Support for the speakership bid of reelected Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez has grown even stronger with 293 lawmakers now backing his continued leadership of the chamber in the 20th Congress.
At the Upper Chamber, as many as 16 senators have already signed a resolution expressing support for Senator Francis Escudero to remain as Senate president in the 20th Congress, according to Senator JV Ejercito.
Among the most recent to align with the majority at the House were Malasakit@Bayanihan Rep. Girlie Veloso and Taguig City Rep. Jorge Bocobo, expanding the earlier bloc of 291 lawmakers who signed the original manifesto of support.
“Representative Romualdez’s track record speaks for itself. He has led the House in passing laws that truly matter to the Filipino people, and he has done so by building consensus and keeping the institution stable,” Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga said.
They underscored that the growing number of lawmakers signing on to the manifesto reflects broad confidence in Romualdez’s capacity to lead, especially at a time when the House of Representatives must hit the ground running for the next half of the Marcos administration.
“Backed by 293 of his peers, Representative Romualdez has shown that he is not only capable of uniting coalitions, but also of steering the chamber toward productivity and lasting impact,” Parañaque City Rep. Brian Yamsuan said.
The House leaders emphasized the speakership contest should center not on personalities but on vision, competence and delivery, all of which they said Romualdez consistently demonstrated as Speaker of the 19th Congress.
“This is about continuity, competence and a clear path forward. That’s what the House needs. That’s why we support Rep. Romualdez,” Quezon Rep. David Suarez said.
At the Senate, Ejercito said he was among the 15 to 16 senators who signed the resolution, which he said was circulated last month when the Congress was on break.
“Yes, because first of all, I’m part of the leadership being the deputy majority leader at present. So siguro (Maybe) as a courtesy and respect to Senate President Escudero, I have to stick it up with him,” he said.
Ejercito, however, said that he was “torn” in choosing between Escudero and returning Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III because the latter is “very close” to him and is his partymate at the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC).
He said that by backing Escudero’s stay as head of the upper chamber, he may also be retained as the Senate deputy majority leader.
The senator also said that if their number reaches 18, Escudero will likely take the supermajority. So far, among those who signed include the Cayetano, Villar, and Tulfo siblings, as well as his brother, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada.
Estrada first confirmed that there was a resolution circulating among senators to signify their support for Escudero as Senate president.
House lawmakers said the movement behind Romualdez’s speakership bid is not only growing in number but deepening in resolve.
“This is about lawmakers coming together to keep the institution strong and service-oriented. And we believe that Representative Romualdez is best equipped to lead us in that direction,” Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin said.
They pointed to Romualdez’s role in shepherding landmark measures, including the passage of 61 out of 64 Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council priority bills.
“Legislation under Romualdez’s watch has been focused, strategic and always pro-people. That kind of leadership is not easy to come by, and it is even harder to sustain. Yet he has done both,” Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin noted.
The legislators noted the role of Romualdez in preserving the working relationship between the House and Malacañang, without sacrificing the independence of the institution.
“His guiding principle has always been clear: support what is good for the country, protect the institution, and always prioritize the people’s welfare,” Romblon Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona noted.
With Congress facing urgent work on the national budget, agriculture, education reform and key economic legislation, House leaders said Rep. Romualdez is a tested and trusted leader.
“We do not need an on the job training and cannot afford disruption, especially at this stage of the President’s term. We need leadership that knows the job, understands the pressure and won’t lose sight of the public good,” La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V said.
Mandaluyong City Rep. Alexandria Gonzales, wife of former House majority leader Neptali Gonzales II, said “it is with deep conviction that I express my wholehearted support for the Speakership of the Honorable Martin Romualdez for the 20th Congress of the House of Representatives.”
“I would like to commend him for his swift and anticipatory response to the needs of my district—especially during recent calamities such as devastating fires and, most recently, the southwest monsoon-induced flooding. These emergencies came one after the other, and I saw first hand how quickly his office responded,” Gonzales said. “I am glad that I chose to support him for the Speakership, because even this early, I see qualities in him that prove he can truly be relied upon to respond to the needs of the people in times of crisis and uncertainty,” she said.
“I am confident that the 20th Congress will greatly benefit from his continued leadership. As we open the First Regular Session of the 20th Congress this July 28, 2025, I stand in full support of Speaker Martin Romualdez—trusting that under his guidance, the House will continue to serve with purpose, deliver meaningful progress, and keep the people at the heart of its work,” she added.
