Representatives Greg Gasataya, Gerardo Valmayor, Alfredo Marañon III, Francisco Benitez, Juliet Marie Ferrer and Mercedes Alvarez (l-r) at the opening of the 19th Congress on Monday, July 25.*Greg Gasataya FB photo
Seven Negros Occidental and Bacolod City representatives voted for Rep. Martin Romualdez (Leyte, 1st District) who was elected Speaker of the House during the first regular session of the 19th Congress on Monday, July 25.
Negrense Rep. Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod Partylist) said he did not vote and remains in the minority.
He will remain with whoever is elected minority floor leader, Paduano said. He was minority floor leader in the 18th Congress.
Negros Occidental representatives Gerardo Valmayor (1st District), Alfredo Marañon III (2nd District), Francisco Benitez (3rd District), Juliet Marie Ferrer (4th District), Emilio Yulo III (5th District) and Mercedes Alvarez (6th District), and Bacolod Rep. Greg Gasataya were among the 282 members of the Lower House who voted for Romualdez.
Yulo, who has COVID-19, voted virtually.
Romualdez was nominated by Rep. Ferdinand Alexander Marcos (Ilocos Norte, 1st District) and took his oath before Tarlac Rep. Jaime Cojuangco (Tarlac, 1st District), 25, the youngest member of the 19th Congress.
“We will work together to ensure that the House of Representatives truly embodies the will of the people. We will work hand-in-hand to ensure the swift passage of House measures that are needed by the people and would support development across all sectors of society and different levels of government. With unity of purpose, there is nothing that we cannot do,” Romualdez said.
He committed to ensure a “fair and equitable distribution of resources for development of our regions, regardless of political affiliation”.
“Every Filipino family must be included in any development agenda. No one gets left behind,” he said.*