Int’l liberal democrats open 3-day meet
First posted 10:25am (Mla time) June 22, 2006
Inquirer

OVER 100 Liberal Democrats from 30 countries will meet this Thursday to discuss economic and security challenges facing their nations, including the killings of militant leaders and journalists in the Philippines, a statement from Senate President Franklin Drilon’s office said.

But for what is billed as the biggest ever gathering of international liberal leaders at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will not be the keynote speaker.

Instead, former president Corazon Aquino will deliver the keynote address at the 3-day joint meeting of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), Alliance of Liberals and Democrats from Europe (ALDE), and the Liberal International (LI), said Drilon, president of the local Liberal Party, the CALD, and host of the meeting.

The officials include 30 members of Parliaments, senators, ministers, and local and national officials from Asia and Europe, according to the statement.

Aquino will talk about international migration, particularly the plight of millions of Filipino overseas workers, and the role of liberal-democrats in the face of the economic and security issues in the 21st century, according to the statement.

Aquino’s martyred husband, former senator Benigno Aquino Jr., was an LP member and their only son, Tarlac Representative Benigno “Noynoy’’ Aquino III, is the party’s current vice chairman.

Juliet Labog-Javellana