Atienza longs for young, dynamic Speaker with no past ‘baggage’

MANILA, Philippines — The next House Speaker for the 18th Congress should be young and with a fresh outlook on leadership,  Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza said on Wednesday.

For Atienza, the successor of current Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should not be carrying “baggage of the past” in order not to affect the House leadership.

“In the choice for Speaker, I want a new name. I want a younger Speaker. I would vote for somebody who has more potential in the leadership of the House,” Atienza said in a weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay news forum.

“I’m sure they would be more open and hindi sila affected by [the baggage] in the past. Kapag ang nanalo kasi is may tali sa likod ng nakaraan, magiging defensive yan,” he added.

PBA Rep. Jericho Nograles earlier said that party-list congressmen are now only choosing between Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco.

READ: Party-list coalition’s choice for speaker down to Velasco, Romualdez  – solon

With this, Atienza noted that it’s time for the public to have “new name” as leaders of the House who would make “stellar roles in our decision making.”

According to Atienza, he senses that the 18th Congress will go for a younger, newer name with “fresh ideas.”

“Romualdez, Marcos, Aquino tama na muna yan. I want a ‘Juan dela Cruz,’ mga bagong pangalan sa larangan ng pulitika at paghuhubog ng ating gobyerno,” Atienza said, while noting that Romualdez is a friend of his.

“Otherwise, year in, year out, decades here and decades there, where are we? We’re nowhere. We’re moving backwards. We have to move forward,” he added. (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)