UniTeam names seven senatorial candidates

At least seven senatorial candidates will be endorsed by the May 2022 elections’ leading tandem, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Marcos and Duterte-Carpio on Wednesday formally introduced their initial senatorial lineup.

Re-electionist Senator Win Gatchalian and former Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., who initially offered themselves to become Duterte-Carpio’s running mate in the upcoming polls, were among the senatorial bets of the “UniTeam.”

Former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, former Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar, and former senator Jinggoy Estrada also got Marcos and Duterte-Carpio’s support in the 2022 senatorial race.

Antique representative and former senator Loren Legarda and former Quezon City mayor Herbert Bautista also made the list.

The two bared their partial senatorial ticket in their first-ever “Metro Manila Virtual Caravan,” where the senatorial candidates promoted their platforms.

Legarda was not present in the virtual conference but was endorsed by the tandem.

Duterte-Carpio’s father, President Rodrigo Duterte, was initially the tandem’s top senatorial bet but the latter withdrew his senatorial bid in December last year.

In 2019, Duterte-Carpio, chairperson and founder of regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HnP), campaigned for 13 senatorial candidates. Nine of them won.

Due to the social gathering restrictions amid the surge in Covid-19 cases, Duterte-Carpio announced that her office will take on an “innovative on-the-road campaign show.”

Dubbed “Mahalin Natin ang Pilipinas Ride,” Duterte-Carpio said she will campaign for her own vice-presidential bid in the same way she pushed for HnP’s senatorial candidates in the 2019 elections, through bike rides.

Duterte said the program aims to foster nationalism among Filipinos and communities by bringing to the road the “Mahalin Natin ang Pilipinas” campaign.

“Remind the people that caring for our communities or families and neighbors is showing our love for our country,” she said.

The show will kick off on 1 February and will run for 15 minutes and feature the mayor’s ride experience, and the people she will meet.

For the whole month of February, Duterte-Carpio will tour the country with Bislig City in Surigao del Sur as the first stopover.