Political scions hold key posts in House

by Delon Porcalla (The Philippine Star), Jul 25, 2019

MANILA, Philippines — Talk about political dynasty.

It is now the turn of the children, with a smattering of grandchildren, to hold the fort their elders once held in the House of Representatives, as many scions of political clans were given key posts under the leadership of Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano.

Returning Pampanga Congressman Juan Miguel Arroyo, eldest son of former president and speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was designated among the deputy majority leaders headed by House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez.

One of his colleagues is second-termer Pangasinan Rep. Christopher de Venecia, son of former speaker Jose de Venecia and ex-congresswoman Gina de Venecia, who held for a long time the Congressional Spouses Foundation Inc. due to her husband’s long term in office.

Neophyte Rep. Camille Villar of Las Piñas – daughter of former speaker and Senate president Manny Villar and Sen. Cynthia Villar – was elected assistant majority leader.

Villar’s fellow assistant majority leaders are Ilocos Norte Rep. Ria Fariñas – daughter of former House majority leader Rodolfo Fariñas – and David Suarez, former governor of Quezon province and son of former minority leader Danilo Suarez.

Both the younger Fariñas and Suarez are rookies in the lower legislative chamber.

The older Suarez is now Quezon governor while his wife Aleta took his place as representative of the province’s third district.

David represents the second district while his wife Anna Villaraza will remain as congresswoman of the Alona party-list.

Rep. Arnolfo Teves of Negros Oriental – now on his second term as congressman – is the grandson of the late Herminio Teves and has chosen to join the House opposition bloc. He is a nephew of former finance secretary and one-time congressman Gary Teves.

Meantime, veteran San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora was designated head of the 12-man House contingent in the powerful bicameral Commission on Appointments that screens and confirms appointees of President Duterte.

There are no committee chairmanships yet as these are still being ironed out.

Sources said the traditionally 14 deputy speakers would be increased to 24.

Among the new deputy speakers are Reps. Paolo Duterte of Davao City, Loren Legarda of Antique, Eddie Villanueva of Cibac party-list, Evelina Escudero of Sorsogon, LRay Villafuerte of Camarines Norte, Raneo Abu of Batangas and Robbie Puno of Antipolo City.

Reps. Prospero Pichay and Johnny Pimentel, both of Surigao del Sur; Ferdinand Hernandez of South Cotabato; Aurelio Gonzales Jr. of Pampanga and Conrado Estrella III of Abono party-list are also included.

The House minority bloc is composed of 28 members led by returning Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante, with Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin as senior deputy and Quezon City Rep. Kit Belmonte as deputy minority leader.

Speaker Cayetano designated his lawyer Jose Ruiz Montales, who used to be city administrator of Taguig and former foreign affairs undersecretary, as the new House secretary-general.

Former Philippine National Police deputy director general Ramon Apolinario was appointed sergeant-at-arms.

Abante will be joined by six of the 17 members of the Liberal Party – Belmonte, Garin, Jocelyn Limkaichong of Negros Oriental, Stella Quimbo of Marikina, Gabriel Bordado of Camarines Sur and Isagani Amatong of Zamboanga del Norte.

Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay, another LP, decided to be an independent opposition lawmaker.

Ten other LP members joined the House majority coalition. They are Reps. Edgar Erice of Caloocan, Josephine Ramirez-Sato of Occidental Mindoro, Emmanuel Billones of Capiz, Francis Gerald Abaya of Cavite, Mujiv Hataman of Basilan, Romulo Peña of Makati, Raul del Mar of Cebu, Paul Daza of Northern Samar, Alfonso Umali Jr. of Oriental Mindoro and Edgar Sarmiento of Samar.

In the last Congress, the House posted a 69-percent attendance under the speakership of Arroyo.