# Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines

The speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines (Filipino: Ispiker ng Kapulungan ng mga Kinatawan ng Pilipinas), more popularly known as the House speaker, is the presiding officer and the highest-ranking official of the lower house of Congress, the House of Representatives, as well as the fourth-highest official of the government of the Philippines.
The speaker is elected by a majority of all of the representatives from among themselves. The speaker is the third and last in the line of succession to the presidency, after the vice president and the Senate president.
A speaker may be removed from office in a coup, or can be replaced by death or resignation. In some cases, a speaker may be compelled to resign at the middle of a Congress' session after he has lost support of the majority of congressmen; in that case, an election for a new speaker is held. Despite being a partisan official, the speaker (or whoever is presiding) does not vote unless in breaking ties in accordance with the Rules of the House of Representatives.
The current House speaker is Martin Romualdez of Leyte-1st congressional district. He was elected as speaker on July 25, 2022, the first day of the 19th Congress.

## Election

When the office of speaker is vacant (usually at the beginning of a new Congress), the secretary-general of the House sits as the speaker until a person is elected. A speaker is usually elected via majority vote via roll call of the representatives, after nomination at the start of each new Congress. Usually, despite the current multi-party system used, only two representatives are nominated, with nominations being agreed upon before each Congress during caucuses between the administration and opposition coalitions, with the chosen candidate of the majority coalition being almost certain to win by a large margin. The two competing candidates by tradition vote for each other; those who voted for the speaker-elect is assigned as the "majority" coalition while those who didn't are the minority coalition, with the losing candidate usually being named as minority leader.
In the 2013 election, there were three candidates for the speakership. In this case, the candidates didn't vote for each other, and the second-placed candidate became minority leader and headed the minority bloc. The third-placed candidate became the leader of the "independent minority" bloc. Only the majority and minority blocs were given seats in committees. There was a chance that neither candidate would get a majority of votes; it is undetermined on what should be done if that happened.

## Role

According to Section 15 of Rule 4 of the House Rules, the Speaker of the House has the following duties and powers:
* Prepare the legislative agenda for each session, ensure efficient deliberation and swift approval of measures, and coordinate with Deputy Speakers and committee leaders.
* Conduct regular caucuses to discuss priority measures and facilitate dialogue among members.
* Supervise all committees, hold regular meetings with committee leaders, and ensure legislative targets align with the House's agenda.
* Establish an information management system to facilitate legislative work and public information.
* Monitor and evaluate the performance of the House, its members, and committees.
* Coordinate with the Senate to track and facilitate action on House measures.
* Preside over House sessions, make rulings on order, and designate temporary presiding officers when necessary.
* Maintain order and decorum within the House premises.
* Sign official House documents, including acts, resolutions, and subpoenas.
* Perform administrative duties, such as appointing personnel, imposing disciplinary measures, and managing budgetary and merit-based policies.
* Prepare the House's annual budget with the Committee on Accounts.
* Develop rules for public access to members' personal data and assets in consultation with the Committee on Rules.
* Implement a drug testing system for House members and staff.
* Require performance reports from committees and House officers.
And according to Section 16 of the Rule 4 of the Rules of the House, the speaker must "be the permanent head of delegation and representative of the House in all international parliamentary gatherings and organizations: Provided, that the Speaker may designate any Member to be the representative of the Speaker. The Speaker shall also determine, upon the recommendation of the Majority Leader, in consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Relations and Diplomacy, who shall constitute the House delegation to any international conference or forum of parliamentarians and legislators and the secretariat support staff to be mobilized for the purpose."

## List of speakers

National Assembly (1898–1901) :
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| – | | Pedro Paterno Member for Ilocos Norte (1857–1911) | September 15, 1898 | November 13, 1899 | | Independent | National Assembly |
| Philippine Assembly (1907–1916) ||||||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| 1 | | Sergio Osmeña Member for Cebu–2nd (1878–1961) | October 16, 1907 | October 16, 1916 | | Nacionalista | 1st Legislature |
| 1 | | Sergio Osmeña Member for Cebu–2nd (1878–1961) | October 16, 1907 | October 16, 1916 | | Nacionalista | 2nd Legislature |
| 1 | | Sergio Osmeña Member for Cebu–2nd (1878–1961) | October 16, 1907 | October 16, 1916 | | Nacionalista | 3rd Legislature |
| House of Representatives of the Philippine Islands (1916–1935) ||||||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| (1) | | Sergio Osmeña Member for Cebu–2nd (1878–1961) | October 16, 1916 | December 16, 1921 | | Nacionalista | 4th Legislature |
| (1) | | Sergio Osmeña Member for Cebu–2nd (1878–1961) | October 16, 1916 | December 16, 1921 | | Nacionalista | 5th Legislature |
| 2 | | Manuel Roxas Member for Capiz–1st (1892–1948) | October 27, 1922 | June 5, 1934 | | Nacionalista Colectivista | 6th Legislature |
| 2 | | Manuel Roxas Member for Capiz–1st (1892–1948) | October 27, 1922 | June 5, 1934 | | Nacionalista | 7th Legislature |
| 2 | | Manuel Roxas Member for Capiz–1st (1892–1948) | October 27, 1922 | June 5, 1934 | | Nacionalista | 8th Legislature |
| 2 | | Manuel Roxas Member for Capiz–1st (1892–1948) | October 27, 1922 | June 5, 1934 | | Nacionalista | 9th Legislature |
| 3 | | Quintín Paredes Member for Abra (1884–1973) | July 16, 1934 | November 15, 1935 | | Nacionalista Democratico | 10th Legislature |
| National Assembly of the Commonwealth of the Philippines (1935–1941) ||||||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| 4 | | Gil Montilla Member for Negros Occidental–3rd (1876–1946) | November 25, 1935 | December 30, 1938 | | Nacionalista Democratico | 1st National Assembly |
| 5 | | José Yulo Member for Negros Occidental–3rd (1894–1976) | January 24, 1939 | December 30, 1941 | | Nacionalista | 2nd National Assembly |
| National Assembly of the Republic of the Philippines (1943–1945) ||||||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| 6 | | Benigno Aquino Sr. Member for Tarlac (1894–1947) | September 25, 1943 | February 2, 1944 | | KALIBAPI | National Assembly |
| House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of the Philippines (1941–1946) ||||||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| 7 | | José Zulueta Member for Iloilo–1st (1889–1972) | June 9, 1945 | May 25, 1946 | | Nacionalista | 1st Commonwealth Congress |
| 8 | | Eugenio Pérez Member for Pangasinan–2nd (1896–1957) | May 25, 1946 | July 4, 1946 | | Liberal | 2nd Commonwealth Congress |
| House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines (1946–1973) ||||||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| (8) | | Eugenio Pérez Member for Pangasinan–2nd (1896–1957) | July 4, 1946 | December 30, 1953 | | Liberal | 1st Congress |
| (8) | | Eugenio Pérez Member for Pangasinan–2nd (1896–1957) | July 4, 1946 | December 30, 1953 | | Liberal | 2nd Congress |
| 9 | | Jose Laurel Jr. Member for Batangas–3rd (1912–1998) | January 25, 1954 | December 30, 1957 | | Nacionalista | 3rd Congress |
| 10 | | Daniel Z. Romualdez Member for Leyte–4th until 1961 Member for Leyte–1st from 1961 (1907–1965) | January 27, 1958 | March 9, 1962 | | Nacionalista | 4th Congress |
| 10 | | Daniel Z. Romualdez Member for Leyte–4th until 1961 Member for Leyte–1st from 1961 (1907–1965) | January 27, 1958 | March 9, 1962 | | Nacionalista | 5th Congress |
| 11 | | Cornelio Villareal Member for Capiz–2nd (1904–1992) | March 9, 1962 | February 2, 1967 | | Liberal | 5th Congress |
| 11 | | Cornelio Villareal Member for Capiz–2nd (1904–1992) | March 9, 1962 | February 2, 1967 | | Liberal | 6th Congress |
| (9) | | Jose Laurel Jr. Member for Batangas–3rd (1912–1998) | February 2, 1967 | April 1, 1971 | | Nacionalista | 6th Congress |
| (9) | | Jose Laurel Jr. Member for Batangas–3rd (1912–1998) | February 2, 1967 | April 1, 1971 | | Nacionalista | 7th Congress |
| (11) | | Cornelio Villareal Member for Capiz–2nd (1904–1992) | April 1, 1971 | September 23, 1972 | | Liberal | 7th Congress |
| Batasang Pambansa (1978–1986) ||||||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| 12 | | Querube Makalintal Member for Region IV (1910–2002) | June 12, 1978 | June 30, 1984 | | KBL | Interim Batasang Pambansa |
| 13 | | Nicanor Yñiguez Member for Southern Leyte (1915–2007) | July 23, 1984 | March 25, 1986 | | KBL | Regular Batasang Pambansa |
| House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines (since 1987) ||||||||
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Party | Party | Legislature |
| 14 | | Ramon Mitra Jr. Member for Palawan–2nd (1928–2000) | July 23, 1987 | June 30, 1992 | | LDP | 8th Congress |
| 15 | | Jose de Venecia Jr. Member for Pangasinan–4th (born 1936) | July 27, 1992 | June 30, 1998 | | Lakas | 9th Congress |
| 15 | | Jose de Venecia Jr. Member for Pangasinan–4th (born 1936) | July 27, 1992 | June 30, 1998 | | Lakas | 10th Congress |
| 16 | | Manny Villar Member for Las Piñas (born 1949) | July 27, 1998 | November 13, 2000 | | LAMMP | 11th Congress |
| 17 | | Arnulfo Fuentebella Member for Camarines Sur–3rd (1945–2020) | November 13, 2000 | January 24, 2001 | | NPC | 11th Congress |
| 18 | | Feliciano Belmonte Jr. Member for Quezon City–4th (born 1936) | January 24, 2001 | June 30, 2001 | | Lakas-CMD | 11th Congress |
| (15) | | Jose de Venecia Jr. Member for Pangasinan–4th (born 1936) | July 23, 2001 | February 5, 2008 | | Lakas-CMD | 12th Congress |
| (15) | | Jose de Venecia Jr. Member for Pangasinan–4th (born 1936) | July 23, 2001 | February 5, 2008 | | Lakas-CMD | 13th Congress |
| (15) | | Jose de Venecia Jr. Member for Pangasinan–4th (born 1936) | July 23, 2001 | February 5, 2008 | | Lakas-CMD | 14th Congress |
| 19 | | Prospero Nograles Member for Davao City–1st (1947–2019) | February 5, 2008 | June 30, 2010 | | Lakas-CMD | 14th Congress |
| (18) | | Feliciano Belmonte Jr. Member for Quezon City–4th (born 1936) | July 26, 2010 | June 30, 2016 | | Liberal | 15th Congress |
| (18) | | Feliciano Belmonte Jr. Member for Quezon City–4th (born 1936) | July 26, 2010 | June 30, 2016 | | Liberal | 16th Congress |
| 20 | | Pantaleon Alvarez Member for Davao del Norte–1st (born 1958) | July 25, 2016 | July 23, 2018 | | PDP–Laban | 17th Congress |
| 21 | | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Member for Pampanga–2nd (born 1947) | July 23, 2018 | June 30, 2019 | | PDP–Laban | 17th Congress |
| 22 | | Alan Peter Cayetano Member for Taguig–Pateros (born 1970) | July 22, 2019 | October 12, 2020 | | Nacionalista | 18th Congress |
| 23 | | Lord Allan Velasco Member for Marinduque (born 1977) | October 12, 2020 | June 30, 2022 | | PDP–Laban | 18th Congress |
| 24 | | Martin Romualdez Member for Leyte–1st (born 1963) | July 25, 2022 | Incumbent | | Lakas-CMD | 19th Congress |