Speaker Belmonte gets fresh mandate

MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City 4th District Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. will reprise his role as the Speaker of the House of Representatives after a majority of the congressmen on Monday voted for him.

Belmonte was elected overwhelmingly after achieving 245 votes. His landslide and repeat victory has been expected by many.



Western Samar 1st District Rep. Mel Senen Sarmiento nominated Belmonte.

Two other lawmakers were nominated for the House Speakership - San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Zamora obtained 18 votes while Romualdez got 16.



The House session started around 10 a.m. with Secretary General Marilyn Barua Yap presiding over the proceedings and with Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales acting as Floor Leader.

A total of 267 congressmen responded to the roll call.

In the 15th Congress, Belmonte was also overwhelmingly elected as House Speaker. Prior to that, he held the lower chamber's top post from Jan. 24, 2001 to June of that same year.

During the recent May 13 elections, Belmonte was re-elected as the fourth district representative of Quezon City, where he served as mayor from 2001 to 2010.

Belmonte is a known ally of President Benigno Aquino III. Earlier in the day, Senator Franklin Drilon, another Aquino ally, was elected as Senate President.

The House of Representatives is set to conduct a joint session with the Senate later in the afternoon to hear the President's State of the Nation Address.