Mar Roxas to meet NUP members Wednesday night

Interior Secretary Mar Roxas will meet with members of the National Unity Party (NUP) Wednesday night in a bid to court its members’ support for his presidential bid.

NUP stalwart Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga said the meeting will take place at the Gloria Maris restaurant in Cubao, Quezon City. All party members have been invited to the event.

“We will be listening to Sec. Mar what would be his program of government. What are his plans in the event that he will be president of the Philippines?” Barzaga said of the meeting’s agenda.

NUP has a membership of at least 30 lawmakers, six governors and several city mayors nationwide.

The lawmaker, who has been vocal about his support for Roxas, said he has been convincing his party mates to support the administration standard bearer in the upcoming elections.

“I have been talking so some of our members and most of them are supporting of Mar Roxas,” he said.

But while the meeting with Roxas has been ironed out, Barzaga said it remains to be seen if NUP will meet with the camp of Vice President Jejomar Binay, who has also declared his intention to run for president.

“If there will be an invitation coming from them, we shall be also meeting them,” he said.

Barzaga added that it will not look good if the party initiates talks with other prospective presidential candidates when they should be the ones looking for avenues to discuss their platforms.

Roxas’ meeting with NUP marks the second time he will be meeting with a political party allied with the Aquino administration in a bid to keep the coalition intact.

On Aug. 11, he met with some members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition at the ruling party's Balay headquarters in Cubao. Later that day, however, NPC stalwarts met with Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero, who are also rumored to be running for higher office. —NB, GMA News