DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said she did not expect the membership of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) to double to more than 6,000 during mass oath-taking ceremony on Friday, August 17 at the SMX Convention, Lanang, Davao City.
“Today, let me just tell you na naa diri total 629 walk-ins na niingon na muapil sila. We are 6,200 (Today, let me just tell you that we have a total of 629 walk-ins. We are 6,200)," Duterte-Carpio said, adding that she was very overwhelmed by the turnout.
"My personal na pasalamat sa inyong tanan (I thank you all) for showing up here expressing your commitment to join the Hugpong ng Pagbabago," she said.
She said members from Davao City came in last for the oath-taking and were not as excited to join the party as those from Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Compostela Valley and other provinces.
She added that she told President Rodrigo Duterte to use the term "Hugpong ng Pagbabago" and was even hesitant that the President might not allow them to form a regional party.
"Niingon si PRRD, kung mao na inyong nadesisyonan para sa Davao region, wala koy problema ana (PRRD said that if that is what you have come up for Davao region, I have no problem with that)," she said, assuring everyone that they have the full support of the President.
"Hugpong ng Pagbabago is basically a party to support the administration of President Duterte," she added.
Among the prominent personalities who took their oath as HNP members were the mayor's brothers former vice mayor Paolo Duterte and Sebastian Duterte, sister-in-law Davao City Councilor January Duterte, Senators Pia Cayetano, Cynthia Villar, Sonny Angara and JV Ejercito, Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher "Bong" Go, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, Bureau of Corrections director Ronald "Bato" Del Rosa and Davao del Norte Governor Anthony del Rosario.