Thursday, May 28, 2009

Ang Kapatiran to field JC de los Reyes as Presidential Candidate

Today comes with the merger of Lakas and Kampi, but in the periphery there is talk that key members of both parties might bolt from the merging parties.

Tarlac Rep. Monica “Nikki” Prieto-Teodoro said that if her husband Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro is not declared the standard-bearer for the 2010 presidential election  by the administration coalition,  certain members of the soon-to-be-merged Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi), civil society and big business would support his independent run for the presidency.

Beneath this is all the talk of power and money that seems to be the pre-condition to considering winnability.  There is, again, a lack of discussion of the merits of the Presidential candidacy being
 propped up.

Whether the standard bearer for Lakas and Kampi is Gibo or Noli de Castro, the resulting discussion will still be about the power and money that will back the Presidential bid.

What people perhaps should hear is what good will such a Presidency give?

Some would answer that once you hold the reins of power, all manner of good things can be given out and it wouldn't matter who that person is as long as you're in cahoots with them.

This is the typical answer that, while reflecting the truth about Philippine politics, is also a truth I will try to subvert and overthrow -- no matter how puny my attempts may look.

In sharp contrast, the Ang Kapatiran Party (AKP) has boldly announced that it will field a lesser known candidate sans big time political hoopla and fanfare.

I received a text message a couple days ago from AKP's Eric Manalang that his group will throw its support behind Olongapo City Councilor John Carlos "JC" de los Reyes as its presidential candidate for 2010.  

I've already told Eric about who I think ought to be supported as President in 2010, but I am giving him and AKP some space in my blog because I still think that their group has a lot to say about selecting candidates based on merits -- in terms of vision for the country, experience, and track record.

As far as Presidential candidates are concerned, I'd rather discuss what they intend to do for the country and scrutinize their ability to deliver on what they say they'll do. 

Here's an excerpt of the article announcing AKP's Presidential candidate:

JC, who will turn 40 on February 14 next year, was unanimously selected by the Party’s national electoral committee from among 37 names/personalities nominated by both Party members and the general public.

JC delos Reyes has a degree in Theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio, USA, a master’s degree in Public Administration from the
 University of the Philippines, and a Law degree from St. Louis University in Baguio City. He obtained his primary and secondary education from the Ateneo de Manila and De La Salle – Zobel, respectively. He is married to Dunia Valenzuela. They have three children.

He is lead animator of Solidarity Philippines , a movement that pro-actively advances the social justice agenda of the Church. He is also executive director of Breaking the Yoke of Poverty Foundation, which oversees the Jubilee Homes for the Poor, a housing project for 60 families in Olongapo City.

As human rights advocate, he has raised issues on extrajudicial killings. He has openly criticized Hanjin in Subic over worker’s rights violations, urging government to prioritize the dignity of the Filipino worker.

He has opposed the reproductive health code, saying it is a dictated and imperialist law that muddles women’s rights. He is also against the establishment of Ocean 9 Casino in Subic and the commissioning of the Bataan Nuclear Plant.

He has been an organizer of Kapatiran sa Pangkalahatang Kabutihan (KPK) as early as 1998 and worked for the Comelec accreditation of AKP in 2004. He was the lone winner of AKP in 2007 when the Party fielded 30 candidates for national and local positions.

AKP is confident that principle- and platform-based politics, personified by JC de los Reyes, will destroy the paradigm of big-money and popularity politics. The nation, with the youth at the forefront, will experience a new and promising beginning - asserting the Party’s call for prophetic politics of personal and social transformation.

The open nomination system will also be adopted for the Party’s subsequent search for candidates for vice president, senators, and other local elective positions, details of which will be announced soon.

No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...