New movement backing PBBM’s unity call formed
A group of lawmakers — incumbent and former public officials and socio-civic groups — on Wednesday launched a movement that they said heeded President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s call for unity and reject for politics of division.
Convenors of the “Kilusan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino” (KNP), led by San Jose del Monte City Rep. Rida Robes, said the group seeks to be a “unifying factor to achieve the government’s development goals.”
Aside from Robles, other convenors of the group are Divina Grace Yu (1st District, Zamboanga del Sur), Luisa Lloren Cuaresma (Nueva Vizcaya), Richard Gomez (4th District, Leyte), Johnny Pimentel (2nd District, Surigao del Sur), Toby Tiangco (Navotas) and Rosanna “Ria” Vergara (3rd District, Nueva Ecija) and Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez.
The launching was held at the Marquee Tent, EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City, attended by former Senate President Vicente Sotto III, Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin Abalos, and Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos.
The Interior Secretary, who was the Keynote Speaker, said the formation of the group was in response to the President’s appeal for a united nation, that he believes will lead the country to a better future.
He said Marcos was emphatic about it and “we are here to repair a house divided... to make it strong again in the bayanihan way.”
“Our coming together is our response to the President’s clarion call for unity,” Abalos said.
“KNP is immediately formed to formalize that movement to solidify (our) platform for cohesive, inclusive, and unified action for the national economy and sustainable development,” he added.
KNP convenors clarified that it is not a political movement but a socio-civic movement that aims to reach out to all sectors of society up to the grassroots level.
For her part, Robles said the group wants “to be inclusive and united in pursuit of a better Philippines.”
“This is in response to the President’s call for a movement and heal the deep conflict of disunity,” she said.
She added that the launching “was only the beginning of a bigger plan to expand the organization.”
“Today we are 200. Next month, 2,000... and in the days to come 20,000 to 200,000 to 2 million to twenty (million) and beyond. The growth is exponential until we embody our vision of a truly unified nation,” she claimed.
“We are here to affirm our unwavering and full support to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — in his call to collectively work for a better Philippines for all Filipinos regardless of political conviction, religion, motivations and creed,” she added.