House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)

House Speaker Martin Romualdez expressed his gratitude to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief-of-Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. for accompanying him and a handful of other solons to Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). 

Romualdez said he appreciated the AFP’s crucial role in ensuring the security and success of the House’s mission to inspect Pag-asa. 

“We are so happy and proud to have no less than our Chief-of-Staff General Romeo Brawner, accompanying us throughout the day. We felt secure and relaxed,” the House leader said in a press conference on Thursday evening, Oct. 5. 

That morning, Romualdez, alongside House Majority Leader Mannix Dalipe, House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Zaldy Co visited Pag-asa Island to touch base with the people and soldiers there. 

“Maraming salamat to the chief-of-staff and the men and women of the [AFP]. You make us very proud and help is on its way,” said Romualdez. 

“We have no less than the House leadership and the appropriations chairman there, and we saw for ourselves how important the service and the sacrifice you all do out there for us in Kalayaan [Island Group].” 

Romualdez underscored the significance of Kalayaan--which Pag-asa Island is a part of--to Philippine territorial integrity. 

“Napakaganda at napakaimportante itong bahagi ng ating bansa (This is a very beautiful and very important part of our country), the Kalayaan Group of Islands,” the Speaker said. 

Romualdez went so far as to suggest the prospect of turning the island into a tourist destination, a la the Maldives. 

During the trip, Romuadez pledged that the House would allocate funds to the island, in order to construct key infrastructure. This will include storm shelters, a solar energy plant, and satellite-based communication facilities. -- Dexter Barro II