Four other national parties have signified their interest to make an alliance with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio's Hugpong ng Pagbabago party, its spokesperson said on Monday as it aims to build a coalition for the 2022 elections.
Aside from former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Lakas-CMD party, the National Unity Party, the Nacionalista Party, the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino party, and the People's Reform Party also wants to forge an alliance with Hugpong, according to former Davao Del Norte Gov. Anthony Del Rosario.
"As of the moment, everything is on hold because there has to be a memorandum of agreement between and among all parties and currently, each party is reviewing the document and we're still trying to come up with an agreement that is acceptable to all parties," Del Rosario told ANC in an interview.
The National Unity Party is currently chaired by Arroyo's former interior secretary Ronaldo Puno, while the Nacionalista Party is headed by former Senate President Manny Villar.
Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino and People's Reform Party, meanwhile, are the political parties of former President Joseph Estrada and the late Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, respectively.
In order to be part of the alliance, Del Rosario said the parties would have to agree that Hugpong will choose the coalition's presidential and vice presidential candidate for the 2022 elections.
"Sa Senate, each party will be asked to submit a list of names that they will like to be included in the senatorial lineup and then Hugpong will come up with the final decision," he added.
Duterte-Carpio, who chairs Hugpong, has yet to come up with her final decision about running for president, although pre-election surveys have tipped her as among the frontrunners.
House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, president of Lakas, earlier said his party would support Duterte-Carpio if she decides to run for a higher position in 2022. He also expressed openness to run for vice president with the Davao City mayor.
