Driven by the notion of continuity in the upcoming 20th Congress, various ranking House members representing the different major national parties convened in a leadership meeting Friday, May 17 at Makati Shangri-la Hotel.
The discussions focused on legislative priorities supporting President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.’s pro-people agenda and continuity of the present House leadership.
On the sidelines of the closed-door meeting, Quezon 2nd district Rep. David "Jay-Jay" Suarez of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), the dominant party in the Philippines, shared tidbits of what was discussed during the event.
"Purely admin matters...We have three years and we have 315 congressmen. So there's so much work and preparation that need to be done, especially when it comes to issues like committee assignments," said Suarez, a deputy speaker in the current 19th Congress.
The Quezon lawmaker and Lakas-CMD treasurer expressed a strong desire to hit the ground running in the 20th Congress, and Friday's meeting--held just days after the midterm elections--would have the way for this.
"Ayaw naman kung natin mangyari na kung kailan tumatakbo na yung Kongreso saka palang natin binuboo. So maganda, maaga pa lang pinaghahandaan na natin ito para pagpasok namin sa July 1, trabaho na kaagad ang gagawin namin," said Suarez.
Asked to further describe the Makati meeting, Suarez candidly called it a "meet and greet" since it was the first time that they would see each other after the grueling campaign and elections.
He underscored that the idea of continuity from the current 19th Congress to the 20th Congress was anchored on the expectation that Leyte 1st district Rep. Romualdez, the Lakas-CMD president, would again be elected House Speaker.
Suarez said that the party is fully behind Romualdez. "We're the dominant majority party kung hindi po ako ang nakakamali, we have around 105 elected congressmen and we're 100 percent behind the leadership of Speaker Martin Romualdez. Of course, under the banner of continuity," he said.
Among the major parties represented during the meeting were Lakas-CMD, Nacionalista Party (NP), National Unity Party (NUP) and Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).
Present during the leadership meeting were House Secretary General Reginald “Reggie” S. Velasco and the following party leaders and returning members of the 20th Congress:
Reps. Yevgeny Vincente “Bambi” Emano (Misamis Oriental, Nacionalista Party), Romeo M. Acop (Antipolo City, National Unity Party), Albert S. “Abet” Garcia (Bataan, NUP), and Jose “Bong” J. Teves Jr. (TGP Party-list, PCFI), Alfredo A. “Pido” Garbin Jr. (Ako Bicol Party-list, PCFI), Reps. Jose C. “Pepito” Alvarez (Palawan, NUP) and Wilfrido Mark M. Enverga (Quezon, NPC), Deputy Speaker Kristine Singson-Meehan (Ilocos Sur, NPC), Rep. Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte Jr. (Camarines Sur, NUP President), Ronnie Puno (NUP Chairman), Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio “Dong” D. Gonzales Jr. (Pampanga, Lakas-CMD), House Majority Leader Manuel Jose “Mannix” Dalipe (Zamboanga City, Lakas-CMD), Rep. Eleandro Jesus “Budoy” Madrona (Romblon, Nacionalista Party), and Deputy Speaker Raymond Democrito Mendoza (TUCP Party-list, PCFI).
Romualdez didn't attend the meeting.