FILE PHOTO: House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez. INQUIRER
MANILA, Philippines — The Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc. (PCFI) has endorsed House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez as Speaker of the 19th Congress.
The PCFI also announced during a gathering on Saturday in Makati City that Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy Co will be taking over the PCFI’s helm.
The announcements are expected to have a significant impact in the 19th Congress.
“We, the Partylist Representatives elected for the 19th Congress, hereby affix our signatures in this joint statement to endorse Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (Leyte, 1st District) for Speaker in the 19th Congress. We recognize the vital role played by Rep. Martin Romualdez, in his capacity as House Majority Leader for three years, in making the 18th Congress one of the most productive ever. His work ethic and proven ability as consensus builder enabled the House of Representatives to enact important pieces of legislation that shielded our economy and our people from the devastating effects of a global pandemic,” read a manifestation of support prepared and signed by the party-list solons.
“We firmly believe that Rep. Martin Romualdez, once elected Speaker of the 19th Congress, will be able to unite different political parties in the House of Representatives in support of the incoming President’s legislative agenda. We also issue this statement to pledge our commitment in support of the legislative agenda to be presented by President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos, Jr. in the opening of the 19th Congress on the fourth Monday of July this year.”
Deputy Speaker and 1-Pacman party-list Rep. Mikee Romero is the present PCFI president.
According to the PCFI solons, Romualdez who is the president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party, will be able to answer the call of the country to craft laws and policies that will aid in the recovery of its economy.
Meanwhile, a separate manifestation of support justified the party-list lawmakers’ choice of Co as PCFI president.
“We, the Partylist Representatives elected for the 19th Congress, hereby affix our signatures in this joint statement to commit ourselves in support of Rep. Elizaldy Co (Ako Bicol) for President of the Partylist Coalition in the House of Representatives.
With Rep. Co leading our Coalition, we are one in the belief that the Partylist Representatives will unite as a solid group and a potent bloc in Congress- a move necessary to push for advocacies that our respective constituents expect from us,” the second manifestation read.
“We also issue this statement to pledge our commitment in support of the legislative agenda to be presented by President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos, Jr. in the opening of the 19th Congress on the fourth Monday of July this year.”
The PCFI is the biggest political bloc in the House of Representatives in the current 18th Congress.