A new name for Lakas-NUCD-UMDP – Centrist Democrats

Poor President Gloria. She is buffeted from all quarters. I hope she remains unfazed by the criticism. Here’s another unsolicited advice: While she should take note of the criticisms, she must not be overwhelmed. She alone must decide what kind of leadership she wants to assert. Politics in this country is treated like a sport – kailangang may bakbakan – otherwise what is the game for? I am sure that if President Arroyo were to posture as a leader, it will be said that we don’t need a leader we need a manager. Talagang walang laban. But she is in now – the President of the Philippines – with all its attendant pain and glory. So she must steel herself and do the best that she can in the way she sees fit. Here’s old-fashioned advice: Wisdom is also knowing what to ignore. An old prayer asks for the courage to change what can be changed, the serenity to accept what cannot be changed and the wisdom to know the difference. teaching us that wisdom in its purest form is sometimes knowing what to overlook.

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As for this column, I will stick with a battlecry I have long espoused even before GMA became president and that is to question the system we have opted in running our country. If I were President Gloria, I would take the singular opportunity to be known as the President who made it possible to shift from presidential to parliamentary government.

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By a single act, she will have made her transition presidency one of the most memorable, if not a great one in our time. It is better than winning the Presidency in 2004 if it means just sinking the country deeper in mire because of a presidential system that does not work. If politicians or the electorate were to be really honest with themselves, they should stop pointing fingers at those who would prepare for elections two years from now. It is the system that is to blame. If elections are decided by the size of your war chest or the distribution of spoils, it would be strange to think or do otherwise.

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It may be commendable if President Gloria heeded her critics and stopped thinking of 2004 but if it also means defaulting and opening the field to politicians like a comebacking Erap or his henchman suspected drug lord but still Senator Panfilo Lacson, she could be accused later of the highest irresponsibility. It is well-known that among presidential contenders given the electoral system we have, it is the likes of Erap and Co. who would have the money and wherewithal to seize power in 2004. President GMA, because she is in power, may have a slim chance but only just. We saw that happen in the defeat of 13-0 in the last elections despite the failed impeachment proceeding. Thanks to less than honorable senators. This is what Col. Victor Corpus means when he says narcopolitics is here with us but we’re still dilly-dallying, still thinking we will have an orthodox electoral battle in 2004.

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We may be doomed to look back and say: Why did President Gloria not even try to save us by making sure she won in 2004? Well, damn if you do and damn if you don’t. We may not be at the best of times, but we are better off – thank God – than we were or would have ever been if Erap had continued with his dissolute presidency.

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I might also add to the litany of complaints that not enough has been done to pursue party programs. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is titular head of Lakas-NUCD-UMDP. She can do more in this direction. It may be instructive to Filipinos that the 90-member countries that form the CDI endorsed President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo even before the November meeting in Mexico. The endorsement was made by the CDI Executive Committee in Rome in February immediately after EDSA People Power 2.

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Indeed CDI applauded the historic January, 2001 people power revolution calling it constitutional, non-violent and orderly. It described the January events 2001 as a people power revolution "that peacefully deposed a corrupt regime, resulting in the assumption to the presidency of the constitutional successor, Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, backed by the unanimous vote of the Supreme Court and supported by nations around the world. It demonstrated once again to the whole world the Filipino people’s faith in democratic People Power-initiative by Filipinos themselves during the February, 1986 EDSA Revolution."

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It cited Lakas-NUCD-UMDP, as a CDI fraternal organization for its role in the orderly constitutional transition and its titular head, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for bringing together the united opposition and civil society to resolve the political crisis. It also acknowledged crucial support from Jaime Cardinal Sin, former President Fidel Ramos, Corazon Aquino and Lakas senior leaders, Teofisto Guingona, Heherson Alvarez and Jose de Venecia.

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Apart from 90 member-countries, the CDI also called on business and industrial organizations in their respected areas to help stimulate the return of direct foreign investments to rebuild the battered Philippine economy.

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The CDI Rome statement said, "We support the new administration of H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in its commitment to win the fight against poverty by end of this decade, to enhance moral standards in governance and society, to institutionalize the new politics of party programs and dialogue with the people and to promote leadership by example."

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Change of name. At the recent Leaders’ Meeting in Mexico City, the Christian Democrats International passed a resolution on the name of the international political group. From thereon it was agreed that CDI could stand for Christian Democrat International or Centrist Democrat International.

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This was welcomed by the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP which would benefit from the change of name. Centrist Democrats will be more acceptable to Muslims and other non-Christians. Much of the outreach work of the party through the initiatives of its Chairman, Jose de Venecia, has been dedicated to reaching out to peoples among non-Christian parties and countries in Asia.

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The debate on the ‘Christian Democrat’ name has been going on for sometime now with more democratically inclined but non-Christian groups wanting to join the CDI family. This is especially true in Asia, where members of political parties and other political institutions belong to the great religions of Asia – Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam among others.

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At the same time, there is a sentimental attachment to ‘Christian Democrat’ because of the origins of the name. The Christian Democrat and People’s Parties International were founded in 1961 under the name Christian Democrat World Union. This in turn came from the Nouvelles Equipes Internationales (New International Teams) from which the European Union of Christian Democrat Union of Central Europe (CDUCE) were developed. In 1999, these names were further simplified and CDI was adopted as its collective name.

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But times change. With the need for cooperation among political groups with other religious persuasions, Christian Democrat may be misleading. It could be misinterpreted as a narrow religious perspective, which is not the case. A narrow religious perspective is hardly what the Christian Democrats would like to be known for, especially in these times when misguided sectors are promoting a clash of civilizations in problem areas.

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Instead of mutilating the name of Christian Democrats, CDI decided to retain both names. The resolution enjoins members to use either Christian Democrats or Centrist Democrats as they see fit. At the same time the acronym CDI was retained to mean either, to ensure continuity of its political tradition.

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The more important consideration for members is how they fit in the CDI. This means general compliance with the tenets of democracy and humanism as embodied in the Preamble of the CDI Statutes. Among the statutes are "the irrevocable recognition of the dignity of every person, irrespective of sex, age, color, economic, social or cultural status or personal convictions; the promotion of the individual rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and complementary treaties; and the orientation of their policy in accordance with the fundamental values of the ethic of Christian or integral humanism, particularly the values of truth, freedom, personal responsibility, justice and solidarity." It also enjoins members, both present and future, to recognize and defend "democracy as the sole form of political organization of nations because it guarantees the participation of all in public life, particularly through free, secret, general and regular elections. Moreover it offers "the possibility of alternation, within the framework of the rule of law and ensures constitutional balance between state bodies."

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De Venecia contribution to CDI Policy Paper. With a broader perspective for the CDI, the Philippine Centrist Democrats have a special role to play. Indeed, way before the change in name, its work in partybuilding and networking with Muslims in the Philippines and elsewhere has been significant. The Philippine Centrist Democrats are the only party in the country which formally includes a Muslim component, Centrist Democrat Chairman Jose de Venecia made sure that in the CDI ideological document approved in the Leaders’ Meeting in Mexico it included a statement in support for this undertaking:

We believe that the time has come to start a dialogue between civilizations in the sense established by the United Nations aiming to the establishment of reciprocal and equitable links among civilizations. The understanding between cultures and the peoples of the world is the only basis for a lasting peace. Cultural programs will be fostered specially focused towards the young of the world, that would disseminate conciliations and cooperation issues between cultures. If historical rancor still prevails, let us shed light on all of them, so that they may be once and for all be overcome through reasoning, debate and commitment.

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Fight for freedom: Fight against terrorism. If the Arroyo administration is deep in the international coalition against terrorism it is consistent with CDI. High in the agenda of Centrist Democrats is the fight against terrorism. CDI equates this with its fight for freedom. It was quick to point out, however, that terrorism is not a new problem. "For many years our organization has expressed its support to those fighting against the scourge of terrorism, which has on so many occasions, struck at members of our political family." To emphasize its commitment, CDI passed a resolution to firmly reject terrorism as a tool for the attainment of any objective. It also reaffirmed its willingness to pursue the guilty parties and to reinforce the fight against all forms of terrorism in all its dimensions.

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"We want to underline that we are not facing a clash of civilizations but a clash between civilization itself and terrorist fanaticisms. Terrorism is not a new phenomenon but our free societies are ready to confront it. The strength of the links between democratic countries and the firm defense of freedom are the best guarantees for putting an end to the dictatorship of terror. To do so, we need to implement operative measures at the international and regional levels according to the resolutions of the UN Security Council.

We must prevent the existence of regimes and organizations that protect terrorists. This not only includes world terrorist networks, but also international connections to organized crime, drug trafficking, money laundering, illegal arms trafficking and illegal trade in nuclear, chemical or bacteriological material, as well as political or economic organizations which harbor or support terrorists," CDI said.

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