Sara Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago forges alliance with Cynthia Villar, Imee Marcos

A number of political parties on Monday signed a coalition agreement with Hugpong ng Pagbabago, the growing regional party founded by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.

The parties included Senator Cynthia Villar's Nacionalista Party, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos' Ilocano Timpuyog, and Pampanga Governor Lilia Pineda's Kambilan.

On its Facebook page, Hugpong identified the other political parties 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.

During the event held in Parañaque City, Duterte said she is not running for senator even as she landed on third to fifth place in the Pulse Asia survey in June among possible contenders for the 12 Senate seats up for grabs in the 2019 midterm elections.

HNP's Davao del Norte Governor Anthony del Rosario said Duterte will seek another term as mayor and that the party will endorse eight senatorial candidates in the May 2019 elections.

HNP is a regional party based in the Davao region but a recent oath-taking ceremony had leaders from other regions attending.

They include Marcos, Villar, and Senator JV Ejercito of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino.

Duterte's confidante and aide, Christopher "Bong" Go also attended. He is an official of the ruling PDP-Laban which is embroiled in a leadership squabble.

In a statement, Marcos said she joined the alliance because the HNP "is not a monolithic, hierarchical or traditional party."

"Its approach is very local. I think it is a very interesting model, something that is workable on the ground," she said. "This model is better because a candidate wins or loses in the local contests anyway. It is not about the big political parties in Manila." — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News