By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Bacolod City lone district Rep. Greg Gasataya recently revealed there are currently four representatives being considered for Speaker of the House for the upcoming 18th Congress.
Among the potential candidates included Marinduque lone district Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco, who will be entering his second consecutive term in office. Also in consideration is Taguig-Pateros lone district Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano, who had earlier served the post from 1998 to 2007, along with serving as senator and Department of Foreign Affairs secretary under the President Rodrigo Duterte administration.
Another consideration is Leyte first district Rep. Martin Romualdez, who returned to the position following the recent midterm elections. He previously served as congressman from 2007 to 2016.
In addition, Davao del Norte first district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez is also in the mix. The congressman previously served as speaker, beginning in 2016, but was later replaced by former president, Pampanga second district Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
In the previous congress, both Negros Occidental sixth district Rep. Mercedes Alvarez and Capiz second district Rep. Fredenil Castro served as deputy speaker; however, after this year’s polls, Alvarez was term-limited and Castro did not seek re-election.
Gasataya said members of the House of Representatives are still currently deliberating for a new speaker but affirmed a decision will be made “in due time.”
“We still have three more weeks of sessions,” he added./DGB, WDJ