Pangasinan NPC Party Supports Pres. Aquino

Gov. Espino flashing sign of "Number One" with the newly NPC converts at the Sison Auditorium last week.

Lingayen- - - Governor Amado T. Espino, Jr. said yesterday that the Nationalist People’s Coalition, now the ruling party in Pangasinan, supports President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III.

            Governor Espino made this remark in an interview with some media that the exodus of Lakas Party politicians to NPC is a concrete way of support to the administration of President Aquino, a Liberal.

            The NPC partymates here are known to have strongly supported then Presidential candidate Noynoy Aquino and the party remains supportive to the country’s chief executive at present.

            This developed as the Governor returned to his original party in an oath-taking ceremony held at the historic Sison Auditorium here, April 23. “NPC was my original party. I left the party temporarily when its founding chairman, Ambassador Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco,” became inactive.

            He said that the political party has a fraternal bond with the lofty aspirations of President Aquino to improve the lives of Filipinos.

NPC representative and former 5th district congressman Mark Cojuangco, congratulated Gov. Espino as he welcomed him back to the party. “NPC is a party whose sights are set on practicality not seen in other parties. Members are dependent in identity and independent in thought.  “Dito, walang iwanan,” Cojuangco noted.

Earlier, the young Cojuangco was rumored to be eyeing the governorship of Pangasinan.

But he categorically denied in an interview with the media, saying the reports were orchestrated by political camps opposed to the Espino administration.

A former police officer, Espino threw his hat for the first time into the political arena by joining the congressional race in the province’s second district and won under NPC.

Espino has been endorsed by the NPC and the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) in the gubernatorial fight against former Gov. Victor Agbayani’s wife, Jamie, in 2007.  Espino won as new Governor of Pangasinan.

In his reelection bid in 2010, the governor as Lakas-Party candidate, swamped Agbayani by more than half a million votes, the biggest margin in the history of Pangasinan’s gubernatorial race.

The Governor who is a party returnee was joined by some five members of the board (BM Raul Sison, BM Von Mark Mendoza, BM Amadeo T. Espino, BM Salvador Perez, Jr., BM Fontellera), 14 mayors, six vice mayors from different towns of the province and two new inductees, Jumel Anthony Espino, youngest son of the provincial chief executive and Atty. Angel Baniqued, Jr., son of BM Angel Baniqued (already a member of NPC).

The 16 mayors who took their oath are as follows: Bolinao Mayor Alfonso F. Celeste, Anda Mayor Aldrin Cerdan, Agno Mayor Jose Pajeta, Mabini Mayor Carlitos Reyes, Burgos Mayor Guiang, Infanta Mayor Ruperto Martinez, Sual Mayor John Rodney Arcinue, Lingayen Mayor Ernesto “Jonas” Castaneda, Aguilar Mayor Eduardo Ballesteros, Binmaley Mayor Lorenzo Cerezo, Mapandan Mayor Maximo Calimlim, Calasiao Mayor Mark Roy Macanlalay, Malasiqui Mayor Armando Domantay, Pozorrubio Mayor Artemio Chan and Laoac Mayor Silverio Alarcio.

Confirmed to attend but did not make it for some urgent reasons were San Carlos City Mayor Jullier Resuello and Balungao Mayor Philipp Peralta.

The six vice mayors, on the other hand, include Vice Mayor Filipina Rivera (Bani),  VM Manuel Rivera (Dasol), VM Reynaldo Reyes(Pozorrubio), VM Wilson Rosete (Agno), Virgilio Vallarta (Infanta) and Alimar Briana (Mabini).

Former 1^st District Congressman Arthur F. Celeste likewise took his oath.

Based on the records of NPC Secretariat in Manila, there are now a total of 32 out of 47 mayors in Pangasinan, 10 out of 15 board members and four out seven congressmen in Pangasinan, who belong to the party.

Aside from Cojuangco, the ceremony was led by party officials Valenzuela Congressman and NPC Spokesperson Rex Gatchalian, and NPC Secretary General Mark Leandro Mendoza who administered the oath.

Present during the ceremony were NPC members Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Z. Calimlim, Jr., and ABONO Partylist Congressman Robert “Eskimo” Estrella.