House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (left) and BBM’s son Joseph Simon Araneta-Marcos (right) lovingly help former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos join the proclamation of her son, Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr.’s proclamation as the new President of the Philippines at the House of Representatives. Photo by VER NOVENO
Zubiri lauds Romualdez
For excellent work ethic, being leader by example
SENATE Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri has cited the commitment and passion to work of House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez during Congress’ two-day canvassing of votes for winning president and vice president.
Zubiri, co-chair of the canvassing panel with Romualdez, lauded the House Majority Leader’s excellent work ethic in finishing their task, adding the latter hardly stood up.
“Thank you very much Co-Chair, and I’d like to also take note the dedication of our distinguished gentleman from Leyte. Yesterday (Tuesday), he did not leave his post, he did not have his lunch, he did not go to the bathroom nor toilet. I had to excuse myself for at least an hour to do my own thing as well,” Zubiri said.
“Bilib ako sayo boss, you are leading by example and I am honored to be with you today (Wednesday) in this very historic canvassing of votes for President and Vice President. Maraming salamat po for your service,” Zubiri added.
On early Wednesday evening, Congress proclaimed former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as president-elect and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as vice-president-elect after two days of counting, the fastest in Philippine electoral history.
The Marcos-Duterte tandem won a landslide victory with a strong majority vote of the electorate in recent history.
The joint session of Congress presided by Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and Speaker Lord Allan Velasco approved the report of the joint canvassing committee.
Later, they adopted the separate motions of Zubiri and Romualdez to proclaim Marcos and Duterte as winning president and vice president.
The official canvass showed Marcos had 31,629,783 votes, while his closest opponent, Vice President Leni Robredo, had 15,035,773.
In the vice presidential race, Duterte was credited with 32,208,417 votes against Sen. Francis Pangilinan’s 9,329,207.
The joint canvanssing committee took just two days to finish tabulating 171 out of 173 certificates of canvass (COCs) from 81 provinces and independent cities, and those containing absentee local and overseas Filipinos’ votes.
The canvass proceeded smoothly and expeditiously, Romualdez reported to the joint session of Congress. By RYAN PONCE PACPACO
