Martin & Sara Newly elected Chairman of Lakas-CMD Party and Vice Presidential Candidate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte delivers her acceptance message during the Lakas-CMD Party National Council Meeting led by Lakas President and House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Lakas Co-Chairman and Senator Ramon ” Bong” Revilla Jr. and Lakas Deputy Secretary General and Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Wilter Sharky Palma via Zoom. Photo by VER NOVENO

Sara assumes chairmanship of Lakas

November 18, 2021 Ryan Ponce Pacpaco 268 views

Romualdez: Duterte to serve as guiding light of Lakas-CMD

VICE presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Thursday afternoon formally assumed the chairmanship of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) while Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. was elected co-chair.

During Thursday’s Lakas-CMD National Council Meeting, House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin G. Romualdez said Mayor Duterte will serve as a “guiding light” of Lakas-CMD after she was elected chair of the political party.

“We are delighted and honored that Mayor Sara accepted the chairmanship of Lakas-CMD. We congratulate her for taking on this important role and we are confident that she will continue to inspire us more in working towards victory in the May 22 national elections,” Romualdez, Lakas-CMD president, said during the hybrid ceremony attended by Lakas-CMD officials and members nationwide.

“In fact, we consider Mayor Sara as our guiding light, and there is no doubt that her leadership experience and heart for public service will lead Lakas-CMD to greater heights and broader horizons in the coming months,” Romualdez added.

Sen. Revilla offered the post to Mayor Duterte on Wednesday.

Revilla nominated Duterte in the event as Lakas-CMD party chair.

“Our chairman has graciously offered his position as Party Chair to Mayor Inday Sara Duterte. I move that we approve the nomination,” Romualdez said who led the adoption of the motion at about 1:12 a.m. following the overwhelming support of Lakas-CMD officials and members.

Romualdez later nominated Revilla as co-chair and the party adopted the motion.

“We thank Mayor Sara for her willingness to take on the challenge. The entire force of Lakas-CMD is in full support of her candidacy as we believe that she is the true epitome of an empowered woman capable of serving not just the party but our nation,” Romualdez said.

MAYOR SARA

Mayor Duterte immediately presided over the National Council Meeting after her election.

“Isa pong karangalan para sa akin ang makasama ang mga masisipag at magagaling na mga opisyal at kasapi ng Lakas-CMD Party sa National Council Meeting ngayon araw. Kasabay po ng ating pagtanggap sa posisyon bilang chairperson ng partido, taus-puso akong nagpapasalamat sa inyong kompyansa at tiwala sa akin,” Duterte said.

“Malaki at mahalaga ang ibinigay na suporta ng partido sa akin upang matugunan ko ang hamon ng ating mga kababayan na sumabak sa pambansang pulitika. Sa totoo lang, hindi ko kailanman inakala na darating ang araw na ito. Masaya po ako sa Davao City. Marami pa sana akong gustong gawin bilang mayor ng aming siyudad. Pero alam po natin ang nangyari,” Duterte said.

“Hindi ko na po mahindian ang mga Pilipino. Hindi ko na po mahindian ang Pilipinas. I humbly accept this challenge with the thoughts of our fellow Filipinos facing extraordinary challenges in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 did not only bring deaths, anxiety, and uncertainty to us. It also proved to be an enormous burden to our economy, education, health, and other sectors and institutions,” she said.

“Maybe the road to recovery will be a long highway. And maybe it will be harder than it seems. But I am confident that Lakas-CMD and its party members across the country will never abandon their commitment to the people. I am confident that we will continue to be guided by the principles that the party has been built on — good governance, economic development, people empowerment, sustainable development, and social justice,” Duterte said.

“Ang ating adhikain ngayon na hindi lang maipanalo ang ating kampanya kundi maipanalo ang mga adhikain ng ating mga kababayan — lalong lalo na ang mga nangangailangan, walang mga hanapbuhay, mga magsasaka, kabataan, senior citizens, mga LGBTQ, mga manggagawa, kababaihan, at iba pang mga sektor na nangangailangan ng ating tulong bilang mga taong nasa gobyerno. Let us work together to become an ally of the Filipino people. Let us work together to become an ally of our great nation. Daghang salamat,” Duterte said.

Lakas-CMD officials led by Romualdez, Revilla, Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Wilter “Sharky” Wee Palma II, Quezon City Rep. Anthony Peter “Onyx” Crisologo, Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe, Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero “Butch” Pichay, Jr., Negros Occidental Rep. Ma. Lourdes Arroyo, Isabela Rep. Antonio “Tonypet” Albano, Lanao del Sur Rep. Mamintal Adiong of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Davao de Oro Rep. Way Kurat Zamora, Mayor Lani Revilla and others expressed their full support to Mayor Duterte during the event.

The Davao City Mayor and daughter of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte joined Lakas-CMD on November 11.

Two days later she filed her candidacy for vice president, substituting for Lakas’ candidate.

She will run in tandem with former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP).

AUTHOR PROFILE