On President Aquino’s choice of Akbayan Leader Ronald Llamas as Presidential Adviser

We, from Akbayan welcome the announcement of President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III concerning the naming of our very own, Akbayan President Ronald Llamas as one of his Presidential Advisers. 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 fulfillment of our people’s aspiration of a democratic and people-oriented government committed to reforms.

But beyond this, we warmly receive the announcement, as it is politically extraordinary if not, refreshing in many ways.

First, Presidential advisers are usually party mates of the incumbent President to guarantee that political policies are aligned with his/her principles and vision. The decision of President Aquino to name a presidential adviser from its coalition partner attests to the government’s pluralist and democratic character of governing. It demonstrates the Aquino government’s willingness to democratize and empower the field of governance unlike the previous administration, which greedily consolidated power among themselves, greatly putting the people in the fringes of state governance.

Second, 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 fulfillment of indispensable reforms.

More so, 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.

As such, we fully support President Aquino’s choice of Akbayan President Ronald Llamas as one of his presidential advisers. We vouch for the integrity, leadership and competence of this person, who for the last thirteen years has been one of the major pillars of our party and an acknowledged leader of the broad democratic left.

Definitely, with his eventual appointment to government, our party will suffer the absence of a seasoned political leader. Yet, the struggle for reforms is more important and bigger than all of us.

Thus, in this just struggle, we offer one of our “best and brightest.” We look forward that Ronald llamas’ absence from our party will greatly strengthen the resolve of the new government to fulfill its promise of change to the Filipino People.

January 20, 2011
Press Statement