Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines

Election and incumbency

The House elects its deputy speakers by a majority vote of the members present, provided there is a quorum, either at the opening of a new Congress every three years, after a general election, or when a vacancy occurs.

In the event of the death, resignation, or permanent incapacity of any deputy speaker, the speaker of the House may designate an acting deputy speaker.

Duties and powers

The duties and powers of the House deputy speakers, as contained in Rule V, Section 17 of the House rules, are the following:

• 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 as provided in Section 15(h) of Rule IV;
• 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. Prior to the creation of the deputy speakerships in 1995, Batas Pambansa No. 882, enacted on December 9, 1985, provided that the speaker pro tempore of the Batasang Pambansa would act as president in the event of the deputy prime minister's inability to do so during vacancies in the offices of the prime minister, the speaker of the Batasan, and the president of the Philippines, prior to the presidential election supposed to take place in 1987. Upon the ratification of the 1987 Constitution, only the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House were included in the presidential line of succession.

History

Vice president of the Malolos Congress

In 1898, the short-lived Malolos Congress elected Benito Legarda as its vice president, serving as deputy to president Pedro Paterno. This was the first known instance of a deputy presiding officer elected by a national legislative body in the Philippines.

Speaker pro tempore

After the Jones Law was enacted to serve as the interim constitution of the Philippines, an elected House of Representatives served as the lower house of the bicameral Congress. The House elected Antonio de las Alas as its first speaker pro tempore during the 6th Philippine Legislature. The position then became vacant until Quintín Paredes was elected in 1928. Jose Zulueta was the last speaker pro tempore before the abolition of Congress in 1935 but was subsequently elected to the same position in the unicameral National Assembly. Amendments adopted in 1940 to the 1935 Constitution restored the bicameral legislature the following year, in 1941.

Prospero Sanidad was elected speaker pro tempore of the reestablished House in the first Commonwealth Congress. Shifting leadership between the Nacionalista and Liberal parties in subsequent Congresses led to speakers pro tempore from different parties being elected to the position until 1972. Francisco Ortega, a member of the Liberal Party, became the speaker pro tempore after the party gained a majority in the House after the 1946 elections. At the start of the 3rd Congress, Daniel Romualdez was elected speaker pro tempore. He was succeeded by Constancio Castañeda in the 4th Congress after Jose Laurel Jr. resigned the speakership to run for vice president in the 1957 elections and Romualdez was elected speaker. Jose Aldeguer served as the last speaker pro tempore of the House before Congress was dissolved when President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law and assumed legislative powers.

The position was revived when the unicameral Batasang Pambansa was established in 1978, with Datu Blah Sinsuat being elected as speaker pro tempore of the Interim Batasan. Salipada Pendatun, who had previously served as speaker pro tempore from 1962 to 1965, was reelected to the position in 1984 in the Regular Batasang Pambansa and served until his death in 1985, when he was succeeded by Macacuna Dimaporo. The Batasan was later abolished with the signing of Proclamation No. 3 by President Corazon Aquino, known as the “Freedom Constitution.”

The 1987 Constitution restored the bicameral Congress, with the House of Representatives as its lower chamber. Antonio Cuenco and Raul Daza served as speakers pro tempore of the House during the 8th and 9th Congresses, respectively.

Deputy speakerships

In 1995, the position of speaker pro tempore was replaced by deputy speakerships, wherein three representatives, one from the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, would serve concurrently and in rotation to preside over the chamber during the speaker's absence. Hernando Perez, Raul Daza, and Simeon Datumanong were elected in the 10th Congress as the first deputy speakers for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, respectively. The House then elected six deputy speakers, now representing the chamber at-large, from 2010 to 2016.

In the 17th Congress, the number of deputy speakers was increased to 12 in anticipation of a shift to federalism, with each deputy speaker supposed to represent a potential federal state. Several additional deputy speakers were eventually elected, and following the election of Lord Allan Velasco as speaker in 2020, 12 more were added, bringing the total to 32, the highest in the House's history. A senior deputy speaker was also designated from among the deputy speakers. The number was reduced in the 19th Congress, with the election of only 9 deputy speakers.

List of senior deputy speakers

List of deputy speakers

Vice President of the Malolos Congress (1898–1899)

Speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives (1916–1935)

Speaker pro tempore of the National Assembly (1935–1941)

Speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives (1945–1972)

Speaker pro tempore of the Batasang Pambansa (1981–1986)

Speaker pro tempore of the House of Representatives (1987–1995)

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (since 1995)

This list excludes representatives who have served as senior deputy speakers of the House of Representatives, who are officially included in the overall roster of deputy speakers. For the list, see list of senior deputy speakers.

Deputy speakers who later served as speaker of the House

Notes

References

References

1. (2018). "Direktoryo ng mga Ahensiya at Opisyal ng Pamahalaan ng Pilipinas". Department of Budget and Management.
2. (1995-07-24). "Record of Plenary Proceedings No. 1 (July 24, 1995)".
3. Panti, Llanesca T.. (2025-07-28). "UNCONTESTED: Romualdez reelected Speaker for 20th Congress".
4. Lalu, Gabriel Pabico. (2025-08-11). "Emano elected deputy speaker; Acop, others picked for CA".
5. Quismorio, Ellson. (2025-10-10). "House names first deputy speaker under Bojie Dy".
6. Lalu, Gabriel Pabico. (2025-11-19). "Hernandez takes Senior Deputy Speaker role, Suarez demoted".
7. "Rules of the House of Representatives". [[House of Representatives of the Philippines]].
8. "Deputy Speakers". [[House of Representatives of the Philippines]].
9. "Rules of the House of Representatives". [[House of Representatives of the Philippines]].
10. "Batas Pambansa Blg. 88: An Act Prescribing the Order of Succession to the Office of the President in Case of Permanent Vacancy or in the Event of Temporary Disability of the President".
11. (1999). "The Malolos Congress". [[National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
12. "The Jones Law of 1916".
13. (2018-03-03). "Antonio de las Alas, the Outstanding Taal-born Public Servant of the American Colonial Era".
14. Chapman, Abraham. (1946). "Note on the Philippine Elections". Pacific Affairs.
15. Abdul, Badrudin K.. (2019). "Atty. Datu Salipada K. Pendatun: His Life and Contribution to the Development of Mindanao". Abstract Proceedings of International Conference on Responsive Education and Socio-Economic Transformation.
16. Baliao, Ricarte M.. (1987-07-28). "Mitra cites people's pessimism". [[Manila Standard]].
17. (1992-07-27). "Record of Plenary Proceedings No. 1 (July 27, 1992)".
18. Leon, Dwight de. (2025-07-30). "WATCH: Jay-jay Suarez, Romualdez's loyal soldier, takes senior deputy speakership".
19. Jacinto, Gerry. (1995-07-25). "Angara, De Venecia retain top posts at Senate, House". [[Manila Standard]].
20. Cepeda, Mara. (August 4, 2016). "House to appoint more deputy speakers to prepare for federalism". [[Rappler]].
21. (2020-12-07). "House deputy speakers balloon to 32 as Velasco rewards more allies".
22. Aurelio, Jeannette I.. (2022-07-28). "House cuts number of deputy speakers from more than 30 to 9".