THE National Unity Party has sealed an alliance with the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan of incoming President Rodrigo Duterte.
The NUP, led by its chairman Antipolo Rep. Roberto Puno, on Thursday vowed to support the leadership of incoming House Speaker and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez and the Duterte administration.
“We welcome our incoming House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez by signing a coalition agreement as we manifest our undying support for President Duterte and Speaker Alvarez,” Puno, a House deputy speaker, said during the signing of a coalition agreement between the two political parties at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati City.
Puno made his statement even as Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. assured Duterte of his full support when he assumes office on June 30.
Belmonte also said the Liberal Party was not in a position to ask for a Cabinet position for Vice President-elect Leni Robredo.
Puno said the 32-member NUP in the Lower House and their members at the local level were in full support of the Duterte administration.
Alvarez shook hands with the 32 NUP members present during the coalition agreement signing.
In the agreement, the NUP said “the PDP-Laban is open to and desirous of entering into a ‘Coalition for Change’ with change-minded political parties, organizations and other groups.”
The coalition agreement describes the NUP as “supportive of the Program of Government for Change of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.”
The agreement also noted that the PDP-Laban and the NUP “have found common principles, programs and objectives” in the “program of change” of the Duterte administration.
Alvarez said he was elated by the NUP’s gesture of support to his leadership as the new House Speaker and the Duterte administration.
He said his leadership will implement the reforms Duterte would want under his government by passing several pieces of legislation, such as changing the 1987 Constitution to effect federalism as well as amendments to the laws that will improve peace and order and deter crime.
“I sincerely thank you for your support. And rest be assured that we will do and implement the changes this government has envisioned,” Alvarez said.