Freedom Flame Awards 2014

Last week, December 04, 2014, I attended the Freedom Flame Awards 2014 and Freedom Dinner sponsored by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) Philippine Office. It was held at Enderun Colleges, Mckinley Hill, Taguig City.

There are eight awardees this year but only four came. From left: Peter Perfecto of the Makati Business Club (MBC), Arpee Santiago of the Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC), Vergel de Dios of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) and Jess Lorenzo, taking the place of his mom-awardee who passed away, former Mayor Sonia Lorenzo of Nueva Ecija. Great guys.

The Freedom Speech was given by Congw. Leni Robredo, 3rd District of Camarines Sur, and wife of the late Jesse Robredo, then DILG Secretary when he died in a plane crash. Congw. Leni is a humble and simple lady, soft spoken. She talked about her dreams and legislative proposals to advance more transparency and accountability in government.

She said, "Filipinos are truly enjoying more freedom now than two decades ago. But if the question is 'are we satisfied with this freedom?,' to my mind, the answer is 'not yet.'" See other things she said here.

When former Sec.Jesse Robredo was still alive, I  was able to hear him in one forum at Mandarin Hotel where he was a speaker. He was very explicit in saying that business bureaucratism by government is wrong, so when  he was the Mayor of Naga City, among the things he did was to drastically cut the approval process of getting a business permit. Within months as  Mayor, he cut the number of signatures and days to release the business permit by at least half.

To me, that is the mark of a good liberal -- less government bureaucratism, less or no unnecessary permits and fees imposed on the public -- and not so much about more transparency of a bureaucratic and tax-hungry government. Well I am no fan of BIG government, regardless of "good governance" rhetorics that people may say.

Many people came, friends of FNF in the country. During dinner, I sat at the table of Arpee Santiago with his wife and staff at AHRC.

After dinner and while sipping wine, I sat with the De La Salle Univ. (DLSU) group. Political Science Department faculty members, from left: Roman Dannug, Ian Jason Hecita, and Francisco "Kiko" Magno. The latter is also the Director of the Jesse Robredo Institute for Governance of DLSU, also a friend from UP Sapul in the 80s, and a wedding godfather :-).

FNF-PH Country Director Jules Maaten joined us for another photo. I told Jules, "at dinner I sat with the Ateneo group; after dinner, I sat with the La Salle group, but I am indifferent of these two schools." Jules asked, "where did you study", "UP" was my quick reply and I have no intention to change school affiliation or loyalty, hehehe.

At last year's Freedom Flame Awards held in Intramuros, Manila and attended by many foreign guests, Asian politicians from the Council for Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD) and some European politicians and leaders from Liberal International (LI), there was a fireworks display. This year, there was a lights show at the quadrangle, just outside the venue.

Another great event. Thanks for the invite Jules.
All photos from FNF-PH fb album.
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See also:
25 Years of Liberalism in the Philippines, December 07, 2011 
Freedom Flame Awards 2013, November 13, 2013 
Freedom Flame Awards 2: More Photos, November 25, 2013 
Freedom Flame Awards 3: The Magazine, April 21, 2014 
Jules Maaten's Lecture on Liberalism, May 11, 2014

Freedom Flame Awards 3: The Magazine

I just discovered that our profile photos, recipients of the FNF's "Freedom Flame" awards last year, are in scribd, I am Free Report 2013. I saw the hard copy of the magazine earlier.

Yes, that's Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera on the cover. They joined the Freedom Run 2013, the same day where the Freedom Flame awards were given in the evening. The mascot is called "Fredo", championing freedom.

The 14 awardees, arranged alphabetically, 1st row: Abad is Congresswoman from Batanes, Aquino is Senator, Belmonte is House Speaker, Climaco is Mayor of Zamboanga City.

2nd row: Evangelista is a journalist, Garchitorena is formerly of Ayala Foundation, Gascon is UnderSecretary at the Office of the President, Guingona is with an NGO and the Actors Guild.

3rd row: Keh is with Kaya Natin Movement, Medina is with Ateneo Law Human Rights Center, me, and Padaca is Commissioner at the Commission on Elections (Comelec), also former Governor of Isabela province.

4th row: Pangilinan is former Senator, Sarmiento is a Congressman.

I was very lucky to be selected as one of the awardees last year. Well, each of us filled a particular role. Mine is more on propagating the philosophy of classical liberalism, of individual liberty, personal responsibility, rule of law, free trade and limited government. Less government is good government.

Thanks again to the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) for that evening of recognition.
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See also:
Freedom Flame Awards 2013, November 13, 2013 
Freedom Flame Awards 2: More Photos, November 25, 2013

Pol. Ideology 23: 25 Years of Liberalism in the Philippines, December 07, 2011 
Free Trade 23: FNF on Free Trade Agreements, February 10, 2012 

FNF Philippines and Liberal Challenges 2013-2016, June 14, 2013

Freedom Flame Awards 2: More Photos

It was a big day indeed, and a big night, November 10, 2013, at the beautiful San Diego Gardens, Intramuros, Manila. This is in an open area between Pamantasan ng Maynila and Manila Hotel. See my earlier story of the awards with photos. 

There were  many guests that night. The big event of the FNF was the 20th anniversary of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), Nov. 9-11 held at Manila Hotel. CALD is the organization of politicians affiliated with either a Liberal Party or Democratic Party in Asian countries. CALD is one of the two big projects of FNF in Asia, along with EFN, which is the organization for free market think tanks and individuals in Asia.

So the top officials of FNF in Germany, Prof. Dr. Jurgen Morlok, right, Chairman of the Board of Trustees who came to Manila for the 1st time, the head of FNF Asia Department, Olaf Kellerhoff, the President and Sec-Gen. of Liberal International (LI), were all there. Plus several officials of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe (ALDE), the counterpart of CALD in Europe, some Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were there. Also the two FNF Regional Directors, Rainer Adam of East and Southeast Asia and Siggi Herzog of South Asia, and several FNF country directors from Thailand, Korea, Myanmar, Pakistan, Indonesia, etc. They were all there.

Plus local guests. The four big events that night then were:

1. Freedom Speech by Sen. Bam Aquino. He spoke about his "Freedom from Poverty" vision and policy advocacies, including legislative agenda. Good speech though I think he did not mention "freedom from harassment" or similar things that happen if a country does not strictly implement the rule of law.

2. Freedom Project award, only one awardee, a civil society campaign against corruption by a media program "Diskarte".

3. Freedom Flame Awards, 14 of us local awardees, and

4. Freedom Sparkler Awards, about 8 or 10 of them from LI and FNF international offices

There was also a beautiful fireworks display to cap the evening. Nice venue, nice food and drinks, nice music. I jammed with the band of course, I dragged a participant from Singapore and from Sweden to the stage, we sang The Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride”, hehehe.

All photos I got from the FNF Manila facebook page.

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See also:

Freedom Run 2013, I will Run the 10K, November 09, 2013 

EFN Asia 31. Friends in the Asian Free Market Movement, November 07, 2013 

Freedom Flame Awards 2013, November 13, 2013

Freedom Flame Awards 2013

Last Sunday night, November 10, I was one of the 14 individuals who were given the “Freedom Flame Awards” by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) Philippine office. It was a great honor for me. The citation why I was given the award was for “for his staunch advocacy for economic freedom and for his continuous support to the work of FNF.”

Thank you very much to Jules Maaten, Country Director of FNF for the Philippines, for his trust and recognition of my modest contribution to spreading the ideas of economic freedom, rule of law and limited government in this part of the planet.

As an awardee, I was allowed to bring a few guests. I brought my wife Ella, and Dr. Epictetus Patalinghug, left, MG Thinkers adviser, also one of our wedding godfathers. Dr. Peter Lee U of the University of Asia Pacific (UAP) and the Philippine Economic Society (PES) was also there.

Venue was San Diego Gardens, Intramuros, Manila. The event was attended by a number of international delegates, like Dr Jürgen Morlok, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of FNF, Hans van Baalen, President of the Liberal International (LI), Rainer Adam, FNF Regional Director for East and Southeast Asia, Siegfried Herzog, FNF Regional Director for South Asia, some officials of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe (ALDE), Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats (CALD), FNF Potsdam headquarters and FNF country directors for some Asian countries.

I was seated in the front table with Cong. Kit Belmonte, singer Noel Cabangon, Atty. Arpee Santiago of the Ateneo Human Rights Center, wife of Chuchoy Medina, Jules and his family.

The "Freedom Speech" was given by Senator Bam Aquino. He talked about empowering the Filipinos towards more self reliance.

The 13 other awardees were:

1. Congw. Henedina Abad, Batanes Representative, for her steadfast support for innovative liberal initiatives.

2. Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, for his inspiring leadership that encourages communities especially the youth to follow the straight path

3. Feliciano Belmonte, House Speaker Jr, for the passage of landmark reform laws like the RH Bill during the 15th Congress. He was not able to come, his nephew, Cong. Kit Belmonte, came to receive the award. Kit is also a friend way back in UP Diliman in the mid-80s.

4. Ma. Isabelle Climaco, Mayor of Zamboanga City, for her leadership in handling the recent security crisis in Mindanao

5. Patricia Evangelista, Rappler multimedia reporter, for her "insightful video documentaries and news reporting on issues on freedom and human rights."