UNA postpones election preparations amid Delta variant surge

Sen. Nancy Binay. (File) Screen grab / Senate PRIB

MANILA, Philippines — To address more pressing concerns during the pandemic, the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) is halting its preparations for the 2022 elections that may see its chair, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, making a bid to join his daughter, UNA president and Sen. Nancy Binay, in the Senate.

The younger Binay, speaking for her party, said the decision to suspend preelection discussions and activities was prompted by sentiment that politics was “aggravating” the government’s response to COVID-19 and the threat posed by its highly transmissible Delta variant.

“Amid the atmosphere of ‘Elections 2022,’ UNA finds it cold and insensitive to put on the table any electoral agenda while our people are experiencing uncertainties in the wake of the growing Delta variant cases in the country,” the senator said.

Binay said politics appeared to be hampering the government’s level of response, which was why UNA would rather “put a high premium in ensuring the health and safety of the people than concern itself with 2022.”

“For this reason, UNA has decided to suspend all talks in connection with the 2022 national elections until further notice so that the party can help and focus well in fighting the pandemic,” Binay added.

Political activities on hold

That means putting on hold “all matters concerning alliances, coalitions and other political activities,” she said.

Binay issued the statement two weeks after the presidential ticket of Senators Panfilo Lacson and Vicente Sotto III announced that her father would be making a political comeback and joining their senatorial slate. The senator’s statement, however, did not say anything on whether such plans would push through.

If the Binay patriarch runs and wins, he will be joining his daughter in the 24-member Senate as her six-year term will carry over until the next Congress.

Binay, who was earlier being wooed to seek higher office in the 2022 elections, had said she had no such ambitions and would opt to remain a senator.

Her father, also a former Makati City mayor, was defeated in the 2016 presidential elections and also lost his bid for a congressional seat in his home city in 2019.

The Binay patriarch’s other daughter, Abigail Binay, is the mayor of Makati.