Liberal Party (Philippines) facts for kids

The Liberal Party of the Philippines (in Filipino: Partido Liberal ng Pilipinas), often called the LP, is a political party in the Philippines. It believes in liberalism, which means it supports individual rights, freedom, and democracy.

The party was started on January 19, 1946, by Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, and José Avelino. They were part of the "liberal wing" of another old party called the Nacionalista Party. The Liberal Party is the second-oldest active political party in the Philippines and the oldest one that has been continuously active.

Four Philippine presidents have been members of the Liberal Party: Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, Diosdado Macapagal, and Benigno Aquino III. The party was also a strong opponent of the government during the time of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.. After the People Power Revolution in 1986, which brought back democracy, the Liberal Party became very important again.

In 2010, Benigno Aquino III won the presidential election, bringing the party back to power until 2016. In the 2016 election, the party's presidential candidate, Mar Roxas, lost, but their vice presidential candidate, Leni Robredo, won. The Liberal Party then became the main opposition party.

Today, the Liberal Party is still an important group in Philippine politics. It supports ideas like freedom, justice, and helping each other (called bayanihan). It is known for supporting democracy and human rights. Many important leaders, like Benigno Aquino Jr., Jovito Salonga, and Leila de Lima, have been part of the party.

Quick facts for kids Liberal Party Partido Liberal
Abbreviation	LP
President	Edcel Lagman
Chairperson	Francis Pangilinan
Secretary-General	Teddy Baguilat
Spokesperson	Leila de Lima
Founders	Manuel Roxas Elpidio Quirino José Avelino
Founded	January 19, 1946; 79 years ago (1946-01-19)
Split from	Nacionalista
Headquarters	AGS Building, EDSA, Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City, Metro Manila
Think tank	Center for Liberalism and Democracy
Youth wing	Liberal Youth
Ideology	Liberalism Social liberalism< Faction: Progressivism
Political position	Centre to centre-left
National affiliation	TRoPa (2022) Former UNIDO (1980–1986) Laban (1987) Koalisyong Pambansa (1992) Lakas–NUCD–UMDP (1995; 1998) PPC (2001) K4 (2004) Genuine Opposition (2007) LP (2010) Team PNoy (2013) Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid (2016) Otso Diretso (2019)
Regional affiliation	Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats
International affiliation	Liberal International
Colors	Yellow,      red,      blue      Buff (customary)
Slogan	Bago. Bukas. Liberal. (since 2020)
Seats in the Senate	0 / 24
Seats in the House of Representatives	10 / 316
Provincial governorships	0 / 81
Provincial vice governorships	6 / 81
Provincial board members	26 / 1,023

History of the Liberal Party

The Liberal Party has a long and important history in the Philippines. It has played a big role in shaping the country.

How the Party Started

The Liberal Party was officially started on January 19, 1946. It was founded by Manuel Roxas and Elpidio Quirino. They created the party from a group within the old Nacionalista Party that had more liberal ideas.

After its founding, two more presidents of the Philippines came from the Liberal Party: Elpidio Quirino and Diosdado Macapagal. Some former members, like Ramon Magsaysay and Ferdinand Marcos Sr., later became presidents after joining other parties.

The Martial Law Years

During the time leading up to Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declaring martial law, the Liberal Party stood against him. Leaders like Ninoy Aquino, Gerry Roxas, and Jovito Salonga spoke out against Marcos's rule. They raised concerns about human rights and the loss of freedoms.

Even after martial law was declared, the party continued to oppose the government. Many of its members faced difficulties during this period.

After the People Power Revolution

After democracy was brought back by the People Power Revolution in 1986, the Liberal Party helped end the presence of US military bases in the Philippines. This happened when the Senate rejected a new treaty in 1991.

In 2000, the party opposed the government of Joseph Estrada. They actively supported efforts that led to the People Power II movement, which removed him from office.

Later, there was a disagreement over who should lead the party. The Supreme Court decided that Franklin Drilon was the rightful president of the party.

The Benigno Aquino III Government

The Liberal Party became very strong again when Senator Benigno Aquino III was chosen as their presidential candidate for the 2010 Philippine presidential election. He was the son of former President Corazon Aquino. After his mother's death, there was a lot of public support for him.

Even though Senator Mar Roxas was first chosen to run for president, he stepped aside for Aquino and ran for vice president instead. Aquino won the election, and the Liberal Party became the main party in the Philippine Congress.

From 2016 to Today

In the 2016 Philippine presidential election, the Liberal Party nominated Mar Roxas for president and Leni Robredo for vice president. Robredo won the vice presidency, but Roxas lost the presidential race to Rodrigo Duterte.

After this, many party members joined other groups or became part of the opposition. In 2017, the party started inviting regular people, not just politicians, to join. They wanted to become a "true people's party."

For the 2022 Philippine presidential election, the Liberal Party nominated Leni Robredo for president and Francis Pangilinan for vice president.

What the Liberal Party Believes In

The Liberal Party describes its main belief as social liberalism. This means they support individual freedoms and social justice. People often describe the party as "centrist" or "liberal."

Historically, the party's ideas were similar to other parties. But during the Marcos Sr. Presidency, when they were the opposition, they became more clearly liberal. The party believes in "freedom, justice, and solidarity (bayanihan)." This means they want people to be free, treated fairly, and to help each other.

Since 2017, the party has made it easier for anyone to become a member. They want to include more people from different parts of society. This helps them build a strong base of volunteers.

What the Party Supports Now

The Liberal Party supports policies that aim for inclusiveness and people empowerment. This means they want everyone to be included and have a say.

They also support:

• Good jobs: Making sure people have secure jobs.
• Basic needs: Ensuring everyone has enough food, a place to live, and access to healthcare.
• Education: Making sure everyone can get a good public education.
• Human rights: Protecting people's rights and opposing violence.
• Fair laws: Upholding the rule of law and making sure laws are followed.
• Open government: Creating a government that is open and allows people to participate.

Economic Ideas

The party has ideas to improve the economy and help people. These include:

• Helping those in need: Improving programs that support people when they are struggling.
• Fair taxes: Considering ways to make taxes fairer.
• Local government funds: Using money given to local governments for projects that help reduce poverty.
• Better wages: Increasing the minimum wage so people earn enough.
• Education focus: Increasing the budget for education and improving schools. They also want to set up special education centers.
• Healthcare for all: Working towards a healthcare system where everyone can get medical care. They also want to ensure health workers get proper benefits.
• Better infrastructure: Building roads, transportation, and systems for water and climate protection. They want to use partnerships between the government and private companies for this.
• Science and technology: Investing more in science and technology research.
• Clean energy: Supporting clean energy and better ways to manage waste to protect the environment.
• Job support: Helping people find jobs and expanding social security programs.
• Money skills: Teaching people how to manage their money better.
• Women's role: Creating laws that ensure women have equal roles in the economy and in leadership.
• Fighting corruption: Working to stop corruption in the government.
• Clean environment: Ensuring cleaner air and water, and protecting land for farming. They also support programs against climate change.

Current Party Leaders

• President: Albay–1st Representative Edcel Lagman (since 2022)
• Vice President: Former Quezon–4th Representative Erin Tañada (since 2022)
• Chairperson: Former Senator Francis Pangilinan (since 2022)
• Vice Chairperson: Former Quezon City Representative Kit Belmonte (since 2022)
• Secretary-General: Former Ifugao Representative Teddy Baguilat (since 2022)
• Treasurer: Oriental Mindoro Representative Alfonso Umali Jr. (since 2022)
• Spokesperson: Former Senator Leila de Lima (since 2023)

Past Party Presidents

Notable Members

Many important leaders in the Philippines have been members of the Liberal Party.

Philippine Presidents from the LP

• Manuel Roxas (5th President of the Philippines; one of the party's founders)
• Elpidio Quirino (6th President of the Philippines; also the 2nd Vice President)
• Diosdado Macapagal (9th President of the Philippines)
• Benigno Aquino III (15th President of the Philippines)

Some presidents were former members of the Liberal Party but later joined other parties:

• Ramon Magsaysay (7th President of the Philippines)
• Ferdinand Marcos Sr. (10th President of the Philippines)
• Rodrigo Duterte (16th President of the Philippines)

Philippine Vice Presidents from the LP

• Fernando Lopez (3rd and 7th Vice President of the Philippines)
• Emmanuel Pelaez (6th Vice President of the Philippines)
• Leni Robredo (14th Vice President of the Philippines)

Images for kids

• 

  The Liberal Party logo from 2021 to present.

• 

  The Liberal Party logo from 1953 to 1965.

• 

  The Liberal Party logo from 1965 to 2010 and again from 2016 to 2021.

• 

  The Liberal Party logo during the term of President Noynoy Aquino from 2010 to 2016.

See also

In Spanish: Partido Liberal de Filipinas para niños