Press Release
April 18, 2010

"WE ARE THE BROAD CENTER" -- LEGARDA
Press statement of NP-NPC-LDP vice presidential candidate Loren Legarda

The NP-led coalition of 'Left', 'Center' and 'Right' under the leadership of Senator Manny Villar and yours truly, Loren Legarda of NP-NPC-LDP, is a showcase of what is possible in future Philippine politics. It offers a genuine alternative to the traditional style of governance for the country. Our own experience in the coalition underscores the importance of trust building, mutual respect, and tolerance between people and groups despite diversity in political beliefs. At the end of the day, it is not political beliefs and ideologies per se that clash and paralyze public action. Rather, leaders agree or disagree depending on how they interact with each other and win each other's trust and respect to work for common goals.

What Senator Villar and myself have started is a testament to our own consensus-building qualities and strong leadership to unite parties of various political and ideological hues. Our coalition has taken concrete steps to offer a way out of paralyses by ending intolerance and fractiousness in order to tackle the huge challenges of poverty, social inequity, economic stagnation, and the exacerbating effects of environment and climate change on our people's livelihoods. We, in the coalition, are not driven by ideological fundamentalisms. Instead, we are propelled by the need to achieve win-win unity to address the festering social and economic problems of this country.

By contrast, the Liberal Party continues to be mired in old-style, Cold War and rabid anti-communist baiting as well as perpetual hatred for the Marcoses, while unwittingly unmasking its own pro-landlord ideological position such as rationalizing its grip on Hacienda Luisita at all costs despite farmers' protests and deaths. Is this the type of governance and quality of leadership that Aquino and Roxas are offering the country? Much of the same!

Pwede ba, iwan na natin ang labanan sa ideolohiya. This fundamentalist divisiveness has stymied creative ways of achieving consensus, especially in building peace and unity. What is most urgently needed is trust building and pragmatism in seeking mutually acceptable, win-win approaches, alongside transparent discussions and negotiations between groups over concrete proposals to solve major issues. In short, we will go for 'what works' and 'what's smart' for the Filipino people. This is the only viable alternative to the present style of governance by the Arroyo regime and to an equally ideologically-driven and divisive style that the Liberal Party offers.

We in the NP-coalition are the real broad CENTER, and we will aim to go beyond the ideological fundamentalisms of the past. Unity in diversity. Unity for progress and prosperity to bring our people out of poverty.

Nagkakaisa kami sa layuning wakasan na ang kahirapan ng mamamayang Pilipino.

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