UniTeam revived for 2025 polls

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. reached out to members of the political alliance that dominated the 2022 elections for a reprise next year to guarantee the preservation of his administration’s gains.

This as the political parties of the Chief Executive and of his cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, have formalized an alliance for the 2025 midterm elections.

The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) signed an agreement with Romualdez’s Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) to establish the base for the administration’s senatorial ticket in next year’s polls.

Speaking during the signing of the alliance agreement between the PFP and Lakas-CMD at the Manila Polo Club, Marcos emphasized the importance of a collaboration across party lines to propel the nation towards a future characterized by progress and prosperity.

“What we have conceived began in the previous campaign and election, and we are emboldened because what we advocated during the campaign was unity. Hence, we formed what we called the UniTeam,” Marcos said.

Success inevitable

“If we stay united, if we look at the successes and the progress that we have made in the past two years, I am confident that if we maintain that unity, not only for election purposes but through the work and service that we have taken an oath to do for our people, if we continue to do that, then we will continue to be met with success, we will continue to be met with the progress that we dream of,” he said.

The UniTeam alliance, according to Marcos, signifies a departure from conventional political paradigms, emphasizing a holistic whole-of-government approach to governance.

In a press conference before the signing, House Deputy Speaker Jayjay Suarez announced that the PFP and Lakas-CMD will jointly nominate candidates for the 2025 Senate elections and specific local positions.

Suarez said Lakas-CMD and PFP have common values “attuned to policy directives of the President.”

“Lakas has 100 members in Congress. We have the biggest (membership) and we are getting bigger, stronger. We look forward to our alliance with PFP for the upcoming elections. This is part of our preparations for the 2025 midterms,” Suarez said.

“We will have a common slate in the Senate (polls). Definitely, we will also have a harmonious slate when it comes to the local elections,” he added.

In 2022, the PFP and Lakas-CMD joined forces under the UniTeam coalition that propelled Marcos and Vice President Sara Duterte to a landslide win in the national elections.

Although Duterte’s regional party, Hugpong ng Pagbabago, was part of the alliance, Tamayo declined to say if the HnP would join the administration coalition in 2025.