Minority Floor Leader of the House of Representatives of the Philippines

The minority floor leader of the House of Representatives of the Philippines (), or simply the House minority floor leader, is the leader elected by the minority bloc of the House of Representatives of the Philippines that serves as their official leader in the body. He also manages the business of the minority party in the House. He is expected to be vigilant in the defense of the minority's rights. It is his function and duty to criticize constructively the policies and programs of the majority, and to this end employ parliamentary tactics and give close attention to all proposed legislation.

Traditionally, the defeated contender in the speakership election becomes the minority leader, but the rules were amended for the 17th Congress with the minority bloc now electing their minority leader among themselves.

History

From 1907 to 1909, Vicente Singson Encarnación, a member of the Progresista Party, served as the minority floor leader of the newly-inaugurated Philippine Assembly during the 1st Philippine Legislature.

The Nacionalista Party, which was the historical ruling party in both houses of Congress in the early 1900s, served as the opposition party to the Liberal Party in the House from 1946 until 1953, after the Liberals won the majority of congressional seats in two consecutive elections. Nacionalista members Cipriano Primicias Sr. and Jose Laurel Jr. served as minority leaders in the 1st and 2nd Congresses, respectively.

On March 9, 1962, Daniel Romualdez of the Nacionalista Party was ousted from the speakership by Liberal Cornelio Villareal and served as minority leader during the 5th Congress.

List of minority floor leaders This list also includes the minority floor leaders of the Philippine Assembly (1907–1916), the Commonwealth National Assembly (1935–1941), the Second Republic National Assembly (1943–1944), and the Batasang Pambansa (1978–1986). Philippine Assembly (1907–1916) No. Portrait Name Term of office PartyLegislature 1Vicente Singson EncarnaciónMember for Ilocos Sur–1st(1875–1961)19071909Progresista1st Legislature House of Representatives (1945–1973) No. Portrait Name Term of office PartyLegislature 2Cipriano Primicias Sr.Member for Pangasinan–4th(1901–1965)May 25,1946December 30,1949Nacionalista2nd Commonwealth Congress1st Congress3Jose Laurel Jr.Member for Batangas–3rd(1912–1998)December 30,1949December 30,19532nd Congress4Eugenio PérezMember for Pangasinan–2nd(1896–1957)January 25,1954August 4,1957Liberal3rd Congress5Ferdinand MarcosMember for Ilocos Norte–2nd(1917–1989)January 27,1958December 30,19594th Congress6Cornelio VillarealMember for Capiz–2nd(1904–1992)January 25,1960March 9,19625th Congress7Daniel RomualdezMember for Leyte–1st(1907–1965)March 9,1962March 22,1965Nacionalista8Jose Laurel Jr.Member for Batangas–3rd(1912–1998)January 17,1966February 2,19676th Congress9Cornelio VillarealMember for Capiz–2nd(1904–1992)February 2,1967December 30,1969Liberal10Justiniano MontanoMember for Cavite–Lone(1905–2005)January 26,1970June 12,19717th Congress11Ramon Mitra Jr.Member for Palawan–2nd(1928–2000)June 12,1971December 30,197112Ramon Felipe Jr.Member for Camarines Sur–1st(1920–2017)January 24,1972January 17,1973

Batasang Pambansa (1978–1986) No. Portrait Name Term of office PartyLegislature 13Hilario Davide Jr.Member for Region VII(born 1935)June 12,1978June 30,1984Pusyon BisayaInterim Batasang Pambansa14Jose Laurel Jr.Member for Batangas(1912–1998)June 30,1984March 25,1986UNIDORegular Batasang Pambansa

House of Representatives (1987–present) No. Portrait Name Term of office PartyLegislature 15Rodolfo Albano Jr.Member for Isabela–1st(1934–2019)July 27,1987October 20,1989KBL8th Congress16Mohammad Ali DimaporoMember for Lanao del Sur–2nd(1918–2004)October 20,1989June 1,199017Salvador EscuderoMember for Sorsogon–1st(1942–2012)June 1,1990July 22,199118Victor OrtegaMember for La Union–1st(born 1934)July 22,1991June 30,1992Nacionalista19Hernando PerezMember for Batangas–2nd(born 1939)July 22,1992June 30,1995LDP9th Congress20Ronaldo ZamoraMember for San Juan–Mandaluyong–Lone(born 1944)July 24,1995June 30,1998NPC10th Congress21Feliciano Belmonte Jr.Member for Quezon City–4th(born 1936)July 27,1998January 24,2001Lakas11th Congress22Butz AquinoMember for Makati–2nd(1939–2015)January 24,2001June 30,2001LDP23Carlos PadillaMember for Nueva Vizcaya–Lone(1944–2023)July 23,2001June 30,200412th Congress24Francis EscuderoMember for Sorsogon–1st(born 1969)July 26,2004June 30,2007NPC13th Congress25Ronaldo ZamoraMember for San Juan–Lone(born 1944)July 23,2007June 30,201014th Congress26 Edcel LagmanMember for Albay–1st(1942–2025)July 26,2010January 20,2012Lakas15th Congress27 Danilo SuarezMember for Quezon–3rd(born 1942)January 20,2012June 30,201328Ronaldo ZamoraMember for San Juan–Lone(born 1944)July 22,2013June 30,2016Nacionalista16th Congress29 Danilo SuarezMember for Quezon–3rd(born 1942)July 25,2016June 30,2019Lakas17th Congress30 Benny AbanteMember for Manila–6th(born 1951)July 22,2019October 16,2020Asenso Manileño18th Congress31 Stephen PaduanoParty-list member(born 1965)October 16,2020June 30,2022Abang Lingkod32Marcelino LibananParty-list member(born 1963)July 26,2022Incumbent4Ps19th Congress20th Congress

See also Majority Floor Leader of the House of Representatives of the Philippines

References

External links House of Representatives of the Philippines