Press Release
October 1, 2012

TRANSCRIPT OF INTERVIEW
Cayetano: This coalition should be a marriage of ideas, vision and commitment for continued change

This should be a marriage of ideas, vision and of the commitment for continued change. This is a coalition organized based on a common reform vision, solidly grounded in good governance, a and certainly not a coalition for political convenience.

We're comfortable with this coalition because in the last two years, we've seen the action in response to the call of the President for good governance, transparency and accountability. The difference of opinion or other minor things matters little because we've agreed on the majority of the policies. We think it's a good, practical and strategic coalition for the Nacionalista Party.

They are the ones in the administration, not us. They are in power and have the capacity to implement well-meaning reforms. We have ideas and policies that we have always wanted to push. A 2-, 3-year coalition, meaning if we won, will pursue something in that period. That's why what I'm calling for in this signing is for the vision, principles and nitty-gritty of the coalition to be discussed thoroughly.

It's easy to say that we're for transparency and accountability but what is the stand of the group on issues like the FOI? It's easy to say that we should press charges against grafters but what is the stand of the group on witness protection?

The point is, right now we are trying out this coalition and we think it's the pragmatic and realistic thing to do. Transparency, accountability, and social reforms constitute the principles by which the Liberal Party and the Nacionalista Party have moved vital legislation in both the House and the Senate.

Will it be more idealistic or will it be more pragmatic? Meaning, will it be more trapo or more untraditional? That depends now on how we move as a group. I'm hoping that with the 2 and a half years of the President's track record, the learning curve is there already.

The challenge for us now is to further strengthen the founding principles of our coalition and to translate everything into vital legislation and executive action. We will articulate this in the weeks ahead.

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