go through Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio, reporter
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G.
Not long after, 253 members of Congress voted to pass Isabella Rep. Faustino “bojie” dy iii in his place.
“The issues surrounding certain infrastructure projects raise questions not only for me, but also for the institutions we all serve,” Mr. Romualdez, the three-year Speaker, told the House. “The longer I stay, the more burden it is on me, the house and the president.”
The resignation of the president’s cousin, Mr. Romadez, is the climax of the broader Congressional leadership that has been brewing since early September and has triggered a change in Senate leadership, with Senator Vicente “Tito” C. Sotto C. Sotto C. Sotto III replacing Francis G. Escudero Amid Amid Amid Fallout after Fallout fally Flood Conlecon Conlecontal Scandal scandal.
Mr Romualdez said his resignation gave the house a fresh start and began working to regain public trust.
“The House needs this change,” Lorenz R. Defensor, the senior deputy leader and Iloilo Rep. Lorenz R. Defensor, told reporters before the Speaker’s vote. “After what happened to the abnormal budget of the flood control project, it needs to rebuild its reputation and regain its integrity.”
Infrastructure contract violations have sparked public outrage after a series of typhoons and monsoon rains earlier this year, despite extensive flood control projects in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
In his political speech after his election, Mr. Dy vowed to undergo radical reforms, promising to face corruption, but provided little detail on his policy agenda.
“Under my leadership, this house will change,” he said. “I will not defend guilt and will not cover up corruption.”
Mr. Dy, 64, is Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., the governor of the northern region, who maintained political influence in his family, who held provincial positions.
Mr Dy said the House would not have to “no rankings, no allies and no positions” in order to pursue a sense of responsibility with people with massive corruption. “We must strengthen the oversight committee and work fully with the Infrastructure Independent Commission.”
“Continuity” movement
“The President recognizes the important role of the House, especially when the public demands visible results and asks Congress to take positive steps to address people’s concerns and make real improvements in daily life,” the Presidential Palace said in a statement.
“We respect the independence of the Chamber and recognize the contribution of former Speaker Martin Romualdez,” it said. “We are now looking forward to working with Speaker Faustino dy III to promote measures to strengthen the economy, ensure essential services and protect our democracy.”
The Speaker Post has a significant political influence, traditionally held by allies of the current president. It has implications for the chamber of tax measures and the origins of the annual national budget and plays a key role in guiding management priorities through the House.
Professor of political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, his change in House leadership is seen as a “continuity” move by the Marcos administration, which may be designed to protect the president’s allies from the counterattack.
“The change in leadership could be the consequence of the Marcos Bloc’s attempt to seize the flood control chaos from any potential adverse consequences caused by the ongoing investigation,” he said on the phone.
Marcos said last month that about Phillipine Pesos 545 billion have been investigated from flood control projects since 2022, noting that 15 contractors have about 100 billion pesos or 20% of the total funding.
The House and Senate have initiated separate inquiries, which have since been linked to engineers, contractors and politicians with massive corruption.
Reports of abnormal flood control have sparked protests throughout the Philippines, a country that is often hit by severe floods.
“Romualdez’s resignation may calm the storm inside the House, but it is impossible to satisfy public anger,” Philippine think tank WR Numero Research said in a Viber message.
He added: “Unless the sense of responsibility followed closely and the key masterminds are prosecuted and held, the public will see it as another case where the political elite sacrificed one of themselves to protect the rest.”
