Villar: NP now stronger, more formidable

The Nacionalista Party (NP) is now seeing an unprecedented surge in the number of its members, growing ten-folds over since the start of this year under the leadership of party president Sen. Manny Villar.

"I took an oath to reclaim the old glory of the Nacionalista Party and recapture its rich history of unparalleled greatness. Today, I can safely say we are on the right path towards that goal," Villar, the party's standard-bearer next year, said in a statement.

The senator revealed that from just a few members early this year, the NP's membership has swelled to more than 6,000.

"This continues to grow by the day as our leaders begin to recognize the party's stability as an organization and its firm resolve to fight poverty through genuine reforms," he explained.

Villar said NP is the only party in the country today that can claim to have done more in shaping the country by immensely influencing the course of political history.

"This great party had produced six past presidents and thousands of great leaders over a period of more than a century. The ideals and principles that guide the Nacionalista Party up to now are founded on doctrines of independence," he said.

"We continue to take the side of the oppressed, the masses, the workers, the poor and the dispossessed. This, I believe, is one of the reasons we are growing bigger by the day."

Last month was a productive one for NP's efforts to enlist more members, as national and local leaders take oaths of membership with the party almost every day, sometimes by the hundreds.

The latest of these mass oath-takings with the NP was held on Nov. 23 where some 700 incumbent officials from areas across the country swore allegiance to the party in a simple ceremony at the Laurel House in Mandaluyong City.

Just a few days before that, some 200 grassroots leaders in Batangas took oaths as new members of the party last Nov. 21 in the town of Sto. Tomas.

"These defections can only mean one thing: 2010 will be a great year for the Nacionalista Party. With our political stock continuously growing, I am confident we can relive the greatness of the Grand Old Party once again," Villar said.

In the House of Representatives, the NP counts the following as members: Las Pinas Rep. Cynthia Villar, Pateros-Taguig Rep. Ma. Laarni "Lani" Cayetano, Kalookan City Rep. Oscar "Oca" Malapitan, Quezon City Rep. Vincent "Bingbong" Crisologo, Nueva Viscaya Rep. Carlos Padilla, Pampanga Rep. Anna York Bondoc, Laguna Rep. Justin "Timmy" Chipeco, Albay Rep. Al Francis Bichara, Iloilo Rep. Ferjenel Biron, Zamboanga City Rep. Erico Fabian, Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rolando Uy, Misamis Occidental Rep. Marina Clarete, Davao Oriental Rep. Nelson Dayanghirang, Davao del Sur Rep. Marc Douglas Cagas IV and Surigao del Sur Rep. Florencio Garay.

The party also expanded membership among provincial governors, which include Camarines Sur Gov. Luis Raymond "LRay" Villafuerte Jr., Surigao del Norte Gov. Robert Ace Barbers, Davao del Sur Gov. Douglas Cagas, Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Luisa Cuaresma, Biliran Gov. Rogelio "Roger" Espina, and Davao Oriental Gov. Corazon Malanyaon.

NP also now has 20 vice-governors among its members, and they are: Iloilo Vice Gov. Rolex Suplico, Ifugao Vice Gov. Nora Dinamling, Ilocos Norte Vice Gov. Windell Chua, Nueva Vizcaya Vice Gov. Jose Valeriano "Jing" Gambito, Quirino Vice Gov. Pasencia Bacani, Cagayan Vice Gov. Leonides Fausto, Laguna Vice Gov. Ramil Hernandez, Quezon Vice Gov. Kelly Portes, Oriental Mindoro Vice Gov. Ma. Estela Felipa Aceron,

Marinduque Vice Gov. Tomas Pizarro, Albay Vice Gov. Brando Sael, Sorsogon Vice Gov. Renato Laurinaria, Camarines Norte Vice Gov. Roy Padilla Jr., Camarines Sur Vice Gov. Salvio Fortuno, Aklan Vice Gov. Gabrielle Calizo, Negros Oriental Vice Gov. Jose Anfone Baldado, Biliran Vice Gov. Lucila Curso, Negros Occidental Vice Gov. Emilio Yulo III, Misamis Occidental Vice Gov. Francisco Paylaga Jr., and Surigao del Norte Vice Gov. Noel Catre.