LEYTE Rep. Martin Romualdez was elected Speaker of the 20th Congress yesterday after no one rose to challenge him during the opening of the First Regular Session.
Lawmakers voted 269 with 34 abstentions in favor of Romualdez, a first cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has been holding the post since the 19th Congress.
Romualdez was re-elected after he was nominated by Quezon Rep. David Suarez, whose move was seconded by presidential son Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, who was later elected Majority Leader.
The four other lawmakers from different parties who seconded Suarez’s nomination were Reps. Marc Enverga of Quezon, Ronaldo Puno of Antipolo City, Vicente Emano of Misamis Oriental and Raymond Democrito Mendoza (PL, TUCP).
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco initially presided over the session, while Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor acted as the floor leader who handled the period of nomination.
Lawmakers who abstained from voting, except those who want to be independent, will have to choose a minority leader, a post which is expected to be given to Rep. Marcelino Libanan (PL, 4Ps) who is supported by party-list Reps. Leila de Lima (ML) and Jose Manuel Diokno (Akbayan).
In his acceptance speech, Romualdez reaffirmed his commitment to a “transparent leadership and a legislative agenda grounded in both constitutional duty and moral responsibility.”
“With humility in my heart and a deep sense of duty, I rise today to accept the renewed trust you have given me to serve once again as Speaker of the House of Representatives,” he said.
“Ang tiwala ay hindi gantimpala, kundi panibagong hamon. At bawat hamon ay pagkakataon para maglingkod nang mas tapat (Trust is not a reward but a new challenge. Every challenge is an opportunity to serve more honestly),” he also said.
The Speaker, who took his oath of office before Bulacan Rep. Salvador Aquino Pleyto Sr. in the presence of his family led by his wife, Rep. Yedda Romualdez (PL, Tingog), thanked his colleagues “for your continued support and your unwavering commitment to public service.”
“To those who have offered different views, I thank you as well. Your voices enrich our debates and strengthen our democracy. It is in this respectful exchange of ideas that we discover enduring, just, and effective solutions,” he said.
“Hindi kailanman kahinaan ang pagkakaiba ng opinyon. Sa Kongresong may respeto, ito’y pinagmumulan ng talino, tapang, at tunay na pagbabago (Difference in opinions will never be a weakness. In a Congress with respect, it becomes a source of wisdom, bravery and real change),” he added.
He also said: “To our beloved Filipino people: you are not just our mandate. You are our mission. You are the reason we are here… This House is your voice. And we are ready — ready to speak up, ready to stand up, and ready to act in your name and for your future.”
Romualdez also thanked the President for his “continued trust and confidence in the leadership of this Chamber.”
“The House of Representatives stands ready to be your reliable partner in building a Bagong Pilipinas — a nation that is inclusive, resilient, and grounded in justice and opportunity,” he said.
The House leader called for unity among all members of the House, saying the 20th Congress should be “remembered not only for the laws we passed, but for the lives we changed. Not only for the battles we fought.”
In his nomination speech, Suarez, who was later elected Senior Deputy Speaker, said Romualdez “is not only a public servant of experience and stature — he is a leader of empathy, integrity and conviction. A unifier. A reformer. A partner of the President and a champion of the people.”
“Let us entrust the Speakership to a man who has already shown us what dignified, decisive and compassionate leadership looks like. Let us reaffirm our commitment to good governance by placing the gavel once more in capable, steady hands,” he said.
Suarez said Romualdez “brought not just experience, but character — marked by quiet strength, strategic foresight, and unwavering commitment to public service.”
“With clarity of vision and steadiness of hand, he championed landmark reforms, strengthened legislative–executive cooperation, and ensured that every voice, regardless of affiliation or region, found space in our national conversation,” he said.
MINORITY BLOC
Libanan was re-elected as Minority Leader after getting the unanimous support of 29 lawmakers during a caucus held in the afternoon.
His election, however, will still have to be formalized on the floor.
Apart from De Lima and Diokno, the other House members who voted for Libanan were Reps. Edgar Erice (Caloocan), Presley De Jesus (PL, Philreac), Sergio Dagooc (PL Apec), Jonathan Clement Abalos II (PL 4Ps), Stephen James Tan (Samar), Percival Cendaña (Akbayan), Antonio Tinio (PL, ACT Teachers), Jesus Suntay (Quezon City), Christopher Gonzales (Eastern Samar), Renee Louise Co (PL, Kabataan), Roberto Gerard Nazal Jr. (PL, Bagong Henerasyon), Jernie Jett Nisay (PL, Pusong Pinoy), Niko Raul Daza (Northern Samar), Allan Ty (PL, LPGMA), Cielo Krisel Lagman-Luistro (Albay), Terry Ridon (PL, Bicol Saro), Arlene Bag-ao (Dinagat Islands), Dadah Kiram Ismula (PL, Akbayan), Elijah San Fernando (PL, Kamanggagawa), Jan Rurik Padiernos (PL, Galing sa Puso), Florabel Yatco (PL, Nanay), Arlyn Ayon (PL, Swerte), Nicanor Briones (PL, AGAP), Audrey Zubiri (Bukidnon), Reynolds Michael Tan (Samar), Rachel Marguerite del Mar (Cebu City), and Paolo Henry Marcoleta (PL, SAGIP).
It was De Lima who made the nomination and the move was seconded by Erice, Tinio, De Jesus, Abalos, and Briones.
DUTERTE BLOC
Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte formed the “Duterte” bloc at the House, along with fellow Davao City Reps. Omar Duterte. who is his son, Isidro Ungab and Pwersa ng Pilipinong Pandaragat (PPP) party-list Rep. Harold Duterte.
The four declared themselves independent members of the House after abstaining from the election of the Speaker, choosing to remain unaffiliated with either the majority or minority blocs.
“A House member who chooses not to join the majority or minority can be considered an independent member of the House,” said Paolo, eldest son of detained former president Rodrigo Duterte’s eldest son and brother of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Ungab said there are historical precedents in the Philippine Congress, U.S. Congress, and even the British Parliament “where members have chosen to remain independent rather than align with either the majority or minority.”
Omar and Harold said their choice to become independent members “demonstrates our commitment to principled governance and our intent to serve our country and constituents free from partisan considerations.”
INDEPENDENTS
Reps. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez of Negros Occidental and Tobias Tiangco of Navotas, who were both previously considered by colleagues to be possible contenders for the speakership, vowed to be independent after also abstaining from voting.
“I believe our chamber needs a leader who will stand firmly behind President Bongbong Marcos — not pull him down and can help unite the nation behind his vision for the country,” said Benitez.
“Congress has been plagued by controversies involving questionable budget allocations, politicized relief, and selfish power plays — all of which have contributed to distrust, disunity, and dysfunction. Our constituents and even our colleagues now question the integrity, transparency, and sincerity of the House,” he added.
Benitez vowed to serve as an independent member of the House while remaining “fully supportive of the President and committed to encouraging broader support for his leadership.”
“Our country needs a government that works — decisively, efficiently, and with the people’s interest front and center. This administration must succeed. The better we deliver services, the more lives we improve, especially among those who rely most on government support,” he said, as he reminded his colleagues “that this is not the time for self-interest or political maneuvering.”
“I will support reforms that uplift the lives of our people, restore public trust through transparency, and help bring lasting, meaningful change. As we enter the crucial second half of this administration, I am ready to do the hard work that our people rightfully expect and deserve,” he added.
Tiangco said he cannot support Romualdez because of the past issues surrounding the annual national budget which he said “must not be repeated,” stressing that the upcoming deliberations on the proposed national budget for 2026 should not be hounded by the same old issues. “We have to change something in the budgeting process,” he said in Filipino.
“Secret insertions of items in the budget can no longer happen. I will be more effective in pushing for reforms as an independent,” he added.
