Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, first cousin of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., was installed as House Speaker early afternoon on Monday, July 25, as the Marcos political dynasty dominates national politics.
The 19th Congress opened its first regular session ahead of Marcos’ first State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Romualdez received votes from 89.8% or 283 of the 315 members of the House of Representatives.
Presidential son and Ilocos Norte First District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos III took the podium to nominate his uncle as House Speaker, describing him as a “consensus builder, regarded with great affection and respect by most, if not all, members of the institution no matter where they are in the political spectrum.”
Apart from Romualdez and Sandro, two other House members are related by blood or marriage to the president. Ilocos Norte Second District Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba is the president’s cousin while Tingog Sinarangan Party-List Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez is married to the Speaker.
In the Senate, presidential sister Sen. Maria Josefa Imelda “Imee” Marcos is poised to head the most number of committees. These are the committees on foreign relations, social justice, cooperatives, and election reforms and people’s participation.
Lakas-CMD president
In his speech, Romualdez echoed the president’s call for unity and urged fellow lawmakers to work together for the swift passage of bills and development across all sectors.
“We are confident that with the unity the president espoused, we can overcome the crippling effects of the pandemic and the political differences that occurred in the elections and global impacts, such as the Ukrainian war,” he said.
Romualdez also vowed a “fair and equitable distribution of resources in our regions regardless of political affiliations.”
Romualdez is president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party. He was one of the campaign managers of Vice President Sara Duterte, who chairs Lakas-CMD.
He ran unopposed in Leyte’s first district in the recent polls. This is his fifth term as district representative.
Under the Constitution, the House Speaker is third in line of presidential succession, following the Vice President and Senate President.
His nomination for House Speaker was seconded by representatives Ralph Recto of Batangas, Isidro Ungab of Davao City, Roberto Puno of Antipolo City, Camille Villar of Las Piñas City, Kristine Singson-Meehan of Ilocos Sur, Raymond Democrito Mendoza of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines party-list, and Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales of Pampanga.
'Supermajority'
The House of Representatives will again have a “supermajority.”
“This will be a problem because legislation is a numbers game,” ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. France Castro told the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ). “Dipende sa kung ano ang dami ninyo kung mananalo o hindi ang iyong panukalang batas (It depends on how many you are whether your proposed law will be passed or not).”
The incumbent president having relatives in both chambers of Congress would also exacerbate the challenges already posed by having a very small opposition, said Kabataan Rep. Raoul Manuel.
“It is likely that our reform policies that don’t serve vested interests — such as legislation on political dynasties and collection of (the Marcoses’) unpaid taxes and ill-gotten wealth — will be blocked,” Manuel told PCIJ.
Business interests
Romualdez’s family owns the national broadsheet Manila Standard, the Journal Group of Publications (which publishes tabloids People’s Journal and People’s Tonight, among others), and broadcast company Philippine Collective Media Corp.
His brother, Benjamin Philip, was the president and chief executive officer of mining firm Benguet Corp. and is married to Alexandra “Sandy” Prieto, chief executive officer of the Inquirer Group of Companies.
Screenshot from RTVM/House of Representatives