The Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party has formally endorsed its president, House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez, for the position of Speaker in the next Congress.
The endorsement released Monday is contained in Resolution No. 05, Series of 2022, which the party’s executive committee approved.
Presumptive Vice President Sara Duterte and Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr., who co-chair Lakas-CMD, led party officers in signing the resolution endorsing Romualdez for the top House post.
The approval of the resolution followed a previous appeal on May 14 from former President and returning Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is Lakas-CMD president emeritus, for party members to support Romualdez for the speakership.
In its resolution, the party said: “With the conclusion of the May 9, 2022 national and local elections, there is a need to set aside politics and work together for economic recovery brought on by the pandemic.”
It said Lakas-CMD has always been committed to nation building as a national political party.
“In order to be an effective partner in passing much needed legislation, the House of Representatives must be under the leadership of a strong leader. Lakas-CMD believes that its President, Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, can lead the House of Representatives into being an effective partner of the incoming (Marcos) administration,” the resolution stated.
The party resolved to endorse and support Romualdez “to run for and be voted as Speaker in the 19th Congress.”
Other parties that have declared their support for the incumbent majority leader include the ruling PDP-Laban, National Unity Party, Nacionalista Party, Liberal Party, Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc., Hugpong ng Pagbabago, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, Nationalist People’s Coalition, independents, and a group of neophyte lawmakers.
Romualdez’s endorsers now comprise an overwhelming majority of the members of the incoming House.
His supporters said he would be an asset to the administration of presumptive President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. because of his “legislative prowess” in shepherding the approval of important pieces of legislation.
In a previous statement, former President Arroyo said she and Romualdez “have been working together for decades in a joint effort to do our best to serve the Filipino people.”
She said she was “throwing my support for Majority Leader Martin Romualdez to be elected as House Speaker in the next Congress” and was urging “all members of our party to do the same.”
Other signatories were Quezon Gov. Danilo Suarez, vice chairman; Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo, executive vice president; Rep. Wilter Palma, deputy secretary general; Rep. Hector Sanchez, vice president for Luzon; Rep. Christian Unabia, VP for Mindanao; Rep. Yasser Alonto Balindong, VP for Muslim affairs;
Rep. Fredenil Castro, vice chairman; Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr., secretary general; Rep. Aleta Suarez, treasurer; Rep. Paz Radaza, VP for Visayas; Gov. Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr., VP for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao;
Public Works Secretary Roger Mercado, VP for external affairs; retired Gen. Romeo Prestoza, VP for internal affairs; Rep. Juan Fidel Felipe Nograles, spokesperson; Rep. Ma. Lourdes Arroyo, VP for social services; Rep. Gerardo Espina Jr., VP for Visayas development concerns;
Rep. Samantha Louise Alfonso, VP for overseas workers affairs; Rep. Onyx Crisologo, VP for Metro Manila development; Rep. Geraldine Roman, spokesperson; Rep. Christopher de Venecia, VP for youth affairs; Rep. Princess Rihan Sakaluran, VP for tourism affairs;
Rep. Leonardo Babasa Jr., VP for disaster resilience; Rep. Allan Ecleo, VP for agriculture and fisheries; Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe, VP
for Mindanao development concerns; Rep. Lorna Bandigan, VP for basic education; Rep. Manuel Zamora, VP for senior citizen concerns;
Rep. Sandra Eriguel, VP for health services; Rep. Tonypet Albano, VP for agriculture and food; and Rep. Luisa Cuaresma, VP for local government concerns.
