Majority Leader and Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez has finally addressed on Saturday, May 14 the issue on the House Speakership, which appears to be his for the taking.
This, after several political personalities endorsed him for the top post in the House of Representatives this upcoming 19th Congress.
One of these personalities is Pampanga 2nd district Representative and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Arroyo is president emeritus of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), which Romualdez heads as its president.
“I would like to express my most sincere gratitude to our esteemed Lakas-CMD President Emeritus, former President and returning Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for her words of support and encouragement, which mean a lot to me," said Romualdez during an event in Makati City.
By June 2, Romualdez will have served as the House Majority Leader for the entirety of the 18th Congress.
The Leyte solon also thanked the group of newly-elected House members led by Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos and other incoming lawmakers from the National Unity Party (NUP), Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), Lakas-CMD, Nacionalista Party (NP), Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP), Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), as well as party-list and independent congressmen for endorsing him to be their leader in the next Congress.
Romualdez assured the members of the House in the next Congress that he would do his best to push for the incoming administration’s agenda and to serve his colleagues and their constituents well.
He also promised his fellow congressmen that he would continue to be a consensus-builder, as he has always been as majority leader, and to treat them fairly and listen to the views of all.
Regarding his mentor and party-mate Arroyo, Romualdez said, "We will continue to count on her for help and advice."