Prime Minister Abhisit meets CALD in Manila

H.E. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, met with CALD and the leaders of the Liberal Party of the Philippines (LP) for a brief dialogue and a fellowship among liberals last August 14, 2009 in Sofitel Philippine Plaza in Manila.

Senator Noynoy Aquino, vice chairman of LP and former secretary general of CALD, welcomed Abhisit and personally thanked him for the message of condolences the Prime Minister had extended to the Aquino family and to the Filipino people during the time when the entire country was in grief for the death of a Democracy icon, President Cory Aquino.

“This has been such an honor for CALD, being the first regional grouping of liberal democratic parties in Asia, to welcome His Excellency Abhisit and other partners and colleagues from the Democrat Party of Thailand,” Senator Aquino said.

Also in the meeting were Hon. Erin Tanada, MP, spokesperson of LP in the House of Representatives, Dr. Neric Acosta, secretary general of CALD, Dr. Wilfrido Villacorta, former chair of the National Institute for Policy Studies (NIPS) and deputy secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Dr. Carina  Chotirawe, wife of Dr. Acosta and professor from Chulalongkorn University, CALD Program Officers Paolo Zamora and Carlo Religioso, and Ms. Mai Mislang, communications officer of Senator Aquino.

Senator Mar Roxas, president of LP and a close friend to the Prime Minister who was coming from a flight from Bacolod province that time, still managed to talk with Abhisit via phone call to extend courtesy despite his absence in the meeting.

The CALD secretariat also had the chance to update the Prime Minister about its projects in the last quarter of the year. The Democrat Party of Thailand, the party currently in power, is one of the founding parties of CALD. It has chaired the organization twice — in 1993-1995 and in 2002-2004.

“Following the 15^th Anniversary in Bangkok last March 2009, this visit of His Excellency Abhisit further strengthens CALD’s role in democratic processes and dialogues among member parties,” Dr. Acosta said.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was in Manila for one day only. His visit was part of a series of ASEAN trips before the ASEAN summit in October.

Categorised in: News Article

This post was written by CALD