The Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) continues to gain more "lakas" or strength in the House of Representatives.
From 50 members, the Lakas-CMD’s strength in the lower chamber is now 52, thanks to the addition of Bulacan Rep. Salvador "Ador" Pleyto Sr. and Nueva Ecija Rep. Emeng Pascual to the party's fold.
No less than Lakas-CMD President and Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez led the oath-taking of Pleyto and Pascual at the party's headquarters in Mandaluyong City at around 4 p.m. Tuesday.
"Our partners in our call for unity are growing by the day. This is no surprise since the just-concluded May elections showed everyone that the Filipino people prefer unity right now, with the stake as high as they are in order for our country to fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic," said Romualdez, the outgoing majority leader of the 18th Congress.
In the same event, nine congressmen-members of Lakas-CMD from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao formally took their ceremonial oath, thus further solidifying the party.
Reps. Daphne Lagon (Cebu), David “Jayjay” C. Suarez (Quezon), Emmarie “Lolypop” M. Ouano-Dizon (Mandaue City), Edsel Galeos (Cebu), Arnan C. Panaligan (Oriental Mindoro), Faustino Michael Carlos T. Dy III (Isabela), Steve Solon (Sarangani), Princess Rihan M. Sakaluran (Sultan Kudarat), and Jinky Bitrics Luistro (Batangas) have sworn in by Romualdez.
Romualdez said the nine lawmakers were already part of the 52-strong Lakas membership in the House of Representatives.
A recent wave of oath-takings caused the members of Lakas to balloon from 27 to 52.
Romualdez is president of Lakas-CMD, one of the oldest and most respected political parties in the country. Observers believe he is a shoo-in for the position of House Speaker in the upcoming 19th Congress.
Romualdez is a lawyer from University of the Philippines (UP) and president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa). He also served as one of the two campaign managers of Vice President-elect Sara Duterte during the recent election season.
Lakas-CMD has produced two chief executives, namely former Presidents Fidel V. Ramos and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.