THE PHILIPPINE STAR
By JESS DIAZ
The House of Representatives has
named four more deputy speakers as
the chamber continues to organize itself
and its committees.
Designated deputy speakers on Tues-
day night were Reps. Mujiv Hataman of
Basilary Vilma Santos-Recto of Batangas,
Deogracias Savellano of Ilocos Sur, and
Mikee Romero of party-list L-Pacman.
Their designatibn brought to 22 the
number of deputies of Speaker Alan
Peter Cayetano. Their job includes pre-
siding over the House session whenever
the speaker is not available and doing
other tasks that Cayetano may assign.
And for the first time, the House has
allotted a proportionate share in'its
leadership and committee positions for
party-list representatives. Roqero is the
Iourih depuly speaker to conie from the
ranks of party-list representatives. The'
others are Abono Rep. Conrad Estrella
III, Sagip Rep. Dante Marcoleta and
Cibac Rep, Eddie Villanueva.
There are also four deputy majority
and minority leaders and four assistant
majority and minority leaders fnom the
party-list bloc.
The House leadership also designated
12 members of the Party-list Coalition
Foundation Inc. (PCFI) as chairpersons
of various committees, including major
committees such as games and amuse-
ment, economic affairs, labor and em'
ployment and overseas workers affairs.
. Romero is president of the S4-member
PCFI, the second largest political group
in the House after the ruling PDP-Laban.
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He lauded Cayetano for faintreatment on
party-list
- lawrnakers.
"speaker Cayetano has trqated the
party-list coalitiorir bloc as first-class
titizens in this 18th Congress. We're
no longer the second-class citizens that
we used to be treated," the lawmaker
stressed.
Two coalition members were also
appointed on Tuesday night to the
Commissioh on Appointments (CA):
Florencio Noel of An Waray and Rico
Geron of AGAP.
Also named to the CA were'Reps.
Genaro Alvarez Jr. of Negros Occiden-
tal and Josephine Sato of Mindoro Oc-
cidental.
Their appointment completes the Tribunal, which
L2-membei House continger,t in the CA,
the body empowered by the Constitu-
tion to vet major Cabinet appointments
and promotions in the military and dip-
lomatic service. San ]uan Rep" Ronaldo
Zamora heads the contingent,
. The CA is expected to tackle at least
three Cabinet appointments: those of
ex-senator Gregorio Honasan of infor-
mation and communications technology,
lAbndel Avisado of budget, and William
Dar of agriculture. Scpres of military and
diplomatic service promotions are also
pending.
- The House also appointed another
membbr of the Romero group, Alfredo
Garbin ]r. of Ako Bicol, and Abdullah
Dimaporo of Lanao del Norte as members
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of the House of Representatives Electoral
is tasked to resofve. elec-
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