QUEZON CITY — Leyte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez was unanimously reelected as Speaker of the House of Representatives on Monday, earning a second consecutive term with overwhelming backing from the chamber’s supermajority coalition as the 20th Congress convened.
It is the second straight time Romualdez has secured the top House post unopposed — a resounding testament to the broad unity and confidence in his leadership across political lines.
With 269 votes cast in his favor, Speaker Romualdez was formally sworn into office by Bulacan Rep. Salvador Aquino Pleyto Sr., in a ceremony attended by his family, including his wife, Tingog Party-list Rep. Yedda K. Romualdez.
House Secretary General Reginald “Reggie” Velasco presided over the opening session and designated Iloilo Rep. Lorenz R. Defensor as acting floor leader to oversee the day’s proceedings.
The unopposed nomination of Romualdez was made by Quezon 2nd District Rep. David “Jay-jay” Suarez, a senior member of the ruling Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD). In his endorsement speech, Suarez hailed Romualdez’s tenure in the 19th Congress as transformative, citing his efforts to make the House “a true House of the People — responsive, united, and focused on national progress.”
“Speaker Romualdez is not only a seasoned public servant, but a unifier and reformer who leads with empathy, integrity, and conviction,” Suarez said. “Let us return the Speakership to a man who leads not for the spotlight, but for the people.”
The nomination was swiftly seconded by key leaders of the country’s major political parties: Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos for the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP); Quezon 1st District Rep. Mark Enverga for the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC); Antipolo 1st District Rep. Ronaldo V. Puno for the National Unity Party (NUP); and Misamis Oriental 2nd District Rep. Yevgeny Vincente Emano for the Nacionalista Party (NP).
Party-list support was also consolidated, with TUCP Party-list Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza of the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc. voicing full support for Romualdez’s continued speakership.
Lawmakers lauded Romualdez for his role in steering the House through a highly productive 19th Congress, during which it passed 61 of the 64 priority measures identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) under the Bagong Pilipinas governance framework.
Romualdez’s tenure also saw improved public trust in the House. According to Social Weather Stations (SWS) surveys, his personal trust rating rose from 26% to 34%, while institutional trust in the House climbed from 34% in April to 49% in May, reaching 57% in June.
Suarez attributed this growing trust to Romualdez’s steady leadership and inclusive governance. “He brings not just experience, but quiet strength, strategic foresight, and an unwavering commitment to public service,” Suarez said.
“He listens more than he speaks, delivers more than he promises, and unites more than he divides,” Suarez added. “In the face of adversity, he remains calm. Under pressure, he stays grounded. Amid political division, he builds bridges. And in times of doubt, he leads with heart.”
Speaker Romualdez’s reelection signals a continuation of the legislative momentum established during his first term, with the House poised to pursue further reforms, inclusive development, and stronger executive-legislative coordination under the Marcos administration.
“We reaffirm our confidence not just in a leader, but in a vision — one that places the Filipino people at the center of governance,” Suarez concluded.