Pantaleon Alvarez ousted; Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is House Speaker

• As the nation waited for President Duterte to deliver his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on 23 Jul 18, a power play broke out at the House of Representatives and ended with Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez losing his seat to Pampanga congresswoman and former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
• Alvarez was allowed to perform his last official function as Speaker when the President delivered his SONA an hour behind schedule.
• Convening after the SONA on the night of 23 Jul 18, however, 184 House members officially voted Arroyo to the position. Twelve abstained. The vote was a reaffirmation of a manifesto of support for Arroyo signed by more than 180 of the 292-member Congress.
• House Deputy Speaker Rolando Andaya Jr., who presided over the session, said they decided to continue the proceedings despite the absence of the mace since it is the lawmakers who comprise the chamber, and not any instrument or symbol.
• Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Pampanga) on 24 Jul 18 vowed to carry out the legislative agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte as she takes over the leadership at the House of Representatives.
• “I am extremely honoured to have been supported by my colleagues at the House of Representatives to be their new speaker,” Arroyo said in a statement on 24 Jul 18.

External Link: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/07/24/1836320/pantaleon-alvarez-ousted-gloria-macapagal-arroyo-house-speaker

External Link: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/07/24/1836353/arroyo-push-duterte-legislative-agenda-house