• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Visayan Bloc, led by its convenor, Bacolod Lone District Representative Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, has issued a manifesto declaring their full support to the leadership of Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ Dy III.
The Visayan bloc’s declaration has added to the earlier support of 30 Metro Manila district representatives; 67 members of the Mindanao bloc led by Senior Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez (2nd District, South Cotabato); the 39-member Northern Luzon Alliance led by House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos III (1st District, Ilocos Norte), with Deputy Speakers Kristine Singson-Meehan (2nd District, Ilocos Sur) and Francisco Paolo Ortega V (1st District, La Union); and the 44 members of the Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc.
In their manifesto, the Visayan lawmakers said the House is at a moment that demands moral recovery, humility, and the courage to confront uncomfortable truths, stressing also that Dy’s leadership – marked by clean hands, independence from ongoing controversies, and an unwavering stance on accountability – provides the stability and integrity needed to rebuild public trust shaken by flood-control corruption scandals.
“Speaker Dy has no involvement, no stake, and no entanglement in the controversies that have shaken public confidence” said the Visayas solons in their manifesto, adding that his distance from scandals is not merely a personal advantage, but an institutional necessity.
“The House cannot hope to regain credibility if the person leading its reforms is compromised by the very wrongdoing we aim to confront,” they said.
The lawmakers said Dy has shown the moral clarity required to lead reforms in an institution that “must admit that mistakes were made, that systems were abused, and that the House must change if it hopes to serve the Filipino people with honor.”
“Speaker Dy has opened the doors to accountability. He has encouraged transparency. He has signaled that no one is above the process,” they said. “These are not easy decisions. But they are the right ones—and the Visayan Bloc believes the House must stay on this path,” they added.
The Visayan bloc said it stands united “for moral recovery, for accountability, and for a House worthy of the trust of our people.”
“With full responsibility to our constituents and fidelity to our oath, we declare our support for Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ G. Dy III and the reforms he has set in motion. We believe that under his leadership, the House can restore its moral compass, reclaim its credibility, and return to its duty of serving the Filipino people with integrity,” they said.
The manifesto was signed by 39 Visayan Bloc members.*
