House Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Rep. Arroyo's office)

House Deputy Speaker and Pampanga 2nd district Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has opened up to how she really felt upon losing her post as senior deputy speaker to Pampanga 3rd district Rep. Aurelio "Dong" Gonzales Jr.

Judging by her statement late Thursday night, May 18, the former Philippine president appears to be taking it well.

'On the 17th of May 2023, I received news that Deputy Speaker Dong Gonzales was elected Senior Deputy Speaker in my place. My first reaction was that it is always the prerogative of the House to make changes in its leadership structure," she said in a statement sent to House reporters.

"Thus, I congratulate Dong, and I hope his new position will help him fulfill his mandate to represent our fellow Kapampangans," she said of her Cabalen.

"As I have learned during my three decades as a politician, such events are part and parcel of Philippine politics," Arroyo added.

It was during plenary session Wednesday when Arroyo was removed as senior deputy speaker and relegated to the position of deputy speaker. Some have described it as a "demotion".

On the other hand Gonzales, a senior stalwart of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), left his erstwhile designation as deputy speaker and took over the post vacated by Arroyo.

Arroyo is chairperson emeritus of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), the biggest political party in the House.

After plenary session Wednesday, House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City 2nd district Rep. Mannix Dalipe said that the reason for Arroyo's relagation was to "unburden" her of the "heavy load required from the position [of senior deputy speaker]". Dalipe is also from Lakas-CMD.

That same evening, Arroyo released a six-word reaction: "It's the prerogative of the House."

"To be clear, my political objectives are three," shared Arroyo on Thursday, "First, to represent the 2nd district of Pampanga; second, to support the legislative agenda of Speaker [Martin] Romualdez and President [Ferdinand "Bongbong] Marcos [Jr.]; third, to use whatever experience I have as a former President to help out when I am called upon to do so."

"Outside of my role as congresswoman, my public interest going forward is to help reduce tensions betwen the United States (US) and China, given that I was strongly allied to both countries when I was President," she said.