By Juliana Andrea Daquipa, a Political Science student from University of Cebu
Once again, the gavel changes hands in the Batasan. But is this about better leadership — or deeper control?
On Sept. 17, 2025, the House of Representatives saw yet another change in its leadership. Martin Romualdez stepped down as speaker, making way for Isabela Rep. Faustino “Bojie” Dy III. While such transitions may appear routine, they are anything but ordinary. The speakership is not a mere administrative post — it’s a linchpin of legislative power, holding sway over the national agenda. And in the Philippines, shifts in this position are almost always symptoms of deeper political turmoil.
History offers striking parallels. In 2018, then-speaker Pantaleon Alvarez was ousted in the middle of President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address, reportedly due to tensions with Sara Duterte. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo replaced him in a swift and stunning move. In 2020, a power struggle unfolded between Alan Peter Cayetano and Lord Allan Velasco. Cayetano resisted a term-sharing agreement, sparking a parallel session that eventually installed Velasco with Duterte’s backing. These were not about leadership failures — they were about political positioning, factional control and ambition.
Romualdez’s case follows the same pattern. His resignation was not the result of proven incompetence but of mounting controversy: allegations of corruption, budget misallocation and ghost insertions. Criticisms of his leadership style and trustworthiness existed, but these were secondary to the larger cloud of wrongdoing. More telling was the quiet withdrawal of political support from his allies. The fallout from the flood control scandal and the results of the 2025 midterms left Romualdez politically vulnerable and expendable.
Enter Dy, elected speaker without opposition. Dy is a member of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP), the same party as President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., and part of the broader administration bloc. On paper, this seems like a seamless transition within the ruling alliance. But make no mistake, this move reflects the Marcos camp’s intent to tighten its grip on power.
Romualdez, despite being a Marcos cousin, was from Lakas–CMD, a separate but allied party. His removal signals more than fallout from controversy — it signals consolidation. The unopposed rise of Dy is strategic, positioning a loyalist at the helm of Congress ahead of critical political battles: the 2025 midterms and more significantly, the 2028 presidential race. With Romualdez out of the picture, the stage is clearer for other contenders — possibly Sara Duterte, or another Marcos-endorsed candidate — to emerge without internal competition.
This isn’t just a shuffle of names; it’s a preview of the future. It shows us how power operates behind closed doors — how scandals are managed, how loyalty is rewarded, and how political survival trumps public accountability. The speakership change is less about reform and more about damage control, optics, and positioning for what’s next.