Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 7)— Some 400 members of the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) are expected to gather on Wednesday in what will be the first convention of a political party for the 2022 elections.
The ruling party’s president, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, told a media briefing on Tuesday that the event was supposed to be held in Bulacan, but they had to change the venue as the province will shift to a stricter modified enhanced community quarantine. The national convention will now be held in San Fernando, Pampanga, which is under general community quarantine (GCQ).
“We were ready to hold it in San Miguel, Bulacan, but unfortunately, nabago nga yung classification ng Bulacan (the classification of Bulacan changed), so we have to move to an area that allows mass gathering,” Cusi said.
“We limited the number to 400 to comply with the venue size and all the others will be joining via Zoom,” Cusi added. Party officials have said PDP-Laban has around 100,000 members.
Political parties can hold conventions from Sept. 1 to 28 to select and nominate their candidates for next year’s polls, according to the Commission on Elections. The poll body allows face-to-face conventions as long as the number of attendees is limited, and the health protocols set by the Inter-Agency Task Force are followed.
Mass gatherings can be held in GCQ areas up to 50% of venue capacity, said Department of the Interior and Local Government spokesperson Jonathan Malaya, who also serves as public information chairperson of PDP-Laban.
“But you will see tomorrow na hindi nga namin pinuno iyon (50%),” Malaya added.
[Translation: But you will see tomorrow it won’t even reach 50%.]
“The event tomorrow will not be a superspreader event,” he added. “Doble-doble na nga yung protocols natin (We have even doubled our protocols).”
In the rules set by PDP-Laban, only fully vaccinated individuals can physically attend the convention upon presenting their vaccination cards. Delegates are also required to present negative results of their RT-PCR tests taken within 48 hours before the event. Participants will also take antigen tests on-site.
PDP-Laban Secretary General Melvin Matibag said a face-to-face convention this big is also necessary because several individuals will be taking their oath as new members of the ruling party.
Duterte to preside
President Rodrigo Duterte will preside over the PDP-Laban national convention as party chairman. His spokesperson, Harry Roque, said “there’s a possibility that the President will make a personal appearance pero may backup din po na virtual appearance (but virtual appearance is also a backup).”
PDP-Laban members are expected to nominate their auditor general, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go as standard bearer, with Duterte as his running mate.
Go earlier declined the endorsement for him to be PDP-Laban’s presidential candidate, but his party mates are hopeful he would change his mind. In case he doesn’t, Cusi said the party would not run out of candidates.
“Marami namang nag signify, marami namang mga wannabes, there’s a pool of talents,” Cusi said. “I just don’t like to name kung sino mga tao na we are considering as presidentiables.”
[Translation: There are many who signified their intent, there are many wannabes, there’s a pool of talents. I just don’t like to name the people we are considering as presidential bets.]
The party will also announce their senatorial slate, which is currently composed of PDP-Laban members and no adopted candidates, Cusi said.
He added that his group has been reaching out to the leader of the other PDP-Laban faction, Senator Manny Pacquiao, in hopes the boxer-turned lawmaker could lead the party’s Senate bets.
“We have been inviting him. We’ve been wanting to meet with him but unfortunately he closed the door to us…he not just closed the doors but also burned the bridges,” Cusi said.
Pacquiao has plans to run for President. The Cusi wing has asked COMELEC to declare Pacquiao and his allies as “illegitimate officers” of PDP-Laban. Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel — chairman of the Pacquiao-led PDP-Laban — said they will respond to the petition filed against them, and will push through with their own convention this month.
