Senator Koko Pimentel III reiterated that PDP-Laban and Hugpong ng Pagbabago, the party led by Davao Mayor Sara Duterte, were “united in its support for the President” despite being two separate organizations with its own members.
“Allies of the President may belong to one or both of these parties but we are all on the same side. We all stand by the President,” stressed Pimentel, who had earlier expressed openness to form a coalition with Hugpong ng Pagbabago
“As I have stated to my party mates, Hugpong ng Pagbabago is a regional party, PDP-Laban is a national party. There is really no problem with dual membership in the national party and regional party,” said the legislator.
“Hugpong ng Pagbabago is a regional party, PDP-Laban is a national party. There is really no problem with dual membership in the national party and regional party.”
The lawmaker added that with the midterm elections still nine months away, government officials should remain focused on governance, not politics.
“The President’s agenda supersedes any political agenda. Politics can wait but our people cannot. Trabaho muna, saka na ang pulitika,” the senator from Mindanao emphasized.
“The President’s agenda supersedes any political agenda. Politics can wait but our people cannot.”
He said that PDP Laban would continue to follow the lead of President Duterte, the party’s chairman, who enumerated the Administration’s priorities in his third State of the Nation speech.
“We still have a lot of work to do and there are important matters that require our attention, such as the universal healthcare bill, the rice tariffication measure, and the shift to federalism,” stressed Pimentel.
“These measures have been certified as urgent, and we should treat them as such, especially since these will have a direct impact on the lives of our people,” he concluded.
