THE Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats membership cards with corresponding insurance benefits are for real, contrary to the claim of some political detractors, based on a fast turnover of insurance benefits to one of its millions of card-bearing members in this city who died recently from an accident.

The heirs of Maria Magsano, 63, a barangay health worker of barangay Poblacion Oeste in Dagupan City who died from an accident received P110,000 cash insurance benefits from Fortune General Insurance Corporation for being a Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrat card-bearing member courtesy of House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.

The money, was turned over Saturday at the residence of de Venecia in Bonuan Binloc, Dagupan City by Michael Rellosa, president and Chief Operating Officer of Fortune General and the speaker to the eight children of Magsano who died on April 12.

Rogelio Magsano who represented his siblings thanked the speaker and the insurance firm for their big help.

De Venecia said as of now, there are already 2,750,000 Lakas-CMD members nationwide.
Lakas-CMD is the largest political party in the Philippines.

He said the membership cards are distributed not only to politicians, as there are only about 20,000 of them nationwide, but also to other members of various organizations, religious groups, civil society, teachers, labor unions, farmers, among others.

He added that they are targeting five million Lakas members across the country by year 2008. The Lakas membership card’s insurance is valid from October 17, 2006 to June 30, 2008.

He said the membership card is part of the party’s benefits to its more than 700,000 poll watchers nationwide in more than 420,000 precincts for the coming elections.

De Venecia also cited a letter from the Law Department of the Commission on Elections saying that he did not violate any election law with the distribution of these membership cards as this has been started long before the elections.