Despite a previous pronouncement of a potential mass resignation of Negros Occidental politicians from Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP), Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, a party member himself, was a no-show at the partnership signing of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) led by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) on Saturday night in Makati City.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, who was a staunch supporter of Leni Robredo at the last election, along with several local officials from the province and Bacolod lone district congressman Greg Gasataya, attended the signing of a major political alliance over the weekend.
Lacson, an NPC member who previously backed Robredo in the presidential race, did not release any direct statement about any inconsistency in his actions. He explained, however, that the NPC’s support for Marcos Jr. was evident during the elections, and the signing merely solidified an existing partnership.
Aside from Lacson and Gasataya, also present were 6th district Rep. Mercedes Alvarez and first district Rep. Gerardo Valmayor Jr., who are NPC members.
In his message, President Marcos Jr. said that the alliance of PFP and NPC is a partnership among equals for the progress of the Philippines.
“We witnessed another breakthrough today in the history of politics and public service in our nation with this alliance of the PFP and the NPC,” the president said during the signing of the alliance at the Makati Diamond Residences in Makati City.
“With the joining of forces, we are no longer individual players in the field of politics but a strong, united front that is determined to actively shape the future of our people,” he added.
The PFP and NPC are not just two parties aligning with one another, the President said. They are a force that is ready to serve, to bring a better life to the Filipino people, as well as to defy expectations, and to carve out a bright future with promise and potential.
What makes the PFP-NPC alliance durable is that it is a partnership of equals and one anchored on a set of principles, he added, stressing it is not a marriage of convenience, but it is borne out of a need to unite for the greater good.
“We are not joining forces for some narrow electoral objective alone. Of course, the approaching political cycle is an important element and has added impetus to what we are doing,” he pointed out.
“But more than that, it is to continue to collaborate to work on the urgent needs of our people. Our agenda is the nation’s progress. Nothing more, nothing less,” he further stated.
As chairman of the PFP, the President said the commitment of his party and NPC to empower and amplify the voice of every Filipino “is what truly unites us in our mission to revitalize, rejuvenate, and transform our country.”
