Overseas Filipinos forming political party for 2010

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
Posted date: May 09, 2008

MANILA, Philippines -- Overseas Filipinos are forming a national political party in preparation for the 2010 elections and beyond, it was revealed at the Global Filipino Nation (GFN) conference Friday.

Francisco “Jun” Aguilar, interim chairman of the Partido ng Pandaigdigang Pilipino (PPP or Party of the Global Filipino), said the party is in the process of complying with the requirements of the Commission on Elections.

“This is not a party-list group but a national political party at par with the LDP (Laban ng Demokritong Pilipino or Fight of the Democratic Filipino) or LP (Liberal Party) or NP (Nacionalista Party),” he said.

Aguilar, an engineer who worked in Saudi Arabia, said the PPP already has a constitution and by-laws, and has 13 chapters worldwide: Canada, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, California in the United States, Israel, The Netherlands, France, Morocco, Tanzania, Sudan, Australia, and New Zealand.

He added that they are in the process of organizing its regional, provincial, and municipal headquarters.

Alex Bello, PPP-Riyadh president, said the Absentee Voting Law has opened the door for the participation of overseas Filipinos in good governance, particularly in politics.