More local leaders unite with Hugpong

Photo from. facebook.com DAVAO CITY — Six influential political leaders have forged alliance with the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP), the regional party formed by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and four Davao governors that is expected to figure prominently in the mid-term elections next year.

Duterte-Carpio’s newly registered party is set to make formal the new alliance on 13 August.

She will meet with the groups of Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. of Bohol, the Pinedas of Pampanga, Quezon City Vice Mayor Josefina “Joy” Belmonte, Vicente Emano of Misamis Oriental and Frederick Jalosjos of the First District of Zamboanga del Norte in Manila for the union.

Governors Anthony del Rosario of Davao del Norte, Claude Bautista of Davao Occidental, Jayvee Tyron Uy of Compostela Valley and Nelson Dayanghirang of Davao Oriental will join Duterte-Carpio in welcoming the local leaders and their political groups into the league.

The HnP, while a newly registered regional political party, has already consolidated majority of local officials in the Davao region.

Officials and supporters of Davao Occidental and Davao del Sur will join HnP in separate ceremonies in Malita and Digos City today.

Duterte-Carpio reiterated that national parties cannot transfer to HnP as it is a regional party.

She, however, said HnP can forge alliance with other parties. She made this clarification following reports that most members of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) have transferred to HnP.

Duterte-Carpio said she and the governors just wanted to create a strong Davao Region, adding that there were also no talks with national parties, only with local organizations.

“We did not foresee this growing interest from politicians from other regions,” she said.

“HnP does not also intend to make (it) a national political party.”

Of the HnP stalwarts, only Duterte-Carpio is not affiliated with a national party. Governors Del Rosario and Uy resigned from the Liberal Party and PDP, respectively.

Dayanghirang remains a member of the Liberal Party and Bautista is a Nationalist People’s Coalition member.

“Even the other officers are not keen on deciding on this. But we are set to create alliances with other groups to help each other,” the Davao City mayor added. “If they will run for any public office, the HnP leaders would banner HnP.”