MANILA - Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III gave his girlfriend Shalani Soledad a handshake and a kiss on the cheek after taking her oath as a new member of the Liberal Party (LP) on Tuesday.

Soledad and at least 100 candidates in the local elections around the country, including actor Richard Gomez, took their oath of membership before Aquino and Sen. Manuel 'Mar' Roxas, the LP candidates for president and vice-president respectively, at the LP headquarters in Cubao, Quezon City.

The couple was teased after Aquino kissed his girlfriend, as instructed by Roxas, who was directing the taking of photos during the oath taking ceremony.

Supporters and journalists shouted "Isa pa [One more]," but a shy Aquino declined.

Shalani will seek her re-election as councilor of Valenzuela City in 2010. Gomez, meanwhile, is running for congressmen in Leyte province.

Showbiz personalities who also took their membership at the LP headquarters were former celebrity couple Marjorie Barretto and Dennis Padilla.

Barretto was accompanied by re-electionist Caloocan Mayor Recom Echiverri, who is rumored to be her new sweetheart.

Aside from the stars at the oath taking ceremony, what also caught the media's eye was Misamis Governor Loreto Ocampos' decision to join the LP.

Ocampos' move is a major defection from the Lakas-Kampi-CMD since he is the president of the League of Provinces of the Philippines and a member of the ruling party's national executive committee.