Lakas–CMD

Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats
President	Ferdinand Martin Romualdez
Chairman	Bong Revilla, Jr.
Secretary-General	Jose Aquino II
Founded	1991 (historical) 2008 (modern)
Merger of	Lakas–CMD and KAMPI
Ideology	Christian democracy, Islamic democracy Conservatism
Political position	Center-right
Colors	Gold, Blue and Green
Seats in the Senate	2 / 24
Seats in the House of Representatives	14 / 292
Provincial governorships	1 / 80
Provincial vice governorships	3 / 80
Provincial board members	18 / 926
Politics of Philippines Political parties Elections

Lakas–CMD (Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats) is a center-right political party in the Philippines. Its ideology is heavily influenced by Christian and Islamic democracy. The current party originated in 2009 with the merger of the original Lakas–CMD party with the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI); it was known as Lakas Kampi CMD until 2012. The party produced one president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was president when the two parties merged in 2009.

With Arroyo unable to run for a new term due to term limits, the party lost the 2010 presidential election with Gilberto Teodoro as its presidential nominee. The party retained its two senators, both incumbents, in the Senate election and became a part of the Liberal Party-led majority coalition; in the House of Representatives election, it won 47% of the seats contested in the district election, but most of its members were split into three groups, with naby defecting to the Liberal Party, some formed the National Unity Party, and the remaining members were split into the majority and minority blocs, with its members heading the minority. On May 11, 2012, the party decided to revert to its original name and drop Arroyo's KAMPI from the coalition.^[1] Lakas–CMD is currently one of the parties in opposition. In 2013, Sen. Bong Revilla assumed the new chairman of Lakas party, and he is the possible standard bearer of the party in the next presidential election in 2016.^[2]

History

President Fidel V. Ramos, founder of Lakas NUCD.

Domination (2009-10)

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on June 18, 2008, confirmed the historical merger of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas–CMD) and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) parties. Both parties adopted the “equity of the incumbent” principle, as the merger will account for almost 200 national and 8,000 local officials, amid Mrs. Arroyo's prediction of 2010 elections victory. Prospero Nograles, Lakas President and Kampi Chair Ronaldo Puno signed the covenant at the Davao City regional caucus.^[3][4] Former President and Lakas–CMD Chairman Emeritus Fidel V. Ramos announced on February 6, 2008 that Lakas–CMD would be the surviving entity after its merger with KAMPI.^[5]

On August 9, 2009, Former House Speaker Commission on Elections to declare null and void the merger.^[6] However, the Supreme Court ultimately upheld the legality of the merger,^[7] citing the failure of de Venecia “to sufficiently show that any grave abuse of discretion was committed by the Commission on Elections in rendering the challenged resolution.”^[8]

Decline (2010-present)

Since Benigno Aquino III sworn as President on June 30, 2010, the most member of Lakas-Kampi was sworn as a member of reborn Liberal Party, as traditionally as Padrino System. In 2011, the legislators led by Pablo P. Garcia establish the neutral National Unity Party similar with Nationalist People's Coalition. In 2013, the party suffered a largest decline, due to arrest the party matriarch Rep. Glora Arroyo, however the party supports the United Nationalist Alliance, with the candidates from former members move the the said party, Migz Zubiri, Richard Gordon and Mitos Magsaysay.

Party Officials

• Chairman Emeritus: Former President Fidel V. Ramos
• National President: Ferdinand Martin Romualdez
• Co-Chairmen:
  • Minority Floor Leader and Representative Danilo Suarez, 3rd District of Quezon
  • Representative Simeon A. Datumanong, 2nd District of Maguindanao
  • Representative Rolando G. Andaya, 1st District of Camarines Sur
• Executive Vice President: Governor Arthur Defensor Sr., Iloilo
• Secretary-General: Representative Jose S. Aquino II, 1st District of Agusan del Norte
• SVP for Internal Affairs: Representative Bernardo Vergara, Lone District of Baguio City
• SVP for External Affairs: Representative Arthur Yap, 3rd District of Bohol
• SVP for Finance: Representative Aurelio Gonzales, Jr., 3rd District of Pampanga

List of Party Chairmen

• Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (2008–2009)
• Gilberto Teodoro (2009–2010)
• Amelita Villarosa (2010)
• Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (2010–2011)
• Edcel Lagman (2011-2012)
• Bong Revilla, Jr. (2012–Present)

Candidates for the Philippine general elections, 2010

• Gilbert Teodoro – Presidential Candidate
• Edu Manzano – Vice-Presidential Candidate

Senatorial Slate (6)

• Silvestre Bello
• Ramon Guico
• Raul Lambino
• Rey Langit
• Lito Lapid
• Bong Revilla (also Guest Candidate of PMP and Nacionalista Party)

Guest Candidates

• Miriam Defensor Santiago (from People's Reform Party also guest Candidate of PMP and Nacionalista Party) (won)
• Tito Sotto (from Nationalist People's Coalition) (won)

Electoral performance

President

Vice president

Senate

House of Representatives

References