This talk today will be one of a series on International economics, politics and culture sponsored by KAS and CDPI. Konrad Adenauer Stiftung has been an established institution in this country for the good part of 4 decades. I want to introduce the other partner – CDPI.

The Centrist Democracy Political Institute (CDPI)was just established in 2010. But its venerable roots go back a long way to the late 60s when, Raul Manglapus, senator of the land and foremost Christian Democratic ideologue and allied leaders met with a young and newly elected member of the then West German Bundestag who came to the Philippines for a visit – Helmut Kohl of the Christian Democratic Union. This lead to the founding of the Christian Social Movement (CSM) in 1967 – and the start of what will prove to be a tumultuous but fruitful relations with theKonrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).

The intervening years were marked by the aborted formation of a left-of-center Political Party by the imposition of Martial Law and the dormancy of the CSM and its youth arm the Young Christian Socialist Movement (YCSP). There were various initiatives by Christian Democrats to form groupings with limited success foremost among which was the Partido Democratico Pilipino-Laban (PDP-Laban), a Mindanao lead party headed by Nene Pimentel and after the People Power Revolution that catapulted Cory Aquino to power - the launching of Ramos-De Venecia-Manglapus, National Union of Christian Democrats (NUCD). This became the political party in power up to the time this was perverted by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo thru their merger with Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI). 
Over the years, the remnants of the CSM/YCSP were into all sorts of political organizations mostly within the center of the political spectrum but a few were radicalized and went underground.

We, the original recruits of Raul Manglapus even then were already pushing for the creation of a Political Institute which was to be the repository of the Christian Democratic Themes, advocating its Ideology and the development and inculcating into the body politic the values of good governance.

Many years in the backburner, the Political Institute came into being with the entrance of Dr. Peter Koeppinger, the current KAS country representative. His appearance in the scene was very timely indeed as the political life of the country was to undergo emotional turmoil in the passing of the revered Cory Aquino and the impending eclipse of the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo government.

He met in earnest with the Philippine Partners, particularly the Technical Assistance Center for the Development of the Rural & Urban Poor (TACDRUP) based in Davao. This meeting together with the other partners of KAS initiated a rethinking of the political programs of KAS in the Philippines.

In consonance with a conventional pattern over the years, an imminent change in the presidency triggers a convoluted spasm of party realignments – culminating in the advent of and possible dominance of another administration party.

It was towards a similar end game, when the Kampi-Lakas-CMD merger was stressfully forged, and the rush to the popular political heir, Ninoy of the LP became frenetic, that the seed of an idea and political strategy offered itself to KAS and its political partner.

The centerpoint of the initial program of the KAS/CDPI is called the SUCCESSOR GENERATION Program. The concept was to pass on to our descendants, our doctrinal heirs, the mantle of political responsibility for their lives – from those like us who were in political technocracy from the time we were recruited by the Christian Social Movement of Raul Manglapus, the Young Christian Socialist of the Philippines (YCSP) and the various centrist movements of the 1st quarter storm. We were ourselves the youthful Successors then to the likes of Manuel Manahan, Manuel Pelaez and Ramon Magsaysay.

Needless to say, we, denizens of the political era of the 60s and 70s are now in our 60s and 70s too. Perhaps, it was time for us to retire and pass on the torch - thus, the founding of the Centrist Democratic Movement (CDM). Composed of young professionals in various fields, they have banded themselves into a dues paying federation, with their own elected leadership, widely operating regional councils and a set of internal rules of discipline and governance.

They are comfortable adapting to an emerging political culture shaped by the electronic social networking. This new found power embeded in the internet mitigates their frustrations on current realities borne out by acts of their elders. They could be the precursor of a new political party or a movement capable of influencing one.

Early this year, the CDM decided to transform itself into a real Political Party – the CENTRIST DEMOCRATIC PARTY – Ang Partido ng Tunay na Demokrasya. We are awaiting COMELEC approval.

CENTRIST DEMOCRACY POLITICAL INSTITUTE (CDPI) of which I and Peter Koeppinger are intimately attached – will service the various Centrist Democratic ideology driven groups, primarily but not exclusively the CDP.  CDPI is meant to provide orientation and training to the CDP and similar centrist groups including specific leadership training; promote centrist values and policies for public consumption; conduct research and studies on programmatic issues on good governance; and publish these documents, literature and outputs.

CDPI was also designed to be a platform for developing creative ideas and concepts together with other like-minded institutions and stakeholders and provide a forum where these can be widely debated; and link these various endeavors thru seminars, training, conferences.
The themes that distinguish the Centrist Democrats are anchored on the following universal principles and dogma:

Respect for Human Dignity is a primordial consideration and its enhancement takes precedence over all. This is our CORE value.

Political, Economic and Social Order must be so logically designed towards its upliftment.

Therefore, the Centrist Democracy Concepts adhere to:

· A truly functioning Democracy and the Rule of law;

· A thriving Social Market Economy; 

· The principle of Subsidiarity in all structures of governance; and 

· The building up of strong, sustainable and real political parties as catalyst for effective governance.

Current existing centrist political aggrupations play certain variations around the main themes. The LP, NP, PDP & Lakas may be indistinguishable in their platitudes in times of electoral contests – basically revolving around: poverty alleviation; solutions to graft & corruption; and campaign for peace and order. But these always adjust in tandem with regime changes.
In the absence of sanctions and incentives in real reforms, governance will always be held hostage to the passing dominance of the winning marque.

An area where all the Centrist Parties can be non-partisan is on political party and financing reforms. There are pending bills in congress right now addressing these. Features of the bills can be debated and shaped – without having to undergo stressful initiatives to change the constitution.

We therefore propose a healthy clash of ideas between and among the centrist aggrupations – precipitating what could be the best for the Filipino.

The CDPI will be at the service of these centrist groups in trying to refine the ideology based nuances, issues and strategies of governance.

This evening’s affair is the first of a series by Professor, Rüdiger von Rosen, CEO of the “Deutsches Aktieninstitut“ (ret.), former CEO of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
He will speak also on “Issues on the European Debt Crisis and its Prospective Solutions” at the Asian Development Bank; and “Freedom, Responsibility and the Role of the State – Economic Governance on Capital Markets following the Concept of Social Market Economy” in the next few days.

In the coming months and years ahead, we hope to perpetuate that which we, who were privileged to visit Europe and be exposed to the German economic miracle, to extract some lessons and perhaps espouse the Social Market Economy tenets for our country. Experts like the good professor may help expound on these views.

Richmonde Hotel August 30, 2012