An unexpected scene during the Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc.'s (PCFI) meeting Saturday, May 14, in Makati City involved incoming Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos and one perceived Marcos critic.
Rep. Marcos. eldest son of presumptive president Bongbong Marcos, was seen approaching and shaking the hand of retired Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon.
Guanzon is with the Pamilya, Pasyente, at Persons With Disabilities (P3PWD) Party-list. Her past pronouncements have been viewed by some as critical of the Marcoses.P
The significance of Rep. Marcos's gesture wasn't lost to those who witnessed it, especially to his mentor, Majority Leader and Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez.
"Again we are following the theme, the message and the desire of the incoming administartion of President Bongbong Marcos of unity," said Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party.
"Tapos na yung eleksyon, tapos na yung politika. Magtrabaho na tayong lahat, magkaisa na tayong lahat, isang bansa, isang Pilipino. Lahat-lahat tayo para sa Pilipino (The elections are over, politicking is over. Let us all work, let us all unite as one country and one Filipino race. We are all for the Filipino).
"So thats what we all are about. We are about the House of the people, the House of Representatives of the Phiippines. We are for every Filipino. No more colors no more politics work," added speakership contender Romualdez.
The main pitch of the elder Marcos's UniTeam ticket to voters was to unite Filipinos in order to achieve progress and recovery from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"So when we start with unity, they always say, when there is unity, there is strength. Where there is strength, there is resolve; political will to do the right thing by the Filipino people," Romualdez said.
"The House of Representatives is the house of the people and we have to serve the people particularly in this time of the pandemic. We hope that we will be reaching the endemic stage but we have to reinvigorate and restart the economy for livelihood, jobs, and of course for the education and health of every Filipino," he underscored.