NEW LAKAS-CMD MEMBERS. LAKAS-CMD President and House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin G. Romualdez administers Thursday afternoon the oath to Caloocan Representative-elect Dean Asistio (right), Manila Representative-elect Irwin Tieng (2nd from right), Manila Representative-elect Ernesto “Ernix” Dionisio Jr. (center) and Quezon City Representative-elect Patrick Michael “PM” Vargas as new party members at Lakas-CMD Headquarters in Mandaluyong City.
MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-three members of the House of Representatives in the incoming 19th Congress have signed up with Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), bringing the party’s strength in the Lower House to 50.
House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez, Lakas-CMD president, administered the oath to the new partymembers at theirheadquarters in Mandaluyong City Thursday afternoon.
“We are elated that our colleagues chose to be with us in Lakas-CMD. We look forward to having a fruitful engagement with them and sharing the values and advocacies we have followed and pursued as one of the
biggest political parties in the country,” said Romualdez.
Romualdez said the new members’ decision to join Lakas-CMD would strengthen support in the House for the legislative agenda of the incoming administration of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
He gave assurance to the newly inducted members that the party’s leadership would serve them well.
Among the new Lakas-CMD members are Reps. David “Jayjay” C. Suarez (Quezon), Patrick Michael “PM” D. Vargas (Quezon City), Dean Asistio (Caloocan City), Faustino “Inno” Dy V (Isabela), Marlyn “Len” B. Alonte (Biñan City, Laguna), Emmarie “Lolypop” M. Ouano-Dizon (Mandaue City), Cheeno D. Almario (Davao Oriental), Francisco Jose “Bingo” F. Matugas II (Surigao del Norte), Samier A. Tan (Sulu), Jurdin Jesus “JJ” M. Romualdo (Camiguin), Dimple Mastura (Maguindanao), Christopherson Yap (Southern Leyte), Irwin Tieng (Manila), Midy Cua (Quirino), Ernix Dionisio (Manila), Edsel Galeos (Cebu), Jinky Bitrics Luistro (Batangas), Arnan C. Panaligan (Oriental Mindoro), Doris E. Maniquiz (Zambales), Joseph Tan (Isabela), Faustino Michael Carlos T. Dy III (Isabela), Jojo Lara (Cagayan) and Steve Solon (Sarangani).
Those who physically took their oath before Romualdez were Vargas, Dionisio, Tieng, Asistio, Tan, Inno Dy, Cua, Maniquiz, Yap, Romualdo, Almario, and Tan while other lawmakers signed their oath of membership.
Camiguin Governor-elect Xavier Jesus “XJ” Romualdo, incoming Santiago City, Isabela Mayor Alyssa Sheena P. Tan and Zamboanga City Mayor John M. Dalipe also joined the Lakas-CMD’s physical oathtaking.
Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Wilter “Sharky” Palma II, the Lakas-CMD’s deputy secretary general, said they expected members of the incoming House to gravitate toward their party since it was at the forefront of the campaign that led to the landslide victory of the UniTeam tandem of Marcos and his running mate Vice President-elect Sara Duterte.
Palma noted that the President-elect himself has acknowledged Lakas-CMD’s contribution to the success of the campaign.
“Of course how can I talk about this (victory) without talking about ang ginawa ng tulong ng Lakas, at syempre headed ng ating majority floor leader, Congressman Martin, who looks set to be the next Speaker,” said Marcos during a thanksgiving party.
The affiliation of the 23 new members akso bolstered Romualdez’s bid for the speakership of the next Congress.
The other political party-endorsers of Romualdez include PDP-Laban, National Unity Party (NUP), Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Nacionalista Party (NP), Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), Party-List Coalition Foundation, Inc., other parties, the group of independents, and the group of neophyte or first-term lawmakers.
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