LEYTE 1st District Representative Martin G. Romualdez is the most qualified member of the House of Representatives to lead the chamber in the 19th Congress, according to lawmakers who nominated him and those who supported his nomination for the top House post.

It was Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos who nominated Romualdez, while several other colleagues, including Rep. Ralph Recto of Batangas, seconded the nomination.

Romualdez served as Majority Leader in the 18th Congress and was the only candidate for the top House post.

In his remarks, Marcos said he was endorsing the Leyte congressman for the speakership not because of “familial relations” but on the strength of his qualifications.

“With ‘Unity’ at the core of the government as our shared vision for the next six years, the House of Representatives requires – now more than ever – a leader that embodies inclusivity, possesses unquestionable competency, and feels genuinely for the people we are all duty-bound to serve,” Marcos said.

“In his twelve solid years of legislative experience, he is best known as a consensus-builder. Regarded with great affection and respect by most if not all members of this institution, no matter where they are on the political spectrum. We know that it is not an easy feat for a person to listen to and consolidate support from more than 300 elected officials, all of whom are leaders in their own right, yet Representative Romualdez seems to have found this balance,” Marcos said.

Marcos added that his nominee “listens to and values the opinion of everyone and works hard.”

“Because of this positive trait, he, along with other members of the 18th Congress, were able to usher with expediency the two critical Bayanihan bills in the House of Representatives during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, just when the country needed these laws the most,” he stressed.

“With him as the House Majority Leader, Congress was able to pass laws supportive of economic growth, such as the CREATE Law, as well as measures amending the Public Service Act and the Foreign Investments Act of 1991. Such accomplishments have shown that he is able to strike a healthy equilibrium between economic interests and public welfare,” he said.

He said Romualdez’s qualifications to become Speaker “are beyond sufficient to lead us to great heights.”

“To say that he has not worked his way up through various positions in Congress would be a grave injustice to the effort he has put into his role throughout his 12 years as a legislator,” he said.

The Ilocos Norte lawmaker pointed out that Romualdez is well-loved by his constituents in the first district of Leyte.

“He is popular for his meaningful community programs and initiatives that positively impact the lives of many of his constituents. Should he be the next leader of the House of Representatives, we can only expect with much enthusiasm that his genuine interest and compassion for people will be reflective of the facets that the 19th Congress hopes to possess,” he said.

In supporting Marcos’ nomination of the Leyte congressman for the speakership, Recto, a former senator, said: “Representative Romualdez can shepherd the bills that can help our country as skillfully as he can stop the ones that harm our people.”

“He knows the policies that need to be crafted and the pragmatism to get them passed. I am confident that with him, a constitutionalist, at the helm, he will keep the plenary a hospitable space for all opinions while keeping the conveyor belt of laws moving,” Recto said.

Recto said Romualdez is the Speaker, the country and the House need to “marshal our collective will and wisdom in tackling the brave and bold things that must be done.”

Recto described the former Majority Leader as “a workhorse, in a political culture which tempts many to become show horses.”

“While others chase headlines, he searches for good bills instead, and whenever he finds one, he does not loudly annotate a work in progress through tweets, but lets the finished product speak for itself. Well, brilliance has no need for a bullhorn,” he said.

He said Romualdez has “mastered” the process of consultation and consensus.

“He will act on bills promptly, because a people tired of being promised can no longer afford to wait while allowing full discussion because a legislature ceases to be deliberative when it begins to shun debate,” he stressed.