ALL the 11 representatives from Cebu have voted in favor of Isabela Sixth District Representative Faustino “Bojie” Dy III as the 29th speaker of the House of Representatives.
During the voting conducted at the House plenary session on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, the following Cebuano lawmakers voted “yes” for Dy, along with 240 other members of the lower chamber:
Cebu City North District Representative Rachel "Cutie" Del Mar
Cebu City South District Representative Edu Rama
Lapu-Lapu City Lone District Representative Junard Chan
Mandaue City Lone District Representative Lolypop Ouano-Dizon
Cebu 1st District Representative Rhea Mae Gullas
Cebu 2nd District Representative Edsel Galeos
Cebu 3rd District Representative Karen Hope Garcia
Cebu 4th District Representative Sun Shimura
Cebu 5th District Representative Duke Frasco
Cebu 6th District Representative Daphne Lagon
Cebu 7th District Representative Patricia Calderon
Two other lawmakers from Cebu -- Ako Bisaya Partylist Representative Sonny Lagon and Malasakit@Bayanihan Partylist Representative Girlie Veloso -- also voted in favor of Dy.
Dy, unopposed, bagged the House speakership with a total of 253 positive votes, 28 abstention, and zero “no” vote.
He was nominated and subsequently elected for the post following the resignation of House Speaker Leyte First District Representative Martin Romualdez.
In a statement, Frasco expressed confidence in the leadership of Dy, whom he described as “a man of integrity and good character.”
“I extend my full support to Congressman Bojie Dy as the new Speaker of the House of Representatives,” he said.
“I look forward to working with Speaker Bojie in advancing meaningful legislation that will uplift the lives of the Filipino people. It is now time for the House of Representatives to stand united so that our nation may finally begin its path toward healing,” he added.
During the election for House speakership in the opening of the 20th Congress in July, Frasco abstained from voting for Romualdez.
Of the Cebu lawmakers, only Gullas, Galeos, Flores-Garcia, Shimura, Representative Daphne Lagon, Calderon, Rama, Chan and Ouano-Dizon voted in favor of Romualdez, while Del Mar also abstained.
In a Facebook post, Chan congratulated Dy for his new post as the fourth top government official.
In his speech, Dy expressed gratitude for the support given to him by his fellow House lawmakers.
The change of leadership in the lower chamber came amid the ongoing issues and allegations of corruption involving flood control projects across the country.
It also happened a little over a week following the transition in the Senate due to the ouster of Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero and the return of Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III as the Senate leader and the third top government official of the country.
In his speech upon assuming his post, Dy said while he is still in doubt of his capabilities, he is accepting the test accorded to him in this very challenging time.
He asked for the Filipino people to trust his leadership in holding those accountable for wrongdoings liable.
“Ako na ang unang magsasabi sa ating mga kababayan: Meron kaming pagkukulang. Kami ay nagpapakumbaba sa inyo, nakikiusap kami na sanay bigyan nyo kami ng pagkakataong ituwid ang mga maling kalakaran at linisin ang aming hanay. Nakikiusap po kami na bigyan nyo pa kami ng tyansang makuhang muli ang inyong tiwala. Ako po ay kaisa ng ating mahal na Pangulo sa kanyang layunin na linisin ang pamahalaan upang tayo ay bumangon muli,” said Dy.
(I will be the first to tell our fellow citizens: We have shortcomings. We humbly admit this to you, and we ask that you give us the opportunity to correct the wrong practices and cleanse our ranks. We appeal to you to give us another chance to regain your trust. I stand united with our beloved President in his goal of cleansing the government so that we may rise again.)
“Under my leadership, this house will change. I will not defend the guilty and I will not shield the corrupt. Gaya ng paninidigan ng ating pangulo: no rank, no ally, no office will be spared from accountability,” he added.
He vowed that under his watch, the chamber will fully cooperate with the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. created for the conduct of an in-depth investigation on the anomalous flood control projects.
Dy asked for the cooperation of his fellow congressmen in ensuring that inquiries within the chamber will be fair and the national budget is “clean.”
“Our duty is not to protect each other, our duty is to protect the Filipino people,” said Dy.
“Malinaw sa akin na higit matimbang ang aking pananagutang itaguyod ang ating Saligang Batas at unahin ang kapakanan ng mas nakakarami. Hindi ko hahayaan ang sinuman na miyembro dito 20th Congress na gamitin ang kongreso para sa kanyang personal na interes,” he added.
(It is clear to me that my greater responsibility is to uphold our Constitution and prioritize the welfare of the majority. I will not allow anyone in this 20th Congress to use the legislature for personal interests.) (TPM/SunStar Philippines)