Malay Democrats of the Philippines | |
---|---|
President | Rey Angelo Ramirez |
Chairman | Bayan De la Cruz |
Secretary-General | Ruby Diaz |
Founded | March 23, 1987 |
Headquarters | Francesca Towers, Quezon City |
Ideology | Centrism |
Colors | Red Yellow and Blue |
Website | |
www.nepa1934.org | |
Malay Democrats of the Philippines is a political party of the Philippines. It was first registered as Lakas ng Pilipino party on March 23, 1987, with registration number SPC 86-027. In an order dated February 9, 2001,[1] the Commission on Election acting on a petition filed by former Department of Budget and Management Secretary Salvador Enriquez, renamed the party as Malay Democrats of the Philippines with registration number SPP 01–006. Malay Democrats of the Philippines is considered an offshoot of National Economic Protectionism Association (NEPA), a local non-government organization in the Philippines. MDP is the political arm of National Economic Protectionism Association while National Economic Protectionism Association is considered its social arm.
In 1986, party leaders registered the Lakas ng Pilipino (Power of the Filipinos) party. In 1995, it participated in elections in Metro Manila garnering the second most votes.
In 2001, Lakas ng Pilipino was renamed as Malay Democrats of the Philippines by the Commission on Election, a government agency in charge of elections in the Philippines.
On September 4, 2010, at Club Filipino, the party conducted its first meeting to discuss the party's manifesto under its newly drafted revitalization plan. Before adjournment, the participants agreed to become part of the Ad Hoc committee which will serve as its steering committee since the current officers generally have nominal functions in the party. Its leader former budget secretary Salvador Enriquez wanted to allow the younger members to take active role in building the party.
The second meeting was held on September 11, 2010, at the same venue. The holding of series of meetings on the same venue is in line with the historical role of Club Filipino in Philippine politics. Its third meeting was held on September 18, 2010, still on the same venue.
In 2011, through the efforts of the National Executive Committee, chapters were formed in several provinces among them Nueva Ecija, Cavite, Rizal, Albay, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Lanao Del Sur and in several cities in Metro Manila like Caloocan, Manila etc.
Today, the political party is under revitalization and poised to participate and field candidates in the 2013 elections in the Philippines.
National Executive Committee
The Philosophy of Nationhood The “good life” of the Filipino Malays in the Philippines is an objective that must be pursued, clearly by the enterprise unit that is the nation, establishment and sustenance of which must be the subject of a sacred covenant.
The Covenant of Leadership
The Social Covenant
The Economic Covenant To protect, promote, advance, sustain and enjoy such endowments, the economic philosophies we live by are:
The Political Covenant
The party's main slogan is economic protectionism and national industrialization - its primary economic agenda to support homegrown industries in the Philippines.
The leadership of NEPA in 2010, decided to re-invigorate both the movement and the party as a parallel organization. It adopted a two-point program:
Macroeconomic review
Small Filipino enterprise strengthening. Determine how small and medium Filipino enterprises can be made to play a bigger role in economic development. Resolve how they can be helped to grow faster, while making vital advocates of economic nationalism.
As the party is building and strengthening its organizational structure, it is collaborating through linkages with minor party-lists and non-government organizations, people's organizations, community associations, transport organizations and fraternal organizations.
As a parallel, its social arm, the NEPA is collaborating with government agencies in the country serving as conduit for local government units in the provision of government services.
The Malay Democrats of the Philippines plans to take part in the 2013 local elections either by directly fielding candidates or supporting candidates supportive of the Party's principles and platform. Initially, Malay Democrats of the Philippines plans to make its presence felt in Region III, Region IV-A, Region VI and the National Capital Region.
The Malay Democrats of the Philippines supported the presidential campaign of Senator Grace Poe by focusing on grassroots organizing which generated more than 500,000 card bearing members nationwide.