THE House of Representatives and the Senate opened on Monday, July 25, 2022, the first session of the 19th Congress, hours before the first State of the Nation Address (Sona) of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
Both chambers officially opened their respective sessions at 10 a.m. where they admitted and swore in their newly elected members.
In the Senate, all the 24 senators attended the opening of the session where Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri was elected as the 24th Senate President.
Zubiri got the vote of 19 senators, while four others, including Senators Pia and Alan Cayetano, Risa Hontiveros and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel, abstained from voting.
Senator Robin Padilla stated for the record that he did not vote for the majority leader position.
Returning Senator Loren Legarda was elected as the Senate President Pro Tempore, Senator Joel Villanueva as the majority Leader, and Pimentel as the minority leader.
A total of 20 senators will be part of the majority bloc while two, including Pimentel and Hontiveros, represent the minority bloc.
Traditionally, members who abstained from voting were automatically considered as members of the minority bloc, but the Cayetano siblings, Pia and Alan, specified that they will be “independent” senators during the 19th Congress.
At the House of Representatives, Leyte First District Representative Ferdinand Martin Romualdez was elected as the speaker. He took his oath of office after his declaration.
Romualdez, the president of the Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas CMD), is a cousin of Marcos.
Romualdez gained 283 affirmative votes, while 22 lawmakers did not vote, four abstained and one voted negative.
Albay First District Representative Edcel Lagman voted "no" to the election of Romualdez.
“Being with the authentic political opposition, I am constrained to vote no,” he said.
Gabriela Party-list Representative Arlene Brosas, ACT Teachers Party-list Representative France Castro, OFW Party-list Representative Marissa Magsino and Kabataan Party-list Representative Raoul Manuel abstained from voting.
Pampanga Second District Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was “unanimously” elected as the senior deputy speaker of the house.
Davao City Third District Representative Isidro Ungab, Antipolo First District Representative Roberto Puno, Las Piñas City Lone District Representative Camille Villar, Ilocos Sur Second District Representative Kristine Singson-Meehan and Trade Union Congress of the Philippines' (TUCP) Representative Raymond Democrito Mendoza were also elected as deputy speakers.
Serving as the House of Representative's secretary general for the 19th Congress is Reginald Velasco, while retired police Major General Napoleon Caballes Taas is the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Zamboanga City Second District Representative Manuel Jose Dalipe was elected as the house majority leader.
Senators and the members of the House of Representatives will convene for a joint session at the House of Representatives at 4 p.m.
Marcos will deliver his Sona during the session. (SunStar Philippines)