Big Plans require a Big Opening
Last August 14, the Akbayan Citizens Action Party kicked-off its Fourth Regular Party Congress with a “grand opening” activity at the Club Filipino Ballroom in Greenhills, San Juan. Present during the celebration, with the call, “Maglingkod, Lumaban, Magtagumpay,” were Akbayan’s 200-strong delegates to the Fourth Congress; members of the National Council and National Executive Committee; party representatives from the three major island groups – Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao; party representatives from the Local Government sector; party delegates from abroad, notably Greece and Japan; and key Akbayan personalities led by Reps. Risa Hontiveros and Walden Bello; former Reps. Etta Rosales and Mayong Aguja; and Prof. Randy David.
Guests included representatives from the diplomatic corps and official representatives from the German Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the Social Democratic Party of Sweden (SAP), and representatives of partner NGOs, POs, mass movements, the media and academe. Also present were Akbayan’s newest volunteers and supporters.
The keynote address delivered by former Senator Jovito Salonga, Liberal Party stalwart, was one high point, but the real highlight of the grand opening was two-fold: first, Risa Hontiveros formally announced her bid for the senatorial race in 2010, a task and a challenge which, according to Risa, she was whole-heartedly yet humbly accepting. Second, Sen. Noynoy Aquino, who led the powerhouse LP delegation and who represented Sen. Mar Roxas, formally announced the LP’s official invitation to Akbayan to enter into an “electoral coalition” with the LP and for Risa to become a guest candidate in the LP’s Senatorial Slate for 2010.
Interspersed with the more serious aspects of the program were performances by progressive artists and long-time Akbayan supporters Noel Cabangon, Bayang Barrios and Cooky Chua. There was even a surprise visit by “President Gloria.”
Now, to Work.
The next two days of the Congress, however, were marked contrasts to the mood during the first day. Perhaps everyone, from the delegates to the officers and even the members of the secretariat, felt the seriousness of the task that lay before all.
This was, after all, a Party Congress of many firsts. For one, it was the first time that the opening ceremonies were held at a different venue than the congress proper. Also, it was Akbayan’s first time to implement a “lean and mean,” working congress. Finally, it was the first time that Akbayan found itself preparing not only for the coming Party-list and Local elections, but also a Senatorial Campaign – one under a prospective “electoral coalition” with a mainstream national political party at that.
And so the delegates hunkered down to two days and nights of serious but construcive, heated but democratic, and passionate but intelligent debate. And through the delegates’ collective effort and the titanic patience displayed by the Congress Chairperson, the 4th Akbayan Regular Party Congress was able to accomplish the following:
1. Refined Akbayan’s current 7-point Governance Platform (on Agrarian Reform, Decent Work, Education, Decent Housing, Peace, Anti-Corruption and Health) and expanded it further to include the Environment, Human Rights, the Economy and OFWs;
2. Amended the Akbayan Constitution and the By-Laws to make both even more effective, democratic and responsive to the needs of the party and its members;
3. Approved the General Program of Action that will guide the Akbayan’s work in the next three years;
4. Passed key resolutions foremost among which were the resolution to field Rep. Risa Hontiveros as candidate for the 2010 senatorial race and the resolution to support the presidential bid of Sen. Mar Roxas for 2010; and,
5. Elected a new set of national leaders including the Party Chairperson, Mr. Percival Cendana; Party President, Mr. Ronald Llamas; and Party Secretary General, Mr. Conrad Castillo, Jr.
Even after all this hard work, the delegates, surprisingly, still had enough energy left over to close the 4th Congress with a bang.
To extend their congratulations to Akbayan for its successful and very fruitful congress, formally accept Akbayan’s support for Sen. Mar Roxas’ presidential candidacy and officially welcome Rep. Risa Hontiveros as guest candidate of the LP’s Senatorial Slate, the Liberal Party, this time led by Sen. Mar Roxas himself, showed up in force to join Akbayan in its thanksgiving and solidarity party. Also present were Sen. Noynoy Aquino, key leaders of the Liberal Party and Mr. Jun Lozada.
The party lasted until early the next day, but the exhilaration and passion ignited within the delegates during those fateful two days seems strong enough to drive Akbayan to victory in 2010, and beyond.