"My door is always open."

House Speaker Faustino "Bojie" Dy III gave this message to his fellow congressmen on Monday night, March 16, a few hours after National Unity Party (NUP) Chairman and Deputy Speaker Antipolo City 1st district Rep. Ronaldo "Ronnie" Puno criticized his leadership.

"My door is always open to our colleagues in the House. The strength of this institution lies in our ability to talk openly, resolve concerns constructively, and work together despite differences," Dy said, as if holding out his hard for dialogue.

"At the end of the day, we are united by one responsibility—to serve the Filipino people and ensure that the resources entrusted to government translate into real programs, real infrastructure, and real services for our communities," he said.

Puno, in a press conference earlier that day, assailed Dy for his supposed "actions or lack of actions" as leader of the 300-plus strong chamber.

The Antipolo congressman said it was not a personal attack against Dy, whom he described as a long-time friend.

Puno and his fellow NUP stalwarts' frustration with the Speaker stems from the greatly reduced budgets of their respective district. He said this has hampered their capacity to deliver programs and projects to their constituents.

"The national budget is the most important bill passed by the House of Representatives, and we have worked tirelessly to ensure that it was passed promptly, transparently, and equitably so that it addresses the needs of our countrymen and supports the vision of the President," said Dy, Isabela's 6th district representative.

Dy then brought up the need to continue working as lawmakers, but with the bigger picture in mind.

"In these trying times I have asked the members of the House, the various committees, and the staff to focus on legislation that will help our countrymen deal with the effects of the crisis in the Middle East."

"The House remains committed to prioritizing the welfare of the Filipino people. Simula po noong ako ay maging Speaker, malinaw ang ating direksyon na ang kapakanan ng sambayanan ang laging mauuna (Since I became Speaker, our direction has been clear: the welfare of the people will always come first)," he said.