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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Guess who's back? Barbers differentiates his new job from House spox Abante's

Guess who's back? Barbers differentiates his new job from House spox Abante's

Published Sep 10, 2025 10:34 pm

At A Glance

  • Former House quad-committee (quad-comm) chairman Robert Ace Barbers stunned reporters on Wednesday night, Sept. 10 when he resurfaced at Batasan complex with the new title of "spokesperson".
Robert Ace Barbers (left), House Spokesperson Princess Abante (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Robert Ace Barbers (left), House Spokesperson Princess Abante (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)


Former House quad-committee (quad-comm) chairman Robert Ace Barbers stunned reporters on Wednesday night, Sept. 10  when he resurfaced at Batasan complex with the new title of "spokesperson".
But in the current 20th Congress, lawyer Princess Abante is already holding fort as "House of Representatives spokesperson". So what's unique about Barbers' new designation?
The short answer is, he is the "Speaker's speaker".
"Si Attorney Princess kasi is the designated spokesperson of the House of Representatives.
She will speak about what's going on in the House, ang mga panukala (about the proposals). I will also do the same pero ito naman ay kay Speaker (but this is for the Speaker)," Barbers said, referring to Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez.
"Kasi a lot of the proposed legislation ng ating Speaker ay napakaganda. Napakaganda para sa ating mga kababayan, napakaganda para sa ating bansa. Pero, hindi po napapag-usapan," said the former three-term congressman from Surigao del Norte.
(It's because a lot of the Speaker's proposed legislation are very good. Very good for our countrymen, very good for our counrry. But they're not being talked out.)
Beyond this, there's also Barbers' reputation as a ballsy, debonair talker who is not afraid to speak his mind. He was after all a big reason why the quad-comm became the premier House panel of the previous 19th Congress.
In comparison rather than in contrast, Abante has shown in past months than she can connect with the public with her calm and clear legalese, especially on the topic of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment case.
At any rate, Barbers and Abante are expected to fixtures in the House's communicarion team in the current Congress.
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