Majority floor leader Ernesto "Dionix" Dionisio said in a press statement that this move by the majority under the Liberal Party (LP) headed by Manila Mayor Lito Atienza will ensure speedy committee work in the following areas: environment protection and ecological preservation and sanitation, health, transportation and parking, labor and employment, peace and order, engineering and public works, tourism and women and family relations.
Dionisio said the majority group councilors taking over these abandoned committees are still being finalized and will be announced at the City Council’s scheduled session on Tuesday.
Majority councilors will replace Ric Ibay, Irma Alfonso, Arlene Koa, Alex Co, Edward Tan, Cita Astals, Robert Ortega and Re Fugoso, who resigned from their posts and abandoned their committees.
These resigned councilors’ abandonment of their committees sparked outrage among their colleagues and allies, City Council president pro-tempore Juan Miguel Cuna said, adding that this was a clear "disservice" to Manileños.
The revitalized Majority is composed of 21 councilors: Dionisio, Cuna, Casimiro Sison, Manuel Zarcal, Ricardo Isip, Pacifico Laxa, Eduardo Quintos XIV, Roger Gernale, Victoriano Melendez, Martin Isidro Jr., Theresa Bonoan-David, Reuben Buenaventura, Monina Silva, Ma. Lourdes Isip-Garcia, Abelardo Viceo, Greco Belgica, Luis Uy, Lousito Chua, Amalia Tolentino, Elizabeth Rivera and Carlos Castañeda.
Zarcal said that, "looking on the brighter side, the breakaway group weeded themselves from the genuine majority working for the development of Manila."
Isip said "obviously, the eight members of the breakaway group prioritized their selfish political ambitions over the primary responsibility to serve Manileños. They sold out the trust given to them by the people of Manila."