Covenant
Huge congratulations to all the Filipino athletes who just finished the country’s most successful stint in the Olympics. Their talent, hard work, and perseverance produced a total of four medals — two golds and two bronzes.
Filipina boxers Nesthy Petecio and Aira Villegas won one bronze medal each while the fantastic Carlos Yulo grabbed two gold medals when he won the floor exercise and vault in gymnastics. But all our 22 athletes deserve high praise, even those who were not successful in their quests. While watching them compete, you can see the determination they have to make their country proud. They endured unimaginable hardships to be able to compete at the highest level. They deserve success and the adoration of our people. Mabuhay ang atletang Pilipino!
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Last week, the Nacionalista Party (NP) signed a formal alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP). In his remarks during the signing ceremony held at Brittany Hotel in BGC, President Bongbong said with the NP-PFP alliance “we form a strong united front that would help us fulfill our shared goal for the Filipino people.”
The NP is proud to be part of this partnership for prosperity. We are committed to one thing only — serving the nation.
When I assumed the leadership of the Nacionalista Party (NP) in 2004, I wanted to make this illustrious political organization, the party which fought for independence; the party which led the rebuilding of the country post-war, as a vehicle for winning the war on poverty, for promoting patriotism and defending the country’s democracy.
We believe that despite our differences, not only in terms of diverse cultural, religious and economic backgrounds, but also from different political ideologies, we can still find common ground. The most important thing is that we share a common vision for the country. Sabi nga namin sa Nacionalista: Ang Bayan Higit Sa Lahat.
The NP has always supported President Bongbong. He was part of my senatorial lineup when I ran for President in 2010. And when he ran for President, the entire party threw its support to his candidacy. In my statement endorsing him, I said that I believe in his capacity to bind “our country together and inspire our people as we rebuild not only from the pandemic but also from the political chasm that divides us.” That belief remains to this day. I should also mention here that his father, the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos, was a Nacionalista.
The President has always demonstrated his love for our country. When he was still an NP member, we would have occasional talks over coffee about the important issues in our country. I have always enjoyed these conversations because when he talks you know that he knows what he is talking about and I am convinced that he is genuinely motivated by patriotism and his desire to improve the lives of our people. President Marcos has proven these by the impressive accomplishments of his administration in the short time that it has been in power. You may disagree with him and his policies but you cannot question his patriotism.
That is why we welcomed the President’s announcement that the PFP will seek alliances with the country’s national political parties in order to forge a common vision for the country. We need to prove to the Filipino people that we are a nation capable of rising above our differences in order to build a bright future for the country. We can debate ideas. We can engage in spirited discussions about the direction of our country — that is the essence of democracy. But democracy, to be truly successful, needs to result to a brighter future for our people.
This alliance with the President’s party is the right first step towards that glorious direction. This coalition of major political parties is a strong message to our people that political affiliation is subordinate to our common vision: Ang Bayan Higit Sa Lahat.
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