A political party based in Davao City is set to register itself as a national party in anticipation of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio eventually declaring her bid for the presidency.
It may be presumptuous at this point as the presidential daughter has repeatedly said she in not running anymore and is giving way to her father’s bid for the Vice Presidency in 2022.
The new party is named Partido Pilipino sa Pagbabago (PPP) and it is set to hold its national directorate convention to express its support for the possible candidacy of Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio of Davao City. The party founds itself as a movement for “Pilipino-style federalism.” It embraces a policy adopting a more inclusive and apt form of government.
The party headed by Leonardo A. Fernandez, PPP director-general is comprised of multi-sectoral groups, coalitions, political alliances and people’s organizations. The grassroots-oriented initiative revealed that it has filed an application to become a national party in February and hopes it would be approved before the filing of certificates of candidacy starting October 1.
Its slogan is Una sa lahat ang Pilipino” and plans to establish a “Pilipino-block in Congress that will enact pro-Pilipino legislative measures and programs and will bring the spirit of the slogan alive. The party was formed because it is of the belief that the country is facing need “new approaches, structures, abilities and commitment” because of weak party system as “exemplified by turncoatism;” the presence in politics of mere traditional politicians and oligarchs who only want to protect business empires; and political parties that are “not responsive to the needs of their members.”
Whether or not this party will eventually be Mayor Sara’s political party is yet to be seen. For now, it is just a standby vehicle on which the president’s daughter can readily jump in just in case she changes her mind.
