Two more key officials of the House of Representatives were appointed as new executives of the administration PDP-Laban party now headed by Filipino boxing pride Sen. Manny Pacquiao as president.
Deputy Speakers Reps. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga and Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur were recently sworn in as PDP-Laban vice president for Luzon and regional president for Caraga.
Known as President Duterte’s party, PDP-Laban launched a reorganization of officials as it prepares for the next national election. The largest political party in the country is reportedly eyeing Pacquiao as its standard-bearer in the 2022 polls.
Speaker Lord Allan Velasco has been elected party executive vice president.
The position of secretary general, which was vacated by former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, remains open after Velasco declined the position in order to concentrate on his new job as speaker.
Gonzales’ appointment was welcomed by veteran party leaders who expressed confidence that the new team will bring the party to another resounding victory in 2022.
However, Pimentel’s appointment came as a surprise for Velasco’s allies in the House.
Pimentel’s support for PDP-Laban’s bid to regain the speakership through Velasco reportedly came belatedly last October. He was suspected of backing then Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s retention as house leader.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao exhorted PDP-Laban members and supporters to join Duterte in fighting graft and corruption in civil service, which he described as “a cancer that has tormented our government for generations.”
“We are not beholden to big businesses, foreign entities, nor vested interests, but only to the Filipino people. We are here to fight for the poor, the jobless, the homeless, the voiceless, and the hopeless. This is what the PDP-Laban under Manny Pacquiao will stand for,” Pacquiao told the PDP-Laban members.
The PDP Laban chaired by Duterte has five senators, 59 congressmen, 43 governors, 34 vice governors, 257 board members, 608 mayors, 541 vice mayors, 4,081 councilors, and more than 100,000 grassroots community leaders as members.