NPC formalizes support for Romualdez as next House speaker

NPC Chairman and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and House Majority Leader Martin G. Romualdez (Photo from Lakas-CMD).

MANILA, Philippines — The Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) is now formally supporting the bid of  House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez as the next speaker of the House of Representatives.

NPC chairman and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III formalized party’s support during a fellowship dinner at the Makati Diamond Residences on Saturday evening.

“With the authority given to me, I hereby declare that the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) in the House of Representatives will support the speakership of Martin Romualdez. I mentioned it before, but tonight (Saturday) we make it official,” Sotto was quoted as saying.

“We assure you (party members) that this party has always been there, strong, will remain strong and under the leadership of the new speaker Martin Romualdez, I’m sure that we will have a very good 19th Congress in the House of Representatives,” he added.

Romualdez thanked Sotto for reiterating the NPC’s support for his speakership bid.

“Salamat po sa (to the) NPC, sa (to) chairperson, Senate President Tito Sotto. As you know I have always admired you from a far because at the Lower House, we would always watch what you would do, a true leader, a consensus-builder,” Romualdez was also quoted as saying during the fellowship dinner.

“You have steered the Senate through troubled waters and you always navigated [in the right direction]. That’s why we admire you and the party, the NPC that you symbolize and represent. Maraming-maraming salamat po sa lahat ng tulong at suporta (Thank you very much for the help and support),” he said.

Romualdez added that the upper and lower chamber of Congress will have a great partnership in the next administration.

“We will have a great partnership with the Senate and of course in consonance with the legislative agenda of the [incoming] administration. I am sure that at the heels of this pandemic, we will be at the road to recovery not just health wise, but economically, that’s what we look forward,” he pointed out.

Romualdez — president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats and first cousin of presumptive president Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. — received support from several other parties such as the National Unity Party, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan, the Nacionalista Party, and Hugpong ng Pagbabago.

/MUF