STRONGER POLITICAL PARTY SYSTEM KEY TO RP REFORMS -- ANGARA

DENVER, Colorado -- Senator Edgardo J. Angara, who is currently attending an international leaders' forum timed for the Democratic Party's national convention here, today said that only with strong, stable and ideology-based political parties can the Philippines undertake dramatic and meaningful reforms in its social, political and economic landscape.

"The lack of a genuine party system has not only stunted the development of true democracy, but also restrains foreign investments and hinders our progress to political maturity," he said.

Angara explained that weak democratic institutions and a fragile party system breed corruption. Political parties that lack strong ideological foundation are prone to resort to fraud and money politics.

"We cannot say we live in a representative democracy unless political parties have a definite and clear platform of government," said Angara, attending the International Leaders Forum (ILF) at the Democratic National Convention, where Democratic presidential bet Barack Obama will formally accept his nomination.

Angara lamented that, unlike their counterparts in the West, Philippine political parties today play a significantly diminished role and have considerably less prestige because of an unhealthy politics of personalities.

"Our political parties struggle for recognition and even existence. Few political parties can stand by themselves, and are often forced to seek the embrace of vested interest and dirty money," he said.

In the Philippine Senate, Angara is pushing for the passage of the Political Party Development and Campaign Finance Act, which will transform political parties into public institutions and provide state subsidy to political parties that will adopt an internal code of conduct and agree to public audit of their financial transactions

Angara also authored significant laws on good governance and institutional reform, including the e-procurement law which now stands as the Philippine's biggest anti-corruption measure.

Angara also created the Ombudsman's Office and pushed for the ratification of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) by the Philippine Senate.

As member of the Executive Board of the Global Organization of Parliamentarians against Corruption (GOPAC), an Ottawa-based anti-corruption group, Angara is founding President of the South East Asian Parliamentarians against Corruption (SEAPAC).

Angara is the longest serving member of the Senate and Chair of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LABAN). He is accompanied by Aurora Representative Juan Edgardo Angara, deputy majority floor leader of the House of Representatives.

The ILF, hosted by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) since 1984, is attended by 500 international leaders including current and former heads of state, speakers of parliament, elected officials, cabinet ministers, political party leaders and ambassadors from over 100 countries.

Angara was invited by former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the NDI to attend the leaders' forum and observe the convention proceedings.

Participants take part in a series of bipartisan panel discussions on the U.S. political process, foreign and domestic policy issues, and media coverage of the presidential race. NDI is a nonpartisan, nongovernmental organization that has supported democratic institutions and practices in every region of the world for more than two decades. ILF is privately funded by donations from individuals, foundations and corporations.