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| New Speaker Faustino Dy III delivers acceptance speech |
The Philippine House of Representatives changed its leadership today, electing Faustino "Bojie" Dy III of Isabela’s 6th District as speaker to replace Martin Romualdez of Leyte, who resigned.
"I step down not in surrender, but in service — for sometimes, the greatest act of leadership is the grace to let go, so that this institution may endure stronger than before," Romualdez said before the vote.
For his part, Dy said in his acceptance speech that his administration will be accountable and transparent. "We will listen to your voices," he added.
The House vote came nine days after the Senate voted Vicente Sotto III as its new president to replace Francis Escudero, and started a revamp that saw senators who support former president Rodrigo Duterte relegated to the minority bloc.
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Both reorganizations were prompted by the growing scandal over flood control projects.
While the Senate vote to remove Escudero was triggered by efforts to limit the Duterte bloc-led Blue Ribbon Committee’s investigation to projects from 2022 to 2025, instead of from 2016 to cover bigger scandals during the Duterte administration, Romualdez’s resignation came after efforts by critics to link him to “budget insertions” that funded the failed projects.
Some of those critics appear to have been appeased, as only 28 abstained from voting for Dy as compared to 34 who did not vote for Romualdez when the 20th Congress opened last July 28.
Among the converts were independent congressmen Toby Tiangco (Navotas, Lone District), Duke Frasco (Cebu, 5th District) and Albee Benitez (Bacolod, Lone District), whose vote for the new speaker signified they were joining the majority.
Malacanang welcomed the new House leadership.
“We respect the independence of the chamber and acknowledge the contributions of former Speaker Martin Romualdez. We now look forward to working with Speaker Faustino Dy III to advance measures that strengthen the economy, ensure basic services, and protect our democracy,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had earlier ordered that completed infrastructure projects must now be formally accepted by local government officials before the Department of Public Works and Highways can mark them as finished and pay the contractors.
Marcos said told a press conference that he was surprised to learn that this was removed during the Duterte administration.
