Frasco declines to back Romualdez Speakership, urges unity

DAVAO CITY   (June 9, 2025) – Deputy Speaker Duke Frasco, representative of Cebu’s 5th District and husband of Tourism Secretary Cristina Frasco, has declined to sign a manifesto endorsing the continued leadership of House Speaker Martin Romualdez, breaking ranks with several members of the House majority bloc.

The National Unity Party (NUP) has expelled House Deputy Speaker Duke Frasco from its ranks for not following the party’s position to sign the manifesto of support for Speaker Martin Romualdez.

In a public statement released Monday, Frasco said his decision came after consultations with fellow lawmakers, local leaders from the Visayas and Mindanao, and his constituents. He cited growing frustration over the perceived erosion of political unity and the need for leadership in the House of Representatives that aligns with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s call for “stability, unity, and meaningful change.”

“There is deep disappointment that political and personal interests have steadily undermined the unity our people once hoped for,” Frasco said. “Our duty as public servants is not to advance individual interests, but to serve the Filipino people.”

The lawmaker revealed he was asked to sign the manifesto on May 14, just two days after the 2025 midterm elections. After “careful reflection,” he ultimately chose not to sign, stating that the House must rise above partisanship and realign itself with the administration’s reform agenda.

“This decision is not about creating further division,” Frasco emphasized. “I simply believe the House of Representatives can, and must, do better… We should be a partner in building the country up, not a platform for further discord.”

Frasco’s statement comes amid renewed talk of realignments within the House leadership and speculation about shifts in political loyalties following the elections. While he stopped short of calling for a change in speakership, his remarks signal dissent from within the administration coalition and amplify calls for greater responsiveness to public demands.

“The people have spoken, and they expect results, not politics,” Frasco added, quoting President Marcos Jr.

As of press time, Speaker Martin Romualdez has not issued a response to Frasco’s remarks. The manifesto, which has been circulating among House members since mid-May, seeks to consolidate support for Romualdez’s continued leadership in the 20th Congress.

Frasco’s position could influence other lawmakers from the Visayas and Mindanao regions, where calls for broader representation and reform in congressional leadership have been gaining ground.