DEPUTY Speaker Bernadette Herrera said she’s “grateful and humbled” as her party-list group Bagong Henerasyon (BH) is poised to be elected for another three-year term in Congress.

As of the latest count, BH ranks 34th in the party-list elections garnering 327,085 votes with 98.35% of election returns counted, enough for it to get a seat in the House of Representatives (HOR).

“We are utterly humbled by and deeply grateful to the electorate for their continued trust and confidence in BH Party-list,” Herrera said.

Herrera added: “Rest assured that we will continue and even double our efforts to provide our constituents with the best public service they deserve. BH Party-list will keep on championing women and children’s rights, consumer protection, efficient Internet, and economic recovery.”

Herrera is also grateful to her supporters, who have helped her spread the word about BH Party-list and its track record during the campaign.

“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to every single person whose dedication and sacrifice built the groundswell that was our campaign,” she said.

Herrera said she’s eager to return to Congress, where she has much work left to do.

In fact, Herrera already hit the ground running by meeting with her legislative and political staff to be able to list down her priorities for the incoming 19th Congress.

Herrera also vowed to support the legislative agenda of the next administration.

“We are ready to give our full support and extend a helping hand to the next administration in pushing for much-needed and meaningful laws that would [benefit] our countrymen,” she said.

As the first nominee of BH Party-list, Herrera will be serving her third consecutive term as a member of the Lower House.

Herrera, who has earned the moniker “Aksyonera” for getting things done fast, said BH Party-list will remain the voice of women and children and MSMEs in the legislature.

Before becoming Deputy Speaker, Herrera served as chair of the Committee on Women and Gender Equality and vice-chair of the Committee on Welfare of Children in the current 18th Congress.

In her many years in Congress, Herrera authored several laws that significantly affect women, one of which is the “105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Act”.

She also vigorously pushed for the bill banning child marriage in the country, which was recently signed into law by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

To help the country navigate through the challenges of COVID-19, Herrera co-authored the “Bayanihan” laws that granted the President additional authority to combat COVID-19 and provided for pandemic response and recovery interventions.

She also fought for a stimulus package for MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises), which are the hardest hit by COVID-19 due to the community quarantine restrictions.

The Deputy Speaker was also active in committee hearings and investigations imbued with the public interest. By Ryan Ponce Pacpaco