The PDP-Laban faction led by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi has adopted Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as its vice presidential bet for the 2022 elections.
In a statement, the party said the mayor, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, will ensure continuity of the Chief Executive’s programs.
“The party is committed to support her candidacy in the coming elections,” said PDP-Laban—which has no presidential candidate with less than a month to go before the campaign period starts on February 8.
“We have not made any decision about it. We are having evaluation as to who among the candidates would best continue the programs the administration has started,” Cusi added in a press conference.
He said that it is also “possible” that they would not endorse any presidential candidate.
Meanwhile, lawyer Vic Rodriguez, spokesman of Duterte’s running mate Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., said the faction’s announcement adopting the mayor “is but an expression of its freedom of choice.”
“The political parties (Lakas-CMD and Hugpong ng Pagbabago) of Mayor Sara informed us that there was no signing of an accord between them and PDP-Laban, nor a semblance of any formality to forge an agreement for Mayor Sara’s ‘adoption’ and that they remain strongly committed to its alliance with presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos,” Rodriguez said.
As far as the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Marcos’ party, and the BBM-Sara UniTeam are concerned, “such ‘adoption,’ though a UNILATERAL move by the PDP-Laban (Cusi faction), deserves our utmost respect.”
The Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, which Mayor Duterte chairs, on Friday extended its gratitude to the PDP-Laban faction “for adopting our standard-bearer as their official candidate for Vice President in the 2022 elections.”
“We welcome this development as an opportunity to renew our partnership with PDP-Laban, which has been a steady ally in pushing for social and economic reforms under the Duterte administration,” Lakas-CMD said in a statement.
The party, with House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez as its president, said: “Mayor Inday Sara has been espousing unity and cohesion for a better Philippines under the BBM-Sara UniTeam alliance that includes PFP of presidential aspirant Bongbong Marcos, to which Lakas-CMD has been very supportive.”
Cusi said PDP-Laban has yet to be “convinced” by any presidential bet, including Marcos, son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
“I don’t like to single out anybody. All these candidates are credible. If you have arguments on any candidate that will fit PDP-Laban’s principle and ideology, tell us and we will hear you out,” Cusi added.
Cusi, however, said they are “guided by the wisdom” of President Duterte, who once called Marcos a weak leader.
“We respect the views of the President, we are guided by his wisdom,” Cusi said. “It is always a factor in our decision-making.”
Meanwhile, in line with its agriculture modernization blueprint, the BBM-Sara UniTeam aims to build more modern “bagsakan” and “bulungan” or depots and trading posts to give Filipino consumers access to more affordable farm products.
Marcos and Sara Duterte noted the role of high transportation costs in pushing the retail price of agricultural products and proposed enhancing the distribution channels.
“Moving goods around the country is expensive, and as a result, buyers shoulder this cost at the retail level. To even have a fighting chance of lowering retail prices, we need to create an efficient agriculture supply chain starting with these modern trading posts,” the BBM-Sara UniTeam said.
These agricultural hubs serve as initial delivery points for fish, meat, poultry products, fresh vegetables, and fruits. It also earned its moniker “bulungan” from how buyers and sellers use hand gestures and whispers to transact.
The UniTeam also proposes to equip their planned agricultural produce markets with cold-storage facilities to prolong the shelf life of high-value products and ensure consistent quality of the farm goods.
Marcos and Inday Sara added that they would closely coordinate with local government units (LGUs) executives in urban and rural parts of the country, to identify the most suitable location for both the permanent and temporary trading posts.
Aside from addressing the supply chain issue, the agricultural master plan of the UniTeam also contains employment and entrepreneurial opportunities as it also includes a proposal to upgrade public wet markets in the country, thus spawning more business owners.
“At first glance, it would seem that these are lofty goals, but we are serious in giving our people the public service that they deserve – affordable food for their family. We will prove that this is doable through hard work and sheer will,” the UniTeam stressed.
The duo also emphasized that the improved supply chain would also positively impact the environment apart from the benefits of a lower price for goods.
“We need to encourage consumers to ‘buy local’ since not only is it advantageous for our farmers and the family budget, it will also be a boon for the environment. There will be less production of greenhouse gasses since there will be a reduction in the number of trips needed to deliver the goods with these trading posts in place,” the UniTeam pointed out.