EL Shaddai leader Bro. Mike Velarde has called on Filipinos to unite behind the country’s next set of leaders to be elected in May.
He told his followers that the message of hope and unity the UniTeam tandem of former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte has been spreading has encouraged him to support them.
“Matagal nang lumapit sa akin yan dalawa na yan…it’s time for us Filipinos to be united. After all, napagbigyan natin yung mga kalaban ni (Ferdinand) Marcos nang maraming taon, baka naman itong dalawa may magawang mabuti para sa bayan. That’s why I have chosen them,” the El Shaddai leader said.
“Open-minded sila at bata pa. Panahon na para tayong mga Pilipino ay magkaisa,” Velarde said.
Velarde announced his endorsement of the Marcos-Duterte ticket during his group’s weekly prayer assembly on Saturday.
He said the next leaders would need the cooperation of every sector of the population to solve the country’s problems.
“Kailangan masolusyunan nila. Kaya lang hindi nila puwedeng gawin ‘yon kung walang suportar ang bayan. Kaya kailangan magkaisa tayo, suportahan ang sinumang namumuno sa atin. Yan ang personal policy at philosophy ko,” he said.
Marcos and Duterte thanked Velarde and El Shaddai for their support and echoed his call for unity.
“Alam namin na hindi biro ang aming hinaharap. At kung sakaling kami ang pipiliin ng mga Pilipino sa Mayo, kakaharapin namin ang tiyak na mas malalaki pang hamon. Pero naniniwala ako na walang hamon o pagsubok o problema na hindi kayang solusyunan o lampasan sa pamamagitan ng ating pagkakaisa,” Mayor Duterte said.
Duterte said she would pursue the programs of her father, President Duterte, if she and Marcos were elected in May, including coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic responses and the campaign against illegal drugs.