PEACE-MAKER
The recent happenings in the Lakas-CMD (Christian-Muslim Democrats) brought back memories of the beginnings of the party as well as the many challenges and struggles we and our partymates faced together.
When we, together with then former Defense Secretary Fidel V. Ramos and former Senator and Foreign Secretary Raul Manglapus, founded the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP (National Union of Christian Democrats-United Muslim Democrats of the Philippines), forerunner of the now Lakas-CMD, in early 1992, we were so few that not too many took us seriously.
In the House of Representatives, we were only seven in the beginning, including Francisco “Komong” Sumulong of Rizal, Edelmiro Amante of Agusan del Norte, Hilarion Ramiro of Misamis Occidental, Jaime Lopez of Manila, Gualberto Lumauig of Ifugao, and Jose Tan Ramirez of Eastern Samar.
A late columnist even wrote trenchantly, “You could pack all its group members into a single taxi on the way to the airport.”
Yet, the gigantic political challenges we faced did not deter us from pursuing our dream for our country. Lakas-CMD’s climb was steep and uphill all the way, but we succeeded in catapulting Fidel V. Ramos to Malacañang in 1992.
Our home then in Dasmariñas Village served as the “de facto headquarters,” where meetings were held from morning until the wee hours of the morning the following day.
Our wife Gina acted as the “de facto secretary” of the group – taking down notes, keeping documents, arranging meetings, and even preparing the menu.
Our son Christopher, who was then a toddler, would at times sneak into the room where the meeting was being held, with toys in his hands. There was a time when he crawled under the conference table, surprising us and drawing laughter from Ramos, Gen. Jose Almonte, who later became National Security Adviser under the Ramos administration, and a few others.
Today, Christopher is a third-term congressman and chairperson of the House special committee on the creative industries.
Indeed, FVR’s quest for the presidency was almost an impossible dream. And the formation of Lakas – recruiting members and drumming up support for Ramos – was an uphill struggle.
But as they say, the rest is history.
Since 1992, when our country conducted the first multi-party elections, the Lakas-CMD is the only political party that has produced two presidents – President Ramos and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The party has led our country for 15 years – six years under FVR and nine years under GMA.
We tried in 1998, but perhaps we were destined for other things – becoming five-time Speaker of the House instead and founding and leading various international organizations.
In 1992, the Lakas-CMD led the unprecedented grand coalition of political parties in the House of Representatives – called the “Rainbow Coalition” – which passed President Ramos’ legislative reform package.
Today, the party, led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, leads the “Super majority” in the House in pushing the legislative agenda of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
After some 31 years, we are glad that Lakas is still around and playing a dynamic role in charting a better life for our country and people.
Lakas-CMD adheres to the centrist ideology. Not extreme left, not extreme right, but center. We gather the best ideas from the entire spectrum of political ideologies and bring them to the center.
Why are political parties important? Because they are instruments to carry out our nation’s socio-economic and political agenda, build political consensus, and present solutions to issues and challenges facing our country.
Indeed, presidents and administrations come and go, but political parties remain.