Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio said her political party, the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, is aiming to become the majority party in the House of Representatives.
“I understand, based on the moves of Majority Leader Floor Leader Martin Romualdez, that (becoming the majority party) is his target,” Duterte-Carpio, Lakas-CMD chairperson, said in a press conference Monday following her inauguration in Davao City.
As of June 14, two more lawmakers in the incoming 19th Congress have joined the party, bringing its strength to 52.
Romualdez, touted to be the next House Speaker, swore in Salvador Pleyto Sr. (Bulacan) and Emeng Pascual (Nueva Ecija) as new members at the Lakas-CMD Headquarters in Mandaluyong City last week.
Duterte-Carpio said they have yet to discuss efforts to beef up membership with Lakas-CMD chairperson emeritus Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is returning to Congress via Pampanga’s first district.
“But Ma’am has always been supportive of Lakas-CMD and we all still consult President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on what we do inside the party,” she added.
Aside from the Lakas-CMD, Duterte-Carpio is also the chairman of the regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago.
Lakas-CMD has already produced two chief executives, namely former Presidents Fidel V. Ramos and Macapagal-Arroyo.
“Our partners in our call for unity are growing by the day. This is no surprise since the just-concluded May elections showed everyone that the Filipino people prefer unity right now, with the stake as high as they are in order for our country to fully recover from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Romualdez, the party president, in an earlier statement.
The party has formally endorsed Romualdez for the position of House Speaker in the incoming Congress.
Macapagal-Arroyo also called on party members to support Romualdez’s bid for the speakership.