Four parties forge alliance to support Bongbong-Sara tandem

The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), Hugpong ng Pagbabago and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino on Thursday forged an alliance for the May 2022 national and local elections.

The UniTeam Alliance Agreement, the coalition formed by the four political parties, vowed to support the candidacy of former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte for president and vice president, respectively.

They also promised to pursue good governance, reforms to reboot and rebound the economy, sustain the campaign to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, push for national unification and healing, and address other enormous problems facing the Philippines.

“Whereas, in view of the shared vision of the Convenor and Partners, all parties have agreed to forge this alliance that will pave the way for unity, strength and continued positive change for the country,” the coalition's two-page agreement stated.

The agreement was signed by Lakas-CMD president and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, PFP president and South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr., HNP president and Davao Occidental Governor Claude Bautista, and PMP president Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada.

Marcos, who graced the event held at Sofitel in the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, said the agreement was a necessary step to bring together different political forces for the 2022 elections.

"This is a very important step. This is the beginning of our consolidating of the political forces at least on this side. As we have been experiencing, it has been a very tumultuous campaign already, we are still six months away from the national election," Marcos said.

"It is with these unifying steps that we hope to bring stability back, well first to the political arena, which now is in the middle of the decision-making process that our people will have to come to when May comes, the election comes," he added.

In a video message, Mayor Sara, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, said the alliance does not only show the parties' firm aspirations for the country, "[i]t also echoes loudly of our triumph to peacefully unite and stand side by side in the pursuit of continued development and positive change for our fellow Filipinos and the Philippines." 

"The UniTeam has done something remarkable in a time when political noise and bickering drown the issues and problems confronting the Filipino people — that is, to forge a partnership as one organization, setting aside political rivalries and differences, to become strong partners of the people and the nation. Our alliance is built on friendship, trust, and the commitment to serve the Filipinos and the country," she added.

She said that as the coalition's vice presidential bet, she is proud of the agreement that powerfully illustrates leadership transcending throughout political colors.

Marcos is the standard bearer of PFP while Mayor Sara is the vice presidential bet of Lakas-CMD and HNP where she is the chairperson.

Meanwhile, Romualdez said the UniTeam Alliance was just the beginning as they "dream of a grand coalition of national and regional parties with local alliances that share our vision of a better future for this generation and the next.”  —KBK, GMA News