House honors ‘graduating’ party-list lawmakers

MANILA, Philippines — The House leadership has honored “graduating” members of the party-list coalition (PLC), the second biggest bloc in the chamber.

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Deputy Speaker for Political Affairs Mikee Romero led the recognition ceremony and handed plaques to the departing party-list congressmen.

Romero, president of PLC and representative of 1-Pacman party-list, paid tribute to six members of their bloc who are either completing their third consecutive term or running for other positions.

Deputy Speaker and SAGIP Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, AKO Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr., AAMBIS-OWA Rep. Sharon Garin, AGAP Rep. Rico Geron, Marino Rep. Macnell Lusot and ACT-CIS Rep. Niña Taduran were honored for their respective contributions to the 18th Congress.

“You have all contributed to make our party-list coalition bloc the biggest and strongest aggrupation in Congress,” Romero told his colleagues.

The PLC president said some of their members are running for senator, governor or mayor in the May 2022 elections while some intend to go back to private life.The bloc has 54 members or about one-sixth of the total number of members in the current Congress.