House Speaker Martin Romualdez's prior experience as majority leader is being felt in a positive way in the lower chamber, particularly in the passage of priority bills of the Marcos administration, says Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co.
Co explains how Romualdez's experience as majority leader is benefiting House
Apr 9, 2023 08:12 AM
At a glance
Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co believes that House Speaker Martin Romualdez's prior experience as majority leader has benefitted the lower chamber in terms of passing measures in the soonest possible time.
Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co (left) and House Speaker Martin Romualdez (right) (Screenshot from YouTube, Speaker's office)
“Being a former majority leader, Speaker Romualdez keenly understands how legislation works here in the House of Representatives," Co, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, said in a statement Sunday, April 9.
"He knows how to expedite the passage of the measure without sacrificing the quality of the work," Co said of Romualdez, who represents Leyte's 1st district representative.
"Kaya naman record number ang aming performance last year at nakikita ito ng mga tao (That's why we had a record performance last year in terms of numbers and the people can see this),” noted the Bicolano.
On Sunday, it was reported that the House of Representatives garnered a net satisfaction rating of +56 percent for its performance during the last quarter of 2022 based on a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.
Before the year 2022 ended, the House had already passed on third and final reading 19 of the 31 priority bills of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in the current 19th Congress.
These include the already enacted SIM Registration Act and the Act postponing the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to October 2023.
In addition, 37 other bills of national importance and 128 local bills were passed on final reading in just the first five months of the 19th Congress.
This year so far, the House passed another four bills considered as priority measures of the administration.
“And this is all because of a supportive and productive House leadership, who makes sure that our deadlines are met and the measures are deliberated exhaustively," Co said.
Romualdez, president of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), served as House majority leader during the entire 18th Congress.