Members of other political parties are welcome to support the surging BBM-Sara UniTeam.
Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) President and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez gave this message Tuesday, Feb. 15 in reaction to reports that stalwarts from other political parties have been aligning themselves with the frontrunning tandem.
"Welcome na welcome lahat (Everybody is welcome)," Romualdez said in a chance interview at Reina Mercedes, Isabela.
A reporter had asked Romualdez for a reaction on the reported "transfer" of members from the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) party to Lakas-CMD and its election partner, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP).
"Sa tingin ko ay nakikinig talaga lahat sa mensahe ng UniTeam na basta sama-sama, babangon tayong muli (I think everyone has really been listening to the UniTeam's message that we can get back on our feet if we're united)," replied the majority leader, who represents Leyte in the House of Representatives.
PDP-Laban, which is chaired by President Duterte, didn't field a candidate in the upcoming presidential race.
While there is no evident mass transfer of members between parties, PDP-Laban stalwarts have been left with no choice but to pick bets from the available field of "presidentiables" as the elections draw closer.
The UniTeam is composed of PFP presidential candidate, former senator Bongbong Marcos and his running mate, Lakas-CMD chairperson and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.
Romualdez was in Isabela Tuesday to welcome vice presidential aspirant Duterte-Carpio, whose campaign caravan dubbed "Mahalin Natin Ang Pilipinas Ride (MNPR)" was scheduled to make several stops in the vote-rich province.
Marcos and Duterte-Carpio have been dominating popularity polls ahead of the May 9, 2022 elections. Their message has been that of uniting Filipinos as a step toward fully recovering from the effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
"Kaya itong UniTeam yung mensahe na magkaisa na tayo ay napakaganda. Yung buong Pilipinas, lahat talaga, kesyo man partido man o yung taumbayan, nakikinig. At yun talaga ang gusto nila, yung talaga ang pulso ng bayan, magkaisa na tayo (That's why UniTeam's message for unity is beautiful. The entire country, be it the poltical parties or the people themselves, are listening. And that's what they really want, that is their pulse, let's all unite)," Romualdez said.
President Duterte has endorsed his daughter, Mayor Duterte-Carpio, for the vice presidency. However, he has been reluctant to support anybody from the current presidential aspirants and has instead advised Filipinos to exercise their #MatalinongBoto2022.