MANILA - The Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) on Sunday expressed its support for the emerging "supermajority" in the House of Representatives as it backed House Majority Leader and Leyte First District Representative Martin Romualdez as House Speaker in the next Congress.

NPC Secretary General and former Batangas Rep. Mark Llandro Mendoza, Rizal Rep. Jack Duavit and Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga on Sunday met with Romualdez to present him the party's manifesto of endorsement as Speaker in the 19th Congress.

The NPC has 39 members in the House of Representatives.

"We, the members of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC) party of the 19th Congress of the Philippines, express our full support to Honorable Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Representative of the 1st District of Leyte, as the new SPEAKER of the House of Representatives," the NPC said in a statement.

"We firmly believe that Hon. Romualdez has the experience and aptitude that will effectively unify the House of Representatives in the passage of important and crucial legislative reforms for the country and the Filipino people under the administration of His Excellency, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr.," it added.

Other political parties in the House of Representatives have already expressed their support for Romualdez, including the Party-list Coalition Foundation, Inc. (PCFI), independents, PDP-Laban, Nacionalista Party (NP), Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), Liberal Party (LP), and Lakas-CMD.

Incoming Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos and his group also expressed support for Romualdez.

Meanwhile, Romualdez thanked the NPC for its support.

"I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all Members of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) party of the 19th Congress for expressing their full support to me as their preferred Speaker.The latest declaration of support from the 39-man contingent of the NPC highlights the desire of our newly-elected and re-elected congressmen to heed the call for unity of our incoming President Bongbong Marcos," he said in a statement.

"With NPC’s declaration of support, the new administration has now a clear supermajority in the House of Representatives, which is crucial in pushing for legislative measures needed to move our country forward," he added.

In 2019, Representatives Alan Peter Cayetano and Lord Allan Velasco were involved in a controversial term-sharing agreement for the Speakership, with a 15-21 months term sharing deal.

• Cayetano still House Speaker amid rumors of coup
• Cayetano urged to honor 'gentleman's agreement' with Velasco on House Speakership term-sharing

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