Arroyo consolidates ‘northern political front’ in Baguio visit

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo began consolidating her north-front political leaders on Friday by gracing the opening tires of the merger of the country’s biggest political parties in the Cordillera region. The Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) and the President’s Kabalikat ng Mamamayang Pilipino (Kampi) formally merged in Fridays meeting in Baguio City. Considered the “heart of the solid north," the six provinces and Baguio comprising the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) saw on Friday the second regional merger of Lakas CMD and Kmapi, which took place after the regional-level merger was first declared in the Davao region last June 18 in Davao City. CAR is a dominantly Ilocano-speaking populace sharing same tongue with residents of Cagayan Valley and Ilocos regions, and parts of Central Luzon. Former President Fidel V. Ramos and Former Speaker Jose de Venecia did not attend the Baguio meeting. House speaker Prospero Nograles was present at the merger activities held at Cap Convention Center in Camp John Hay. In her brief stay, Arroyo talked in straight Ilocano dialect. She thanked Baguio City Rep. Mauricio Domogan for his efforts at getting leaders of the two parties to agree on a merger. With President Arroyo and national Lakas and Kampi leaders as witnesses, Domogan signed the Declaration of LAKAS-Kampi Merger as the Lakas representative, with Kalinga Rep. Manuel Agyao signing in behalf of the Kampi members. In stressing a unified party, she said “Dakkel nga panagbaliw iti istorya dagiti pagilian iti maar-aramid no dagiti madaydayaw nga lalaki, ken babbai, ket agkakadua para iti noble cause (We can create big changes in the country when distinguished men and women come together for a noble cause). “Iti panagkaykaysa ti pigsa iti Lakas-CMD ken iti Kampi, iti dua nga kapigsaan nga partido iti Pilipinas, iti mangsusulong ken mangiturong iti pagilian tayo tapno maikadua iti First World status dagiti progresibo nga pagilian no sumangpet ti husto nga edad dagiti kaiyan-anak tatta (The merging of the strength of the two biggest political parties in the Philippines – LAKAS-CMD and Kampi – will lead the country towards First World status by the time newly born Filipinos reach the age of majority)," the President said. United, the individual strength of each member of the country’s two strongest political parties will further help improve our nation’s situation via a progressive economy, Mrs Arroyo added in Ilokano. Last July 16, a Lakas caucus at the Baguio Country Club here on July 16 has attracted 14 new Lakas members from the ranks of 25 independent municipal mayors from all over the Cordillera. In the provincial level, only three of the total 12 governors and congressmen of the region do not belong to either Lakas or Kampi. Cordillera Kampi members include Abra Governor Eustaquio Bersamin and Abra Representative Cecilia Luna; Apayao Governor Elias Bulut Sr.; Benguet Governor Nestor Fongwan; Kalinga Representative Agyao and Baguio City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista. Lakas members apart from Domogan include Benguet Representative Samuel Dangwa, Kalinga Governor Floydelia Diasen, and Mt. Province Governor Maximo Dalog. - GMANews.TV