SB: House expected to cooperate with Duterte government

MANILA, Philippines – Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said yesterday the House of Representatives is expected to be cooperative with the administration of presumptive president Rodrigo Duterte.

Belmonte, who is expected to run for the speakership in the 17th Congress, said the chamber will likely support Duterte’s legislative agenda. 

“We’ll help advance his legislative agenda. We’re not going to be adversarial,” Belmonte said in a telephone interview. “We have to move on.”

He said he believes the Liberal Party (LP), which had largely supported the presidential bid of Manuel  Roxas II, will remain intact in the House.

If the more than 100 LP members in the chamber will not switch sides, it is possible that Belmonte will remain as speaker for his third and last consecutive term. 

He said he has known Duterte for a long time since they were together in the 11th Congress.

“We’re okay. We’ve no bad blood between us. There are times when I’ve consulted him on some important political matters when we were both congressmen,” Belmonte said. 

Meanwhile, the 46-member Visayas bloc in the House also committed its support for Duterte’s legislative agenda and is set to meet soon to discuss who to support for speaker.

Reelected Negros Occidental Rep. Alfredo Benitez, the leader of the bloc, said the group is scheduled to meet on May 18 to discuss a common stand on the speakership and welcome its new members. 

“Right now, we can only commit to the next president our cooperation in acting on measures that will help realize his programs for peace and order, poverty reduction, better public health and affordable education for our youth,” Benitez said.

Iloilo Rep. Jerry Treñas of the LP will preside over the meeting, which will also be attended by newly proclaimed members representing the congressional districts in the Visayas.

List of new members

The House of Representatives is now drawing up the list of members of the incoming 17th Congress. 

House Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap said that while the three-year term of members of the new Congress starts on July 1, the chamber is already accepting documents from winning congressional candidates attesting to their election.

Based on the unofficial count, more than 100 House members who are seeking reelection have already been proclaimed or are leading over their opponents.

Among those who have been proclaimed were Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and his five colleagues representing Quezon City: Vincent Crisologo, Winston Castelo, Jorge John Banal, Christopher Belmonte, and Alfred Vargas.

In Eastern Samar, Rep. Ben Evardone won a new term as representative. Former congressman Marcelino Libanan lost the gubernatorial race to incumbent Conrado Nicart Jr.

The new congressman of Romblon, Emmanuel Madrona, took his oath yesterday. He replaced his brother, outgoing Rep. Eleandro Jesus Madrona.

In Quezon, the board of canvassers has proclaimed Angelina Tan as reelected representative of the fourth district.

Also declared congressional winner is outgoing Mayor Jenny Barzaga of Dasmariñas City in Cavite, which is now a separate legislative district.

In Isabela, Rep. Rodolfo Albano lll, who is seeking reelection, has been proclaimed.

Rep. Kaka Bag-ao of Dinagat Islands has been declared winner. She beat a member of the Ecleo political clan.

Meanwhile, Quezon City’s Castelo, who was unopposed, said the people should now forget the division caused by the elections and unite behind a common purpose.

“We may agree or disagree with the winners, but the most important thing is for us to come to terms with the election results and unite for the betterment of our country”  he said.

“We are a resilient people. We are gifted with the capacity to endure and adapt. It pays to unite and put the bitterness and divisiveness caused by the elections behind us. We should move on,” he stressed.

The terms of office of the members of the 17th Congress will begin on July 1, 2016. New House members will also be given an orientation on the processes required for their assumption into office.