Senator Mary Grace Poe Llamanzares waves to her supporters shortly after her speech declaring her candidacy for the presidential election in 2016, at the Bahay Alumni in U.P. Diliman on Wednesday. Poe, running as an independent, finally ended months of speculation on her political plans. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Nationalist People’s Coalition expects to announce its preferred presidential candidate early next month.
NPC spokesperson Mark Enverga said the party is having a hard time arriving at a consensus due to the personal preferences of its members.
The NPC was well represented at yesterday’s announcement of Senator Grace Poe’s candidacy with at least six members in attendance.
Enverga said the NPC appreciates that Poe is a good listener adding that questions about her citizenship is not an issue for their party.
“Basing it on merits, it is not much of an issue. We believe that she is a natural born Filipino. So we believe that she is qualified to run for the presidency.”
Enverga earlier said he and other NPC members were impressed with Poe’s speech especially after she laid out a 20-point agenda tackling various topics such as the lowering of income taxes, better health care for senior citizens and staggered work hours.
“Napabilib kami ni Senator Grace. Siguro gusto kong ma-point out dito yung kanyang 20-point agenda. Talagang malapit na malapit yung mga issues na inilabas, yung gusto niyang malunasan. Yun ang pang araw-araw na hinaharap ng Pilipino. Yun ay napabilib kami dun sa kanyang pagtackle dun sa issue na yun,” he said.
He pointed out that in their past meeting with Poe, the senator only introduced herself and listened to the concerns of NPC members without presenting a clear plan for 2016.
The spokesman said all presidential candidates are on equal footing as the NPC leadership has yet to choose which candidate the party will endorse.
He admitted that some NPC members are “lobbying for a certain presidentiable.”
Aside from Poe, the other declared presidential candidates are Vice President Jejomar Binay and former DILG chief Mar Roxas. (MNS)