After months of speculation, the PDP-Laban faction backed by President Rodrigo Duterte will be endorsing the presidential bid of former senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. for the upcoming May elections.
"After careful and exhaustive deliberations, the National Executive Committee endorses the candidacy of Senator Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. for president of the Republic of the Philippines the forthcoming 2022 national elections," the PDP-Laban faction chaired by Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said in a resolution.
According to the party, Marcos is the candidate whose platform is "most aligned with the development program" of the current administration.
"He is the candidate whose vision of governance is most aligned with PDP-Laban's 11-point agenda," the party said in its resolution.
It also said the party is endorsing Marcos to "promote Unity for Sustainability" of socio-economic development and national progress.
The Cusi faction of PDP-Laban also cited in its decision that Marcos received the most endorsements from several local councils of PDP-Laban, which includes Ilocos Sur, La Union, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Batangas, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Oriental Mindoro, Camarines Norte, Masbate, Aklan, Negros Occidental, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Zamboanga del Sur, Davao del Sur, North Cotabato, Caloocan City, Malabon City, Mandaluyong City, Pasay City, Parañaque City, San Juan City, Valenzuela City, Malolos City, Ormoc City, and San Pedro City.
The endorsement from PDP-Laban means that the Cusi-led faction fully supports the tandem of Marcos with presidential daughter Sara Duterte, who was endorsed by the party in December 2021.
It came after months of speculation on who Duterte will endorse for the upcoming elections after the president previously attacked Marcos in previous speeches.
Duterte previously expressed his dislike for Marcos saying he is a weak leader. He also said that he hopes the next president is a lawyer, which Marcos is not.
However, Duterte also said in a previous speech that Filipinos can choose which "Ilocano they want in Malacañang." Marcos himself hails from Ilocos Norte and enjoys the support of the so-called "Solid North."
For PDP-Laban, however, senatorial candidate Rey Langit who is running under the party said the party will support whoever pledges to implement the 11-point agenda of the administration.
PDP-Laban's 11-point agenda covers the following points: fight against corruption, eradication of poverty, advancement of peace and order, ending the pandemic, defeating communist terrorism, sustaining economic growth, generation of jobs, strengthening national defense and foreign relations, educational reforms, decentralization, and local government empowerment, and Charter change and federalism.
