Former president GMA endorses Romualdez as House Speaker in next Congress
MANILA, Philippines (Update 2, 5:17 p.m.) — Former president and Pampanga congresswoman-elect Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said Saturday that she is endorsing Majority Leader Rep. Martin Romualdez (Leyte) as the next House Speaker in the 19th Congress.
Romualdez is the nephew of graft convict and former first lady Imelda Marcos and the first cousin of Sen. Imee Marcos.
Arroyo said she has been working with Romualdez for decades to serve the Filipino people. "Since 2010, our partnership involved our service as fellow members of the House of Representatives," she said in a statement.
"I would therefore like to advise the members of the Lakas-CMD (Lakas-Christian Muslim) that I am throwing my support for Majority Leader Martin Romualdez to be elected as House Speaker in the next Congress. I urge all members of our party to do the same," she added.
Former President and Congresswoman-elect Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo throws her support support for Majority Leader Martin Romualdez to be elected as House Speaker of the 19th Congress. @News5PH @onenewsph pic.twitter.com/TtLWlhG477
— Marianne Enriquez (@mariannenriquez) May 14, 2022
Arroyo is also the chair emeritus of the Lakas-CMD party, which has adopted Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., as its presidential bet- who is leading by a wide margin in the partial and unofficial tally. Likely presumptive vice president-elect Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio chairs Lakas-CMD.
Arroyo launched her bid for a congressional seat in the second district of Pampanga, and ran unopposed in this year's polls. She is set to return to the House on June 30 in time for the 19th Congress.
The National Unity Party (NUP), which is accredited as a major national political party in the 2022 elections by the poll body, earlier announced its full support to Romualdez for the speakership.
Likely presumptive president-elect Bongbong Marcos said in a May 13 thanksgiving dinner that majority floor leader Romualdez "looks to be set to be the next speaker", based on a report from Manila Bulletin.
Ruling party's endorsement
Dominant majority party PDP-Laban (Partido Demokratiko Pilipino- Lakas ng Bayan) has also endorsed Romualdez for the position, citing his track record and his potential to unite political parties and blocs to support the programs of President Rodrigo Duterte.
PDP-Laban President Alfonso Cusi, also energy secretary, said in a statement that Romualdez supported Duterte in enacting the two Bayanihan laws, the COVID-19 vaccination program act and the CREATE (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises) Act, among others.
"We [also] believe that Cong. Romualdez can bring the various political parties and blocs in the House of Representatives together to continue the legacy programs of the Duterte administration as well as shepherd in Congress the vision of President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. for a more progressive Philippines," Cusi said.
The Nacionalista party, led by former Senate President Manny Villar, has likewise thrown its support for Romualdez, noting his "outstanding performance" as the majority floor leader in the 18th Congress, where he was reported to have succeeded in "shepherding important laws and building harmony among the members of the House."
"The Nacionalista Party believes that Speaker Romualdez will be a vital cog as the incoming Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration fulfill[s] its vision of unity and prosperity for the country," Rep. Camille Villar (Las Piñas) said in a statement Saturday.
— Angelica Y. Yang with a report from News5 and OneNews.PH/Marianne Enriquez
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