CALD and FNF Manila host New Year’s Reception

(January 14, 2005/ Manila, Philippines) The Council of Asian Liberals & Democrats (CALD) and the Manila Office of Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) jointly hosted last night a New Year’s Reception at the FNF-CALD Office in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

Among those who attended were officials of the Liberal Party of the Philippines and its affiliate organizations, members of the diplomatic corps, civil society representatives, media practitioners and members of the academia.

The program started with the address of Dr. Ronald Meinardus, FNF-Manila Resident Representative, who explained the thrusts and programs of the German liberal foundation and likewise noted the strengthening of relations between the foundation and the Liberal Party and its think tank, the National Institute for Policy Studies (NIPS).   After his talk, a Plaque of Appreciation was awarded by FNF to Mr. Eleazar Quinto for his services as immediate past Director General of the Liberal Party.

CALD Executive Director, Mr. John Joseph S. Coronel, spoke in behalf of CALD. Mr. Coronel remarked that 2004 was a successful year for CALD by mentioning several milestones, as follows:

(1)     The participation of 8 CALD member and observer parties in various elections in their respective countries and their victory in most of these elections. CALD also sent missions to some of these elections.

(2)     The assumption of Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian as CALD Chairman last March in Kaohsiung, the first time in CALD’s 11-year history for an incumbent president to head the organization.

(3)     A major CALD event held outside Asia for the first time last November during a meeting between eminent Asian and European liberals and democrats at the European Parliament in Brussels

(4)     The growth of the CALD Secretariat from one-person office in 1999 (the year Manila was designated as the permanent secretariat) to the current staff with an executive director and three program officers, all working on a full-time basis.

Mr. Coronel concluded by saying that “CALD is a growing organization. That this is a success indicator is merely secondary. What is important is that the fact that an organization like CALD is  thriving serves as a living testimony that the values of peace, justice, human rights, freedom and democracy are not only universal, they are deeply ingrained in various Asian cultures, traditions and religions.”

Several of the guests were delegates and speakers in various CALD conferences and workshops including Liberal Party Executive Vice President and CALD Execom Member Neric Acosta, MP, who has attended almost all major CALD activities the past six years; Education Undersecretary (Deputy Minister) and former parliamentarian Chito Gascon, another regular CALD participant; and, Prof. Mario Taguiwalo, President of NIPS who facilitated the CALD Vision Mission Workshop (Penang, ’04).  Also among the guests were former Governor Antonio Gallardo (10^th Anniversary Conference, Bangkok, ’03), Commission on Appointments Secretary Arturo L. Tiu (LI Asia Conference/ Kaohsiung, ’04), new LP Director General Chit Asis (DPP-CALD Legislative Elections Mission/ Taiwan ’04) and Head of the Senate Media Office Samuel Santos (CALD Communications Workshop/ Phnom Penh ’04).

Gracing the occasion were former Finance Secretary (Minister) Ernest Leung who spoke in the Globalization Conference (Manila, 2000) and former parliamentarian Felecito Payumo who, during his tenure as head of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Area, spoke in the Asian Economic Crisis Conference (Bangkok, ’98) and hosted the 2000 CALD General Assembly at the Subic Bay Yacht Club. Two resource speakers during the 1^st CALD Communication Workshop (Manila, 2003), Ms. Marites Vitug, Editor in Chief of the highly respected Newsbreak weekly political magazine; and, Ms. Marlyn Villapando of the communications and advocacy agency Campaigns and Grey, also attended. The Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) that works with CALD for issues related to Burma and East Timor was represented by its Vice-Chair of the Board, Mr. Fernando Pe�a. In 1999, IID in cooperation with the Liberal Party and CALD, hosted the visit of Nobel Laureate Jose Ramos Horta of East Timor and eminent Burmese dissident Dr. Sein Win who, on separate occasions, were formally received by the Philippine Congress.

Eliciting the most interest from amongst her fellow guests was the celebrated Hon. Grace Padaca, the first-term governor of the province of Isabela who joined the Liberal Party last December. Governor Padaca was one of the top Philippine newsmakers for 2004 and she is widely considered as a symbol of principled and reform-oriented politics. During the May, 2004 Elections, the young, soft spoken and polio-stricken accountant and radio commentator defeated the scion of the most powerful and politically entrenched family in her province that had been ruling Isabela for the last several decades.

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This post was written by CALD