So what’s new?

A COALITION of political parties upon the initiative of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, the President’s daughter, has been formed as the May 2019 mid-term elections draw nearer.

The Hugpong ng Pagbabago has attracted Sen. Cynthia Villar’s Nacionalista Party, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos’ Ilocano Timpuyog, Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda’s Kambilan as well as the Nationalist People’s Coalition, National Unity Party, Alyansa Bol-anon Alang sa Kausaban, Serbisyo sa Bayan Party, Aggrupation of Party for Progress, and PaDayon Pilipino. Sen. JV Ejercito of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino and Christopher “Bong” Go, secretary general of the PDP-Laban, have attended activities of HNP.

Imee Marcos described the coalition as “not a monolithic, hierarchical or traditional party.” She describes the approach of HNP as “very local.”

The formation of HNP comes at the time when the PDP-Laban, the vehicle of President Rodrigo Duterte to Malacanang, is starting to crumble. PDP-Laban big wigs are out. Sen. Koko Pimentel no longer sits as Senate president and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez was unceremoniously unseated. A faction has also challenged the current leadership of PDP-Laban.

These developments are not surprising. It all began with the dictator Ferdinand Marcos as he effective dismantled the two-party system (Liberal and Nationalista) with, to borrow Imee’s word, the “monolithic” Kilusang Bagong Lipunan.

The United Nationalist Democratic Organization consisting of 12 parties had Cory Aquino challenge Marcos in the 1986 snap presidential election. Fidel Ramos formed a coalition of two parties, Partido Lakas ng Tao and the National Union of Christian Democrats of Raul Manglapus to form Lakas-NUCD. Joseph Estrada with his Partido ng Masang Pilipino established Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino along with members of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino and Nationalist People’s Coalition. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s K-4 against Fernando Poe Jr.’s Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino saw one of the closest presidential contests in the country.

Benigno Aquino III and Rodrigo Duterte did not run under a coalition. The resurrected Liberal Party took in Aquino in the aftermath of the death of Cory, while PDP-Laban just happened to have no viable presidential candidate. When they took over Malacañang, political butterflies shifted allegiance to the party of the sitting president.