Bacolod Rep. Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez announced on Friday, Sept. 26, that he has convened the Visayan Bloc in the House of Representatives “to strengthen regional collaboration toward meaningful reforms and progress”.
The bloc, comprised of legislators from the Visayas region, held their first meeting under the 20th Congress at a fellowship dinner on Wednesday, Sept. 24.
Benitez, lead convenor of the group, said “together, we remain committed to ensuring that our collective efforts lead to lasting progress for our people”.
Attendees from Negros Occidental seen in a photo posted by Benitez on his Facebook page, included his son, Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District), Rep. Mercedes Alvarez (Neg. Occ., 6th District), and Rep. Manuel Frederick Ko (Abang Lingkod Partylist).
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said ‘it’s always good that in the Visayas we are united so that we have a strong voice in Congress now that there is a new leadership” in the House.
Although he has no first hand information on the convening of Visayan Bloc, with the new leadership in Congress maybe Benitez was asked to convene the Visayan Bloc, he said.
Rep. Faustino “Bojie” Dy III recently replaced Rep. Martin Romualdez as speaker of the house.
“I feel that we should be united, especially our district congressmen here in Negros Occidental,” he said.*
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