MANILA, Philippines – HINIKAYAT ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang mga mambabatas sa Northern Luzon na panatilihing malakas at matibay ang “Solid North” regional bloc at panatilihin ang pagkakaisa ng mga miyembro nito para sa kapakinabangan ng bansa.
Itinaon ng Pangulo ang kanyang panawagan sa isinagawang oath-taking ceremony ng mga bagong halal na opisyal ng Northern Luzon Alliance (NLA) na idinaos sa Palasyo ng Malakanyang.
Inalala ng Pangulo ang mga mahihirap na panahon na kinokonsidera ng grupo na “politically irrelevant.”
Ginarantiya naman ng Pangulo sa mga ito na makatatanggap sila ng suporta mula sa Office of the President (OP).
“Those times that we went through that the Ilocano bloc remained solid. And the result is that we are now here celebrating the taking the oath of new officers of the Northern Alliance here in the Palace,” ayon sa Pangulo.
“And that has kept us afloat through all the lean years kung tawagin, through all the lean years. And as I said, now the solidarity and the strength of the Ilocano bloc has remained and it has served us well. So let us keep it going. And now instead only fighting up, may katulong na kayo dito sa taas,” dagdag na wika ng Chief Executive.
Binanggit naman ng Punong Ehekutibo ang pagkakaisa ng alyansa na kitang-kita kahit pa noong panahon ng panunungkulan ng kanyang ama na si dating Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Naobserbahan din aniya ang pagkakaisa kahit pa matapos ang pagbagsak ng Marcos.
“Kaya’t let us take that as our lesson that really what has kept us going, what has kept us strong, and what has kept us relevant in national politics,” ayon sa Pangulo.
Tinuran pa niya na ang mga Ilocanos ay “overrepresented” sa gobyerno at sa politika.
“And there is maybe a point to that, but the reason that is – is because we help each other because we stay solid. And we – kinikilala natin these are Ilocanos that have been working with us that we know are good workers that will bring value to government service,” dagdag na pahayag ng Punong Ehekutibo.
Sa kabilang dako, sinabi naman ng Presidential Communications Office (PCO) na ang NLA ay grupo ng mga mambabatas na karamihan ay nabibilang sa tobacco-producing provinces.
Si Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos III ang nagsisilbi bilang honorary chairman ng NLA.
Samantala, ang mga opisyal ng NLA ay sina Ilocos Norte 2nd District Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba, NLA President; Mountain Province Rep. Maximo Y. Dalog Jr., NLA Executive Vice President; Pangasinan 1st District Rep. Arthur F. Celeste, NLA Vice President – Region 1; Isabela 1st District Rep. Antonio T. Albano, NLA Vice President – Region 2; CAR at Kalinga Rep. Allen Jesse C. Mangaoang, NLA Vice President.
Ang iba pang opisyal ay sina Party List and Allied Districts at ABONO Party List Rep. Robert Raymund M. Estrella, NLA Vice President; La Union 1st District Rep. Franciso Paolo P. Ortega V, NLA Secretary; Ilocos Sur 2nd District Rep. Kristine Singson-Meehan, NLA Treasurer; at Isabela 4th District Rep. Joseph S. Tan, NLA Auditor. Kris Jose
