NEGROS Occidental Vice Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he is still hopeful that more leaders in the province would join the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), following the mass oath-taking of about 12,000 Negrenses to the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) last week.
Lacson, who is acting governor until Friday, October 13, as Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. is out of the country, said he recognizes that majority of the Negrense officials and leaders are now with the administration party.
“It is a fact that PDP is now a dominant party in Negros Occidental,” said Lacson, who said he will remain with the NPC since it has also declared support to the Duterte administration.
He said the NPC will “maintain a status quo” as there are still a few mayors and village leaders who belong to the party.
Of the 32 mayors in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, only eight are with the NPC. These are Mayors Isidro Zayco of Kabankalan City, Agustin Bascon of Himamaylan City, Gerardo Valmayor Jr. of San Carlos City, Oscar Montilla Jr. of Sipalay City, Nicholas Yulo of Bago City, Eddie Montero of Escalante City, Araceli Somosa of Calatrava and Genaro Rafael Alvarez of Ilog.
Before the mass oath-taking of PDP-Laban in the province, Lacson said they will “wait and see” who will still be interested to join the NPC.
“If there are personalities who will like to join us, we will consider. But NPC and PDP-Laban are in a coalition. We have confirmed that with our national officers,” he said.
Marañon and Third District Representative Alfredo Benitez, along with more than 200 officials, took their oath with PDP-Laban last year.
On Friday, about 12,000 officials, including 15 mayors and community leaders, were sworn in separate rites in the cities of Bacolod and Victorias. The oath was administered by House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, party secretary-general.
Lacson said his local party Love Negros, and Marañon’s United Negros Alliance have yet to talk on a possible reconciliation.
Marañon had earlier announced that his group will support Benitez, whether he runs for senator or governor in the next elections.