ANG KAPATIRAN PARTY HOLDS FUND-RAISING DINNER,
LAUNCHES CANDIDATES FOR 2010
The Ang Kapatiran Party (AKP), a national political party accredited by the Comelec, formally launched its candidates for the 2010 elections at a fund-raising dinner held at the Social Hall of the Christ the King Parish in Greenmeadows, Q.C. on 19 August 2009.
Dubbed “Dine for Psalm 20:10”, the sit-down dinner was attended by some 400 AKP supporters to help raise funds for the Party’s national and local candidates. The dinner event featured a significant dish, porridge or “lugaw” that symbolizes the worsening poverty of Filipinos.
“Ang Kapatiran hopes that change will begin over dinner, among families and small groups who are trying to find a way to make their country better,” AKP president Eric Manalang said.
The national candidates, formally introduced during the event, included presidential candidate John Carlos “JC” delos Reyes and senatorial candidates Atty. Adrian “Dado” Sison, Dr. Martin Bautista, Atty. Zosimo Jesus “Jess” Paredes, Atty. Dominador “Jun” Chipeco, Jr., and Aparri Councilor Reginald “Reggie” Tamayo. Two other senatorial candidates, who cannot make it to the event, will be announced in a subsequent forum along with the remaining five others and a vice presidential candidate, the search for which is still on-going and will complete AKP’s 2010 national slate.
As will be recalled, AKP’s search for national candidates went through public nomination followed by a rigorous selection process that required each one’s adherence and commitment to the Party’s principles and platform in whole and panel interview focused on measuring the aspirant’s moral uprightness, courage, competence, leadership, and responsible citizenship and parenthood.
Other candidates for local positions were also introduced, namely, Atty. Leo Ferrer of Quezon City, Conrado Tejada of Ibaan in Batangas, Dr. Luisito Lacatan of Oriental Mindoro, Victor del Rosario of Naval in Biliran, Engr. Dhara Mamacol of Lanao del Norte, and Jose Policarpio Jr. of Zamboanga Sibugay among others.
To bring about needed change in towns and cities, AKP has embarked on its initiative, Project MMX (2010), which is a national search for local candidates from councilors and up aimed at addressing the likewise escalating corruption and unprincipled governance in local government units. At least 200 major cities and municipalities all over the country will have complete AKP slates for the 2010 elections.
As corruption begins with favors owed during election campaigns, AKP will introduce a campaigning system driven by the active support of each candidate’s network of friends and supporters. All AKP candidates must not be saddled with the burden of raising their own candidacy funds in order to make them accountable only to their constituents and not beholden to those with vested interests. This way, money becomes much less of a factor in the candidates' chances of winning.
Party principles and platform with clear and specific policy objectives to which all AKP candidates adhere shall be the main battle cry of the Party as opposed to mere motherhood statements. In this regard, a vigorous and widespread political information campaign will be undertaken to educate voters particularly the poor and young electorate who constitute 46% of voters.
For more information on AKP and its candidates, visit www.angkapatiranparty.org.
LAKAS/CMD/KAMPI – A POLITICAL JUGGERNAUT??(BY DOMINADOR "JUN" CHIPECO,ANG KAPATIRAN PARTY MEMBER AND SENATORIAL ASPIRANT)
With Noynoy's recent declaration of his intent to run for President, the political season with all its high drama, passion and entertainment potential has begun. It’s the season of clever deceptions, of half truths, of media hype. It’s the season for raising anew Filipinos’ expectations based on the same trapos’ empty promises of change repeatedly made in the past decades;but season after season, the Filipinos are left high and dry, their expectations unmet. Now is the season to reflect, to ask ourselves the question we have long avoided asking: WHY HAVE WE AS A PEOPLE COME TO THIS STATE? HOW MUCH LONGER ARE WE GOING TO WAIT FOR REAL CHANGES TO TAKE PLACE IN OURSELVES AND IN GOVERNMENT?
In the past few days, tri-media have provided ample evidence of the systemic flaws in the way we choose the leaders to govern us. There’s the charismatic aura that descended like a royal mantle on the heir apparent Noynoy. There’s Mar Roxas all set for a make-over by his “upmanship” act of withdrawing in favor of Noynoy. There’s Erap Estrada once again claiming to be a casualty of history and hoping to clear his name by running again for President. There’s Manny Villar quietly celebrating his commanding lead in the poll surveys. There’s Noli de Castro still enjoying his dimming reputation as a broadcaster. There’s Bayani Fernando staking his presidential ambition on MMDA’s achievements. And there are the other presidential wannabees, all well known names whose images,whether true or false, have been created by exposure to media. And there are the Filipino voters who become unwitting victims of “name recall”, a euphemism for brainwashing. With very few exceptions led by Governors Padaca and Panlilio (and notably the young JC de los Reyes ,Olongapo City councilor and presidential standard bearer of the Ang Kapatiran Party) nearly all of our elected leaders and possibly all of our national leaders have spent mind blowing amounts of money on image building and refurbishing, orchestrated by top-drawer advertising firms. As the election campaign progresses to fever pitch, expect media to gobble up available space in print and airwaves glorifying the names of moneyed candidates. This begs the question:Why would so many candidates spend so much to land in jobs that pay so little in relation to their “investments”? Why would a sincere desire to honestly serve the public cost so much in money?
We as a people have relinquished to media, pollsters and image builders our discernment powers of selecting our leaders. Whether in laziness, despair or apathy, we have surrendered our right and abandoned our constitutional obligation to be politically engaged in the governance of our country by exercising our right of suffrage intelligently and wisely. All too easily, a majority of us has succumbed to constant media bombardments. And fall prey to “name recall”.
Up to this point, I have intentionally omitted mentioning the ruling coalition party Lakas/CMD/Kampi and its anointed candidate for President, Secretary Gilberto Teodoro. Because it deserves a special mention. Despite all the sound and fury directed at GMA, the political reality is her administration controls the government machinery and its vast resources that can deliver a potential knockout punch to a dismembered so-called
The coalesced Lakas/CMD/Kampi party is a juggernaut that will attempt to sway the hearts and minds of voters in May, 2010. It will stage a roadshow of achievements in infrastructures, economy, education, etc…. and will refuse to answer the fundamental question of whether these so-called achievements obtained at a mind-boggling cost have in fact raised the Filipinos’ quality of life. If they have, then why is the Philippines lagging behind her neighboring countries in Asia which she used to dominate 50 years ago? The so-called opposition with its array of traditional politicians employing the same tactics that have enslaved the Filipino people for years will not present new hopes nor fresh winds of change that will shake things up and restore honest-to-goodness
Unless our people take a moment and prayerfully reflect on the recent events that forebode of things to come by way of shaping our future as a nation, we will be held captives behind prison walls we ourselves have made.
