Speaker Romualdez implies that 'UniTeam' is intact, borrows PBBM's catchphrase

House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Facebook)

There is still a "UniTeam" in government as far as House Speaker Martin Romualdez is concerned. In a statement Sunday, May 21 amid rumors of a coup plot in the House of Representatives, Romualdez made a reference to the administration alliance between his cousin, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte. "The Uniteam, which the House Leadership has always been a part of, must continue to focus on finding immediate solutions to problems of ordinary Filipinos," Romualdez said. Marcos and Duterte, darlings of the north and south, respectively, ran under the UniTeam banner during the May 9, 2022 elections. They both gained historic majority victories. "The House chooses to focus on addressing low power supply, high electricity rates, telco issues and unstable commodity prices, instead of political destabilization," Romualdez said, alluding to the coup plot. He then channeled Marcos by borrowing the latter's catchphrase during last year’s election campaign period. "Ang mga tunay na problema ng karaniwang Pilipino ang dapat nating unahin, ang dapat nating paglaanan ng atensiyon. Isantabi na po ang pamumulitika na wala sa tamang panahon. Kung mas mapagtutuunan natin nang mas maraming oras ang paghahanap ng solusyon sa mga tunay na suliranin ng karaniwang Pilipino, sama-sama tayong babangon muli (We should prioritize and give attention to the real problems of the common Filipino. Let us set aside untimely politicking. If we are able to give more time in finding solutions to the real problems of the common Filipino, then we can all rise again together)," he said. Pundits are claiming that not all is well within the UniTeam following Duterte's resignation as Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD's) chairperson. Romualdez is Lakas-CMD president. Duterte resigned a day after her the House leadership "demoted" Pampanga 2nd district Representative and former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from being the senior deputy speaker tp just a deputy speaker. Romualdez served as one of Duterte's two campaign managers last year.