This document summarizes the key features of the Centrist Democratic Party's internal structure and operating principles as outlined in its statute. Some of the most notable aspects include its commitment to establishing a parliamentary democracy and federal system of government in the Philippines. It also aims to institutionalize the political party system and establish a social market economy. Additionally, the party emphasizes grassroots involvement through its district-centered approach and ensures representation from local assemblies all the way up to the national level. Financial independence from any single donor is also stressed to prevent undue influence. The statute thus outlines an internally democratic structure and centrist policy platform to differentiate the party from others in the country.

1. CDP’S INTERNAL DEMOCRACY: DISTRICT CENTERED POLITICAL PARTY | Roderico Y. Dumaug, Jr. Page 1 of 8 pages
CDP’S INTERNAL DEMOCRACY: DISTRICT CENTERED POLITICAL PARTY
By: Roderico Y. Dumaug, Jr.
Former Founding President, Centrist Democratic Movement Federation of the Philippines
Former Regional Chairperson, Centrist Democratic Party Northern Mindanao
District Chairperson, District of Iligan
Speech Delivered
1st
National Party Congress of the Centrist Democratic Party of the Philippines
March 25, 2012, Ayala Hall, Makati Sports Club
“Presentation of the CDP Statute”
Mr. President, Members of the National Council, Members of the National
Congress,
Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Afternoon.
As what one of our CDP Members in Cebu said that one of the sources of
our inspiration is the failure of our democracy in protecting the dignity of every
Filipino, like the deficits in our Governance, Transparency, Accountability and
the deficits in our Predictability. For more than 500 years since the time we were
colonized until today our country, our highly centralized government is depriving
the various peoples from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao a true and equal
representation in government, and it failed to build a nation that should have
enjoyed the fruits of our democracy. These have deepened the suffering of the
Filipinos from this seemingly unsolvable poverty, the domination of the oligarchic
elite and the never-ending insurgency in the provinces and the rebellion in
Mindanao.

2. CDP’S INTERNAL DEMOCRACY: DISTRICT CENTERED POLITICAL PARTY | Roderico Y. Dumaug, Jr. Page 2 of 8 pages
We must commit ourselves to restore the human dignity of every Filipino,
fight poverty, level the playing field, protect our environment for our future
generation, for responsible media, build a truly Federal Republic to end
insurgency and rebellion, establish a parliamentary form of government and an
institutionalized political party system.
Our party President Sir Lito Monico Lorenzana, who inspires us, once said
that as party members we have “to assume and share the responsibilities for
ourselves and for our fellow citizens, and initiate changes in the political
firmament to bring about good governance and eventually progress in our
county.”
Party members, Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud to present to you our
statute which is the product of our passion and commitment.
Last week, March 18, 2012, during our First National Council Meeting here
in Manila, this statute is approved and let me briefly present to you some salient
features of our statute especially those that will make us truly different from other
political parties of this country.
The Preamble declares our commitment to establish a functioning
democracy in our country and for every Filipino to live in dignity. This declaration
also includes our belief on the rule of law, the solidarity of the Filipinos and on
subsidiarity in the Philippines to ensure a dignified existence of the Filipinos.

3. CDP’S INTERNAL DEMOCRACY: DISTRICT CENTERED POLITICAL PARTY | Roderico Y. Dumaug, Jr. Page 3 of 8 pages
Article 1 sets the official name which is the Centrist Democratic Party of
the Philippines and our mission is basically to contribute centrist policies in our
country for the protection of the Filipino dignity and by especially mentioning
the Social Market Economy as our primary socio-economic-political program
and the creation of a Federal Philippines.
In Article 2 we will probably find the most radical proclamation and firm
stand of our political party that we should publicly support. In reforming our
democratic system, we are aiming for a Parliamentary form of Philippine
Government. To institute Political Reforms, we are aiming for the
institutionalization of our political party system through a member-based and
program oriented political parties. In reforming our socio-economic system, we
are aiming to establish a Philippine Social Market Economy. And in reforming the
structures of our State to ensure a strong representative form of governance, we
are aiming for a decentralized system following the principles of subsidiarity and
the ultimate creation of a Federal Philippines.
Article 3 outlines our various political activities being a member based
and program oriented political party and we have to engage ourselves in the
local and regional level by initiating projects that will improve the living situation
of the citizens and to solve problems in our localities. We can do this
engagement with our alliances on sector associations and civil societies.

4. CDP’S INTERNAL DEMOCRACY: DISTRICT CENTERED POLITICAL PARTY | Roderico Y. Dumaug, Jr. Page 4 of 8 pages
Article 4 provides for the essential procedures in accepting and sustaining
committed and passionate centrist members in our party. Membership is open
only to individuals who have undergone an orientation, qualified to vote and be
voted upon in any election in the country and whose application are subject to
approval by his provincial or city council.
Ours is a people’s party as we are open to all sectors of Philippine society
united in our core values and beliefs and working to build a more humane
future for all the Filipinos. This is what Article 5 of our statute generally speaks
about. This article also provides for our cooperation with the various sectors like
the farmers and the fisher folks, the labor, the urban poor, the youth, the senior
citizens, the indigenous peoples and the women and the organization of the
Centrist Democratic Sector Organizations within our party which is parallel to our
own structure and is an independent legal entity.
Article 6 clearly defines the basic structure of the National bodies in our
party which is composed of the (a) The National Congress, (b) The National
Council, (c) The Executive Board of the National Council, (d) The National
Secretariat, (e) The National Thematic Commissions and the (f) The Board of
Senior Advisors. We must always remember that all regional delegates and
representatives to the National Congress and the National Executive Council
must be duly elected and approved by their respective Regional Assembly to
ensure that we are a membership based political party strictly adhering to our

5. CDP’S INTERNAL DEMOCRACY: DISTRICT CENTERED POLITICAL PARTY | Roderico Y. Dumaug, Jr. Page 5 of 8 pages
internal democracy and proportional principles. Like for example this 1st National
Congress of the CDP, all of us here are duly elected delegates from the
Provincial/City Assemblies and later on are elected delegates from the Regional
Assembly.
Article 7 sets the organizational structures of the CDP in our Region,
Province and in the City following the principles of transparency, subsidiarity,
internal democracy and cohesiveness. Members of this National Congress, we
must give importance and significance to our Provincial and City organizations
especially to our local assemblies because it is where our dues-paying members
and our volunteers actually engaging politically through our programs and
activities and in translating our centrist principles in our localities. No national
officers or delegates can join this congress or the national council without first
being elected in their own Provincial and City Assemblies and later on in their
Regional Assemblies. This is what we mean by subsidiarity and this is what we
mean real representative form of governance absent in other political parties in
the Philippines and none in our Philippine Government. In order for us to
become relevant to our members and will make us truly different, we must
strictly adhere to this basic principle of what a membership based political party
is.
Article 8 cites the involvement of major public office holders within our
political party. As membership based party, we welcome everyone who is

6. CDP’S INTERNAL DEMOCRACY: DISTRICT CENTERED POLITICAL PARTY | Roderico Y. Dumaug, Jr. Page 6 of 8 pages
centrists or who commit themselves to our centrist principles and this includes
public officials.
Article 9 on Finances is very important to us for aside from the fact that it
deals with our sustainability and survival as a party it also provides an important
principle unique only to us. We are independent from the benevolence or
generosity of one single person or of the elite or of a rich businessman or
oligarch. We must pay our due and remit our share to the national offices. By
the time we stop paying and stop remitting, it is the time that we give room to
the oligarchs and rich people to single handedly control our party and influence
our political activities. As members of this Congress, we must imbue this
particular value of paying our dues to protect our party from the control of the
few.
Article 10 provides for the dissolution of any bodies in the party. Although
this is not what we want to happen soon but of course there’s a need for it to be
regulated. Article 11 details the suspension or removal of our officers. Article 12
provides for the arbitration on conflicts between individual party members and
party bodies, and Article 13 enshrines the procedure on how are we going to
amend or revise our constitution and by-laws.
Lastly in Article 14, we have the Transitory Provisions on the first
membership and the organization of the founding bodies of our party. We
already have our founding coordinators, the founding national council officers

7. CDP’S INTERNAL DEMOCRACY: DISTRICT CENTERED POLITICAL PARTY | Roderico Y. Dumaug, Jr. Page 7 of 8 pages
and today you are witnessing the convening of the founding national congress
of our political party.
Our Party President, Sir Lito Monico Lorenzana, dear officers of the
National Executive Council and delegates from the various regions, members of
this National Congress,
Even in very difficult circumstances in building a real political party in the
Philippines having the traditional and oligarch dominated political party system
existing today, I honor all of you for coming today. I honor you for despite our
limited resources and political influence, you remain committed and dedicated
in joining us in our struggle to make Philippine Democracy functional. I honor all
of you for despite pressures from our works and careers, we remain to be
members or committed to the centrist ideologies and values that are dear to us
which we believe will bring greatness to our country. I honor also our friends and
party comrades who are not here today although they cannot come or are
prevented to come because of their affiliation to CDP, they are part of the
making of the success of our party and I know that their hearts and minds are
with us today.
I honor the Regional Assembly of Manila for their solidarity with other
regions and in believing that through our political party we can build a Federal
Government which truly empowers the Regions and in believing that progress
means that no region, no province shall be left behind.

8. CDP’S INTERNAL DEMOCRACY: DISTRICT CENTERED POLITICAL PARTY | Roderico Y. Dumaug, Jr. Page 8 of 8 pages
Lastly, this 1st National Congress is not about giving some instructions, nor
about establishing an exclusive club of elite or oligarchs. This is about coming
together, joining hands to transform this country. Therefore, I would like to invite
all of you to support and put into our hearts this Constitution and By-Laws of our
party.
I am a Centrist. I value the human dignity of mankind. I am a Nation-
Builder and I am a Filipino.
Thank you very much and good afternoon.