Details

Mr. Kaster is Member of the German Parliament and Whip of the CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group. The Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) invited him to the Philippines and organized this discussion.

Mr. Benedikt Seemann, KAS Country Representative of the Philippines and Aaron Benedict De-Leon, Secretary General of the Centrist Democratic Party (CDP), welcomed the participants warmly and stressed that this meeting is more like a family reunion, since CDP, as well as the CDU/CSU, are Christian democratic parties who share the same visions and values. Lito Lorenzana, Chairman of the CDP, introduced the party to Mr. Kaster by presenting some historical background, showing the development of the party, as well as the challenging way it had to go, and still has to go in the future. Cristita Giangan represented the youth association of the CDP. She explained the tasks and structure of this organization and emphasized the importance of involving the youth.

By illustrating his political career, Mr. Kaster introduced himself and stressed his strong link to the German Christian Democratic Party and local governance. He talked about his experiences, especially during campaigns. The experienced German politician explained how to fund campaigns and the party itself in Germany and declared that being present in the constituency is essential. Moreover, local governance is critical for a party, as it serves as an arena to recruit new officials and young people.

Afterwards, in the open forum, the participants had the opportunity to ask Mr. Kaster questions. They asked about Mr. Kaster's tasks as Whip, as this function does not exist in the Philippines. They also exchanged opinions about what can attract the youth and mentioned the cases of ISIS and extremism as well. For the future, the CDP wishes more exchanges and corporation with the CDU/CSU and that more of its leaders would come and visit the Philippines. Mr. Kaster promised to inspire more of his colleagues to visit the Asian country and to intensify the corporation between Germany and the Philippines.