P-NOY NAMED YOUNG ACTIVIST, 'AKBAYAN' HEAD HIS POLITICAL ADVISER
[PHOTO - The president with Ronald Llamas (center in dark jacket). (Malacañang Photo)]
MANILA, JANUARY 21, 2011 (STAR) By Aurea Calica - President Aquino has appointed Akbayan president Ronald Llamas as presidential adviser on political affairs instead of a member of the Liberal Party (LP).
Aquino justified his choice of Llamas, saying he had been a long-time ally and "could serve as bridge to both the formal political parties and marginalized sectors."
The President earlier named Llamas as member of the board of directors of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).
"He needs to step down from DBP. He belongs to Akbayan which is a major coalition partner," Aquino said.
According to the President, there are LP members who are as qualified but they have other assignments and being a political adviser would add to their workload.
"Mr. Llamas can devote full attention to this function, enabling the others to concentrate on their core functions," Aquino said.
The presidential adviser on political affairs serves as a strategist and coordinates with political parties on the various policies and programs of the administration.
Llamas, for his part, said he would "seriously pursue reforms and political projects of the President in order to change the system of corruption and poverty in the country."
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Llamas could fill the need for a singular political affairs adviser to the President who could render service on a regular basis.
"Akbayan is an ally of the President, having supported the Liberal Party in the 2010 elections… As you know, there is no singular political adviser and there is a need for one to advise the President and who will represent President Aquino in some matters in that specific area," Valte said.
Akbayan is a coalition partner of the LP, and Llamas is a key adviser of the President as well as LP president and former senator Manuel Roxas II.
FROM ABS-CBN NEWS
PNoy defends Llamas appointment abs-cbnNEWS.com Posted at 01/20/2011 11:03 PM | Updated as of 01/20/2011 11:26 PM
MANILA, Philippines – President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday defended his decision to appoint Ronald Llamas as presidential adviser for political affairs.
He said Llamas, president of left-wing group Akbayan, will serve as a bridge between political parties and various sectors of society.
"He belongs to Akbayan, which is a major coalition partner," the President said in a text message to ABS-CBN News.
He said members of the ruling Liberal Party have other assignments they can focus on.
"Mr Llamas can devote full attention to this function enabling the others to concentrate on their core functions," Aquino explained.
He added that Llamas also needs to step down from his previous post as board member of the Development Bank of the Philippines.
Llamas' background
According to Akbayan, llamas was a student activist at the University of Santo Tomas, where he studied Journalism.
He headed the University Student Council and was a writer for the Faculty of Arts and Letters department publication and the university's official publication.
Llamas later helped organized labor unions, urban poor communities, peasant groups, and other basic sector organizations.
He later served in various organizations such as the Center for Education and Research for Government Employees, the Center for Popular Empowerment, the Freedom from Debt Coalition, Institute of Politics and Governance, Center for Agraraian Reform and Transformation, and Partnership for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development Services, Inc.
Llamas, former University of the Philippines president Francisco Nemenzo, and UP Sociology Professor Randy David co-founded social democratic group Bukluran sa Ikauunlad ng Sosyalistang Isip at Gawa (BISIG).
"On top of these, he was a leading personality behind Laban ng Masa, a broad democratic left formation that fought the excesses of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo," according to Akbayan.
'Beyond partisan ideological politics'
"We are honored by this pronouncement as it proves once more the sincerity, intensity and expertise of our leaders and of our political party in working towards the fulfilment of our people's aspiration of a democratic and people-oriented government committed to reforms," the group said.
"The choice of a reputable progressive leader hailing from the democratic left shows that President Aquino can actually go beyond partisan ideological politics and extend its hand of solidarity to forces of change willing and fully committed to meaningfully contribute in the deepening of democracy, the eradication of corruption and the fulfilment of indispensable reforms," it added.
"It also displays that the democratic left is a serious and relevant political actor capable of making its mark on the political process and in becoming a significant force of change, contributing towards and firmly establishing the hegemony of the people's interest through participatory democracy and governance." – with a report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News
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