The mayor of Bacoor City in Cavite and a congressman from Mindanao led 15 other local government officials who joined the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD).
The new Lakas members were appointed as party heads in their respective localities.
Bacoor City Mayor Lani Mercado Revilla, Davao de Oro Rep. Manuel Zamora, and other officials on took their oaths Wednesday afternoon as Lakas-CMD members before House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez, Lakas-CMD’s national president.
With Zamora’s entry to Lakas-CMD, the party’s total strength in the House of Representatives is now 48, of which 26 are district congressmen and 22 are party-list allies.
Romualdez, who represents Leyte in the House, said: “Lakas-CMD party is growing stronger and better every day. Our focus now is to use the party’s strength to help our people in this time of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease-19) pandemic.”
“Thank you, despite the pandemic, we are here working very hard to strengthen our party. Welcome to the ever-growing Lakas-CMD,” Romualdez, chairman of the House Committee on Rules, told the virtual oath-taking event’s audience.
A lawyer from the University of the Philippines (UP) and president of the Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa), Romualdez reiterated Lakas-CMD’s support to pass President Rodrigo Duterte’s remaining legislative agenda in the last 14 months of his administration.
“With Lakas-CMD gaining momentum in the House of Representatives, our party will continue working closely with Speaker Lord Allan Velasco to wrap up the approval of the entire legislative agenda of President Duterte before our term ends in 2022,” he said.
Revilla, formerly with the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), is the wife of Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., who chairs the Lakas-CMD.
Zamora maintained his membership with the regional party Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) led by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as chairwoman.
The leadership of the Lakas-CMD appointed Mayor Revilla as Cavite provincial chairman and Zamora as party head of Davao de Oro.
The others who joined Lakas-CMD and were appointed as provincial chairmen are former Occidental Mindoro Rep. Amelita Villarosa; ex-Batanes Rep. Carlo Oliver Diasnes; Glan, Sarangani Mayor Vivien Yap; Antique Board Member Emmanual Palacios Jr.; former Buluan, Maguindanao Mayor Ibrahim Mangudadatu; Aklan Board Member Nelson Santamaria;
Sittie Aminah Quibranza Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte; Cotabato Board Member Shirlyn Macasarte-Villanueva; Aurora Board Member Philip Bautista; Anthony Wooden of Mountain Province; retired Police Col. Ronald Joseph Ocaya of Zamboanga del Norte; Passi City, Iloilo Vice Mayor Jesry Palmares; and Nueva Valencia, Guimaras Mayor Emmanuel Galila.
The Lakas-CMD also named Maria Alana Samantha Taliño Santos as party head of Region 12 and Councilor Ralph Ryan Rafael as chairman of Cotabato’s Third District. Santos and Rafael also joined the party Wednesday.
Lakas-CMD members in the House include party Vice President for Luzon and Deputy Majority Leader Juan Miguel Arroyo of Pampanga; Zamboanga Sibugay Rep. Wilter Wee Palma II; Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay Jr.; Lanao del Sur Rep. Yasser Balindong; Deputy Majority Leader Pangasinan Rep. Christopher de Venecia;
Quezon Rep. Aleta Suarez; Lapu-Lapu City Rep. Paz Radaza; Negros Occidental Rep. Marilou Arroyo; Misamis Oriental Rep. Christian Unabia; former House Majority Leader and Capiz Rep. Fredenil Castro; Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles; Catanduanes Rep. Hector Sanchez; Camiguin Rep. Xavier Jesus Romualdo; Dinagat Islands Rep. Alan Ecleo;
Southern Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado; Biliran Rep. Gerardo Espina Jr.; Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman; Quezon City Rep. Anthony Peter Crisologo; Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose Dalipe; Cavite Rep. Strike Revilla; Isabela Rep. Antonio Albano; Zamboanga del Sur Rep. Leonardo L. Babasa Jr.; Cagayan Rep. Samantha Louise Vargas Alfonso; and Davao Occidental Rep. Lorna Bautista-Bandigan.
The 22 Lakas-CMD allies from the party-list bloc include Tingog Rep. Yedda Marie Kittilstvedt Romualdez; Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor; Ako Bisaya Rep. Sonny Lagon; Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin; Alona Rep. Ana Marie Villaraza-Suarez; Ako Bicol Rep. Elizalde Co;
Ako Padayon Pilipino Rep. Adriano Ebcas; CWS Rep. Romeo Momo; Sr.; GP Rep. Jose Gay Padiernos; Philreca Rep. Presyley de Jesus; Recobodan Rep. Godofredo Guya; TGP Rep. Jose Teves; TUCP Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza; Magsasaka Rep. Argel Cabatbat;
Deputy Speaker and Sagip Rep. Rodante Marcoleta; Ang Probinsyano Alfred Delos Santos; APEC Rep. Sergio Dagooc; Senior Citizens Rep. Rodolfo Ordanes; Duterte Youth Rep. Ducielle Marie Cardema; BHW Rep. Angelina Natasha Co; LPGMA Rep. Allan Ty; and DUMPER PTDA Rep. Claudine Diana Bautista.
Lakas-CMD had produced two chief executives — former Presidents Fidel Ramos and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who also served as Speaker during the previous 17th Congress.