The House of Representatives has approved a resolution honoring former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. and scheduled a memorial service on Monday, February 16.
House Resolution 758, authored by Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, and Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, expressed condolences to de Venecia’s family.
He remains the only lawmaker to have served as Speaker five times, leading the 9th, 10th, 12th, 13th, and 14th Congresses.
De Venecia represented Pangasinan’s 4th District six times and once represented the 2nd District during the 7th Congress.
He was hailed as an “architect of political unity” for forming the seven-party “Rainbow Coalition” that supported President Fidel Ramos’ administration.
He championed landmark legislation, including the Build-Operate-Transfer Law, Bases Conversion and Development Act, New Central Bank Act, and the Philippine Economic Zone Act. A museum in his honor was unveiled at the People’s Center during the 19th Congress.
De Venecia, co-founder of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), passed away at 89 on February 10. The necrological service will be held at 10 a.m. in the Plenary Hall.