DAVAO CITY [Updated] -- Mayor Sara Duterte will hit the campaign trail for the 11 senatorial candidates supported by Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) in Pampanga on Tuesday, the start of the campaign period for candidates for senators and party-list groups.
Mayor Sara confirmed this on Thursday at the sidelines of the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) meeting here, adding the Pampanga campaign will be led by the Kambilan -- the local political party organized by Governor Lilia Pineda in 2009.
HNP has established alliance with Pineda’s Kambilan (Kapanalig at Kambilan ning Memalen Pampanga) in August last year.
Mayor Sara, HNP founding chairperson, said the regional party's 13 senatorial candidates are seen to push the vision of President Rodrigo Duterte for a peaceful and progressive country during the administration's last three years in office.
HNP has endorsed the candidacies of former Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, former Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa, Senator Cynthia Villar, Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, former journalist Jiggy Manicad, Senators JV Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada, Sonny Angara and Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, Maguindanao Rep. Zahid Mangudadatu, former senator Bong Revilla, and former Presidential Adviser Francis Tolentino.
HNP also endorsed the candidacy of former Malacañang spokesperson Harry Roque but the latter withdrew from the race for health reasons.
During the HNP’s second general assembly last month, Sara emphasized the need for the party to capture at least eight of the 11 senatorial seats to prove it is an effective political party.
“We can truly see if HNP is effective after the election if we make admin senators win,” Sara said.
So far, HNP has made alliances with more than 10 national and local political parties across the country.
Registered by the Commission on Elections on July 2, 2018 as a regional political party, HNP was established to position the Davao Region as a development hub in the country. (This post has been updated to reflect the 13 HNP-backed senatorial candidates) (PNA)
