The Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan faction of President Rodrigo Duterte endorsed House Majority Leader Martin Romualdez to be the 19th Congress’ next speaker.

In a statement Saturday, PDP-Laban president Alfonso Cusi said Romualdez could bring unity to the House of Representatives.

“We believe that Cong. Romualdez can bring the various political parties and blocs in the House of Representatives together to continue the legacy programs of the Duterte Administration as well as shepherd in Congress the vision of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. for a more progressive Philippines,” said Cusi, who also serves as the energy secretary.

Cusi also said the Leyte representative’s track record “speaks for itself.”

He cited Romualdez’s support in enacting two Bayanihan Laws, the COVID-19 Vaccination Program Act of 2021 and the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, the amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalization Act of 2000.

“He is indeed one of the most hard-working members of Congress,” Cusi said.

He added that the ruling party’s 65 newly-elected representatives are throwing their full support behind Romualdez.

Romualdez is the cousin of Marcos Jr. He ran unopposed and was re-elected as the representative of Leyte’s first district.