Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez leads the country’s heavyweights in the political arena during the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats’ (Lakas-CMD) Executive Committee meeting at the Manila Golf and Country Club in Makati City last Friday afternoon. Speaker Romualdez, Lakas-CMD President; Vice President Sara Duterte, chairperson; former President-turned Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of Pampanga, chairperson emeritus; and other officials flash a thumbs-up sign during the meeting. The Lakas-CMD elected its new set of Executive Committee officials and National Advisory Council members.
THE Lakas Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) elected its new national officers and members of its executive committee and national advisory council last Friday.
The election is contained in Resolution No. 1, series of 2023, approved by party members and confirmed by incumbent officers led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and Vice President Sara Duterte, who reassumed the positions of president and chairperson, respectively.
Romualdez said the installation of the new Lakas-CMD leaders “will strengthen and reinvigorate our party in support of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his Agenda for Prosperity and socio-economic roadmap.” “We hope to further grow our membership with new recruits who share our ideals, programs and goals, and aspirations for our people and our nation,” he said.
Lakas-CMD now counts 68 representatives as members, aside from hundreds of governors, city and town mayors, provincial board and city and municipal council members, and other local officials. Elected with Speaker Romualdez and Vice President Duterte were former President-turned Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo of Pampanga as chairperson emeritus, former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. as co-chairperson emeritus, Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. as co-chairperson, Capiz Gov. Fredenil Castro as vice chairperson, and House Majority Leader and Zamboanga City Rep. Manuel Jose “Mannix” M. Dalipe as executive vice president.
The other officers are Representatives Jose Aquino ll of Agusan del Norte, secretary general; Samantha Santos of North Cotabato, deputy secretary general; David Suarez of Quezon, treasurer; and others. The above-named officers were also chosen as members of the national executive committee.
The party formed a national advisory council “to support the executive committee.” Composing the council are former representatives Juan Miguel Arroyo, Diosdado Ignacio Arroyo, Lourdes Arroyo, Prospero Pichay Jr. Wilter Wee Palma, Aleta Suarez, Hector Sanchez, Paz Radaza, Leonardo Babasa Jr., Anthony Peter Crisologo, Mari Grace Preciosa Castelo, and Sandra Eriguel. Former executive secretary Eduardo Ermita, former secretaries Gabriel Claudio and Nasser Pangandaman Sr., and Agriculture Undersecretary Zamzamin Pamintuan also sit in the advisory council.
