| Nationalist People's Coalition Koalisyong Makabayang Bayan |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Leader | Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. |
| Chairperson | Faustino Dy Jr. |
| President | Frisco San Juan |
| Secretary-General | Michael John Duavit |
| Founded | 1991 |
| Headquarters | Pasig City |
| Ideology | nationalism, populism |
| Political position | Centre |
| International affiliation | None |
| Official colors | Red, White, Green |
| Seats in the Senate | 2 |
| Seats in the House of Representatives | 28 |
| Website | |
| www.npcparty.org | |
| Politics of Philippines Political parties Elections |
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The Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC is a political party in the Philippines.
Contents |
History
The Party was founded in 1991 after some members of the Nacionalista Party led by then Rizal Governor Isidro Rodriguez bolted from the Nacionalista Party after some disagreements with Nacionalista party leader then Vice President Salvador Laurel in preparation for the 1992 Presidential elections. Members of the civil society including the business sector who called themselves as "Friends of Danding" invited business tycoon Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco to run as President and Senator Joseph Estrada as Vice President. Cojuangco lost the Presidential race, finishing third while Estrada taking away the Vice Presidency by landslide.[1]
NPC was a member of the Estrada-era Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino or LAMMP, the political vehicle of then Vice President Joseph Estrada in the 1998 Presidential elections. [2] Both the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, Partido ng Masang Pilipino and NPC were members of LAMMP.
NPC bolted the now-defunct LAMMP after Estrada was ousted by a military-backed civilian uprising in January 2001.[2] When Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the Presidency, her "People Power Coalition," led by the Lakas-CMD party, became the dominant group in Congress.[3] The 75-member Lakas party led the "Sunshine Coalition," which also included the 61-member Nationalist People’s Coalition, some members of the Liberal Party, and several other minor parties. [3] The LDP party led the 20-member opposition bloc. [3]
In 2004, the LDP and NPC sought a reunification to push the presidential bid of businessman Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco. Cojuangco, the NPC chair, was fielded as NPC's standard bearer in the 2004 elections, but withdrew.
Results for the 2004 elections show that NPC had 0 seats for the Senate while for the House of Representatives, NPC had 53 seats. [4]
In the 13th Congress of the Philippines, the ruling Lakas-CMD party led by Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. renewed its partnership with the Nationalist People's Coalition even as an alternative coalition of administration-affiliated parties was shaping up. [5]
In Background Note: Philippines, under Government and Political Relations, the U.S. Department of State writes: "Members of the Congress tend to have weak party loyalties and change party affiliation easily. There is no clear majority in the Senate, which changed its President in 2006." [3]
1995 Senatorial Slate
The NPC formed a full 12-man Senatorial slate for the May 8, 1995 Midterm Legislative and Local elections, as it became a full-fledged opposition party against the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos. They ran against the administration-backed Lakas-Laban Coalition.
| Candidate | Party | Occupation |
|---|---|---|
| Rosemarie Arenas | Nationalist People's Coalition | businesswoman and socialite |
| Gaudencio Beduya | Nationalist People's Coalition | former Representative from Cebu |
| Anna Dominique Coseteng | Nationalist People's Coalition | Senator from Metro Manila |
| Amanda T. Cruz | Nationalist People's Coalition | businesswoman |
| Ramon Fernandez | Nationalist People's Coalition | professional basketball player |
| Gregorio Honasan | Independent | former military colonel |
| Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. | Kilusang Bagong Lipunan | Representative from Ilocos Norte and son of former President Ferdinand Marcos |
| Adelisa A. Raymundo | Nationalist People's Coalition | former Sectoral Representative from the Labor sector |
| Manuel C. Roxas | Nationalist People's Coalition | lawyer |
| Almarin C. Tillah | Nationalist People's Coalition | Chairman of the Bangsamoro National Congress |
| Arturo Tolentino | Nationalist People's Coalition | Senator from Metro Manila |
| Miriam Defensor-Santiago | People's Reform Party | former Bureau of Immigration commissioner and 1992 Presidential candidate |
Results
The party only got 3 out of 12 possible seats in the Senate namely: (in order of votes received)
- Miriam Defensor-Santiago
- Gregorio Honasan
- Anna Dominique Coseteng
The NPC Today
In the 14 May 2007 election, the party won 26 seats [6].
Members
- Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. - NPC Chairman Emeritus
- Faustino Dy Jr. - former governor of Isabela. NPC Chairman
- Frisco F. San Juan- NPC President
- Michael John Duavit - NPC Secretary General
- Arthur Y. Pingoy, Jr. - Representative of South Cotabato
- Vicente Sotto III, former Senator
- Teresa Aquino-Oreta, former Senator
- Joseph Ace Durano, Tourism Secretary and former NPC spokesperson
- Avelino Razon Jr., former Philippine National Police chief and former Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process
- Anthony Golez, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson
- Annie Susano, Representative of Quezon City
- Ernesto Maceda - former senate president, President Emeritus of NPC
- Estelito Mendoza - Marcos lawyer
- Darlene Antonino-Custodio - Representative of South Cotabato, Deputy Minority Leader
- Daisy Avance-Fuentes - Governor and former representative of South Cotabato
- Atty. Sixto Brillantes, NPC General Counsel, Lawyer of Loren Legarda
- Richard Gomez - actor
- Loren Legarda - Senator
- Anna Dominique Coseteng - former senator
- Sherwin T. Gatchalian - Mayor and former Representative of Valenzuela City
- Francis Nepomuceno - Angeles City Mayor and former Representative of Pampanga
- Joey Medina - Mayor of Pateros, Metro Manila
- Vic Amante, Mayor of San Pablo City
Notable Former Members
- Gilbert Teodoro, Defense Secretary and former Tarlac representative (Moved to Lakas-Kampi-CMD)
- Francis "Chiz" Escudero - Senator and former Representative of the first district of Sorsogon; former NPC spokesperson (party member from 1998-2009)
- Toby Tiangco - Mayor of Navotas City (Moved to PMP)
As the build-up to the 2010 presidential elections progresses, there are talks that Escudero has been given the nod of the party leaders as its standard-bearer, with Legarda being his running-mate, although the latter said that she won't settle for any other position than the presidency. Escudero further stressed that he will not entertain any possible alliance with the Arroyo administration forces, thus beleaguering the NPC's status as one of the coalition partners of the Arroyo administration, as he is hell-bent in transforming the supposedly largely pro-administration NPC into an opposition party. [7]
However, all these will remain in the backseat as Escudero announced his sudden resignation from the party, and at the same time asked the public for more time to decide on whether he would pursue his thrice-postponed presidential bid [8].
Quote
- "A political party that does not touch and improve the lives of the people has no reason to exist." - Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco
References
- ^ NPC Party History NPC website Retrieved 17 December, 2006.
- ^ a b Angara party roots for Danding Manila Standard Today Retrieved 8 December, 2006.
- ^ a b c d Background Note: Philippines U.S. Department of State Retrieved 9 December, 2006.
- ^ Introduction: PhilippinesCIA -The World Fact Book Retrieved 10 December, 2006.
- ^ Lakas, NPC renew coalition in House Philippine Daily Inquirer Retrieved December, 2006.
- ^ See Philippine general election, 2007.
- ^ Chiz-Loren Tandem?Tempo Retrieved August 11, 2009.
- ^ Escudero leaves NPC, ABS-CBNnews.com Retrieved October 28, 2009.
External links
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