MANILA — Malacañang on Thursday thanked Davao Del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez for his “invaluable service”, a day after he conceded to former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who succeeded him as Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque congratulated anew Arroyo for becoming the new and 21st House Speaker and expressed eagerness to work with her.
“The Palace is eager and ready to work with the new House leadership as we are confident that Speaker Arroyo would put her considerable skills and experience behind PRRD’s agenda,” Roque said in a statement.
“We likewise thank former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez for his invaluable service to the institution and to the nation,” he added.
Roque said the Palace also looked forward to Arroyo’s “successful leadership” in pushing for President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s priority legislation in the House.
He, meanwhile, urged the Congress to continue its efforts to pass legislation intended to improve Filipinos’ lives.
“Let us roll up our sleeves and start our work in bringing comfortable life for all Filipinos,” Roque said.
On Wednesday afternoon, Alvarez recognized Arroyo as the new Speaker of the House after 184 lawmakers voted in favor of the latter’s speakership and urged his colleagues to “get back to work.”
“We cannot undo the past, but we can certainly shape our future. The House of Representatives has chosen a new Speaker in the person of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,” Alvarez said.
“Alang-alang sa bayan (For the sake of our nation), let us get back to work and move on,” he added.
Arroyo and Alvarez had met for the first time since the leadership shakeup in the lower chamber where the new House Speaker said that she and Alvarez vowed to “continue our good relationship with each other.”
The House, meanwhile, adopted a resolution formally entering that Arroyo was elected as the new Speaker on July 23 into the House official records.