With only a week before the start of the filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2022 elections, local and national political leaders are queuing up for their membership in Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) of which former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. is expected to join them soon.
On September 18, the PFP concluded its national convention, which approved unanimously to defer the election of its chairman because such a position was reserved for the former senator.
Partido Federal’s hybrid virtual convention also endorsed Marcos, who is fondly called “BBM,” as its “Best Bet Mo” for the presidency in next year’s local and national elections.
“When the candidates found out that BBM had a place in the Federal as chairman and the party’s opposition to the presidency, many wanted to join, so the registrants flocked,” PFP secretary general Tom Lantion revealed.
Lantion said local political bigwigs around the country have started registering for their membership and oath-takings are scheduled one group after the other.
“Our party secretariat is very busy now with the membership documentation of bigshots from the so-called Solid North down to their alliances in Metro Manila, Visayan islands and Mindanao,” he added.
Over a dozen local officials and well-known political personalities led by former Rep. Mat Defensor of the Third District of Quezon City have sworn allegiance to PFP during oath-taking rights for new members administered by Lantion recently via Zoom at Annabel’s Restaurant in Tomas Morato.
Aside from Defensor, executives from Valenzuela City, Quezon City, Cavite, Batangas, Batanes, Masbate and Zamboanga took their oath to follow PFP’s vision.
They included Balud, Masbate Mayor Marilie Lim and her full slate – Vice Mayor Ruben Jude Lim and council members Melissa Aninang, Real Bajande, Roque Dela Cruz, Salvador Delfin, Jr., Geilord Macuha, Jinky Nuevo, Serafin Sese, Jr., and Paulino Tacurda.
Present as witnesses in the oath-taking were AnaKalusugan Partylist Rep. Mike Defensor, SAGIP Partylist Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, and lawyer Vic Rodriguez, PFP’s executive vice president and chief of staff of the former senator.
The PFP was the first political party to endorse the candidacy of BBM as president for the 2022 elections.
While there was no formal acceptance from BBM himself, Rodriguez, who’s also the party’s general campaign manager for the 2022 national elections, said the former senator is still in the process of weighing all available possibilities.
“He will announce his decision after he is through with the most-needed consultations with grassroots leaders all over the country,” said Rodriguez.