The ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan has appointed boxing icon Sen. Manny Pacquiao to lead the party contingent in the 24-member Senate.
On the other hand, Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco was appointed to lead the PDP-Laban contingent in the House of Representatives.
The appointment of Pacquiao and Velasco came as more PDP-Laban members are rumored to be shifting to another party.
Party president Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, a former Senate President, and vice chairman Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi made the appointments during a PDP-Laban leadership meeting in Makati City.
Pimentel said he is confident that Pacquiao and Velasco could lead their members in the Senate and the House.
He also said that he is confident that the two leaders are loyal not just to the party but also to the Filipino people.
With five members, PDP-Laban is the majority party in the Senate as others have four or three party members while others are independents or a lone party member.
Pacquiao said that he plans to gather members at least once a month to strengthen their party. He said that this would also help address and resolve issues within the party.
“Kailangan magkaroon tayo ng ganito kahit once a month para sa direction ng partido, Kung ano ang maitutulong ko para sa ikaka unlad ng partido at ng ating ekonomiya susuporta ako,’’ Pacquiao said.
Pimentel thanked members who stayed loyal to the party.
He said party-switching is inevitable but encouraged all their members that it is about time to strengthen party politics in the Philippines and plans to hold a national assembly among its members.
Velasco thanked all their members for their confidence and support during his bid for the speakership. He said he would do his best to lead other members of the PDP-Laban in the House of Representative. (Mario Casayuran)