Leyte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez has been reelected as Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 20th Congress, following a majority vote by lawmakers on Monday.
Romualdez, who was nominated by Quezon 2nd District Representative Jay-jay Suarez, faced no opposition and received the support of 269 House representatives, with 34 others abstaining from the vote.
“It is in moments like these that leadership matters most. It is in that spirit that I rise today to nominate a man whose leadership has been tested, proven, and deeply felt across this chamber and beyond,” Suarez stated during the nomination.
He praised Romualdez for steering the House of Representatives with “resolve and wisdom” during the 19th Congress, highlighting that under his leadership, the institution became more responsive to the needs of the nation and the common Filipino, grounded in the values of unity, service, and progress.
Romualdez’s nomination was seconded by several representatives, including Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Sandro Marcos III, Wilfredo Quezon 1st District Rep. Wilfredo Mark Enverga, Antipolo 1st District Rep. Ronaldo Puno, Misamis Oriental 2nd District Rep. Yevgeny Emano, and TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Mendoza.
Suarez emphasized the importance of having a leadership that has been “tested” during “uncertain” times, noting that the 19th Congress, under Romualdez’s guidance, delivered one of the most productive legislative terms in recent memory. He pointed out that the Congress passed priority measures that advanced the goals of “Bagong Pilipinas,” empowered communities, and fostered inclusive and sustainable growth.
Even before the 20th Congress convened, Romualdez had garnered the support of the House “supermajority,” who signed a manifesto expressing their desire for him to retain the Speakership, as noted by House Assistant Majority Leader Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong.
Romualdez is the president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) party and previously served as the majority leader in the 18th Congress. He first assumed the House speakership in the 19th Congress and has represented Leyte’s 1st District since 2007, with a brief hiatus from 2016 to 2019.
A known ally of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Romualdez led the House during the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte in February.
Among those who abstained from the vote were Akbayan Party List Rep. Chel Diokno, ML Party List Rep. Leila De Lima, Bacolod City 1st District Representative Alfredo Benitez, Cebu 5th District Representative Duke Frasco, and 19th Congress House Minority Leader, 4Ps Party List Representative Marcelino Libanan.
Navotas City Representative Toby Tiangco and Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro Ungab also abstained but indicated they would not join the House Minority, opting instead to remain “independent.”
Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte walked out of the House session after the roll call, stating he neither voted for the Speaker nor joined the House Minority, expressing his refusal “to take part in a political circus that has long forgotten who it is supposed to serve — the Filipino people.”