Labor party Lapiang Manggagawa (LM) will hold its national convention on Sunday in the historic landmark Manila Hotel as resigned Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. will officially accept its offer to become the party’s standard bearer for the May 2010 elections.

Coinciding with the LM’s 46th anniversary, Ebdane will also be elected by the group’s officials and members as their party chairman in preparation for next year’s presidential elections, LM founder and president lawyer Jose Malvar Villegas Jr. said.

However, Villegas ruled out the possibility that Ebdane will make his formal declaration about his presidential bid or his running mate, and other possible candidates belonging to his ticket. “We would just give him the authority to choose who would be his running mate. We would give him blanket authority to choose his running mate,” Villegas said. LM’s 2,500 strong members would converge Sunday morning at the Bonifacio Shrine beside the Manila City Hall where they would lay wreath in honor of Andres Bonifacio since he is regarded as the first labor leader who fought for the workers.

Based on the LM’s day-long program of activities, Ebdane would only deliver an acceptance speech and reportedly will not talk about his political plans during the event.

Villegas urged the Filipino electorate to adapt pro-workers development programs, and not personalities, as the main criterion for choosing the next President. “Personalities and pedigree must be relegated to the backseat in the selection of the next President in favor of programs aimed at delivering the needs of the poor, addressing their sentiments and attaining their aspirations for a better quality of life,” said Villegas, grandson of the second revolutionary president, Gen. Miguel Malvar. (Raymund F. Antonio and Edgar J. Tamayo)