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Velasco endorses Romualdez

May 17, 2022 Ryan Ponce Pacpaco 372 views

SPEAKER Lord Allan Velasco yesterday endorsed House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the next Congress.

Velasco expressed his support for his majority leader during their one-on-one meeting in Makati City.

“I believe that his election as Speaker of the 19th Congress will ensure that the legislative agenda of the incoming administration will be pursued and completed. Majority Leader Romualdez has my support and friendship,” Velasco said.

He thanked the reelected representative of the first district of Leyte for helping him shepherd the House in the outgoing 18th Congress.

“I would like to sincerely thank Majority Leader Martin Romualdez for being our steady partner and ally in the 18th Congress. His strong leadership and support as our Majority Leader was crucial to the passage of relevant and timely pandemic-response measures and the approval of important and key laws that will have immense impact to stir and sustain our economic growth and development as we continue to navigate to new normal. Under his watch, the House was able to carry on and carry out its mandate despite physical limitations due to the pandemic with the passage of priority legislative measures of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” Velasco said.

Romualdez in turn expressed his most sincere gratitude to Velasco for supporting him.

“I am grateful for your support. From the bottom of my heart, thank you Speaker Velasco,” Romualdez said.

The two House leaders also discussed the official canvass by Congress of the votes for President and Vice President cast in the May 9 elections during their meeting.

The tabulation will be done at the House premises in the Batasan complex in Quezon City. Congress will reconvene on Monday.

The two leaders said they expect a speedy canvass and proclamation of the winners.

Based on unofficial count, presumptive President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and incoming Vice President Sara Duterte have won the May 9 vote by a landslide.

Velasco belongs to the administration party PDP-Laban, which announced its support for Romualdez over the weekend through its president Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi.

Cusi cited Romualdez’s track record in supporting the Duterte administration in the crafting of important pieces of legislation, such as the two Bayanihan laws, coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) Vaccination Program Act, the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act, and amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalization Act and the Public Service Act.

“His track record speaks for itself. He is indeed one of the most hard-working Members of Congress. We believe that Rep. 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 Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. for a more progressive Philippines,” Cusi said. By Ryan Ponce Pacpaco

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