Liberal Party (Philippines)
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Use Philippine English Template:Infobox Philippine political party The Liberal Party of the Philippines (Template:Langx, LP or Liberal) is a liberal political party in the Philippines.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite news</ref>
Founded on January 19, 1946 by Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, and José Avelino from the breakaway liberal wing of the old Nacionalista, the Liberal remains the second-oldest active political party in the Philippines after the Nacionalista, and the oldest continually active party. The Liberals served as the governing party of four Philippine presidents: Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, Diosdado Macapagal, and Benigno Aquino III.
As a vocal opposition party to the dictatorship of their former member Ferdinand Marcos, it reemerged as a major political party after the People Power Revolution and the establishment of the Fifth Republic. It subsequently served as a senior member of President Corazon Aquino's UNIDO coalition. Upon Corazon Aquino's death in 2009, the party regained popularity, winning the 2010 Philippine presidential election under Benigno Aquino III and returning it to government to serve from 2010 to 2016. This was the only instance the party had won the presidency since the end of the Marcos dictatorship, however, as it lost control of the office to Rodrigo Duterte of PDP–Laban in the 2016 presidential election and became the leading opposition party once again. Its vice presidential candidate Leni Robredo won in the same election, narrowly beating Marcos' son by a small margin.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The Liberal Party was the political party of the immediate past Vice President of the Philippines. In the 2019 midterm elections, the party remained the primary opposition party of the Philippines, holding three seats in the Senate. The Liberals was the largest party outside of Rodrigo Duterte's supermajority, holding 18 seats in the House of Representatives after 2019. In local government, the party held two provincial governorships and five vice governorships. The general election of 2022, however, was a setback for the party, which lost both the Presidency and Vice-Presidency, as well as all of its seats in the Senate, and saw its representation in the House of Representatives reduced.
The Liberals remains an influential organization in contemporary Philippine politics. With moderately progressive positions on social issues and centrist positions on economic issues, it is commonly associated with the post-revolution, liberal-democratic status quo of the Philippines in contrast to authoritarianism, conservatism, and socialism. Aside from presidents, the party has been led by liberal thinkers and politicians including Benigno Aquino Jr., Jovito Salonga, Raul Daza, Florencio Abad, Franklin Drilon, and Mar Roxas. Two of its members, Corazon Aquino and Leila de Lima, have received the prestigious Prize For Freedom, one of the highest international awards for liberal and democratic politicians since 1985 given by Liberal International. The Liberals is a member of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats and Liberal International.
History
Roxas presidency: 1946–1948
1946 elections: The Rise of Manuel Roxas
The Liberal Party started as the "Liberal Wing" of the Nacionalista Party,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> led by Manuel Roxas and Elpidio Quirino. The Liberal Wing is formed due to intention of Roxas to run as president for the presidential election which he, and his supporters called and lobbied to the United States Congress to be early.<ref name=":02">Template:Cite web</ref> When President Sergio Osmeña was officially selected as Nacionalista presidential nominee, Roxas and Quirino officially founded the "Liberal Wing" into Liberal Party in January 19, 1946.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Roxas and Quirino where the party's presidential and vice presidential nominee respectively, and became victorious over the administration ticket of Osmeña and Amang Rodriguez.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> After their presidential election performance, they dominated the House elections won the majority of 49 seats, and the senate race in 1947 winning six over eight seats.
Quirino to Magsaysay's presidency: 1948–1957
1948: Quirino succeeds Roxas, but facing impeachment attempt
After the death of President Roxas in April 15, 1948 at Clark Air Base, Pampanga, due to multiple heart attacks, Elpidio Quirino assumed the presidency.
Riding on the crest of the growing wave of resentment against Liberal, a move was next hatched to indict President Quirino himself.<ref name="Molina 1961">Template:Cite book</ref>
A committee of seven members of the House of Representatives, led by Congressman Agripino Escareal, drafted a five-count complaint that ranged from exorbitant spending to nepotism. A seven-member committee led by Representative Lorenzo Sumulong was created by Speaker Eugenio Pérez to investigate the charges before they were submitted to the Senate, serving as an impeachment body. Felix Angelo Bautista, the Solicitor General, arrived as the top executive's defense attorney.<ref name="Molina 1961" /> Following several hearings, on April 19, 1949, after a rather turbulent session that lasted all night, the congressional committee reached a verdict completely exonerating the President.
1949 elections: Quirino reelected
For the 1949 elections, Quirino got the nomination of the party, while Jose Avelino, the senate leader of the party ran under his own wing of the party. Quirino choose Fernando Lopez as vice presidential nominee while Avelino selected Senator Vicente Francisco. Qurino and Lopez won the election over Nacionalista's Jose P. Laurel (who is the president of the Japanese puppet-Republic) and Manuel Briones, and Avelino and Francisco. But the said election is considered as one of the dirtiest,<ref>"The Magsaysay Story" (The John Day Company, 1956, updated – with an additional chapter on Magsaysay's death - re-edition by Pocket Books, Special Student Edition, SP-18, December 1957)</ref><ref>Lana's dirty secrets Template:Webarchive Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Retrieved June 14, 2017</ref> with violence and fraud taking place.<ref>Hedman, Eva-Lotta & Side, John Philippine Politics and Society in the Twentieth Century: Colonial Legacies Retrieved June 14, 2017</ref> As the news reports said that opponent's supporters are either beaten up by Quirino's supporters or the local police.<ref>Taylor, RH The Politics of Elections in Southeast Asia Retrieved June 14, 2017</ref> In the Senate, they swept out the whole 8 member ticket, while still maintaining majority at the House.
1953 elections: Magsaysay out, Liberal stumbled
For the 1953 elections, Liberal stalwart named Ramon Magsaysay, who has been recruited by founding member Roxas to fulfill the party with fresh names, wants to snap the presidential nomination of the party. But Quirino has still plans for re-election. Another Liberal also wants to challenge Quirino as the presidential nominee, the country's representative to the United Nations Carlos P. Romulo. Quirino officially selected by the party, with José Yulo as his running-mate, because Lopez will join Romulo and his supporter's walk-out march out of the party. Magsaysay jumped to Nacionalista and got the party's nomination over one of its stalwarts Senate President Camilo Osías (who also jumped to Liberal with Jose Zulueta), in April 12, 1953.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Romulo and Lopez founded the Democratic Party<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> in May 29, 1953,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with the two founders selected as their presidential and vice presidential nominee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> But later, the two cancelled their candidacy and supported Magsaysay's candidacy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Quirino's campaign was bombarded by controversies and issues, like with one of party's member named Negros Occidental Governor Rafael Lacson, a corrupt politician who killed Moises Padilla, his challenger in 1951 elections, and friend of Magsaysay which popularized by a photograph taken with Magsaysay carrying Padilla's dead body, and also being used by the latter in his campaign.<ref name="Pimentel">Template:Cite web A privileged speech by Senator Nene Pimentel delivered at the Senate, August 2001.</ref><ref name="time 1954">Template:Cite news</ref> Another issues like he allegedly own a golden arinola, corruption and nepotism, being out of touch to the mass due to his lavish lifestyle, and unresolving the Huk rebellion. Magsaysay and his running mate Carlos Garcia won the election via landslide.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In the senate, the whole Liberal slate was kicked out in the Magic 8, thus not winning any seats, while in the House they only won 31 seats.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite book</ref> In 1955 Senate elections, no Liberal again won any seat in the Senate.
Garcia to Macapagal's presidency: 1957–1965
1957 elections: Rise of Diosdado Macapagal
After the death of Magsaysay, and succession of Garcia, Liberal fielded their former 1953 Vice Presidential nominee José Yulo, with Kapampangan 1st district Congressman Diosdado Macapagal as his running mate for the 1957 presidential elections. In a four-way race, Yulo lost to incumbent Garcia, but Macapagal managed to defeat former House Speaker Pepito Laurel. For the first time in electoral history of the Philippines, the winning president did not have a vice president who came from the same party.
1961 elections: Liberal prevailed
For the 1961 elections,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Ilocano Senator Ferdinand Marcos wants to gain the nomination of the party to challenge Garcia's re-election bid, but Vice President Macapagal also wants to be the nominee of the party. Later, In January 1961, Marcos and Macapagal agreed that the latter will be the presidential nominee, while Marcos will be the new party president replacing Macapagal.<ref name=":8" /> Macapagal promised that he will only run for one term, and Marcos will be the nominee in after his term.<ref name=":9" /> Macapagal will challenge Garcia, choosing young Senator Emmanuel Pelaez. The two managed to defeat the administration ticket of Garcia and Senator Gil Puyat.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Stonehill Scandal
Template:Main In 1962, a bribery scandal shocked the whole country which involves some of Liberal politicians, including President Macapagal,<ref name="Kasaysayan9ch2">Template:Cite book</ref> and then-Senate President Marcos.<ref name="Kasaysayan9ch22">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="SaraSolivenDeGuzman20140526">Template:Cite news</ref> Those bribed money are from a businessman named Harry Stonehill,<ref name="PhilipTubeza20020327">Template:Cite news</ref> a former military officer of the United States who settled in the Philippines to make business.<ref name="Time19620810">Template:Cite news</ref> But, after an argument with Meinhart Spielman, the general manager of his Philippine Tobacco Corporation, he made Spielman suffered physically and the latter revealed to the Senate a "blue book" that listed all of the Filipino politicians bribed.<ref name="case">Template:Cite web</ref> But while Justice Secretary Jose "Pepe" Diokno investigated the scandal,<ref name="new">Template:Cite web</ref> Macapagal ordered the deportation of Stonehill, but the president's trust rating still plummeting.<ref name="new2">Template:Cite web</ref> Diokno later run for senate under Nacionalista banner.
Marcos' first two terms: 1965–1972
1965 elections: Broken promise, Marcos out
After Diosdado Macapagal's announcement of plan for re-election in 1965, Marcos, like what Magsaysay did, jumped into Nacionalista by April 1964, and selected as its presidential nominee.<ref name=":0" /> Meanwhile, Macapagal selected Gerardo Roxas, son of the founder to be his running-mate. The campaign of Macapagal and Roxas focused against Marcos' false military medals. The two failed to defeat Marcos, and his running mate Fernando Lopez, who is the Vice President under Quirino, and also a former Liberal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1967 elections: Rise of Ninoy Aquino
In 1967 elections, the only one from the Liberal slate was elected from the 8 senate seats contested is Ninoy Aquino, a former Nacionalista who is known for being an associate of Ramon Magsaysay. Aquino managed to gather 49.52% of the votes.
1969 elections: Dirty elections faced
For the 1969 elections, Liberal will field Serging Osmeña, son of the Nacionalista founder Sergio Osmeña as their presidential nominee. Osmeña ran for vice presidency in 1961 as an independent and placed second. The party also recruited Magsaysay's brother Genaro to be his running-mate. Both of them lost to the incumbents, but the election year was considered as one of the dirtiest elections in history, like 1949.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1971: The Plaza Miranda bombing
After what happened to Plaza Miranda bombing,<ref name=":32">Template:Cite book</ref> Liberal won five seats. In Manila mayoral election, the party chose Congressman Ramon Bagatsing instead of incumbent Antonio Villegas. Villegas left the party, and Bagatsing won the mayoral election.
Martial law and Fourth Republic era
Being threat to Marcos
During the days leading to his declaration of martial law, Marcos would find his old party as a potent roadblock to his quest for one-man rule. Led by Ninoy Aquino, Gerry Roxas and Jovito Salonga, Liberal would hound President Marcos on issues like human rights and the curtailment of freedoms. Even after Marcos' declaration of martial law silenced the Liberal, the party continued to oppose the regime, and many of its leaders and members would be prosecuted and even killed during this time.<ref name="Center-left">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Melted">Template:Cite news</ref>
1978 elections
For the incoming 1978 parliamentary elections, some Liberal members joined the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, a regime-controlled coalition, while others joined Ninoy Aquino's Lakas ng Bayan (LABAN). With many preferring not to be involved, the Liberal went to hibernation, but the party became more liberal during this era.<ref name=":03">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>
1981 boycott
After Marcos lifted Martial Law with Proclamation 2045, on January 17, 1981,<ref name="GovPH-PP2045">Template:Cite web</ref> Liberal joined United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO), the main coalition of the opposition. But UNIDO and LABAN declared a boycott due to Marcos did not accept the demand of UNIDO like to clean the voters' list, revamping of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), and accreditation of UNIDO as the minority. This caused for Marcos to be reportedly dismayed as he could not legitimize the election without a viable opposition candidate.<ref name="Celoza">Template:Cite book</ref>
1986 snap elections
Liberal stalwarts joined UNIDO with Nacionalista, and PDP–Laban members, they supported the candidacy of Cory Aquino and Doy Laurel for the 1986 election.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In the said election, violence was rampant and cheating scandals and controversies arose,<ref name="NSM">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with COMELEC officers walked out of the PICC, the place where COMELEC transmission of data happens.<ref name="militaryIntervention1986197">Template:Cite web</ref> The election victory of Marcos prompted People Power Revolution in February 25 of the same year.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>
First Aquino to Ramos' presidency: 1986–1992
Under Aquino Administration
After democracy was restored after the People Power Revolution, some of the Liberal stalwarts was instrumental in ending more than half a century of US military presence in the Philippines with its campaign in the 1991 senate to reject a new RP-US Bases Treaty which mainly led by their veteran Jovito Salonga. This ironically cost the party dearly, losing for it the elections of 1992.<ref name="Melted" />
1992 elections
Liberal and the PDP–Laban formed a coalition named Koalisyong Pambansa, it also supported the candidacy of Salonga, as president and Nene Pimentel as vice president for the 1992. But both of them lost to Aquino's preferred candidate and Defense Secretary Fidel Ramos, and Senator Joseph Estrada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1995 elections
Liberal won 5 seats in the House elections, but the party did not have any senatorial candidate.
Estrada's presidency: 1998–2001
1998 elections: Alfredo Lim
In 1998, Liberal fielded Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim as their presidential candidate, with Serge Osmeña as his running mate. Serge Osmeña is the son of the party's former presidential nominee. The two is supported by former president Corazon Aquino.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> But the tandem lost to Vice President Joseph Estrada and Senator Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, daughter of their 1961 presidential nominee respectively.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
EDSA Dos
In 2000, it was in opposition to the Estrada administration, actively supporting the Resign-Impeach-Oust initiatives that led to People Power II.<ref name="Center-left" /><ref name="Melted" />
Arroyo's presidency: 2001–2010
2001: People Power Coalition
After Estrada being kicked out of the Presidency, Liberal joined the administration's People Power Coalition for the 2001 elections, with former Quezon City councilor Kiko Pangilinan and former Senator Bobby Tañada as the party's senatorial candidate. Among the two, Pangilinan only managed to win, placing 8th with 10,971,896 votes.
2004: K-4 and Rise of Mar Roxas
For the 2004 elections, Liberal joined the K-4 coalition of President Arroyo, with former Congressman and Gerry Roxas' son Mar and Senator Rodolfo Biazon are the candidates of the Liberal. Both of them won, with Roxas placed 2nd,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> while Biazon placed 12th.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Biazon's victory was protested by 13th placer Senator Robert Barbers (who is also a K-4 member), but the case filed by Barbers later dismissed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2007 elections: GO and Noynoy
After the revelation that Arroyo cheated in the presidential elections, many Liberal members who are part of the cabinet of Arroyo resigned in 2005, thus joining the opposition, including party stalwart Butch Abad.<ref name="formed">Template:Cite news</ref> For the 2007 elections, Liberal fielded a candidate, the son of Ninoy and Cory, Tarlac Congressman Noynoy Aquino. Kiko Pangilinan also ran for re-election in senate, but as an independent and still under Liberal,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>after being kicked out by Genuine Opposition (GO), which Aquino is a member.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Aquino managed to win the senate elections, placing 6th and Pangilinan placed 5th.
Drilon-Roxas wing vs Atienza wing
Some Liberal members installed Manila Mayor Lito Atienza as the party president wayback March 2, 1998, even though that time former Congressman and then-Senate candidate Raul Daza is officially serving as the party president. What pro-Atienza wing did triggered leadership struggle and party schism lasted after Daza's leadership.
Liberal met on November 27, 2007, to decide who would succeed Franklin Drilon as the party president and to hold an election for his replacement. Both Noynoy Aquino and his Senate colleague Mar Roxas received nominations, but Aquino emerged victorious as the party's president, while Roxas is set to be the presidential nominee.<ref name=":04">Template:Cite web</ref> The former chairman and head of the "Atienza faction" or "Pro-Arroyo faction," DENR secretary Lito Atienza, congratulated him, but he later condemned the election and referred to Drilon and his supporters as a "merry cabal of destabilizers". He added that the other group had disregarded the Supreme Court's injunction to maintain the status quo.<ref name=":04" /> Later, Supreme Court recognized the Drilon Wing as the sole legitimate wing of the Liberal.
Liberal's resurgence under Noynoy Aquino's presidency: 2010–2016
2010: Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III administration
Liberal regained influence when it nominated as its next presidential candidate then-Senator Benigno Aquino III,<ref name="Melted" /> the son of former President Corazon Aquino, for the 2010 Philippine presidential election after the latter's death that subsequently showed a groundswell of support for his candidacy.<ref name="the-diplomat.com">Template:Cite web</ref> Even though the party had earlier nominated Mar Roxas to be its presidential candidate for the 2010 Philippine general election, Roxas gave way to Aquino and instead ran for vice president. The party was able to field new members breaking away from the then-ruling party Lakas–Kampi–CMD, becoming the largest minority party in Congress.<ref name="Center-left" /><ref name="Melted" /><ref name="left">Template:Cite web</ref> Aquino would later win by plurality, and Liberal would become the majority party in Congress.<ref name="aquinopromisesjusticeasphilippinespresident">Template:Cite web</ref>
But, some incidents like the appointment of party president Jun Abaya and mismanagement of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) cost the party's next presidential elections.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
'Twerk na daan' controversy
On October 1, 2015, during an oath-taking event and birthday celebration of Liberal Congressman Benjamin Agarao of Laguna's 4th district, MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino hired all-girl dance group Playgirls to perform at the said event. One of the dancers was seen on the top of an unidentified male who was lying on his back simulating a sexual act or twerking, and the said event has minors in the audience.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Liberal leader Mar Roxas, who is absent at the said event, started an investigation about the incident, while labor groups and some women's rights advocates filed charges against Tolentino.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The said controversy was coined by columnist and critics as 'Twerk na Daan' (which was combination of the word "twerk" and "Tuwid na daan" campaign of Aquino).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2016 elections: Oras Na, Roxas Na!
In the 2016 presidential elections, the Liberal nominated Mar Roxas, former Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary, and Leni Robredo, a representative from Naga City and widow of Jesse Robredo, the DILG secretary who preceded Roxas, as the party's presidential and vice presidential candidates. Roxas defeated by former member Rodrigo Duterte of PDP–Laban, but Robredo managed to win. Most of the party's members either switched allegiance to PDP–Laban,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> joined a supermajority alliance but retained their Liberal membership (with some defecting later), joined the "recognized minority", or created an opposition bloc called "Magnificent 7".
Liberal being purged under Duterte's presidency: 2016–2022
Post-2016 elections
After its loss in the 2016 elections, as early as February 2017, the leaders of the Liberal chose to focus on rebuilding the party by inviting sectoral representation of non-politicians in its membership numbers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Since then the party had been inducting new members who were non-politicians, some of whom applied online through the party's website.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Also, Senator Leila de Lima, who was pushing probe into alleged extrajudicial deaths in the early months of Duterte's war on drugs, was arrested in 2017 based on charges linked to the drug trafficking scandal in New Bilibid Prison, which the party claimed as only a product of harassment and trumped-up charges against opposing the president.<ref name="press release2" /> Also, it prompted them to review its party rules and principles.<ref name=":10" /><ref name="press release2" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":11" /><ref name=":12" />
2019 elections: Otso Diretso
Before the scheduled 2019 general elections, the Liberal formed Otso Diretso, an electoral coalition of eight candidates for the senate race; led by the party, the coalition field also comprised members of the Magdalo, Akbayan, and Aksyon.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> None of the eight senatorial candidates under Otso Diretso won a seat, however; it was the first time in the history of the current bicameral composition of the Philippine Congress under the 1987 Constitution that the opposition failed to win a seat in one of the chambers, and the second time that a Liberal-led coalition suffered a great loss since 1955.
Second Marcos presidency: 2022–present
2022: Leni Robredo's presidential campaign
For the 2022 Philippine presidential election, the Liberal nominated Leni Robredo and Francis Pangilinan for the presidential and vice presidential posts, respectively.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The party led the Team Robredo–Pangilinan (TRoPa) alliance, which included incumbent senator De Lima, other members of the Liberal, and several guest candidates from other parties such as Akbayan, as well as independents. Robredo ran as an independent candidate whilst remaining affiliated with Liberal. Both candidates lost the election to Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte, respectively, finishing second. While some candidates from the Liberal-led alliance were elected, no candidate from the party won a seat in the senatorial elections, for the first time since the 1995 elections.
2025: KiBam and Mamamayang Liberal
In May 2024, Bam Aquino left Liberal to pursue the Senate race as an independent candidate, but later joined the Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) and became its party chair.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Also of the same year, several Liberals led by De Lima formed a sectoral wing called Mamamayang Liberal (ML) for the 2025 House of Representatives elections for party-list seats. De Lima, who was released from detainment in November 2023, was selected as ML's first nominee.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Former senator and vice presidential candidate Kiko Pangilinan was the Liberal's sole candidate for the senatorial elections. Pangilinan and the Liberals formed a coalition with KNP to form a coalition duo with Bam Aquino for the 2025 senate election.
The duo won the senate race and entered in the magic 12 as Aquino ranked 2nd and Pangilinan ranked 5th, resulting that they will returning in the upper house. Also the Mamamayang Liberal won the party-list race garnering with 500,000+ votes thus guaranteeing one seat in the House of Representatives. Even though de Lima joined minority in the House, Aquino and Pangilinan joined majority in the Senate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Ideology
While the Liberal Party defines its ideology as social liberalism,<ref>Values Charter – Liberal Party of the Philippines</ref> the party has often been described as a "centrist" or "liberal" party. Historically, the Liberal Party has been evaluated as a "conservative" party,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> with an ideology similar to or indistinguishable from the Nacionalista Party's ideology,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> until it became the opposition party under the Marcos dictatorship, wherein it became more liberal.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Being a founding member of the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats and a full member of Liberal International, the Liberal Party advocates the values of "freedom, justice and solidarity (bayanihan)," as described in the party's values charter.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Although this may be deemed theoretically true since the party's founding in 1946, it became more tangible through the party's position of continuing dissent during the Marcos dictatorship.
Since 2017, the party has opened party membership to the general public and to key sectors of society, aiming to harness a large volunteering base. According to the party, this aims to ostensibly build on "the promise of becoming a true people's party".
Symbols
The Liberal Party is associated with the color yellow, a political color commonly associated with liberalism. During the People Power Revolution, opposition parties against the Marcos dictatorship, including the Liberal, used yellow ribbons as a symbol of resistance and support for Ninoy Aquino, one of the leading politicians against the regime. The color would later be co-opted by his son, Benigno Aquino III, as well as the Liberal, for his presidential campaign in 2010, which he later won.
After his presidency, yellow continued to be associated with the party, which became the leading opposition party against the presidency of their former member Rodrigo Duterte. The pejorative term dilawan (Template:Translation), associated with the liberal elite, has been used against the party and other critics of the Duterte administration.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In an effort to distance herself from the negative connotations of the color and unite various opposition groups, then party chair Leni Robredo adopted the color pink for her presidential campaign.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Both pink and yellow are currently used by the party.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Current political positions
The party has declared policies geared toward inclusiveness and people empowerment.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":3" /> It also advocates and supports secure jobs, food, shelter, universal health care, public education access, and other social services, and is against extrajudicial killings, any challenge to the rule of law, and curtailments of human rights strictures. The party also aims to form an open government with participatory democracy, positions that have been supported by the party's recent leaders.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Economic policy
- Improve social safety nets.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Impose 1% wealth tax on individuals with net value assets exceeding ₱1 billion.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Create tax exemptions for selected products.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Maximize the budget windfall of local governments for antipoverty projects.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Increase minimum wages.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Declare and address an "education crisis",<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> increase the education budget to 6% of GDP, streamline teachers' function,<ref name=":7">Template:Cite web</ref> and establish special education (SPED) centers in all public schools.<ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Develop an inter-sectoral approach and convergence of roles for the attainment of a functioning universal health care,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> provide due fixed allowances and statutory benefits to barangay health workers,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and fix the corruption in PhilHealth.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Prioritize infrastructure for spurring rural development, transportation, water resource management, and climate resilience, funded through public-private partnerships rather than loans.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Upgrade science and technology research and development funding<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and promote data-driven agriculture.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Invest in subsidies to promote renewable energy<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and implement better waste disposal to mitigate sea pollution.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Prioritize a job guarantee program<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and expand coverage of the SSS and Pag-Ibig.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Promote financial literacy.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Offer voucher programs for access to private colleges and universities.<ref name=":7" />
- Enact a law calling for equal participation of women in the economy and in decision-making positions, both in public and private organizations.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Addressing systemic corruption in government.<ref name="redefining" /><ref name=":5">Template:Cite web</ref>
Social
- Cleaner air and water and sustainable arable land as well as extensive programs against climate change.
Legal issues
Senator Leila de Lima, who led an investigation into alleged extrajudicial deaths in the early months of Duterte's war on drugs, was issued an arrest warrant in 2017 based on charges linked to the New Bilibid Prison drug trafficking scandal, which the party claimed was based on trumped-up charges, labelling the arrest "patently illegal".<ref name="press release2">Template:Cite web</ref> While on the whole, de Lima's investigation was seen by some pundits as an adversarial investigation that was a strategic mistake, others in the party simply saw it as a call to a review of the party's principles and how members have adhered to them.<ref name=":10">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="press release2"/><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":11">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":12">Template:Cite journal</ref>
Senator De Lima has been fully acquitted of all criminal charges on June 24, 2024,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> marking the end of her legal battle and detention that lasted over six years. De Lima, a prominent critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte, described the charges as politically motivated to silence her investigations into Duterte's controversial drug war and alleged human rights abuses.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2019, the party, along with other groups, was accused of planning a coup against the Duterte government. The party denounced the allegation and called it a state-sponsored threat of legal abuse, demanding the government provide evidence to back the claims.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Liberal presidents
Template:See also As of 2024, there have been a total of 4 Liberal presidents. Those who won presidency under other parties are not included.
| # | Name (lifespan) | Portrait | Province | Presidency start date |
Presidency end date |
Time in office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Template:Sortname (1892–1948) |
|
Capiz | May 28, 1946Template:Efn | April 15, 1948Template:Efn | Template:Age in years and days |
| 4 | Template:Sortname (1890–1956) |
|
Ilocos Sur | April 17, 1948 | December 30, 1953 | Template:Age in years and days |
| 9 | Template:Sortname (1910–1997) |
|
Pampanga | December 30, 1961 | December 30, 1965 | Template:Ayd |
| 15 | Template:Sortname (1960–2021) |
.jpg)
|
Tarlac | June 30, 2010 | June 30, 2016 | Template:Ayd |
Party leadership
Current party officials
- President: Vacant
- Vice President and Acting President: Erin Tañada, former Quezon's 4th district representative (2022–present)
- Chairperson: Francis Pangilinan, Senator (2025-present)
- Vice Chairperson: Kit Belmonte, former Quezon City's 6th district representative (2022–present)
- Secretary-General: Teddy Baguilat, former Ifugao's lone district representative (2022–present)
- Treasurer: Alfonso Umali Jr., Oriental Mindoro's 2nd district representative (2022–present)
- Spokesperson: Leila de Lima, Mamamayang Liberal representative (2023–present)
Party presidents
| # | Name | Start of term | End of term |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manuel Roxas<ref name="Melted" /> | January 19, 1946 | April 15, 1948 |
| 2 | José Avelino | April 19, 1948 | May 8, 1949 |
| 3 | Elpidio Quirino | April 17, 1949 | December 30, 1950 |
| 4 | Eugenio Pérez | December 30, 1950 | December 30, 1957 |
| 5 | Diosdado Macapagal | December 30, 1957 | January 21,1961 |
| 6 | Ferdinand E. Marcos<ref name=":8">Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | January 21, 1961<ref name=":9">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":0">Template:Cite journal</ref> | April 1964<ref name=":0" /> |
| 7 | Cornelio T. Villareal | April 1964 | May 10, 1969 |
| 8 | Gerardo Roxas | May 10, 1969 | April 19, 1982 |
| 9 | Jovito Salonga | April 20, 1982 | June 1, 1993 |
| 10 | Wigberto Tañada | June 2, 1993 | October 17, 1994 |
| 11 | Raul A. Daza | October 18, 1994 | September 19, 1999 |
| 12 | Florencio Abad | September 20, 1999 | August 9, 2004 |
| 13 | Franklin Drilon | August 10, 2004 | November 5, 2007 |
| 14 | Mar Roxas | November 6, 2007 | September 30, 2012 |
| 15 | Joseph Emilio Abaya | October 1, 2012 | August 7, 2016 |
| 16 | Francis Pangilinan | August 8, 2016 | September 30, 2022 |
| 17 | Edcel Lagman | September 30, 2022 | January 30, 2025 |
| Act | Erin Tañada | January 30, 2025 |
Elected members
20th Congress (2025-present)
Senators
| Name | Took office | Bloc |
|---|---|---|
| Kiko Pangilinan | June 30, 2025 | Majority |
District Representatives
| Name | District | Took office | Bloc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krisel Lagman | Albay's 1st congressional district | June 30, 2025 | Minority |
| Edgar Erice | Caloocan's 2nd congressional district | June 30, 2025 | Minority |
| Kaka Bag-ao | Dinagat Islands's at-large congressional district | June 30, 2025 | Minority |
| Jaime Fresnedi | Muntinlupa's at-large congressional district | June 30, 2022 | Majority |
| Alfonso Umali Jr. | Oriental Mindoro's 2nd congressional district | June 30, 2019 | Majority |
| Ian Amatong | Zamboanga del Norte's 3rd congressional district | June 20, 2022 | Majority |
Partylist Representatives
| Name | Partylist | Took office | Bloc |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leila de Lima | Mamamayang Liberal (ML) | June 30, 2025 | Minority |
Governors
| Name | Province | Took office |
|---|---|---|
| Mujiv Hataman | Basilan | June 30, 2025 |
| Trina Firmalo-Fabic | Romblon | June 30, 2025 |
Mayors
| Name | Province | Took office |
|---|---|---|
| Meg Constantino | Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro | June 30, 2025 |
| Tin Antonio | Alcala, Cagayan | June 30, 2025 |
| Nestor Archival | Cebu City | June 30, 2025 |
| Sonia Arnado | Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte | June 30, 2025 |
| Glicerio Almero, III | Mamburao, Occidental Mindoro | June 30, 2025 |
| Leni Robredo | Naga City, Camarines Sur | June 30, 2025 |
| Shimonette Francisco | New Washington, Aklan | June 30, 2025 |
| Celsa Rivera | Padre Garcia, Batangas | June 30, 2025 |
| Joe Abad Lazaro | San Joaquin, Iloilo | June 30, 2025 |
| Bartolome Rivera | San Mateo, Rizal | June 30, 2025 |
Electoral performance
Presidential elections
Vice presidential elections
Legislative elections
1946–1972: Third Republic
Senate is abolished from 1972 to 1986
1978–1986: Batasang Pambansa
| Year | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Members ran as part of LABAN | ||||
| 1984 | Members ran as part of UNIDO | ||||
1987–present
Notable Liberals
Philippine presidents
- Manuel Roxas (5th President of the Philippines; one of the co-founders)
- Elpidio Quirino (6th President of the Philippines) – also the 2nd Vice President of the Philippines
- Ramon Magsaysay (7th President of the Philippines) – Magsaysay won in 1953 as the Candidate of the Nacionalista, although he was former Liberal member and in fact he served as President Quirino's Secretary of Department of National Defense.
- Diosdado Macapagal (9th President of the Philippines)
- Ferdinand Marcos Sr. (10th President of the Philippines) – Like Magsaysay, Marcos won as the presidential candidate of the Liberal's rival Nacionalista in 1965, the party to which Marcos joined after failing to get the Liberal nomination from Macapagal.
- Joseph Estrada (13th President of the Philippines) – A member of the Liberal Party when he was a senator from 1987 to 1991.
- Benigno Aquino III (15th President of the Philippines)
- Rodrigo Duterte (16th President of the Philippines) – A former party chair of Davao City chapter from 2009, Duterte left the party in 2015. He won the presidency in 2016 under the PDP–Laban ticket.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Philippine vice presidents
- Fernando Lopez (3rd and 7th vice president of the Philippines) – Lopez was a Liberal when he was the 3rd Vice President, while a Nacionalista member as the 7th Vice President
- Emmanuel Pelaez (6th vice president of the Philippines)
- Leni Robredo (14th vice president of the Philippines)
Others
Notes
See also
- Democratic Party (Philippines), defunct breakaway party from Liberal existed from 1953 to 1957
References
External links
Template:Philippine political parties Template:Philippines topics Template:Interlib Template:Authority control