopefully, have arrived from trips –happily or officially.

                 President Benigno Aquino III finally demonstrated in 2011 his political conviction to clean and make government efficient and transparent. The President stood his ground on his pronouncements and ably commanded the national administration and his political forces and allies to march accordingly to his positions. P-Noy pushed his political leverage and forced Merceditas Gutierrez to resign as Ombudsman.

The Institute for Popular Democracy launched its two publications in December 8, 2011. These are the Handbooks on: Keeping People Healthy and Far from Hospitals: Holding Local Governments to Account for Outpatient Cure and Diagnostics, and So-called Socialized Housing is not for the Poor – Towards workable solution concepts for securing a place in the city.

International exchange is a renewed area of work of the Institute. IPD's work here involves the amplification of Philippine civil society groups' rich experience in the struggle for democratic deepening and in crafting new left politics.