Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines

Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
Incumbent
Feliciano Belmonte, Jr.
since July 22, 2013
Style The Honorable
(Diplomatic)
Mr. Speaker
(Within the House)
Appointer Elected by the Philippine House of Representatives
Inaugural holder Sergio Osmeña
Formation October 16, 1907
Website Speaker of the House

The Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines is the presiding officer of the lower house of Congress, the House of Representatives.

The Speaker is the third and last in line in succession for the presidency, after the President of the Senate of the Philippines, and Vice President of the Philippines.

When the office of the 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. The two competing candidates by tradition vote for each other; those who voted for the speaker-elect assigned as the "majority" coalition while those who didn't are the minority coalition, with the losing candidate usually being named as Minority Leader.

A speaker may be removed from office 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) doesn't vote unless in breaking ties.

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List of Speakers

  Nacionalista
  KBL
  LDP
  Lakas/Lakas-Kampi
  NPC
  LAMP

In some lists that count only the Speakers of the House of Representatives, the Speakers of the Batasang Pambansa are excluded; in that case, subtract 2 from every number from Mitra onwards.

# Speaker Party District Legislature Start of service End of service Era
1 Sergio Osmeña Nacionalista Cebu 1st Legislature - 5th Legislature 1907 1922 American Insular Government
2 Manuel Roxas Nacionalista Capiz 6th Legislature - 9th Legislature 1922 1933
3 Quintin Paredes Nacionalista Abra 10th Legislature 1933 1935
4 Gil Montilla Nacionalista Negros Occidental 1st Assembly November 25, 1935 December 30, 1938 Commonwealth
5 José Yulo Nacionalista Negros Occidental 2nd Assembly January 24, 1939 December 30, 1941
During the Japanese invasion of the Philippines, the Commonwealth went into exile in the United States and the National Assembly was dissolved. It was replaced by the unrelated National Assembly of the Japanese-sponsored Second Republic. Second Republic
6 Benigno Aquino, Sr. KALIBAPI Tarlac At-Large National Assembly October 17, 1943 February 2, 1944
After the liberation, the winners of the 1941 elections were finally able to assume their positions. Commonwealth
(Restored)
7 Jose Zulueta Nacionalista
Liberal wing		 Iloilo-1st 1st Commonwealth Congress June 9, 1945 December 20, 1945
After the restoration of the Commonwealth, new elections were held to elect new members of the House of Representatives.
8 Eugenio Pérez Liberal Pangasinan-2nd 2nd Commonwealth Congress May 25, 1946 July 4, 1946
1st Congress July 5, 1946 December 30, 1949 Third Republic
2nd Congress December 30, 1949 December 30, 1953
9 José Laurel, Jr. Nacionalista Batangas-3rd 3rd Congress January 25, 1954 December 30, 1957
10 Daniel Romualdez Nacionalista Leyte-4th 4th Congress January 27, 1958 December 30, 1961
Leyte-1st 5th Congress January 22, 1962 March 9, 1962
11 Cornelio Villareal Liberal Capiz-2nd March 9, 1962 December 30, 1965
6th Congress January 17, 1966 February 2, 1967
12 José Laurel, Jr. Nacionalista Batangas-3rd February 2, 1967 December 30, 1969
7th Congress January 26, 1970 April 1, 1971
13 Cornelio Villareal (2nd time) Liberal Capiz-2nd April 1, 1971 September 23, 1972
Following the declaration of martial law, the sitting president, Ferdinand Marcos ruled by decree and possessed legislative power until the election of the Interim Batasang Pambansa in 1978. The Interim Batasang Pambansa was replaced the Regular Batasang Pambansa in 1984. Second Dictatorship
14 Querube Makalintal KBL NCR Interim Batasang Pambansa June 12, 1978 June 30, 1984
Fourth Republic
15 Nicanor Yñiguez Southern Leyte Regular Batasang Pambansa July 23, 1984 March 25, 1986
After the People Power Revolution where Marcos was overthrown, president Corazon Aquino abolished the Regular Batasang Pambansa and ruled by decree (executive order and proclamations only), possessing legislative powers until after the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, where the bicameral Congress was restored.
16 Ramon Mitra, Jr. LDP Palawan-2nd 8th Congress July 27, 1987 June 30, 1992 Fifth Republic
17 Jose de Venecia, Jr. Lakas Pangasinan-4th 9th Congress July 27, 1992 June 30, 1995
10th Congress July 24, 1995 June 30, 1998
18 Manny Villar LAMP Las Piñas 11th Congress July 27, 1998 November 13, 2000
19 Arnulfo Fuentebella NPC Camarines Sur-3rd November 13, 2000 January 24, 2001
20 Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. Lakas Quezon City-4th January 24, 2001 June 30, 2001
21 Jose de Venecia, Jr. (2nd time) Lakas Pangasinan-4th 12th Congress July 23, 2001 June 30, 2004
13th Congress July 26, 2004 June 30, 2007
14th Congress July 23, 2007 February 5, 2008
22 Prospero Nograles Lakas
Lakas-Kampi		 Davao City-1st February 5, 2008 June 30, 2010
23 Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. (2nd time) Liberal Quezon City-4th 15th Congress July 26, 2010 June 30, 2013
16th Congress July 22, 2013 present

Speakers per region

Region Total
Metro Manila 3
Ilocos Region 2
Eastern Visayas 2
Western Visayas 5
CALABARZON 1
MIMAROPA 1
Davao Region 1
Bicol Region 1

List of speakers per party

Party Total Terms
Nacionalista Party 2 5
Liberal Party 2 4
Kilusang Bagong Lipunan 2 2
Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats 1 5
Lakas-Kampi-CMD 1 1
Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino 1 1
Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino 1 1
Nationalist People's Coalition 1 1

Timeline

Living Former Speakers of the House

Currently there are five living former Speakers of the House:

See also