SORSOGON City – LAKAS-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) party on Saturday afternoon launched here the “Sara para sa Barangay” initiative in Luzon attended by senatorial aspirant and Gov. Chiz Escudero.

Escudero introduced Lakas-CMD President and House Majority Leader Martin G. Romualdez of the 1st District of Leyte during the launch of the Luzon leg of “Sara para sa Barangay” at the Sorsogon Provincial Gymnasium here.

“Delivering basic services to Filipinos in a timely and efficient manner, and leaving no one behind in the process, is the most basic aspiration of the BBM-Sara UniTeam,” Romualdez said on Duterte’s advocacy also designed to solidify the hold of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) standard-bearer Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. in the presidential race under the UniTeam Alliance.

“The Sara para sa Barangay embodies this goal. Mayor Duterte in alliance with BBM will make sure that all barangays in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao will get their fair share of development,” Romualdez, one of the two campaign managers of Duterte, added.

Duterte was scheduled to arrive here late Saturday afternoon from Allen, Northern Samar for the fifth day of her nationwide “Mahalin Natin ang Pilipinas Ride” (MNPR).

Escudero and Romualdez were joined by Lakas-CMD provincial chairman and Catanduanes Rep. Hector Sanchez and Lakas-CMD vice president and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose ‘Mannix’ Dalipe during the event attended by at least 500 community and sectoral officials.

Marcos, Duterte and senatorial aspirants Mark Villar, Harry Roque, Loren Legarda and Jinggoy Estrada also delivered their recorded messages.

Board Member Jose Arturo E. Enano, Sorsogon president of the Liga ng mga Barangay, gave the welcome remarks during the event.

Sanchez and Dalipe assured village leaders that the “Sara para sa Barangay” initiative will help propel development in their communities by ensuring the efficient delivery of improved basic services such as education, health care system, jobs and livelihood.

With the launch, Romualdez said community leaders in Luzon are as close to the heart of Duterte, Lakas-CMD chairperson, when compared to those from the Visayas and Mindanao.

Previously launched in the Visayas and Mindanao – which UniTeam member Duterte traces her roots from – the Sara para sa Barangay is a transformative program that promises to bring meaningful socioeconomic change to barangays as part of efforts to develop the entire country.

The other half of the phenomenal UniTeam – Marcos – hails from Luzon, being a beloved figure in Ilocandia.

The father of Duterte, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, is a proud Visayan, having been born in Maasin City, Southern Leyte.

However, the first family is more popularly identified with Davao City in Mindanao, given their lengthy and glowing track record of service as local chief executives there.

The sheer scale of the initiative, which covers all 42,046 barangays in the Philippines, was not lost on Lakas-CMD, Romualdez said.

Romualdez described it as an endeavor that only the tandem of BBM-Sara can fulfill.

“By their very roots, Mayor Duterte and former Senator Marcos represent the entire archipelago. And with the Lakas-CMD chair being a local chief executive herself, the Sara para sa Barangay initiative is in very capable hands,” Romualdez said.