THE return of business tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. at the helm of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) is an “inspiration” to the party.
Bacolod City Lone District Representative Greg Gasataya, an NPC member, said Sunday, June 11, that the party leadership wants to “strengthen” the party in every city, district, and the province around country.
“His (Cojuangco) presence as chairman is an inspiration to the party. That is something,” he said.
Gasataya added that Cojuangco officially returned as NPC chairman on May 24.
For his part, First District Representative Melecio Yap Jr., also an NPC member, said that he believes the return of the former ambassador as party chairman won’t change the political landscape in Negros Occidental, adding that Cojuangco had always been there with the party as chairman emeritus.
However, in the upcoming 2019 elections, Cojuangco is expected to be taking on an active role.
Yap said the NPC leadership has changed its structure and policies, but he stressed that it would not have a major impact to the political scene in the province.
On Saturday, June 10, NPC members from Negros Occidental attended the birthday party of Cojuangco in Makati City.
Aside from Yap and Gasataya, also present were Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, NPC provincial chairman and Kabankalan City Mayor Isidro Zayco, Sixth District Representative Mercedes Alvarez and her father, former vice governor Genaro Alvarez Jr., and former First District representative Julio Ledesma IV.
Gasataya said Cojuangco told them that he really appreciated that they stayed in the party.
The NPC, which supported the candidacy of Senator Grace Poe in the 2016 presidential elections, has an existing alliance with the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan.
NPC was formed by Cojuangco in 1992 when he ran for president, but lost to Fidel Ramos.