It is with great pleasure to discuss pressing issues faced by our region, and to endeavor to find answers to questions voiced by so many in today’s changing world. We assemble here today with the hope that the differing views articulated during this conference will shed light upon the many challenges we all face. Eventually, we shall significantly act on them in the spirit of cooperation.

Even now, while the Philippines faces a new set of challenges, while it wages a different kind of war — one against poverty, among others — and while terrorism resonates on the lips and minds of every man, woman and child, the Liberal Party struggles, through the noteworthy actions of its members, to be an instrument of change.

So now that the Philippine elections are over, it is time to realize this change. One that will alter the economic, political and social landscape in a way that will be beneficial to all Filipinos and responsive to their needs. I know many of us have just had our elections. But after the maze of the electoral campaign, after the votes have been counted, it is time to deliver on promises made. And this is where the importance of a party’s platform is most visible, for it later becomes the blueprint of governance. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, herself the daughter of a former member of the Liberal Party, and whom the Liberal Party rallied behind in the last Philippine election, is now in a position where she can continue with the commendable projects she began when she first assumed office three years ago. A fresh mandate, a new hope and a promise of a better life for all Filipinos. The Liberal Party has undoubtedly been a winning party during past elections, garnering votes of citizens, and attaining for its members a number of important positions on all levels of the political spectrum. The results of these recent elections have been nothing short of a social commentary. A cry from the people to end corruption and other shortfalls of past administrations which have led to the countless hardships being experienced now by our people.

The vision of the Liberal Party heeds the needs of the greater majority, and draws inspiration from our revolutionary forefathers. At its core is the guarantee of freedom of every individual. It recognizes and acknowledges the government’s responsibility to provide people with a breadth of opportunities to improve the quality of their lives. For once opportunity is available, success may ensue. People become aware of basic fundamental freedoms and become more active in the decision-making process which ultimately will chart their destinies. But most importantly, it is the government’s duty to ensure that the economic, political and social environments are stable, and ripe for achieving socio-political and economic progress.

In the economic sphere, it is the Liberal Party’s belief that for the Philippines to achieve economic stability, the market must be allowed to run its course, ensuring open competition, and correcting its shortcomings. Economic soundness is synonymous with investment. Regrettably, the Philippines, amid speculations triggered by domestic and international conflicts is currently experiencing a wane in terms of investment. Without capital, the oil which runs our industries — our ticket to economic independence — would retrogress. The end result is capital flight, and although I am grateful to thousands of Filipinos who travel overseas and remit to the Philippines billions of dollars each year to fuel our economy, it saddens me that our youngest, and brightest, and our most diligent are leaving the country because we have failed to provide them with some of their basic human rights — the simple opportunity to succeed and improve their quality of life.

Boosting investment and building confidence in our nation has remained elusive. With civil unrest and inflation, it is hard to win back investors’ favor. But everything is not lost, and one way in which it can be done is through taxation reform. Taxation is a key attribute of economic policy, and as such its full potential should be utilized. By providing incentives which will eventually encourage investment in industries, in particular the smaller and medium-sized enterprises, these ventures will be given an opportunity to flourish and to contribute in their own way to the economy. The Liberal Party, therefore, supports ongoing talks and initiatives of the present Philippine administration towards a new and more effective taxation system.

In the political arena, the LP’s policies revolve around the belief that government should be both transparent and accountable. Along this line, every citizen has the right to exercise power over establishments that provide them with the fundamental economic and social entitlements, for empowerment of the individual is crucial in guaranteeing progress.

It is, therefore, imperative, in light of our current situation, that elections should be democratized. As liberals, we acknowledge that we cannot change our collective future unless we change our electoral system. Elections mirror the state of democracy of a nation, and elections wrought with fraud and deception will not bring about an era of change, but an era of continued fraud and deception. As such, streamlining and simplifying the election process is key in achieving this goal of transparency, and the Philippines is clearly on this path of transformation.

But aside from our political woes, a myriad of social issues afflicts the Philippines. Poverty and a rapidly growing population are concerns that have grave consequences, which merit more attention. The Liberal Party’s social program focuses on equality, of opportunity and of respect. Our agenda comprises of reforms for labor, agriculture, education and social services, among others.

We must not forget the youth. As bearers of our future, they are the foundation of any and every society.

I am aware our gathering today aims to forge a spirit of collaboration, to discuss ways on how our strengths and differences can be harnessed, to achieve our shared goals of progress and developments for our countries, and ultimately, our region. The Liberal Party is conscious of the need to share and exchange knowledge and expertise to achieve this vision. We are affiliated with a number of international organizations, among which include the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), on a regional level, and Liberal International, on the more international level. We also hold in high regard this conference, now on its 3rd meeting, not only because it has its roots in the Philippines, but because it encourages cooperation in furtherance of deeper regional ties.

Lastly, let us always remain guided by our theme of “Exchanges, Cooperation, Development”. Our role as political parties has always been to bring together people with similar ideas, and to put forth a vision in a way that the greater majority can understand to achieve the greater good. Let this be our guiding vision until we see the beacon of change in the deeper recesses of our socio-economic and political quagmire.