Former Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Monday paid tribute to the late five-time Speaker Jose C. de Venecia Jr., describing him as a unifier, consensus-builder, visionary and “global Filipino.”
Speaking at a memorial service hosted by Speaker Faustino G. Dy III, Romualdez said De Venecia’s name is inseparable from the history of the House of Representatives.
“We gather in this chamber not merely to mourn the passing of former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., but to honor a man whose name has become inseparable from the very story of this House,” Romualdez said.
Romualdez, president of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), noted that De Venecia was among the party’s founders when it began as Lakas-Tao and later Lakas-NUCD.
“He was a founder, a builder, a unifier. He did not build a party for power. He built a movement for purpose,” Romualdez said, adding that De Venecia shaped a generation of leaders committed to inclusive and reform-driven governance.
Under De Venecia’s five terms as Speaker, the House became “a forum where every legislative district had a voice,” he said.
Romualdez credited him for forging the “Rainbow Coalition,” which he described not merely as a political strategy but a philosophy of governance grounded in consensus across party lines, ideologies and regions.
“He did not silence dissent; he harmonized it. He did not diminish differences; he reconciled them,” he said.
Romualdez also described De Venecia as a “global Filipino” who championed interfaith dialogue and international parliamentary engagement.
He said De Venecia initiated dialogues at the United Nations and promoted communication between governments and insurgent groups, believing that dialogue was essential to peace.
As principal author of House Resolution No. 247 honoring De Venecia, Romualdez said the measure formally expressed the House’s gratitude for his lifetime of service and recognized him as one of the architects of modern Philippine parliamentary leadership.
He cited the Jose de Venecia Museum inside the Batasan complex as a testament to the former Speaker’s legacy, reminding lawmakers that leadership is stewardship and that integrity endures beyond titles.
Romualdez said De Venecia taught that power must be exercised with humility and leadership anchored in faith in the Filipino people.
“Today, House Members from every legislative district, from every political persuasion, stand united in grief—and in gratitude. That unity, in this solemn hour, may well be his final gift to us,” he said.
Addressing De Venecia’s family, including his wife Gina de Venecia and son former Rep. Christopher de Venecia, Romualdez said the nation shares in their loss and gratitude.
“He built bridges. He built consensus. He built institutions. He built hope. And in doing so, he built a legacy that will endure far beyond his years,” Romualdez said.
