PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte’s Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) is set to take the speakership of the House of Representatives as 130 incumbent congressmen are running under the administration for the 2019 midterm elections.
Among the strong contenders are former House speaker Pantaleon Alvarez of Davao del Norte, Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco, Representative Ronald Zamora of San Juan, Cavite’s Alex Advincula and Bambol Tolentino, Ricky Sandoval of Malabon, Lucy Torres-Gomez of Leyte, South Cotabato’s Dinand Hernandez and Pampanga Third District Representative Aurelio “Dong” Gonzales Jr.
Talks on the possible leadership of the House of Representatives is ripe as current House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is set to make an exit from political office with the end of her term as Pampanga second district representative.
It could be recalled that after 184 votes and 12 abstentions, Arroyo was formally installed as Speaker of the 17th Congress of the House of Representatives, ousting Alvarez.
Arroyo is the first former President to become House Speaker.