THE House of Representatives on Wednesday elected additional officers and committee chairmen as it tries to complete its organization a few days after the convening of the 20th Congress.
Chosen as deputy majority leader was Eduardo Rama of Cebu City, with Antonino Roman lll of Bataan, Ricardo Cruz Jr. of Taguig-Pateros and Walfredo Dimaguila Jr. of Biñan City as assistant majority leaders.
Along with other deputy and assistant majority leaders, they would help Majority Leader and Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos, who chairs the committee on rules, in trafficking legislative measures and steering plenary deliberations.
Several House members were retained as committee chairman, including Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City (constitutional amendments), Wilfrido Mark Enverga of Quezon (agriculture), Roman Romulo of Pasig City (basic education and culture), Romeo Momo Sr. of Surigao del Sur (public works and highways), Angelo Marcos Barba of Ilocos Norte (North Luzon quadrangle), and Eleandro Jesus Madrona of Romblon (tourism).
Gerville Luistro of Batangas, who was a member of the House prosecution panel in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, was chosen chairperson of the committee on justice.
Jude Acidre of Tingog Party-list was chosen to head the committee on higher and technical education.
Ma. Georgina de Venecia of Pangasinan was elected chairperson of the committee on inter-parliamentary relations and diplomacy, while Maria Rachel Arenas also of Pangasinan was voted to chair the committee on foreign affairs.
The other elected committee chairmen were Tsuyoshi Anthony Horibata of Camarines Sur, aquaculture and fisheries resources; Irwin Tieng of Manila, banks and financial intermediaries; Laarni Lavin Roque of Bukidnon, civil service and professional regulations;
Aniela Bianca Tolentino of Cavite, climate change; Felimon Easpares of COOP NATCCO, cooperative development; Antonio Legarda Jr. of Antique, economic affairs; Jose Alvarez of Palawan, energy;
Antonio Ferrer of Cavite, games and amusement; Ma. Victoria Co-Pilar of Quezon City, housing and urban development; Miguel Luis Villafuerte of Camarines Sur, information and communication technology;
Ramon Jolo Revilla lll of Cavite, labor and employment; Jeffrey Ferrer of Negros Occidental, legislative franchises; Dean Asistio of Caloocan City, Metro Manila development; Leody Tarriela of Occidental Mindoro, micro, small and medium enterprises;
Oscar Malapitan of Caloocan City, national defense and security; Alfredo Marañon lll of Negros Occidental, natural resources; Emigdio Tanjuatco lll of Rizal, revision of laws; Wilton Kho of Masbate, rural development;
Julio Ledesma IV of Negros Occidental, science and technology; Maximo Dalog Jr. of Mt. Province, trade and industry; Franz Pumaren of Quezon City, transportation; Faustino Michael Carlos Dy lll of Isabela, youth and sports development, and Javier Miguel Benitez of Negros Occidental, creative industry.
