Sara’s birthday wish for Duterte: Good health, happiness

MANILA, Philippines — Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats vice presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio wishes nothing but “good health and happiness” for her father, President Duterte, on the occasion of his 77th birthday next week.

“Mr. President, happy birthday. I wish you good health and happiness,” the mayor said in a chance interview with reporters yesterday during her campaign sorties in Laguna.

The Chief Executive will celebrate his birthday on Monday, March 28.

Recently, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, which Duterte chairs, endorsed the presidential bid of former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who is running with Duterte-Carpio under the UniTeam. Both are frontrunners in surveys for president and vice president.

Duterte-Carpio told journalists that she has yet to talk politics with her dad following PDP-Laban’s endorsement of Marcos.

‘My president is Marcos’

Duterte-Carpio also vowed to honor her commitment to the UniTeam tandem she formed with Marcos even when she is also being paired with other presidentiables.

Several groups have recently floated the idea of a Carpio-Robredo and Carpio-Domagoso tandem, referring to Vice President Leni Robredo and Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, respectively, who are both running for the presidency.

“Once again, let me reiterate that I am aware that many of you wish to see me with another presidential candidate. I take that as a sign of confidence in me as a leader and for that, I am truly, deeply touched and honored,” Duterte said in a video message last Wednesday. “But I am a person, a woman, a leader who values commitment and word of honor. I am running for the position of vice president and my president is Marcos.”

“When we agreed to form the UniTeam of Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte, we both agreed to run together with a singular purpose of improving the lives of the Filipinos and making the Philippines a stronger country,” she added.

Duterte-Carpio also clarified that she intends to honor the commitment of her parties Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and Hugpong ng Pagbabago to “support Bongbong Marcos as president.”

“I continue to pray and call on all my friends, to trust that the UniTeam will serve our country with fairness, honor and dedication the way patriots should,” Duterte-Carpio said.

Meanwhile, Duterte-Carpio said that with only 48 days before election day in May, her candidacy continues to move forward as it is “encouraged and inspired by the overwhelming welcome from thousands after thousands of Filipinos across the country.”

“We are barely at half the journey but I would not reach this point in the campaign without the support of many local leaders, politicians, businessmen, people in non-government organizations, and the academe, youth groups, women’s organizations, the Moro people, tribal leaders and their communities, members of the LGBT, the ordinary citizens who trust in me and value my cause,” she added.