Scions, returning veterans comprise 20th Congress

MANILA, Philippines —  The new composition of the 314 members of the House of Representatives is a mix of descendants from the country’s most powerful dynasties representing extreme ends of the political spectrum.

Two neophyte congressmen – Davao City 2nd District Rep. Omar Duterte and Pwersa ng Pilipinong Pandagat party-list Rep. Harold James Tapangan Duterte – will be joining the 20th Congress on July 28 when President Marcos delivers his fourth State of the Nation Address in a joint Senate and House session.

Omar is the eldest among the grandchildren of former president Rodrigo Duterte. Harold is a first cousin of Vice President Sara Duterte and reelected congressman Paolo Duterte.

On the other side of the political fence are scions of known political dynasties that include first-term Tingog party-list Rep. Andrew Julian Romualdez, son of presumptive Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Also considered as neophytes are Reps. Ryan Christian Recto of Batangas’ 6th district, Brian Poe-Llamanzares of FPJ Panday Bayanihan party-list, Javier Miguel Benitez of Negros Occidental 3rd district and Leandro Legarda Leviste of Batangas’ 1st district.

Recto is the son of Finance Secretary Ralph Recto and actress Vilma Santos, Poe is the son of former senator Grace Poe, Benitez is the son of former Bacolod City mayor and now returning Rep. Albee Benitez of Negros Occidental’s first district while Leviste is the son of Sen. Loren Legarda with former Batangas governor Tony Leviste.

Former senator and justice secretary Leila de Lima, along with veteran human rights lawyer Jose Manuel Diokno, are now members of the House, representing party-list Mamamayang Liberal and Akbayan, respectively.

Former congressman LRay Villafuerte has switched places with his son Luigi in the 2nd district of Camarines Sur.

Rep. Sandro Marcos – son of President Marcos and First Lady Liza Marcos – is now on his second term as congressman of Ilocos Norte’s 1st district.

The influence of political dynasties continues, with many of them returning to Congress.

They include Reps. Gina de Venecia, wife of former speaker Jose de Venecia, Esmael Mangudadatu of Maguindanao and Roger Mercado of southern Leyte’s 1st district, Mauricio Domogan of Baguio City, Queenie Gonzales of the lone district of Mandaluyong, Edgar Erice of the 2nd district of Caloocan and Marcelino Teodoro of Marikina’s 1st district.

After the new House members have graduated from their three-day training on lawmaking given by the House Secretariat in partnership with the University of the Philippines-National College of Public Administration and Governance, Romualdez said the 19th Congress was the “most productive and most hard-working Congress in recent memory.”

“But I’m not going to leave it there because I think the 20th Congress may just live up to be the better one,” Romualdez said during a fellowship dinner after the training. – Jose Rodel Clapano