Acceptance Speech of Senator Rodolfo Biazon
on the Liberal Party of the Philippines’ chairmanship of CALD

A pleasant evening to every one of you gathered here tonight…each and every one of you who believes that the more we share our experiences and best practices, with one another, the more CALD becomes a significant advocate of democracy, good governance, peace and development in the region.

His Excellency President Chyen Shui Bian, President of Taiwan and CALD Chairman, good evening.

Ladies and gentlemen:

First of all, allow me to take this opportunity to thank before you His Excellency President Chen and the Democratic Progressive Party for the extremely warm hospitality accorded to all of us.

Second of all, I would like to bring to you equally warm greetings of our party president, the Honorable Franklin Drilon, President of the Philippine Senate.  While Senator Drilon wanted to be here with us in this important occasion, he could not, and he is likewise extending his apologies in this regard.  Senator Drilon is presiding the ongoing meeting of the Inter-parliamentary Union, or IPU, in Geneva.

As many of you may have known, the Philippines hosted in April this year the 112th IPU General Assembly.  Apart from hosting a gathering of liberal parliamentarians from all over the world in that assembly, CALD and the Liberal Party held side events and activities and sponsored the missions of two CALD member parties in crisis: the Sam Rainsy Party of Cambodia and the National Council of the Union of Burma.

Thus, in the IPU, we put forth two crucial issues:

The deteriorating situation in Burma, especially with the continued detention of Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; and

The lifting of the parliamentary Immunity of Cambodian oppositionist Sam Rainsy and his two colleagues

Side by side with ASEAN parliamentarians—in particular the liberal legislators from Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines—we lobbied against Myanmar’s chairing of the ASEAN in 2006.

In the last eleven years, CALD has served as a forum of liberal minded parliamentarians and political parties.  In this regard, CALD is becoming more and more a significant advocate of democracy, good governance, peace and development in the region, as we increasingly share experiences and best practices in every opportunity we are given.

Asia is home to ancient cultures, but nevertheless ahs a young history as a continent of democratic nations.  Many of us come from countries that suffered colonial occupation and endured oppression in the hands of our own countrymen.

Taiwan, like the Philippines, suffered under decades of Martial law.  And we, Taiwanese and Filipinos, can very well relate to each other, in connection to that common experience of struggle to free ourselves from the chains of authoritarian regimes.

I therefore publicly express my admiration to the Democratic Progressive Party of Taiwan, whose members have either given up their own personal welfare, or have given no less than their lives to the cause of democracy.

Similarly, my party, the Liberal Party of the Philippines, played a crucial role in our country’s quest to regain freedom and democracy from the Marcos dictatorship.

Like the DPP, members of our party paid dearly to fight for our rights.  One of them was martyred hero Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., who was the party secretary general when he was gunned down at the Manila airport in 1983.

By coincidences, Benigno Aquino III, the only son of our hero and former President Corazon Aquino, is currently the secretary-general of the Liberal Party.  While there may be truth in saying that history repeats itself, but there are things in the past that we should not allow to happen again.

We in CALD must not only fight for democracy.  We must remain and forever be vigilant to sustain it.  Thus, we dare say “Never again!” to the reign of foreign oppressors and local tyrants. 

Please allow me to echo the sentiments of Philippine Senate President and Incoming CALD Chairman, and I quote:

”As Asians we must chart the course of our political destiny.  We can start this journey by building an Asian democratic tradition.  The challenge is now for us to show our friends in the west that democracy works in Asia. Notwithstanding the colossal challenges facing us, we must continue to seek a common definition of democracy that is compatible not only with our cultural and social landscape, but also with our collective aspirations for peace and development.  Democracy that balances individualism and sense of community; democracy where the will of the governed is the bedrock of a strong government.”

Before I end, allow me to congratulate the Democratic Progressive Party for its sterling performance as CALD chair party for the past two years.  We just found ourselves a pair of big shoes to fill.

Therefore, with great honor and humility, the Liberal Party of the Philippines accepts the tasks as the new chair party of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats.

As chair party, we pledge, to the best of our abilities, to protect the noble organization that it ahs made of itself.

Thank you and good evening.