The head of the House of Representatives, called Speaker, is the presiding officer and the highest-ranking official of the House, and the fourth highest government official.
The Speaker is elected by a majority of all House members. The Speaker is the third in the line of succession for the presidency, after the Vice President and Senate President.
The Speaker presides over the session; decides on all questions of order, subject to appeal by any member; signs all acts, resolutions, memorials, writs, warrants and subpoenae issued by or upon order of the House; appoints, suspends, dismisses or disciplines House personnel; and exercises administrative functions.
A Speaker may be removed from office by majority of the members of the Chamber, or by death or resignation. In some cases, a Speaker may be compelled to resign at the middle of a Congress’ session if he loses the 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 first Speaker was Sergio Osmena in 1907.
The current Speaker is former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who represents the second district of Pampanga.
Arroyo was elected to the Speakership on July 23, 2018, and is the first woman and 21st person to serve as Speaker.
DEPUTY SPEAKERS
The Deputy Speakers are the second highest-ranking officials of the House. In the absence of the Speaker, one of the Deputy Speakers is tasked to preside during sessions.
There used to be only one Deputy Speaker since the Lower House was first established in 1907 – the official was called Speaker Pro-Tempore. It was only in 1995 (or during the 10th Congress) when the position of Speaker Pro Tempore was renamed to Deputy Speakers. Originally, there was one Deputy Speaker for each island group of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Then, in 2001 during the 12th Congress, a Deputy Speaker “at large” was created. In the next Congress, another “at large” deputy speakership was created, along with a Deputy Speaker for women.
In the 15th Congress starting in 2010, all six deputy speakers were “at large.” In the current 17th Congress, a number of Deputy Speakers has been maintained. They are:
Reps. Rose Marie Arenas of Pangasinan, Mercedes Alvarez of Negros Occidental, Fredenil Castro of Capiz, Raneo Abu of Batangas, Prospero Pichay, Jr. of Surigao del Sur, Mylene Garcia-Albano of Davao City, Arthur Yap of Bohol, Pia Cayetano of Taguig, Sharon Garin of AAMBIS-OWA party-list, Munir Arbison of Sulu, Ferdinand Hernandez of South Cotabato, Frederick Abueg of Palawan, Evelina Escudero of Sorsogon and Linabelle Ruth Villarica of Bulacan.
The growing number of Deputy Speakers can be attributed to the increasing number of House members through the years.
Based on the House Rules, Deputy Speakers perform the following functions:
— to assume the duties and powers of the Speaker when so chosen by a majority vote or by lot among themselves, as the case may be, in cases of absence or temporary incapacity of the Speaker, until such time that the Speaker returns to office and resumes work; and, in case of resignation, removal, permanent incapacity or death of the Speaker, until such time that a new Speaker is elected and qualified;
— to preside over the session when, even if present, the Speaker does not preside, or has not designated any other Member as temporary presiding officer;
— to monitor, coordinate and facilitate action on measures filed, requests, and other concerns of Members representing constituencies to which they may be assigned by the Speaker;
— to recommend to the Speaker appropriate policies, strategies and programs of action to improve the process of legislation and the quality of legislative measures, and to effectively address concerns of Members on matters affecting them, their constituencies, and the overall operations and integrity of the House;
— to appoint personnel of the House when so authorized by the Speaker; and
— to perform such other duties and functions as may be assigned or delegated to them by the Speaker.
MAJORITY LEADER
The Majority Leader is considered to be the “enforcer” in the House. The Speaker and the Majority Leader are the “Batman and Robin” in the Chamber so to speak.
The Majority Leader is elected in a caucus of the majority bloc. His primary function, aside from being the spokesman for the majority bloc, is to direct the deliberations on the floor.
In practice however, the Speaker chooses a trusted representative as Majority Leader.
In most cases in the past Congresses, a Majority Leader has been a lawyer.
Camarines Sur Rep. Rolando Andaya, Jr. is the current majority leader. A lawyer, he served as Speaker Arroyo’s Budget Secretary during her presidency.
MINORITY LEADER
The Minority Leader is the acknowledged spokesman for the so-called minority bloc. But it does not necessarily follow that he is also the leader of a party because the minority bloc in the House may be composed of one or more political groups.
Like the Majority Leader, the Minority Leader is elected in caucus of all Members of the House belonging to the minority. He is an ex-officio member of all standing Committees.
The Minority Leader is not necessarily a hardcore oppositionist. His job is more to ensure check and balance in the Chamber.
Presently, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, who considers himself as a “constructive oppositionist” is the Minority Leader prompting observers to quip that Suarez belongs more to the “loyal opposition,” having worked closely with Arroyo when she was still President.
The Minority Leader also works with the Majority Leader, like being co-author to specific administration measures which the latter believes will be for the good of the Filipino people.