Relying completely on memory, let me briefly write the history of the above political parties:

1.) The Nacionalista was the party during the US colonial period whose main platform was the immediate complete independence of the Philippines from America as against the Federalistas who wanted our country to become one of the states of the US. The NP became the overwhelming dominant party when WW II began. In 1946 with the return of US forces in the Philippines, the first election for president and vice president and other positions was held. President Sergio Osmeña Sr. was the Nacionalista party candidate for president and Manuel Roxas was the Nacionalista party’s “Liberal wing” candidate. When Roxas won, the Liberal Party was formed, completely severing its ties with the Nacionalistas. Up until Martial Law was declared in 1972 there were only two main parties that contended for power – the NP and the LP.

2.) During the martial law regime, Marcos wanted to join together all the LPs and NPs and others who were his supporters. He thus founded the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) to become the umbrella organization. Eventually the KBL became a political party during that period.

3.) The NPs and LPs who did not join and who opposed the KBL formed the United Nationalists Democratic Organization (Unido). The first co-presidents were Senators Salvador Laurel, NP, and Gerardo Roxas, LP. I was elected secretary general of the Unido. In the first election for members of the Batasang Pambansa (Unicameral Congress) 60 Unido members were elected or about one third of the Congress. In 1986, when Mrs Corazon Aquino ran for president and Doy Laurel for vice president, both of them ran as official candidates of the Unido against President Marcos of the KBL. So there very briefly is the history of the parties.

As I shall explain the many political personages of the past and current political parties have time and again been somehow linked together:

1.) President Ramon Magsaysay was originally a member of the Liberal Party under President Quirino. However, Magsaysay was persuaded by the NPs to be their presidential candidate. Magsaysay became president as a Nacionalista.

2.) In 1965, then Senate President Ferdinand Marcos was a member of the LP, but since he had not even a Chinaman’s chance to be nominated LP official candidate, he was convinced by Speaker Jose B. Laurel NP to join the NP and to try his chances in the NP convention. Marcos won that convention
with a delegate vote of 777 and went on to defeat Diosdado Macapagal, the LP candidate, in the election.

3.) Senator Sergio Osmeña Jr. ran as an LP presidential candidate although his father, Don Sergio, was an NP.

These historical facts are written not to diminish in any way the good qualities of these personalities but is merely stated so the public will know the historical facts. For lack of space, I can not extensively mention the Nacionalist People’s Coalition founded by tycoon Danding Cojuangco who was originally an NP.

The political alliances continue to hog the headlines such as the present alliance between the NPs and KBLs, i.e., Senator Villar, NP, and Gov. Bongbong Marcos KBL. Friends of mine told me that had their candidate for president Danding and KBL candidate Imelda Marcos joined forces, the KBL votes of Imelda added to Danding would have made him president. In that election General Fidel Ramos won the presidency.

Indeed, it is food for thought regardless of any biases or prejudices that the NP-KBL coalition is a formidable force that could consolidate the Ilocano votes that are needed to elect a president. You may send your comments and or suggestions to rene.espina@hotmail.com