Nationalist People's Coalition | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Mark Cojuangco |
| Chairman | Tito Sotto |
| President | Jack Duavit |
| Secretary–General | Mark Llandro Mendoza |
| Spokesperson | Mark Enverga |
| Founder | Danding Cojuangco |
| Founded | 1992; 33 years ago (1992)[1] |
| Split from | Nacionalista |
| Headquarters | 808 Building,Meralco Avenue, San Antonio,Pasig, 1605Metro Manila |
| Newspaper | NPC Herald |
| Ideology | Filipino nationalism Conservatism[2][3][4] Social conservatism[5][6] |
| Political position | Centre-right[7][8] |
| National affiliation | Bagong Pilipinas (2024–present) |
| Coalition members (1995) | |
| Colors | Green,red,white |
| Senate | 6 / 24 |
| House of Representatives | 32 / 317 [9] |
| Provincial Governors | 5 / 82 |
| Provincial Vice Governors | 5 / 82 |
| Provincial Board members | 58 / 840 |
TheNationalist People's Coalition (NPC) is aconservativepolitical party in thePhilippines which was founded in 1992 by presidential candidateDanding Cojuangco.
In 1990, amid political and economic uncertainty in the aftermath of the1986 People Power Revolution, members of civil society and business groups invited businessmanDanding Cojuangco, a former associate of deposedPresidentFerdinand Marcos, to lead a national coalition for the1992 national elections. Cojuangco's supporters, who called themselvesFriends of Danding, began organizing because of limited time before the polls.
Cojuangco expressed interest in running under theNacionalista Party where he had long-standing ties, provided the nomination process was fair. Two other national figures were also seeking the party nomination, SenatorJuan Ponce Enrile andVice PresidentSalvador Laurel who was the party president. Internal disputes arose between Laurel and formerRizalGovernorIsidro Rodriguez over the nomination rules. With the issues unresolved and the party divided, Cojuangco's backers formed a new party,Partido Pilipino, led by Jerry Barican, Antonio Gatmaitan, and Butch Valdes. TheCommission on Elections officially registered the party on February 5, 1991.
Nacionalista eventually split into the Laurel and Rodriguez wings, with the latter supporting Cojuangco. A court ruling in favor of the Laurel wing prompted Cojuangco's allies to consolidate under a broader umbrella group, theNationalist People's Coalition. This coalition included the Rodriguez wing,Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL), Partido Pilipino and its regional parties such asBagong Lakas ng Nueva Ecija, sectoral groups, and independent politicians.
In the1992 elections, Cojuangco ran for president under the NPC banner with SenatorJoseph Estrada, whosePartido ng Masang Pilipino coalesced with NPC, for vice president. Other NPC candidates for various races ran under affiliated parties. Cojuangco placed third, being defeated by Marcos' cousinFidel Ramos, while Estrada won the vice presidential race in a landslide. After the elections, Partido Pilipino was renamed as theNationalist People's Coalition, formalizing the group into a political party with leadership transferred to newly-elected NPC officers.[10] Also, NPC joined the Lakas-ledRainbow Coalition, a House caucus coalition formed with multiple parties, includingLakas,[11] and won 5 Senats seats (which 4 of them are half-termers placing between 13–24) whichLaban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP, then known as Laban) dominated.
NPC became a party and the official opposition againstLakas–Laban Coalition, led by Ramos andEd Angara of Laban. NPC drafted including half-termersNikki Coseteng andArturo Tolentino, tapped CongressmanBongbong Marcos of KBL, former military mutineerGringo Honasan andMiriam Defensor Santiago ofPRP.[12] It was then rumored that then-Senate PresidentErnesto Maceda already conceded to President Ramos days before the election day, as the latter also claimed.[13] Only Santiago, Honasan, and Coseteng managed to win.
The NPC was a member of theLaban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino (LAMMP) together with Angara's LDP, Estrada's PMP, and Pimentel's PDP–Laban. LAMMP served as the political vehicle of vice president Joseph Estrada in the1998 presidential elections.[14] Also, in theHouse elections, some youngesters who will be serve in the future as either senators or cabinet members are elected such asChiz Escudero (became Senator), andGilbert Teodoro (founder's nephew, and future Defense Secretary), andAce Durano of Cebu which Estrada dubbed as theBright Boys.[15]
After SpeakerManny Villar (LAMMP) successfully pushed impeachment on the house plenary, the pro-Estrada group kicked Villar out of speakership and they tappedArnulfo Fuentebella as replacement. Fuentebella's speakership tenure is the only instance a current NPC member held the said position. It left the LAMMP after Estrada wasremoved from power in January 2001.[14]
WhenGloria Macapagal Arroyo assumed the presidency in January 2001, herPeople Power Coalition (led by theLakas) became the dominant group inCongress.[16] The 75-member Lakas party led the "Sunshine Coalition," which included the 61-member NPC, members of theLiberal Party, and several other minor parties.[16] TheLaban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) party led the 20-member opposition bloc.[16] In the Senate race, being not having candidate, NPC junked 5 opposition candidates fromPwersa ng Masa namely Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado, former DSWD Usec Jamby Madrigal, Muslim leader Ombra Tamano, former Sen. Santanina Rasul and former Information Undersecretary Reuben Canoy.[17]
In 2003, NPC stalwarts led by Escudero, and Teodoro filed an impeachment complaint againstChief JusticeHilario Davide for allegedly misusing judiciary funds for acquiring luxury cars and homes, but even though the said impeachment complaint successfully gained votes of signatures enough for its succession,[18] Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional, and the House killed the impeachment.[19] With the failure of impeachment in the House, rumors speculated that the coalition will go to abolishment, as pro-impeachment congressmen, mainly from the NPC disappointed in the failure of impeachment.[20] The rumors spread, also saying that there is a faction that are lacking of satisfaction on de Venecia and will challenge his speakership.[20][21] NPC later prompted to quit in the coalition for the 2004 elections,[22] and later rumored to join the opposition.[23]
In 2003, the LDP and NPC backed businessmanDanding Cojuangco as a potential presidential candidate in that year's elections.[14] Cojuangco, the NPC chair, withdrew from the campaign. But before the end of the year, NPC was sending 'mixed signals' that possibly confuse the public whether they will stay on the administration camp or jump into the opposition.[24] Although the NPC had no seats in the Senate, the party had 53 seats in the House of Representatives after the election.[25]
After Cojuangco withdrawn from the presidential elections, the NPC was divided— with Danding, and his sonsCharlie andMark, and nephew Gilbert Teodoro hails for supportingincumbent while the other group led by Escudero, former Senate President Ernesto Maceda, andDarlene Custodio supportedFernando Poe Jr.'scampaign. Escudero, who became Poe's spokesman berated and protested against widespread cheating while in congressional canvassing.[26]
In mid-2005, led by its House Leader Chiz Escudero, his anti-Arroyo NPC colleagues launched an impeachment complaint against incumbent President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who was apologizing for beingbusted for calling an election commissioner to ensure her win.[27] Ultimately, Lakas-led House crushed the impeachment 158–51.[28]
With Escudero and newly-sworn memberLoren Legarda joiningGeniuine Opposition (GO), LDP stalwartsTito Sotto andTessie Aquino Oreta left their party and joined the NPC, but the latter two become ticket candidates of administration'sTEAM Unity. Sotto claimed that some GO supporters and politicians defecting to the NPC.[29] Escudero and Legarda managed to win, but Sotto and Aquino-Oreta lost.
Two of its former House stalwarts, Senator Chiz Escudero and Defense Secretary Teodoro left NPC for their presidential ambitions.[30] Teodoro joinedLakas–Kampi and launched hispresidential campaign there, while Escudero planned also to run for presidency, but later withdrawn his bid and launchedNoyBi. NPC, led by its new chairman Faustino Dy Jr.,[31] forged a coalition withManny Villar'sNacionalista to support thelatter's presidential campaign with selection ofLoren Legarda as running mate.
AfterManny Villar of Nacionalista officially launched hiscampaign for presidency, his party and NPC launched a coalition building, with Legarda and Escudero are considered to be his running-mate,[32] with the selection of the former.
WithTito Sotto's chairmanship assumption, NPC forged an alliance with the administration'sTeam PNoy. But Sotto sided withJejomar Binay'sUNA, with CongressmanJack Enrile as one of its senatorial candidates.
After Cojuangco's death in 2020,[33] NPC supported the vice presidential campaign of its chairman Sotto. But, in the preferences of presidential candidates, majority of them supported eitherBongbong Marcos, orPanfilo Lacson'scampaign, which was Sotto's running mate.[34]
After the victory of Tito Sotto insenate elections of the same year, him and Chiz Escudero, are rumored to battle for senate presidency. One of their members in the SenateJV Ejercito proposed the two to make a gentlemen's agreement, with Escudero stay and Sotto will be the next seated.[35][36][37] With majority of NPC Senate members voted to retain Escudero as Senate President, Legarda joined Sotto in the minority.[38]
Amid controversies of Escudero receiving donations from flood control contractors,[39] which he denied,[40] and with 15 votes (which includes all NPC members except Escudero), Escudero was kicked out from the Senate Presidency with the return of Sotto.[41]
The NPC fielded a 12-person Senatorial slate in the1995 elections as an opposition party to the administration of PresidentFidel V. Ramos. They ran against the administration-backedLakas–Laban Coalition.
| Candidate | Party | Occupation / Previous position | Elected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rose Marie Arenas | NPC | Businesswoman |  |
| Gaudencio Beduya | NPC | Former representative fromCebu | |
| Anna Dominique Coseteng | NPC | Senator |  |
| Amanda T. Cruz | NPC | Businesswoman | |
| Ramon Fernandez | NPC | Professional basketball player | |
| Gregorio Honasan | Independent | Former colonel | |
| Bongbong Marcos | KBL | Representative fromIlocos Norte son of Ferdinand Marcos | |
| Adelisa A. Raymundo | NPC | Former labor sectoral representative | |
| Manuel C. Roxas | NPC | Lawyer | |
| Almarin C. Tillah | NPC | Chair of the Bangsamoro National Congress | |
| Arturo Tolentino | NPC | Senator | |
| Miriam Defensor Santiago | PRP | Former Bureau of Immigration and Deportation commissioner, 1992 presidential candidate | |
In the2007 elections, the party won 26 seats:
Loren Legarda – Vice-presidential candidate from theNacionalista Party andLDP (lost)
Senate:
Senate:
Senate:
Senate:
Vice President:Tito Sotto (lost)
Senate:
Senate:
| Year | Presidential election | Vice presidential election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote share | Result | Candidate | Vote share | Result | |
| 1992 | Eduardo "Danding" Cojuangco Jr. | 18.17% | Fidel Ramos (Lakas) | Joseph Estrada | 33.00% | Joseph Estrada (NPC) |
| 1998 | None | Joseph Estrada (PMP) | None | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (Lakas) | ||
| 2004 | None[n 1] | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (Lakas) | None[n 2] | Noli de Castro (Independent) | ||
| 2010 | None[n 3] | Benigno Aquino III (Liberal) | Loren Legarda | 12.21% | Jejomar Binay (PDP–Laban) | |
| 2016 | None[n 4] | Rodrigo Duterte (PDP–Laban) | None[n 5] | Leni Robredo (Liberal) | ||
| 2022 | None[n 6][42] | Bongbong Marcos (PFP) | Vicente Sotto III | 15.89% | Sara Z. Duterte (Lakas) | |
| Congress of the Philippines | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Seats won | Result | Year | Seats won | Ticket | Result |
| 1992 | 30 / 200 | LDP plurality | 1992 | 5 / 24 | Single party ticket | LDP win 16/24 seats |
| 1995 | 22 / 204 | Lakas–Laban majority | 1995 | 1 / 12 | NPC ticket | Lakas–Laban win 9/12 seats |
| 1998[n 7] | 64 / 258 | Lakas plurality | 1998 | 1 / 12 | LAMMP | LAMMP win 7/12 seats |
| 2001 | 40 / 256 | Lakas plurality | 2001 | Not participating | People Power win 8/13 seats | |
| 2004 | 53 / 261 | Lakas plurality | 2004 | 0 / 12 | KNP | K4 win 7/12 seats |
| 2007 | 28 / 270 | Lakas plurality | 2007 | 2 / 12 | Split ticket | GO win 8/12 seats |
| 2010 | 29 / 286 | Lakas–Kampi plurality | 2010 | 1 / 12 | Split ticket | Liberal win 4/12 seats |
| 2013 | 42 / 292 | Liberal plurality | 2013 | 1 / 12 | Split ticket | Team PNoy win 9/12 seats |
| 2016 | 42 / 297 | Liberal plurality | 2016 | 1 / 12 | PGP | Daang Matuwid win 7/12 seats |
| 2019 | 37 / 304 | PDP–Laban plurality | 2019 | 1 / 12 | Split ticket | Hugpong win 9/12 seats |
| 2022 | 35 / 316 | PDP–Laban plurality | 2022 | 4 / 12 | Split ticket | UniTeam win 6/12 seats |
| 2025 | 31 / 317 | Lakas plurality | 2025 | 2 / 12 | Bagong Pilipinas | Bagong Pilipinas win 6/12 seats |
| Chairperson | Term start | Term end | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danding Cojuangco | 1991 | 2009 | |
| Faustino Dy Jr. | 2009 | 2013 | |
.jpg) | Tito Sotto | 2013 | present |
{{cite book}}:|work= ignored (help)| Senate (24) |
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| House of Representatives (318) |
| ||||
| Local government | |||||
| Out of government | |||||
| Non-participating parties | |||||
| Historical parties | |||||
| Historical alliances | |||||
Philippines articles | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| History |
| ||||||
| Geography | |||||||
| Politics |
| ||||||
| Economy | |||||||
| Society |
| ||||||
