Tacloban City—The regional party of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, the Hugpong ng Pagbabago, has endorsed the Tingog Sinirangan party-list group, which seeks to bring change, hope, and progress to Eastern Visayas.
The two groups are scheduled to formalize their alliance at a ceremony at the Tacloban City Convention Center, attended by Mayor Duterte, Tingog Sinirangan nominees, and the chairman emeritus of the group, former Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.
“We will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with partners such as Hugpong ng Pagbabago who share our cause. We will stand confident knowing we have President Rodrigo Duterte who… is a champion of regional governance,” said Leyte First District Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, the first nominee of Tingog Sinirangan.
READ: Romualdez top nominee of ‘Tingog’ party
Tingog Sinirangan second nominee Philip Jude Acidre said the vision of empowering the countryside is what binds together Tingog Sinirangan and Hugpong ng Pagbabago.
“For every man, woman or child—the opportunities that will make real their dreams for a better life will finally be well within their reach—quality education, affordable health care, and sustainable livelihoods. Standing side by side, Tingog and Hugpong are committed to see that happen—in a collective mandate of ‘thinking national, but acting regional,’” he said.
Acidre said the people of Eastern Visayas can no longer remain, voiceless spectators, as national policies are crafted and implemented.
READ: Lakas-CMD enters into alliance with Hugpong, Tingog
Romualez added: “Our region’s population of four million comprises 4 percent of our country’s population. But we receive a little more than 1 percent of the national budget. We must wait no longer, and ask others to speak for us. We need to find our voice.”
Tingog Sinirangan, through a resolution promulgated on Aug. 19, 2015, was officially accredited by the Commission on Elections as a party-list organization qualified to run under the party-list elections beginning with the May 9, 2016 national and local elections.
