MANILA, Philippines – Following big political parties, the National Unity Party (NUP) formally forged its alliance with President-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) on Thursday, June 2. 

NUP was represented by its president, Bataan Governor Albert Garcia, and its vice president, Quezon City Representative Emil Ong. The two signed an agreement with PDP-Laban’s secretary-general and bet for House Speaker, Davao del Norte Representative Pantaleon Alvarez, and vice chairman and incoming energy secretary Alfonso Cusi at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City. 

NUP, which won 32 congressional seats in the May elections, is a boost for the majority Alvarez is forming in the House of Representatives.

PDP-Laban has only 3 winning members in the House, but a number of big political parties have already formed alliances with the Duterte-led party.

Formerly known as Kampi, NUP reunited with its previous ally, former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), last week. Lakas-CMD also signed an agreement with PDP-Laban on May 20. 

Major political blocs owned by prominent businessmen such as Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco’s Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and Manuel “Manny” Villar’s Nacionalista Party (NP) also coalesced with PDP-Laban before Congress resumed its session last May 23. 

Asked if they will soon join forces with the Liberal Party (LP), the outgoing ruling party, Alvarez said: “Wala pang coalition with the LP although may mga suggestion pero wala pa kaming napagkasunduan. Nag-uusap kami ni Speaker Belmonte. As long as they support the majority and the programs of the incoming administration.”

(We haven’t formed a coalition with LP. There are suggestions to do so but we haven’t agreed upon it. Speaker Belmonte and I are talking about it.)

Despite this, several LP lawmakers already pledged support for Alvarez. (READ: LP lawmakers told: Support PDP-Laban, but stay with party)

Belmonte, given this, also said earlier that there would be LP members both in the majority and the minority. He explained that he still has a “sizeable” number of members who are on his side. – Rappler.com