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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 3 new deputy speakers named; find out who they are

3 new deputy speakers named; find out who they are

Published Mar 18, 2026 07:19 pm

At A Glance

  • The House of Representatives elected three new deputy speakers on Wednesday night, March 18 just before it adjourned sessions for its annual summer recess.
From left to right: Bacolod City lone district Rep. Albee Benitez, Cebu 5th district Rep. Duke Frasco, and Pangasinan 3rd district Rep. Maria Rachel Arenas (Facebook)
From left to right: Bacolod City lone district Rep. Albee Benitez, Cebu 5th district Rep. Duke Frasco, and Pangasinan 3rd district Rep. Maria Rachel Arenas (Facebook)


The House of Representatives elected three new deputy speakers on Wednesday night, March 18 just before it adjourned sessions for its annual summer recess.
Elected as deputy speakers by Majority Leader Ilocos Norte 1st district Rep. Sandro Marcos during Wednesday night's session were Bacolod City lone district Rep. Albee Benitez, Cebu 5th district Rep. Duke Frasco, and Pangasinan 3rd district Rep. Maria Rachel Arenas.
House Speaker Faustino "Bojie" Dy III, the presiding officer at that time, carried the motion after hearing no objections from the plenary.
Nobody from the current crop of deputy speakers in the 20th Congress were replaced.
As far as Dy's speakership goes, he has now approved the election of four deputy speakers, the first one being Senior Deputy Speaker South Cotabato 2nd district Rep. Ferdinand Hernandez.
Earlier designated as deputy speakers in the 20th Congress during the time of then-Speaker Martin Romualdez were Janette Garin (Iloilo, 1st district), Yasser Alonto Balindong (Lanao del Sur, 2nd district), Kristine Singson-Meehan (Ilocos Sur, 2nd district), Ronaldo Puno (Antipolo City, 1st district), David "Jay-Jay" Suarez (Quezon, 2nd district), Ferjenel Biron (Iloilo, 4th district), Paolo Ortega V (La Union, 1st district), Jay Khonghun (Zambales, 1st district), and Raymond Democrito Mendoza (TUCP Party-list).
Dy (Isabela, 6th district) was also named as deputy speaker, a position he held until Sept. 17, 2025 when Romualdez (Leyte, 1st district) stepped down.
Congress (House and Senate) will be on summer break from March 19 to May 3.
Before her election Wednesday, Arenas served as chairperson of the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Her replacement in the committee has yet to be announced.
Frasco, the husband of erstwhile Department of Tourism (DOT) secretary Christina Frasco, also held the deputy speaker post in the previous 19th Congress.
Benitez, the leader of the Visayan bloc and a known powerbroker from the region, was rumoured to be an aspirant for Speaker when the 20th Congress began on June 30, 2025.
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