Solon to take on majority leader mantle known 'next week'--Romualdez


Presumptive House Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez said that the identify of his majority leader would be revealed "next week".

Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez (Facebook)

"We'll let you know next week. We'll try to get those who are willing to make the sacrifice of hard work and getting a concensus to help us in these measures po," Romualdez told House reporter during a chance interview Monday, July 18.

The majority leader will essentially act as the right-hand man of the speaker and help him ensure that priority measures of the House of Representatives would get enough votes to pass plenary consideration.

It is arguably the second most powerful position in the House, next to the speaker. Romualdez held this position for three years during the previous 18th Congress.

Incidentally, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s first State of the Nation Address (SONA) will take place exactly a week from Monday, or on July 25.

Romualdez, who is expected to be voted as speaker for the 19th Congress on that day, could theoretically announce his majority leader anytime after the voting.

Meanwhile, the Visayas solon said that the chairmanships of the different committees in the lower chamber are being worked out.

He gave an idea on how these plum posts would be filled.

"We're in consultation with the House leadership; we'll go back to out time-honored traditions of having the respective parties properly represented. We will go by also for...seniority, merit, experience and of course the initiative to make the sacrifice and the hard work needed for each of the positions po," he said.