Binay's daughter completes UNA line-up

MANILA (Updated) -- The United Nationalist Alliance's (UNA) slate is finally complete after the eldest daughter of Vice President Jejomar Binay was convinced by the party to join the 2013 senatorial race.

Ma. Lourdes Nancy Binay will replace Jose de Venecia III, son of the former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., after he backed out from the 2013 midterm polls to pursue "immediate business endeavours."

Navotas City Representative Tobias Tiangco, UNA secretary general and spokesperson, confirmed the younger Binay's inclusion in the senatorial line-up in a text message.

In a statement, Tiangco said the Vice President initially opposed his daughter's candidacy, but he relented when former President Joseph Estrada and Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile voted for her to run.

Based on the profile sent by UNA, the 39-year-old Nancy graduated with a tourism degree from the University of the Philippines.

She served as personal assistant to her father during his term as Makati mayor and for housing concerns after his election as Vice President in 2010.

Apart from her landing in the winning circle in both Pulse Asia and Social Weather Station (SWS), UNA also took note the "groundswell" of support for Nancy's candidacy.

"There has also been a groundswell of support for her candidacy coming from sectoral groups and non-governmental organizations nationwide. We cannot ignore these voices and their commitment to help Nancy and the entire senatorial slate of UNA," Tiangco said.

If Nancy Binay and her relatives win in the 2013 elections, there will be four Binays in public service, including Vice President Binay, Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin "Junjun" Binay, and Makati Representative Mar-Len Abigail Binay.

Nancy Binay is the deputy secretary general of UNA, a coalition of his father's PDP-Laban and former President Joseph Estrada's Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino.

Binay occupied the 12th slot in the August 31 to September 7 Pulse Asia survey on senatorial preferences.

Vice President Binay earlier dismissed the poll results, saying it's "too early" for his daughter to join the senatorial race.

On Wednesday, three-term Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn disclosed that former President Estrada invited him to join the UNA slate. Hagedorn, however, declined Estrada's invitation and filed his COC for senator as an independent candidate.

UNA's bets include Representatives Mitos Magsaysay (Zambales), JV Ejercito (San Juan City), and Jack Enrile (Cagayan); Senator Gringo Honasan, former Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Richard Gordon and Ernesto Maceda; presidential aunt; and former Tarlac governor Margarita "Tingting" Couangco.

The UNA candidates have already filed their candidacy papers together Monday, October 1.

UNA will also be adopting as guest candidates Senators Francis "Chiz" Escudero and Loren Legarda, and resigned Movie and Television Review and Classification Board chairperson Grace Poe-Llamanzares. (Kathrina Alvarez/Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)