Presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos and running mate Sara Duterte (Photo courtesy of UniTeam) MANILA - The camp of presidential candidate Bongbong Marcos welcomed on Thursday the endorsement of the National Unity Party (NUP). Marcos' spokesperson Vic Rodriguez described this as an affirmation of the UniTeam's "movement for national unity and nation-building". "The endorsement of the NUP confirms that our movement for national unity and nation-building which started as a mere whisper, is now a crescendoing national chorus," he said in a statement. "With deep sense of humility and gratitude, we extend our appreciation to the leadership and members of the NUP for placing their trust on presidential frontrunner Bongbong Marcos to fulfill the common vision- one nation, one future," he added. The NUP endorsed Marcos's presidential bid on Thursday, saying his "call for unity as the basic strategy for economic recovery amidst the continuing Covid-19 pandemic and global uncertainties is consistent and supportive of the NUP's primary vision of 'one nation, one future.'" "We call upon all our Party members to join hands with former Senator Marcos in bringing our country and people to continued prosperity and progress," it added. The NUP, formed in 2010, is currently led by Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. Earlier, the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), Reform Party (RP), and the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) faction under Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi also backed the Marcos-Duterte tandem. Rodriguez said the bandwagon of support of major political parties for the Marcos-Duterte UniTeam "is truly reassuring." He said despite all the national surveys indicate a runaway advantage for Marcos, "we cannot be complacent as the forces that try to put him down ever since, has not cease, and apparently has even intensified their gutter ways." (PNA) }