The Manila Hotel, City of Manila
July 9, 2019

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte graced the Appreciation Dinner for former President and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in an intimate gathering at The Manila Hotel in the City of Manila.

In the event, the former President and House Speaker expressed her deepest gratitude to President Duterte for allowing her to serve as Speaker of the House during the 17th Congress.

“After taking my oath as Speaker, I immediately spelled out my legislative agenda as prioritizing the bills of which you enumerated during the 2018 SONA,” she said to which all bills mentioned by the President have been passed by Congress.

The former President also thanked President Duterte for his unwavering support since the beginning of her 27-year political career, and even during the dark times of her life.

In response, President Duterte recognized the invaluable leadership of the former President, particularly on her bullish economic reforms that provided the fiscal stability of the nation.

“When Madam Arroyo was President she envisioned to make sure the Philippines [to be] a strong republic, ganito rin, that is also my slogan,” he said, adding that he would ensure that by the end of his term, he would have already established a strong military and police force to challenge and counter the threats of terrorism.

“I see a very dangerous times ahead, and I hope that we would be able to contain whatever there really is to,” President Duterte said.

A strong figure in the Philippines’ political arena, the former President turned 2nd District of Pampanga Representative was elected as House Speaker during the 17th Congress in a vote made by 184 over 243 House members. Under her stern leadership, the House of Representatives (HOR) reached a milestone achievement by passing 250 new laws out of 880 measures passed from 2,500 measures processed in less than a year since she took over as House Speaker.

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