Binay to woo NPC members today

MANILA, Philippines – Vice President Jejomar Binay is set to meet with members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) today, hoping to get the party’s support for his presidential bid.

The meeting will be held at the NPC clubhouse in New Manila, Quezon City at noon, the Office of the Vice President said yesterday.

The NPC, chaired by businessman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., is the country’s second largest political party after the ruling Liberal Party (LP).

Cojuangco’s son, Mark, a former representative of Pangasinan, has expressed support to Binay’s presidential bid.

Members of NPC earlier met with Sen. Grace Poe and LP’s standard-bearer Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.

Some members, including stalwart Sen. Vicente Sotto III, have expressed support for the candidacy of Poe alongside former NPC member and now independent Sen. Francis Escudero.

The Binay-led United Nationalist Alliance is eyeing an alliance with almost all major parties, except the LP, according to UNA secretary general JV Bautista.

Aside from NPC’s Mark Cojuangco, Bautista earlier said the party is currently in talks with other local politicians, including former Cebu governor and incumbent Rep. Gwen Garcia, Quezon Gov. David Suarez, and Nueva Ecija Rep. Rodolfo Antonino, all are members of the National Unity Party (NUP); and unseated Laguna governor ER Ejercito of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP).