TLfTSDAY MAY 21, 2ox9 |

j'Like GMA, next Speaker should bb workaholic'

By MaricelV. Cruz
THE next Speaker of the House
should emulate lhe example set by
former President Gloria Macapa-
gal Arroyo, wbo worked round the
I clock to ensure the passage of the
President's priority bills. a senior
House official said Monday.
"I hope the next speaker we pick
as the leader of our Congess rill
be as industrious as Speaker Ar-
royo," said Senior Deputy Majority
Leader Rodante Marcoleta, a party-
list legislator. "It may be difficult to
duplicate Speaker Arroyo'S feat in the
legislative mill, but we need a similar
tie enactment into
leader, . . to ensure
laws the President's reform agenda."
"It may be too early to disctss the
race for the next Speaker but we,
the incumbents. have the duly to re-
mind incoming congressmen. par-
ticularly the freshmen, of the need
'to select a House ledder worthy of
theiob," he added.
Going by Marcoleta's statement,
arlUther lawmaker said the deputy
majority leader's description of the
next Speaker fits Represenrat ive-
elect Martin Romualdez ofLeyte.
The legislator, who requested
anonymity because he did not these advocacies," he said.
want to displease at least four other
congressmen who are eyeing the
spedkership, said Romualdez is a
hard worker who can push the Pres-
iilent's legislative agenda forward.
t Marcoletd said he and his fellow
legislators in the Pdflyllist Coali-
tion Foundation Inc. were having
a discussion on the issue and all
agreed to back a House leader who
is known for supporting advocacies
for social reforms.
"We. in the PCFI, have vari-
ous advocacies. We need the next
speaker who will help us push
for the passage of laws related to
Next poge

'Like GMA,...
Ftom Al
"The lTth Congress has been support-
ive ofthe President's reform agenda and
we expect the speaker of.the 18th Con-
gress to work with us, possibly round
the c,ock, to make lhe President's vision
lor the country a reality," he added.
Marcoleta said partyJist legislators
also expect the next House leader to
emulate Speaker Arroyo's sense offair-
ness and equity in dealing with their
fellow congressmen,
' "Under her watch, party-list congress-
men were given the opportmity to lead
and help steer the enactment of our pet
bills into laws j' Marcoleta said.
Injust seven montlit since Arroyo as-
sumed the speakershipl the House bas
approved all legislative measures on
President Rodrigo Duterte's legislative
agenda.
The Horise under Arroyo, in total, pro-
cessed 1,361 bills, approved 492 meas-
ures of which 95 have been passed into
law. In December alone, 39 bills were
ready for the President's signature; 27
with ratified bicameral reports; 25 in the
bicameral conference committee; 22 ap-
proved on second reading and 38 resolu-
tions approved.
"We have processed an average of 33
measures a day. We hope the wolk ethic
of Speaker Arroyo will rub [offl on her
successor so we can all help realize
the President's vision for the country,"
Marcoleta said.

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