Three more governors, including Albay Governor Greco Lagman, have joined the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), the political party of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday night.

Davao De Oro Governor Dorothy Gonzaga, and Aurora Governor Christian Noveras took their oaths of allegiance to the PFP before the party’s National President, South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., at a hotel in Pasig City.

Lagman said he asked the permission of his father, Liberal Party president and Albay 1st District Representative Edcel Lagman, before joining the PFP. Before switching, he used to be part of Aksyon Demokratiko.

“He told me, ‘You’re your own man, Grex. You know what is best for your province’ and I think that a local chief executive is only as good as his relationship with the chief executive,” said Lagman.

Tamayo welcomed the new additions to their party, saying he was instructed by President Marcos, who serves as the PFP’s National Chairman, to strengthen their local base.

Tamayo sees a total of around 40 governors joining the PFP, which he says would give them a supermajority.

“Ang pinaka-importante lang naman ‘yung support talaga ng local government sa direksyon ng national government. Kasi pag hindi mo na-align yan, ang mangyayari dyan may duplication ng trabaho. Ginawa na ng national government, gagawin pa ng local government. Malabo at bumabagal mismo pagtakbo o pag-usad ng any development na mayroon tayo,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tamayo said he was not disappointed that Marcos again excluded federalism from his second State of the Nation Address.

“Nung pagtakbo pa lang ng pangulo, nag-usap kami about federalism. At kami mismong dalawa naniniwala na hindi ito kakayanin sa kanyang termino pero gagalaw na sa baba,” he explained.

“Hindi pwedeng madaliin. Kailangan pag trinabaho, kapag pinutok, headshot. Pag pinatakbo namin ito, naniniwala kami na mananalo talaga kami at makakamtan namin yung ultimate goal ng partido which is to convert into a federal form of government,” he added.