PFP, NPC forge alliance for ‘genuine unity’

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday said the forging of an alliance between the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) and the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) was a “strong, united front” that was crucial in shaping the future of the Filipino people.

The President witnessed the signing of the “Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas” on Saturday in Makati City as part of his quest for a strong coalition for the 2025 midterm elections.

In his speech, Marcos said the alliance signing was “another breakthrough in the history of politics and public service in the nation.”

NEW ALLIANCE President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (standing) witnesses the signing of an alliance between his Partido Federal ng Pilipinas and the Nationalist People’s Coalition, led by its chairman and former Senate president Vicente Sotto III in Makati on May 18, 2024. South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. represented PFP as its president. Seated (from left) are llocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos, Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr., Tamayo, Sotto, Rizal 1st District Rep. Michael John Duavit, and Secretary Mark Llandro Mendoza, presidential adviser on legislative affairs and head of the presidential legislative liaison office. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO

“With the joining of forces, we are no longer individual players in the field of politics but a strong, united front that is determined to actively shape the future of our people,” Marcos said.

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“We are not just two parties that are allied with one another. We are a force that is ready to serve, that is ready to bring a better life to our people. To defy expectations, to carve out a bright future with promise and potential,” he added.

The President said what made this alliance “durable” was that it was “a partnership of equals and one anchored on a set of principles.”

“It is not a marriage of convenience as we often find in politics, but it is borne out of a need to unite for the greater good,” Marcos said.

“We are not joining forces for some narrow electoral objective alone. Of course, we, approaching the political cycle, is an important element and has added impetus to what we are doing,” he said.

But more than that, Marcos said it was “to continue collaborating to work on the urgent needs of our people.”

“Our agenda is the nation’s progress. Nothing more, nothing less,” the President said.

As a chairman of the PFP, Marcos said he believed that “our shared commitment to empowering and amplifying the voice of every Filipino is what truly unites us in our mission to revitalize, rejuvenate, and transform our country.”

“Because through this collaboration, our shared dream of a better Philippines moves closer to reality, where the echoes of our combined voices spread across our archipelago, serving as a clarion call for all to partake in building the Bagong Pilipinas that we all dream for our people,” Marcos said.

“A nation where each Filipino, irrespective of their background or beliefs, becomes a beacon of hope and progress, with all of us serving as their leaders,” he said.

The President also expressed hope that their commitment to trust and integrity “shine through and bright, piercing through the darkness of apathy and disillusionment” as they “navigate the complexities in governance and leadership.”

“So, although we aspire for electoral triumph, let us also keep in mind that our ultimate aspiration goes far beyond political victory. It is a deep yearning for something transformative, something that is almost magical — a vision of a Philippines that is not just economically vibrant, but also a haven of stability, inclusivity, and endless and eternal hope,” Marcos said.

“So, let our actions resound louder than our rhetoric. Let our collective efforts uplift the lives of every single Filipino. Let our alliance usher in a new era of good governance. So with unyielding passion and boundless optimism, we will inscribe a new chapter in our nation’s narrative — one that is illuminated by the brilliance of unity, mutual respect [and] progress,” he added.

The PFP had inked an alliance with Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, led by Marcos’ cousin, Speaker Martin Romualdez, to field common candidates for the Senate race in the 2025 elections.

Marcos previously said the PFP did not aim to dominate the country’s political spectrum but that it was important to maintain unity so that the government could keep working well together.

“We are not saying that we want to dominate the entire political scenery. What we need to do is not to dominate anything, but what we need to do is able to bring onto the fold all the different elements of society, all the different elements of the political structure, so that we are all working together,” he said during a speech before PFP members.

Marcos served as the presidential bet of the PFP in the 2022 national elections. The PFP, however, did not field a Senate slate that year.

In a separate statement, NPC Chairman Vicente Sotto III said the partnership was grounded on the two parties’ desire for “genuine unity, strength and continued positive change” to usher in a “Bagong Pilipinas,” the administration’s all-inclusive development brand.

“Historically, the NPC has always been supportive of the elected president. With urgency, we continue to push for unity among the leaders of our great nation. With that in mind, our party will heed the call of the PFP,” Sotto said.

He also said: “I believe this alliance will foster cooperation and strong support for our President, considering our party has almost 4,000 members, of which 1,910 are incumbent public officials.”

In allying, Sotto said, “Public service should be fulfilled with utmost integrity, transparency, accountability, people participation, effectiveness, and efficiency.”

“Public service should come before and beyond personal interests. This partnership proves our commitment to the Filipino people that their interests are our primordial duty,” Sotto said.

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