There's nothing wrong with House Speaker Martin Romualdez's tagging along in President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s participation in the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland last week.
Thus, said Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 3rd district Rep. Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr., who went as far to say Monday, Jan. 23 that Romualdez's presence was actually beneficial to the Chief Executive's cause in Davos.
“There is nothing wrong for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to invite and for the Speaker to accept his invitation to join him in his visits. The President obviously wants him there so that a leader of Congress could immediately answer legislation-related questions,” Gonzales said in a statement.
He said as the top leader of the House of Representatives, Romualdez could make commitments for the larger chamber of Congress as far as needed legislation is concerned.
Gonzales said the Marcos administration is apparently taking the whole-of-government and whole-of-nation approach that other countries have adopted in addressing national issues.
“This tack has proven effective in addressing domestic concerns, as it calls for the collaboration of all sectors. The presence of the Speaker in presidential trips is proof of the cooperation and partnership of the executive and legislative branches of government,” stressed the Pampanga solon.
Such cooperation results in faster passage of laws needed for national development and economic growth like the set of priority administration bills recently approved by the House on third and final reading, he added.
Gonzales pointed out that Marcos’s job of convincing foreign businessmen to invest here would be easier if he impresses them with a government that is acting as one in welcoming them.
“No investor in his right mind would sink his money in a nation with a fractious national leadership,” he said.
Meanwhile, another ranking solon, Surigao del Norte 2nd district Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, also saw wisdom in having Romualdez team up with the Marcos in trips such as the one in Davos.
“The President’s job of convincing foreign businessmen to invest here would be easier if he impresses them with a government that is acting as one in welcoming them. Congratulations President Marcos and Speaker Romualdez,” said Barbers, chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Key world leaders and business bigwigs attended the WEF, which ran from Jan. 16 to 20. Needless to say, it was teeming with potential investors to the Philippines.
Romualdez, Leyte’s 1st district congressman, is the president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), arguably the most powerful political party in the country right now.