278 lawmakers back Romualdez to remain House speaker

MANILA, Philippines – A total of 278 lawmakers signed a manifesto supporting the continued leadership of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, said Deputy Speaker David “Jayjay” Suarez on Sunday, May 25.

“As of today, 285 House members have expressed support for Speaker Romualdez, with 278 lawmakers having already signed formal declarations — including four out of six members of the LP who are now part of the larger movement for legislative continuity and national stability,” Suarez said.

Suarez said that Romualdez’s leadership has earned the trust of incoming and outgoing lawmakers of the House of Representatives.

“The Speaker is also heeding the President’s call for results-oriented leadership, as demonstrated by the House of Representatives’ swift approval of the majority of priority measures aligned with the Chief Executive’s legislative agenda,” he added.

According to Suarez, with the addition of the Liberal Party lawmakers, the bloc now includes key parties such as Lakas-CMD, Nacionalista Party (NP), National Unity Party (NUP), Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC), Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), and the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. (PCFI).

Talks of a possible House leadership shakeup surfaced when Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco, who also served as campaign manager of the President’s slate in the 2025 midterms, expressed openness about getting the top House post. He claimed that some House members had approached him to express their support.

But Suarez said that the “Speakership in the 20th Congress is effectively over,” as Romualdez enjoys the majority of support. – Bonz Magsambol/Rappler.com