House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez. Inquirer file photo
MANILA, Philippines — A total of 287 lawmakers in the incoming 20th Congress have already signified their support for the leadership of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, according to House Assistant Majority Leader and Manila 1st District Rep. Ernesto “Ernix” Dionisio Jr.
Dionisio revealed this in a press conference on Thursday when asked if there are contenders against the House leader.
READ: House-leader-speaker-romualdez-has-supermajority-in-20th-congress/
“With the numbers that are presented in front of us, it seems that there is none,” said Dionisio in a mix of English and Filipino.
“They haven’t physically signed. But 287 total expressed their support, and 283 who physically signed the manifesto,” he explained.
This information was also confirmed by House Assistant Majority Leader and Lanao 1st District Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong.
“Anybody can actually run for the Speaker. But the question is whether that person or that Congress member has the numbers to secure the position. We have already secured 280 plus signatures supporting Speaker Martin Romualdez to be our Speaker in the 20th Congress,” he said.
Earlier, Deputy Speaker and Quezon 2nd District Rep. David “Jayjay” Suarez announced that the race for the speakership in the 20th Congress is effectively over, with Romualdez earning the support of the majority.
He added that most lawmakers commended Romualdez’s leadership in the previous Congress for the following:
- Timely passage of national budgets
- The advancement of vital economic reforms
- The House’s seamless collaboration with the executive branch
The supermajority bloc consists of members from the Liberal Party, Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), Nacionalista Party (NP), National Unity Party (NUP), Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), and the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. (PCFI). /mr