The National Unity Party (NUP), the country’s third largest political party, will hold its national convention on Monday (September 28, 2015) with over 500 delegates and guests expected at the gathering.

Deputy Speaker Roberto Puno, the chairman of the NUP National Congress, will open the convention and formally welcome the party delegates and guests.  Bataan Governor Albert Garcia, the president of the NUP Central Committee, will preside over the convention, which was called to consider and adopt proposed resolutions of the party in connection with the 2016 national and local elections.

These include resolutions creating a special committee tasked to negotiate a coalition agreement between the NUP and political parties for the 2016 elections, and another on the selection of national candidates to be supported by the party next year.

Dasmarinas City Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr., the NUP vice president for external affairs, said the party had invited the three declared presidential bets—Vice   President Jejomar Binay, former Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas and Senator Grace Poe—to speak before the convention and present their respective platforms of government.

Barzaga said the invitation extended to the three candidates was part of the process being undertaken by the NUP in selecting the presidential bet that  it will support next year.

“We have invited them altogether in one day in the spirit of  fairness,” Barzaga said.

“They should come personally. They can’t have representatives. If they can’t make it, that is not our concern anymore. But if you are invited by an important group and they think that our support will be material to their candidacy, I think they will be coming,” Barzaga added.

He said that Poe was invited  to speak at 10:30 AM, followed by Binay at 11:30 AM and Roxas at 1:30 PM.

Barzaga said the party would decide by October, as they would still have to consider the candidate’s running mate, senatorial slate, and platforms.