NEWLY elected Speaker Martin G. Romualdez on Monday assured members of the House of Representatives and their constituents of a “fair share” in the distribution of national resources.

“As your Speaker, I vow to attend to all the concerns of your constituents. I shall try to be as fair as possible and favor no one,” Romualdez told his colleagues after thanking them for electing him as their leader.

“There will be fair and equitable distribution of resources for [the] development of our regions, regardless of political affiliation. Every Filipino family must be included in any development agenda. No one gets left behind,” he said.

The new House leader said his office would be “always available to all Representatives of our people,” be they from the majority or from the minority.

“Priority will be given to those willing to share the aspirations of their constituents with me,” he added.

Before tackling serious business in his remarks, he thanked House members “for the honor of choosing me to serve as your Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 19th Congress.”

“I gladly accept your trust and confidence with the promise that we will collectively work to make the 19th Congress the best it can possibly be,” he said.

The new Speaker also expressed his deep gratitude to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. “for having espoused the message of unity, and for supporting the House, its leadership and its legislative agenda,” and to Education Secretary and Vice President Sara Z. Duterte, who personally witnessed his election and oath-taking.

He likewise thanked his wife, Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez of the Tingog Party-list, his mother Juliette Gomez Romualdez, his children, and the rest of his family for their “support and sacrifices.”

He acknowledged former Speaker and Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco for the accomplishments of the 18th Congress, in which he served as House majority leader.

“I would like, of course, to thank my immediate past predecessor, Speaker Lord Allan J. Velasco. With all the legislative agenda that we accomplished together, he’s too responsible for the refurbishment of the most beautiful session hall that we have today, thank you, Speaker, and to (former) Secretary General Dong Mendoza,” Romualdez said.

“Rather than I set the position, I ask you all to accept the duty of service to the people, for you and I can move together as a team as we had in the previous Congress, and in unity, there is strength,” the new Speaker told his colleagues.

He impressed upon them the challenges they collectively face ahead.

“I am deeply elated beyond words for the trust and confidence you have reposed upon me. Your unqualified support has overwhelmed me, and with high hopes that together, we shall hurdle the challenges that we face at this stage of the COVID -19 pandemic,” he said.

“We are confident that with the unity that our President has espoused, we can actually overcome the crippling effects of this pandemic, political differences, or the impacts of the Ukrainian war,” he said.

He said though their task may be daunting, “our synergy is the seed that will nurture us for the next three years.”

“We will work together to ensure that the House of Representatives truly embodies the will of the people. We will work hand-in-hand to ensure the swift passage of House measures that are needed by the people and would support development across all sectors of society and different levels of government. With unity of purpose, there is nothing that we cannot do,” Romualdez stressed.