SURIGAO del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers on Monday congratulated President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. and Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez for their successful participation in the recent World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

Barbers also said the presence of Speaker Romualdez is evidence of the unity of the government in seeking foreign investments to sustain the country’s economic growth momentum.

He added Speaker Romualdez as well as other lawmakers’ attendance in the Davos forum presented an unmistakable signal of a concerted government effort, enabling President Marcos to deliver a persuasive pitch for the Philippines as an ideal investment destination.

“The President’s job of convincing foreign businessmen to invest here would be easier if he impresses them with a government that is acting as one in welcoming them. Congratulations President Marcos and Speaker Romualdez,” Barbers said.

Barbers said no investor in his right mind would sink his money in a nation with a fractious national leadership.

He added that the Speaker’s presence is especially important in presidential visits abroad as he could immediately respond to legislative concerns.

Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr. commended Speaker Romualdez for participating in the WEF and in other foreign and local presidential trips.

“There is nothing wrong for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to invite and for the Speaker to accept his invitation to join him in his visits. The President obviously wants him there so that a leader of Congress could immediately answer legislation-related questions,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales said as the top leader of the House of Representatives, the Speaker could make commitments for the larger chamber of Congress insofar as needed legislation is concerned.

He added the Marcos administration is apparently taking the whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach that other countries have adopted in addressing national issues.

“This tack has proven effective in addressing domestic concerns, as it calls for the collaboration of all sectors. The presence of the Speaker in presidential trips is proof of the cooperation and partnership of the executive and legislative branches of government,” Gonzales stressed.

Such cooperation results in faster passage of laws needed for national development and economic growth like the set of priority administration bills recently approved by the House on third and final reading, he added.

He pointed out that President Marcos’ job of convincing foreign businessmen to invest here would be easier if he impresses them with a government that is acting as one in welcoming them.

“No investor in his right mind would sink his money in a nation with a fractious national leadership,” the Pampanga lawmaker said.

He said the Speaker’s presence is especially important in local presidential visits as he could immediately respond to legislative concerns.

President Marcos Jr. himself has defended Romualdez’s presence in his trips.

Asked about the issue by journalists accompanying him in Davos, the President said, “That’s easy to answer. For example, the Speaker needs to be here and that also includes Senator Mark Villar, because we have to present members of the legislature because of all of these changes in policy that we are talking about.”

“Let’s say you talk to a potential investor, and they will say ‘your laws are not good, it hampers our business, and it’s not a good law, et cetera, et cetera.’ So at least we have the legislators here who
can say: ‘Well, we can do something about it or no, that is important to us that we maintain it, et cetera, et cetera’. Because legislation is an important part of what we are doing,” he said.

President Marcos Jr. himself has defended Romualdez’s presence in his trips.

Asked about the issue by journalists accompanying him in Davos, the President said, “That’s easy to answer. For example, the Speaker needs to be here and that also includes Senator Mark Villar, because we have to present members of the legislature because of all of these changes in policy that we are talking about.”

“Let’s say you talk to a potential investor, and they will say ‘your laws are not good, it hampers our business, and it’s not a good law, et cetera, et cetera.’ So at least we have the legislators here who can say: ‘Well, we can do something about it or no, that is important to us that we maintain it, et cetera, et cetera’. Because legislation is an important part of what we are doing,” he said.