DAVAO de Oro 1st District Representative Maria Carmen “Maricar” Zamora-Mabanglo has been appointed Vice Chairperson of the House Committee on Appropriations, a key role that aligns with her growing legislative portfolio.
In a statement on August 6, Zamora-Mabanglo thanked the House leadership for the trust and vowed to fulfill her new duties with diligence and accountability.
“The task of looking into the national budget is challenging, but rest assured that I will do my sworn duty of representing our people,” she said.
The Committee on Appropriations is one of Congress’s most influential bodies, responsible for scrutinizing and finalizing the national budget. As vice chair, Zamora-Mabanglo is expected to help steer deliberations on government spending and resource allocation.
She also chairs the Committee on Accounts, overseeing the House’s internal finances, procurement, and disbursements—positions that place her at the center of both national and institutional budgeting.
Zamora-Mabanglo has authored six bills in the current Congress, including House Bill 2482 establishing the Davao de Oro Specialty Hospital, and House Bill 685 declaring March 8 a special non-working holiday in the province.
Other lawmakers from the Davao Region also secured leadership posts: Davao de Oro 2nd District Rep. Leonel “Jhong” Ceniza and Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. De Carlo Uy were named assistant majority floor leaders, while Davao Oriental 2nd District Rep. Cheeno Miguel Almario was appointed chairperson of the Committee on Social Services.
The new appointments followed the reelection of House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on July 28, supported by 269 lawmakers, including seven of 11 representatives from the Davao Region.
The Provincial Government of Davao de Oro congratulated Zamora-Mabanglo, calling her appointment a milestone for the province and a recognition of her rising national leadership. DEF
