Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP; English: Federal Party of the Philippines, Spanish: Partido Federal de Filipinas) is a national political party in the Philippines. It is chaired by Bongbong Marcos, president of the Philippines who won by a landslide in the 2022 election. During the run-up to the 2022 general election, the UniTeam Alliance was formed by the PFP, Lakas–CMD, HNP, and PMP, with guest candidates from other parties.
PFP was formed in 2018 by supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte and calls for federalism in the Philippines.
This is the fourth time a party with the name "Federal Party" or "Federalist Party" was formed in the Philippines, with the party being originally founded by Hispano Filipino Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera in 1900, but disbanded in 1907. And then for the second time by Alfredo Abcede from 1953 to 1961, and then for the third time by Bartolomé Cabangbang from 1981 to 1986. The first and third iterations stood for the Philippines becoming a state of the United States.
History
Formation and early years: 2018–2021
The Partido Federal ng Pilipinas was formed in early 2018 by supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte, including the Mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte-National Executive Coordinating Committee (MRRD-NECC), a group that supported his 2016 presidential campaign, as well as former members of PDP–Laban, Duterte's party. The party was formally accredited by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on October 5, 2018, and was approved as a national political party on November 5 that year. Former DILG undersecretary and MRRD-NECC member Jesus "Jayvee" Hinlo Jr. was the party's founding president, while Secretary of Agrarian Reform John Castriciones, also from the MRRD-NECC, is recognized as the party's founder. Castriciones succeeded Hinlo as party president when the latter decided to run for senator in the 2019 elections. PFP had also requested Duterte to be their chairman.
Notable politicians who ran under PFP in 2019 include E. R. Ejercito, Reynaldo Umali, Joy Belmonte, and Donya Tesoro. In that year's elections, 238 PFP members were elected to office, including six seats in the House of Representatives. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., who was elected governor of South Cotabato, became the party's new president.
Bongbong Marcos era: 2021–present
In September 2021, the party unanimously nominated Bongbong Marcos as their presidential candidate for 2022. Marcos joined the party on October 5 and became their chairman. He filed his candidacy the following day. Having no official vice presidential candidate, PFP adopted Duterte's daughter, Davao City mayor Sara Duterte of Lakas–CMD, as Marcos' running mate. PFP, Lakas–CMD, Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), and Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) then formed the UniTeam Alliance.
In December 2021, a group claiming to be the real officers of PFP filed a disqualification case against Marcos. The group's leader, National Commission on Muslim Filipinos commissioner Abubakar Mangelen, who claims to be the true chairman of PFP, called Marcos' nomination "invalid and void", claiming that many party officers were not consulted or informed about it. Secretary-General Thompson Lantion claimed that Mangelen was ousted as chairman of the party during its last convention on September 18, 2021 and was replaced by Marcos with his consent, although Mangelen still remains as a member of the party. However, Mangelen denied the said claim and argued that he was the duly elected chairman of the party as shown in its petition for registration filed before the COMELEC and accused PFP members of unseating him as chairman without due process in order to make Marcos the leader of the party. On February 10, 2022, the COMELEC dismissed the case against the disqualification of Marcos for "lack of merit." On February 14, Mangelen filed a motion for reconsideration at COMELEC, which after an en banc review, was finally dismissed a day after the election.
On March 30, 2022, at a campaign rally in Iligan, the Mangelen-led faction endorsed the presidential campaign of Manila mayor Isko Moreno (Aksyon Demokratiko). The endorsement was affirmed and supported by Castriciones, now a PDP–Laban member, who was also present in the said campaign rally. Lantion of the Marcos-led faction condemned the Mangelen wing's endorsement as "irresponsible" and "fake," and called Mangelen an "impostor." However, Castriciones stood by Mangelen and called him the "true chairman." On April 19, the Mangelen-led faction changed their endorsement to Vice President Leni Robredo, calling her campaign "more formidable" to beat "the greatest threat to our country and our democracy, Ferdinand Marcos Jr."
On May 25, Bongbong Marcos and Sara Duterte were proclaimed winners by the Congress of the Philippines. It was the first time under the 1987 Constitution that the President and Vice President were elected by a majority of voters.
Ideology and political positions
PFP seeks to replace the Philippines' unitary system of government with a federalist government.
The party's general counsel, George Briones, describes PFP as "a party of the common man.... of the poor.... of the grassroots", and the party's dream is "a society that is free of illegal drugs, free of corruption, free of crime, free of insurgency and free of poverty." Party president Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. says the PFP's principles are: humanism, patriotic federalism, enlightened socialism, and direct democracy. He also declared that PFP "values human dignity and will aspire for equality among all Filipinos." The party's slogan is "a life worthy of human dignity for every Filipino."
The PFP-OFW International Affairs Committee presented a long-term plan for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) that includes skills training, benefits, retirement plans, health insurance, scholarship grants, and other support services.
Political scientist Julio C. Teehankee classifies PFP as one of the neo-authoritarian parties that spawned during the presidency of Rodrigo Duterte.
Organization and structure
The party claims to have a total of 1.5 million members nationwide as of September 2024.
Party leadership
Party presidents
- Jesus "Jayvee" Hinlo Jr. (2018)
- John Castriciones (2018–2019)
- Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. (2019–Present)
Election results
Presidential and vice presidential
Legislative elections
Notes
Current members
National government officials
Members of the Senate
Members of the House of Representatives
Local government officials
Others
- Manny Pacquiao - former senator
- Christian Noveras - former governor of Aurora (2022–2024)
- ER Ejercito – former governor of Laguna (2010–2014)
- Imelda Papin – former vice governor of Camarines Sur (2019–2022)
- Benjamin Agarao Jr. – former Representative for Laguna's 4th district (2013–2022)
- Joseph Kris Benjamin Agarao – Board Member for Laguna's 4th district (2010–2019, since 2022)
- Wilfredo Bejasa Jr. – Board Member for Laguna's 1st district (since 2022), City Councilor of Biñan (2016–2022)
- Sec. Lope B. Santos III – Lead Convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission
- Arlan M. Mangelen – Assistant Secretary for Mindanao of the Department of Agriculture
- Girlie E. Amarillo – Head Executive Assistant, Office of the Lead Convenor of the National Anti-Poverty Commission
- Joan Carla Bautista - incumbent Vice Mayor of Concepcion, Tarlac
- Andres "Andy" D. Lacson - former mayor of Concepcion, Tarlac
- Cristy Angeles - Mayor of Tarlac City
- Rey Malonzo - former mayor of Caloocan City
- Ed Acaba - Former Assistant Secretary of DOTC
- Ama Almocera - Former Head Executive Assistant, National Commission for Filipino Muslims
See also
- Federalism in the Philippines
- Federalism and Rodrigo Duterte
- Federalist parties in the Philippines:
- Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod
- Lakas–CMD
- Partido Demokratiko Pilipino
- Pederalismo ng Dugong Dakilang Samahan
- UniTeam
Notes
References
External links
- Media related to Partido Federal ng Pilipinas at Wikimedia Commons
- Partido Federal ng Pilipinas on Facebook
