MANILA, Philippines — Expect unity to be the theme of the incoming 19th Congress, which is likely to be headed in the House of Representatives by Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez, who encourages harmony among opposing power blocs in the next administration.
“Again, we are following the theme, the message and the desire of the incoming administration of President Bongbong Marcos of unity,” Romualdez, a cousin of Marcos, said after he was endorsed as the next House speaker by the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. (PCFI) during its gathering in Rockwell, Makati City last Saturday.
Deputy Speaker Mikee Romero of 1Pacman party-list announced that the PCFI, which he heads, is “throwing our full support to the leadership of our new Speaker Martin Romualdez.”
As of yesterday, 239 of the 300-member have expressed their support for Romualdez whose bid for the speakership was initially backed by former president and speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Votes from Arroyo’s and Romualdez’s re-emerging power bloc Lakas-CMD, in which she is chairman emeritus and he is president, are expected to reach 29. Add to that the 60 votes from the PCFI and 34 from the National Unity Party (NUP) that first endorsed him.
Thirty-nine votes are expected from the Nacionalista bloc represented by Deputy Speaker Camille Villar; 62 from the ruling PDP-Laban of President Duterte; nine from the Liberal Party and six from presumptive vice president Sara Duterte’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago.
NPC support
Even the 32-member Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) of the late tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. is now on board.
A manifesto of support from the NPC was personally handed by its secretary general, former Batangas representative Mark Llandro Mendoza, to Romualdez during the party’s luncheon meeting in Makati City yesterday.
Part of it read: “We firmly believe that Hon. Romualdez has the experience and aptitude that will effectively unify the House of Representatives in the passage of important and crucial legislative reforms for the country and the Filipino people.”
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who chairs the NPC, said their support came following consultations with party members in the House.
Romualdez was quick to acknowledge and thank the NPC for its endorsement. “With NPC’s declaration of support, the new administration has now a clear supermajority in the House of Representatives, which is crucial in pushing for legislative measures needed to move our country forward,” he said.
Many view Arroyo’s endorsement as having helped Romualdez establish a supermajority coalition in the chamber ahead of the opening of the new Congress on July 25, when Marcos delivers his first State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Reelected Reps. Joey Salceda (Albay), LRay Villafuerte (Camarines Sur), Johnny Pimentel (Surigao del Sur) and Alan Ecleo (Dinagat Islands), as well the presumptive president’s son neophyte Rep. Sandro Marcos of Ilocos Norte have made known their preference for Romualdez.
“He gets things done, even the most difficult reforms like the Public Service Act for example. He has so many laurels to his credit. A Romualdez speakership will be an asset to a Marcos administration,” Salceda said.
“Congressman Martin is a consensus builder. The fact that he remained the majority leader even with the change in leadership in the House proves this,” Villafuerte said.
“Congressman Romualdez is highly competent. His track record as House majority leader speaks for itself,” Pimentel, chairperson of the House strategic intelligence committee, said.
Ecleo also chimed in, saying: “We in Dinagat Islands welcome a House leadership under Rep. Romualdez, as he was instrumental in facilitating crucial support to our province throughout the pandemic and especially after the devastation of typhoon Odette.”
“I hope to learn from all of you,” the younger Marcos said when he addressed the PCFI. “I hope that we, all together unified, can push the legislative agenda of our incoming President Bongbong Marcos.” – Elizabeth Marcelo, Paolo Romero