MANILA - Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte on Friday said her regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) will forge alliances with other political parties.

This as she confirmed that there is growing interest from politicians outside the party's registered region to join. This development came ahead of the 2019 midterm elections.

The mayor, daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, however, maintained that the party would remain a regional party for the Davao Region.

"HNP is a Region XI political party. HNP was not made to go on a national level. We just wanted to create a strong Region XI. We did not foresee this growing interest of other politicians from other regions," Duterte told ABS-CBN News.

"It will be a difficult decision to go national and I am not ready to decide on it right now. Even the other officers are not keen on deciding on this. But we are set to create alliances with other groups to help each other.”

Pressed further on what groups the HNP is eyeing for an alliance, Mayor Duterte said: “I do not have the list with me. There are no talks with national parties, only local parties.”

Deputy Speaker Rolando Andaya Jr. on Thursday said there were lawmakers set to abandon ruling party PDP-Laban in favor of a possible coalition between the former Lakas party and HNP.

• Lawmakers may leave PDP-Laban to join Sara Duterte's party

The Davao mayor was said to have been instrumental in the dramatic ouster of Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as House Speaker on Monday, when former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was installed as the new House leader.

Mayor Duterte and Alvarez had figured in a spat earlier this year, when she lashed out at the lawmaker for accusing her of being part of the opposition for creating HNP.

• Arroyo speakership proves Sara Duterte's political prowess: opposition solon