NPC will 'struggle' to maintain strength after demise of 'irreplaceable' Danding Cojuangco

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, the highest elected member of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), on Thursday said the void that political party founder Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr. left would surely be felt by its members.

“We (NPC) will obviously struggle to keep our party strong and steady because of the loss of our Chairman Emeritus. We will meet soon to discuss the Party’s future," Sotto, acting chairman of the NPC, said in a message to GMA News Online.

"Ambassador or Boss Danding is irreplaceable," he added, when prodded to answer who will likely hold the same influence that the "kingmaker" had.

Cojuangco, who founded the NPC in 1992, died at the age of 85 on June 16. He was also the chairman and CEO of food and beverage conglomerate San Miguel Corporation.

To date, the almost three-decade-old NPC is composed of three incumbent senators, 44 representatives at the lower chamber, and eight governors.

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who described NPC as his "only and sole party" since he started his political career as a congressman in 2001, also admitted that Cojuangco's shoes are "very difficult to fill."

"Boss Danding is a very strong figure inside the party and he speaks with a lot of experience and wisdom. Over the years, marami siyang pinagdaanan so he gets a lot of respect from the members," he told GMA News Online in a phone interview.

"Although si Boss Danding he doesn't run the day-to-day activities anymore but when he speaks about politics and also business, malawak 'yung influence niya," he added.

With Cojuangco gone, Gatchalian said the NPC's "collegial and collaborative" internal council will function "more actively."

He said this council is composed of highest elected officials like Sotto, himself, Senator Lito Lapid, Secretary General Mark Llandro Mendoza, Quezon Representative Mark Enverga, Tarlac Representative Charlie Cojuangco, and other old stalwarts especially from Negros and Tarlac, among others.

2022 elections

Gatchalian said one of the major decisions that the NPC will have to deal with sans Cojuangco's presence is the upcoming 2022 elections.

"The 2022 elections is just around the corner, parties are normally courted during those times. So one of the biggest decisions a party will ever make is who to align with or who to field for Presidency and the nationally elected officials, 'yun ang pinakamabigat," he said.

Asked if Cojuangco made any specific directives about the next elections before his demise, Gatchalian said: "Wala naman, maaga pa eh. We regularly hold lunches with boss, normally ang pinag-uusapan namin about the economy."

The senator, nevertheless, assured that even if the NPC founder is no longer around, the political party's core value of loyalty will remain.

"NPC is a very unique party because if you look at the other party like LP, kung sino ang nakaupo dadami, PDP kung sino nakaupo dadami. NPC maintains its numbers kahit sino ang nakaupo," Gatchalian said.

"Itong members ng NPC is loyal to the party... That has been a trade that Boss Danding imparted to the party, 'yung loyalty," he added.

Gatchalian said that while NPC continues to have the goal of expanding its membership, the same importance will be given to this brand of loyalty.

"Siyempre gusto namin dumami. Goal naman ng every party is to get warm bodies. Lahat ng partido gusto 'yan pero hindi tayo magpapadami just for the sake of padami because we want loyal and quality members. That has been the culture inside," he said.—AOL, GMA News