There is a new president of the National Unity Party (NUP).
Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte, a former House deputy speaker, led the new officers of the respected political party after he was elected as party president during their general assembly on Monday night, Aug. 23 at the Seda Vertis North Hotel in Quezon City.
Former Antipolo Rep. Ronaldo “Ronnie” Puno, a professional campaign manager and political strategist who had served twice as Interior and Local Government Secretary and was also presidential adviser for political affairs, was reelected chairman of NUP.
The NUP also approved proposed revisions to the party’s Constitution and by-laws during the meeting.
Villafuerte, a former three-term governor of Camarines Sur, was also recently elected as the majority leader of the House of Representatives contingent to the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA).
The was three-term governor of CamSur before his first election to the House of Representatives in 2016, representing the second district of this premier province in Bicol.
Villafuerte, the former NUP vice president for political affairs, had also served at one time or another as chairman of the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), Regional Development Council (RDC) for Bicol, and the Luzon Area Development Coordinating Council (LADCC); president of the Bicol River Development Foundation Inc.; and board governor of the Philippine Red Cross (PRC).
In the same assembly, Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Crispin Remulla was elected NUP vice chairman for internal affairs; Antipolo City 2nd Rep. Romeo Acop as vice chairman for external affairs and Mandaluyong City lone district Rep. Neptali Gonzales II as vice chairman for legislative affairs.
Elected as NUP vice presidents were Bataan 2nd district Rep. Albert Garcia (for Luzon), Cebu 3rd district Rep. Pablo John Garcia (for the Visayas), Agusan del Sur 2nd district Rep. Adolph Edward Plaza (for Mindanao), and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas (for special projects).
Cavite 6th district Rep. Antonio Ferrer was elected treasurer; House Secretary-General Reginald Velasco, secretary-general; and ex-Local Government Assistant Secretary and former House Deputy Secretary-General Brian Raymund Yamsuan, deputy secretary-general.
From its accreditation by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as a national party in 2011, NUP has since grown to become the second biggest political group in the House with 47 members at present.
It currently has over 300 local elective officials as members across the country.
NUP endorsed President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte in the last national and local elections.