BACOOR City Mayor Lani Mercado Revilla and Davao de Oro Rep. Manuel “Way Kurat” E. Zamora on Wednesday afternoon led 17 local government officials who joined the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) and were appointed as party heads in their respective provinces.

With Zamora’s entry to Lakas-CMD, the party’s total strength in the House of Representatives is now 48, of which 26 are district congressmen and 22 are party-list allies.

Lakas-CMD President and House Majority Leader Martin G. Romualdez of Leyte administered the oath to Revilla, Zamora and 15 others.

“Lakas-CMD party is growing stronger and better every day. Our focus now is to use the party’s strength to help our people in this time of COVID 2019 (coronavirus disease-19) pandemic,” Romualdez, chairman of the House Committee on Rules, said at the virtual oath-taking of the new members.

“Thank you, despite the pandemic, we are here working very hard to strengthen our party. Welcome to the ever growing Lakas-CMD,” Romualdez said as he reiterated Lakas-CMD’s support to pass President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte’s remaining legislative agenda in the next 14 months of his administration.

“With Lakas-CMD gaining momentum in the House of Representatives, our party will continue working closely with Speaker Lord Allan Velasco to wrap up the approval of the entire legislative agenda of President Duterte before our term ends in 2022,” said Romualdez, a lawyer from the University of the Philippines (UP) and president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa).

Revilla, formerly with the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), is the wife of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla who chairs the Lakas-CMD.

Zamora maintains his membership with the regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) led by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as chairperson.

The leadership of the Lakas-CMD appointed Mayor Revilla as Cavite’s provincial chairperson while Zamora as party head of Davao de Oro’s province.

The following are 13 others who joined the Lakas-CMD and were appointed as provincial chair of their respective provinces: former Occidental Mindoro Rep. Amelita Villarosa; ex-Batanes Rep. Carlo Oliver Diasnes; Glan, Sarangani Mayor Vivien Yap; Antique Board Member Emmanual Palacios Jr.; former Buluan, Maguindanao Mayor Ibrahim “Jong” Mangudadatu; Aklan Board Member Nelson Santamaria; Sittie Aminah Quibranza Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte; Cotabato Board Member Shirlyn D. Macasarte-Villanueva; Aurora Board Member Philip “Butch” Bautista; Anthony Wooden of Mountain Province; retired Police Col. Ronald Joseph Ocaya of Zamboanga del Norte; Passi City, Iloilo Vice Mayor Jesry Palmares; and Nueva Valencia, Guimaras Mayor Emmanuel Galila.

The Lakas-CMD also named Ma. Alana Samantha Taliño Santos as party head of Region 12 and Councilor Ralph Ryan H. Rafael as chairman of Cotabato’s Third District. Santos and Rafael also joined the party Wednesday.

Lakas-CMD in the House of Representatives is composed of Lakas-CMD Vice President for Luzon and Deputy Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo of Pampanga, Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Wilter “Sharky” Wee Palma II, Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero “Butch” Pichay Jr., Lanao del Sur Rep. Yasser Balindong, Deputy Majority Leader and Pangasinan Rep. Christopher “Toff” de Venecia, Quezon Rep. Aleta Suarez, Lapu-Lapu City Rep. Paz Radaza, Negros Occidental Rep. Marilou Arroyo, Misamis Oriental Rep. Christian Unabia, former House Majority Leader and Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro, Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles, Catanduanes Rep. Hector Sanchez, Camiguin Rep. Xavier Jesus “XJ” Romualdo, Dinagat Islands Rep. Alan Ecleo, Southern Leyte Rep. Roger “Oging” Mercado, Biliran Rep. Gerardo “Gerryboy” Espina Jr., Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman, Quezon City Rep. Anthony Peter “Onyx” Crisologo, Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe, Cavite Rep. Strike Revilla, Isabela Rep. Antonio “Tonypet” Albano, Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Leonardo L. Babasa Jr., Cagayan Rep. Samantha Louise Vargas Alfonso and Davao Occidental Rep. Lorna Bautista-Bandigan.

The 22 Lakas-CMD allies from the party-list bloc include Tingog Rep. Yedda Marie Kittilstvedt Romualdez, Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor, Ako Bisaya Rep. Sonny “SL” Lagon, Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin, Alona Rep. Ana Marie Villaraza-Suarez, Ako Bicol Rep. Elizalde Co, Ako Padayon Pilipino Rep. Adriano Ebcas, CWS Rep. Romeo Momo, Sr., GP Rep. Jose Gay Padiernos, Philreca Rep. Presyley de Jesus, Recobodan Rep. Godofredo Guya, TGP Rep. Jose Teves, TUCP Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza, Magsasaka Rep. Argel Cabatbat, Deputy Speaker and Sagip Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, Ang Probinsyano Alfred Delos Santos, APEC Rep. Sergio Dagooc, Senior Citizens Rep. Rodolfo M. Ordanes, Duterte Youth Rep. Ducielle Marie S. Cardema, BHW Rep. Angelina Natasha Co, LPGMA Rep. Allan Ty, and DUMPER PTDA Rep. Claudine Diana D. Bautista.

Lakas-CMD had produced two chief executives, namely former Presidents Fidel V. Ramos and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who also served as Speaker during the 17th Congress.