…‘Dawn coalition’ for De Venecia

After the "Sunshine Coalition" comes the "Dawn Coalition."

An administration lawmaker proposed yesterday the formation of the Dawn Coalition under the leadership of Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. to represent legislators from various political parties who ensured the proclamation of the winning candidates in the May 10 elections.

"We held our session until dawn, and the president and the vice president were proclaimed at dawn. So I think it would be proper to call our group ‘The Dawn Coalition’," Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said.

Barbers said the new coalition will ensure the continued leadership of De Venecia as speaker of the House of Representatives under the incoming 13th Congress.

"I believe with the Dawn Coalition, Speaker De Venecia would get 80 percent support from the members of Congress," he said.

Barbers noted De Venecia, who has been re-elected as representative of the fourth district of Pangasinan, has been successful in forging political alliances to ensure his leadership and pursue the legislative agenda of the administration.

Barbers, who was re-elected as representative of the second congressional district of the province, was quick to clarify that the word "dawn" should not be taken in a negative context since it actually means the beginning of a new Congress.

De Venecia was twice elected speaker during the term of former President Fidel Ramos.

He managed to form the Rainbow Coalition, forging an alliance with other political parties, including the mainstream opposition Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP).

The Pangasinan lawmaker was later chosen as the standard-bearer of the ruling Lakas party but lost to then Vice President Joseph Estrada during the 1998 presidential elections.

After Estrada’s ouster in January 2001, De Venecia ran for Congress and was again elected speaker where he put his consensus-building skills to good use.

De Venecia brought together the Sunshine Coalition, forging a political alliance with the opposition Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) of businessman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr.

The present political coalition is composed of Lakas, the NPC, the Liberal Party (LP) and the Nacionalista Party (NP).

With many NPC and LP congressmen already proclaimed winners, the coalition will have a total 172 members in the incoming 13th Congress.

Barbers noted that the current opposition, which will be represented by theLDP, the Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) and the Partido ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), will have diminished numbers.

Barbers said there will no serious threat to De Venecia to retain his position as speaker, even as some lawmakers including Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, are already preparing to challenge the House leadership.

Barbers conceded that Lagman has a track record during his stint in the 10th Congress but insisted that with the formation of the Dawn Coalition, De Venecia might keep his post.

"Speaker De Venecia has the numbers to keep his post," Barbers declared.

Under House rules, a member must secure at least 118 votes to become speaker.