MANILA, Philippines — Speaker Martin Romualdez remains hopeful that his relationship with former president Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte will improve despite their political differences.
Romualdez made the pronouncement yesterday, on the eve of his 60th birthday today, as he also expressed his gratitude to the Vice President, who is also secretary of the Department of Education, for respecting the House’s decision to realign her confidential funds.
“I believe that’s the right decision.We hail VP Sara’s decision,” the Leyte congressman told reporters.
Asked if he sees improvement in his relationship with the Dutertes, the House leader replied: “Always, always. I’m very hopeful,” adding he still trusts the family.
“We always work together, it’s still a UniTeam. The President always wants us to work together, not just in Congress, with the executive (department), but as a country so we will always strive for that,” the Speaker said.
“As they always say, there will always be differences, but we will always work towards resolving those differences for the service of the Filipino people, that’s our primordial concern. We will band together and unite as one for the service of the Filipino,” Romualdez added.
This developed as he expressed his “deepest gratitude” to House personnel, including congressional staff, for their hard work and dedication to duty, saying they are the chamber’s principal strength.
“We recognize that our greatest asset is not the walls that surround us, nor the laws we pass, but the people who work tirelessly to uphold the pillars of our democracy,” he said after yesterday’s flag ceremony.
“Your hard work, dedication and resilience are the driving forces behind our remarkable achievements. Let us continue to work hand in hand, with integrity and commitment, as we steer this House towards greater heights,” Romualdez said.
“In our ongoing efforts, we have successfully implemented salary improvements that honor your invaluable contributions to our legislative work. These adjustments are a testament to our recognition of your hard work and dedication,” the House leader added.
“Furthermore, we have continuously worked on enriching your benefits package,” he said.