LI President of Honour Extends Support to Filipino Liberals - Hoofdinhoud
LI President of Honour, Hans van Baalen MEP, hosted a delegation from the Liberal Party of the Philippines (LI full-member) lead by Dina Abad MP to discuss campaign strategies and winning liberal reforms.
Director of LI cooperating organisation Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Liberty in Manila Jules Maaten, a former Member of the European Parliament for LI full member VVD and former Secretary-General of LI, accompanied the delegation.
As part of their visit to the European Parliament in Brussels, the delegation from the Liberal Party of the Philippines met with the European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmström, of LI full member Folkpartiet Liberalerna (Sweden) to discuss trade relations between the EU and the Philippines.
As one of the most influential VVD strategists Van Baalen shared thought provoking ideas on campaigning and political party capacity building by comparing and contrasting the European and Philippino experience. Discussing the challenges ahead of the upcoming Presidential elections in the Philippines next year Van Baalen said: “It is not enough to capitalise on the positive record of current President Benigno Aquino III; the Party has to also show the future direction of the Philippines under Presidential Candidate Senator Rochas.”
Van Baalen was a campaign manager of VVD leaders Frits Bolkestein and Gerrit Zalm.
The Presidential elections in the Philippines will take place in May 2016 and the liberal candidate, senator Rochas, enjoys broader public support to become the next President, which has the potential to strengthen the position of liberals in Asia.