The once powerful political party Lakas-Christian Democrat (Lakas-CMD) and the National Unity Party (NUP), als0 known as Arroyo’s party, who supported former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, jointly signed a coalition agreement supporting the incoming administration of presumptive President-elect Rodrigo “Roa” Duterte.
Lakas-CMD and NUP signed a coalition agreement on Monday to jointly support the incoming administration of presumptive Mayor Rody Duterte. The announcement was made by Lakas-CMD President Martin Romualdez who noted that the coalition agreement sought to further strengthen the ties of both parties considering their shared history.
During the term of the former President Gloria Arroyo, the dominant party are known as Arroyo’s Party namely, Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) and the Lakas-CMD of former President Fidel V. Ramos. The two parties merged in 2008 as Lakas-Kampi but the merger was short-lived after some members of Lakas and Kampi bolted out and established themselves as the National Unity Party (NUP) in the 15th Congress.
In the incoming 17th Congress, outgoing congressman Martin Romualdez said that both the Lakas-CMD and the NUP would support the speakership bid of incoming Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez, Mayor Duterte’s pick to lead the House of Representatives as Speaker under the administration of the former Davao City Mayor.
Aside from the Lakas-CMD and NUP coalition agreement with PDP-Laban, the secretary general of NUP, Reginald Velasco also said that their party will also sign a separate coalition agreement with Duterte’s PDP-Laban, which has only three members including Rep. Alvarez in the incoming 17th Congress.
According to the NUP Secretary General, both the NUP and Lakas-CMD signed the coalition agreement with PDP-Laban to pursue the “common legislative agenda (of) President-elect Rodrigo Roa Duterte and incoming Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. Based upon the NUP’s record, they expects to have 40 to 50 representatives under the NUP in the 17th Congress.