Cong Joey 'not surprised' with rave reviews about Sandro

Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda says he is "not surprised" with the positive feedback that Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos has received so far when it comes to his performance as senior deputy majority leader.

Marcos, 28, is a first-time member of the House of Representatives.

Despite this, veteran lawmakers like Surigao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Johnny Pimentel has said that Marcos has been doing a good job and that the latter is "very much capable to hold that position".

Pimentel, a member of the powerful Committee on Appointments (CA) further said that the presidential son "commands respect among the neophyte congressmen".

To all this, Salceda said, "That does not surprise me. He (Marcos) was chief of staff to the speaker (Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez) when was majority leader."

The House Ways and Means Committee chairman was referring to the time some two years ago when Marcos became then-Majority Leader Romualdez's understudy.

Marcos then won a House seat in the May 2022 elections.

Salceda went on to underscore a huge value of the Ilocano when it comes of the 311-strong House in the 19th Congress.

"Considering that more than half of the House are freshmen, we need someone young like Rep. Sandro to connect with them and represent them in the majority just as we need seasoned floor managers to connect with our more senior members," he said.

Marcos's senior deputy majority leader position also makes him a senior vice chairman in the Committee on Rules.