WITH the blessings of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban ng Bayan or PDP-Laban is supporting the bid of Majority Leader Martin Romualdez as next Speaker of the 19th Congress.

Led by Energy Secretary and PDP-Laban president Alfonso Cusi, the officers and members of the ruling party personally met Romualdez to express their support.

Just recently, major political parties such as Nacionalista Party (NP); National Unity Party (NUP); Nationalist People’s Coalition and Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc (PCFI) have already threw their support to Romualdez.

Romualdez was anointed by presumptive president Bongbong Marcos Jr to be the next Congress Speaker of the House.

According to the PDP Laban, Romualdez has supported the administration of President Duterte, the PDP-Laban’s chairman, for the last six years.

“His track record speaks for itself. At very crucial moments, Cong Romualdez supported Pres Duterte in the enactment of important laws such as the 2 Bayanihan Program Act of 2021, and the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, and the Liberalization Act of 2000, most hard-working members of Congress,” Cusi said.

“We believe that Cong Romualdez can bring the various political parties and blocs in the House of Representatives together to continue the legacy programs of the Duterte administration as well as shepherd in Congress the vision of President-elect Bongbong for a more progressive Philippines,” he added.

The PDP Laban has 65 newly elected members in the House of Representatives.

The members stressed that Romualdez has the capacity to unite and lead Congress for the passage of significant laws and initiatives for the benefit of the Filipino people.

Cusi added that the closeness of Romualdez and Marcos is good to the country as more laws and resolutions addressing people’s concern will be enacted.

“Siyempre, if you are close with the executive mapapadali mapasa ang mga urgent measures, that we need, magaling yun para sa ating bansa at sa ating mga kababayan,” he added.

Romualdez thanked PDP-Laban members for their support.

“I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to my colleagues. Your gesture today (Thursday) will strengthen our efforts to unify the House and the people we all represent behind the incoming administration of presumptive President Bongbong Marcos,” Romualdez said.

Romualdez added that the next Congress will prioritize the passage of presumptive President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s legislative agenda.

“More importantly, we are trying to ensure that the priority legislation of the incoming President, President-elect BBM will be aided and supported with measures that will allow him to pursue his agenda for the people,” Romualdez told reporters in an ambush interview.

Romualdez added the next Congress is eyeing the passage of Bayanihan-type of legislation to be called Bayan Bangon Muli (BBM) and resetting of the scheduled December barangay elections to save P8 billion that can be used to fight the pandemic.

“It was (presumptive) President Marcos’ initials, BBM or Bayan Bangon Muli bill stimulus package that will allow the incoming President to harness the resources available during the closing period of 2022 and [pass] measures that are needed for the pandemic, hopefully endemic stage of this COVID,” Romualdez said.

“Isa po sa hinaing (ang resetting of barangay polls) ng barangay chairpersons na na-met natin sa Liga ng mga Barangays, so we shall consider that,” Romualdez said. By Jester Manalastas