Nacionalista Party Stand on Cha Cha

Press Release: Nacionalista Party
From: Office of the Spokesperson


For More Info: Gilbert Remulla, gcremulla@yahoo.com
Date: August 12, 2008

NP Spokesperson Gilbert Remulla: No Amendments to the Constitution Before 2010

The Nacionalista Party, headed by Senate President Manny Villar, reiterates its commitment to policy debates on how to further develop the Constitution. It recognizes that the Constitution, being the mother law that governs the nation, must be responsive to strategic issues of national interest. It supports the initiative of Sen. Aquilino Pimentel to open the doors of debate on federalism as a pro-active course of action in bringing peace to Mindanao.

Having said that, the Party categorically opposes any move to change the Constitution before 2010 as part of peace building in Mindanao. It believes that this will further divide an already polarized society. The immediate task is to build a climate of understanding between and among stakeholders to true peace in Mindanao. And this means getting the pulse of the whole nation, sincerely involving our democratic institutions, and respecting our democratic processes and laws.

The peace in Mindanao must be addressed head on if we are to move forward as a country. We hope that any initiative to bring peace to Mindanao must be done with utmost transparency and accountability. Any move to pursue a political settlement among contending parties in Mindanao under a cloak of secrecy and political maneuverings will not prosper.

This also means a commitment to a peace process that de-escalates the conflict. This starts with the immediate cessation of hostilities and veering away from a climate of fear and armed confrontation. Our ordinary brothers and sisters are the ones suffering. The displaced are already around 160,000 and still increasing. Add to this those who are being brought back to the Philippines from Sabah by Malaysian authorities, and those OFWs going home due to armed conflicts in many parts of the world.

Let us all redirect our energy towards strengthening our republic. At the end of the day, we would like to see a Philippines that is strong politically and economically. Let us strive to be a prosperous and powerful nation, worthy of respect in Southeast Asia and the rest of the world. xxx

Young Generation of Politicians Barnstorms Schools, Connects with the “Internet Nation”

Press Release: August 11,2008
For more info: Eero Brillantes, 09276702831, mindbullet45@gmail.com

Young Generation of Politicians Barnstorms Schools, Connects with the “Internet Nation”



A multipartisan political group called the “Young Turks” led by Genuine Opposition Spokesperson and Pamantasan Lungsod ng Maynila President Atty. Adel Tamano has started to go the rounds of colleges and universities all over the country. Tamano, along with other young political personalities Nacionalista Party spokesperson and former congressman Gilbert Remulla, Ateneo English Professor Danton Remoto, Congressman Erin Tanada, Congressman TG Guingona and San Juan Mayor JV Ejercito are doing the rounds of campuses advocating for youth involvement in governance.

The kick-off started at Silliman University in Dumaguete City last July 10-11, 2008. Tamano described the event. “The bright students of Silliman University asked questions and we tried to answer them with substance and with style, with wit and cheer and laughter intact. It is because their questions seemed to deal with lack of hope, of being betrayed by their leaders, of abandonment. I hope we kept the spark plug of hope alive. We spoke in a chapel, a presentation room for business students, and the great church — all in one day. We hope the Sillimanians had a grand time, the way we did too, in our first campus tour.”

Eero Brillantes, CEO of Mindbullet Marketing and Public Relations, who maintains the young turk’s blog www.oppositeofapathy.wordpress.com, says that the blog has become hyperactive after the Silliman activity. Based on site metering, he noted interest in what the group has to say. “The blog has just recently been put up. Yet it has already been visited almost 10,000 times. It is currently ranked number 13 for politics and government by topblogs.com.ph. Its just one notch lower than the “Mar Roxas for President 2010 blog which is at number 12. The blog definitely has momentum. With the campus tour catching fire, the blog is poised to be a prominent fixture in new politics for the country. The Young Turks and the Internet Nation has become properly introduced.”

For his part, Remoto was upbeat about the launch and how the internet was able to disseminate the event exponentially. “Skycable showed the complete proceedings that night of July 10, and we also had coverage from two radio stations, two newspapers and the Sillimanian college paper as well as its website. Not to mention the many blogs of the bagets from Silliman, which are now being read and re-sent and re-read all over the borderless world of cyberspace. “

Moreover, Congressman Tanada emphasized the need for dialogue between the young batch of political leaders and the youth. He said that it is important for the youth not to lose hope and for them to assert their rights. Remulla asserted that there is still hope and it resides in the youth, and the young generation should not be afraid to stand for what they believe in.

On August 26, 2008, the Young Turks will visit the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance from 1-5 p.m. This will be followed by a tour to University of the Philippines at Los Banos in September. xxx