The Nacionalista Party and its traditional rival Liberal Party claim to have raided the ranks of the ruling Lakas-Kampi coalition, beefing up their respective forces in preparation for a multi-cornered presidential election next year.
Headed by its standard-bearer Senator Manuel Villar, the Nacionalista Party said it is set to welcome into its fold more of the country’s influential elected officials, following the exodus of four governors and over 1,000 other key incumbent officials in the past two weeks.
Not to be outdone, the Liberals who are fielding Senator Benigno Aquino III into the top race, say they have won over Cavite’s leading politicians led by Gov. Ireneo “Ayong” Maliksi.
“The formal oathtaking of more of our leaders is expected to take place soon, solidifying their earlier commitment to support our advocacies for the country,” Villar bared.
The governors who recently joined the Villar-led party were Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte Jr., who is the national chairman of the League of Provinces of the Philippines; Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Ace Barbers; Davao del Sur Gov. Douglas “Dodo” Cagas, and Biliran Gov. Rogelio “Roger” Espina as the latest oathtaker.
With their spheres of influence cutting across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, the four governors’ entry to NP represents its strategic building up and strengthening of grassroots support nationwide.
Villafuerte, whose province delivers over a million votes, emphasized, “The Nacionalista Party is the strongest and most organized, having a united front under Villar’s leadership.” Credited for making Camarines Sur as the undisputed most favored tourist destination in the country, Villafuerte identifies with Villar’s executive expertise and accomplishments.
Gov. LRay joined Villar in Tacloban City where the NP president swore in Biliran Governor Espina, who was Lakas’ provincial chairman for nine years, and Vice Gov. Lucila Curso, along with four mayors, six vice mayors, and 136 incumbents in Biliran. Over 100 incumbents from Samar and Leyte also took their oath.
Espina, an orthopedic surgeon by profession who is on his third term and eyeing a congressional seat in the 2010 elections, threw his support to the NP leader, citing the latter’s proven leadership ability. “We need a firm and capable leader like Villar who can steer the country towards combating poverty, the way he managed to arise from it,” Espina stressed.
Strengthening NP’s influence in Mindanao was the defection of Governors Barbers and Cagas from Lakas earlier, who both gave Villar an overwhelming welcome, attended by thousands of their constituents in their respective oathtaking rites in Surigao City and Digos City. “We expect more to take their oath from Mindanao in the coming days,” said Villar.
Liberal Senators Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Mar Roxas welcomed the new Cavite Liberals during a break in the LP Luzon General Assembly, which was held at the Balay Expo Centro in Cubao.
“This is a happy occasion for all of us. We welcome with great joy Gov. Ayong Maliksi and his officials to the Liberal Party,” Aquino said in a statement.
Roxas noted that Maliksi shares the Liberals’ reform platform and has supported his and Aquino’s vision for a greater nation with a stable economy, improved social services and better governance.
The Liberal Party’s local support has extremely swelled in recent months. Aside from Maliksi’s support, the Bando Osmeña-Pundok Kauswagan, a regional political party based in Cebu City and run by the Osmeña political clan, had also thrown its support for the Aquino-Roxas 2010 tandem.
Source: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNation.htm?f=2009/october/27/nation1.isx&d=2009/october/27
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