House appoints lawyer Princess Abante as spokesperson

The House of Representatives has appointed lawyer Princess Abante as its spokesperson for the 19th Congress and likely the 20th Congress, which ends in June 2028. 

Abante, the daughter of Manila Representative Benny Abante of Manila, is the first to occupy the position since after the People Power Revolution in 1986. She said she took the job after the House leadership asked her to help the institution deliver "accurate, transparent and truthful information." 

“What I intend to do is just deliver truthful statements as much as possible, na maintindihan hindi lang ng mga kaibigan natin sa media, kung hindi ng mamamayan rin mismo [that can be understood not only by our friends in the media but by the public itself],” Abante told reporters in a chance interview. 

“[Para] mahimay natin ang mga impormasyon [sa paraan] na maiintindihan ng mga tao, [para malaman nila] ano itong mga polisiya na sinusulong ng Kongreso, para saan at bakit nakakabuti ito sa buong bansa,” Abante added.

(We want to break down the information in a way that the public can appreciate it, understand the policies being pushed by Congress, the purpose of these policies and why they are beneficial to the country.)

With journalism and law degrees from the University of Santo Tomas, Abante has served as a three-term councilor in the City of Manila; the head of the Manila Public Information Office; and the spokesperson and head of Communication in the Office of Mayor Honey Lacuna. 

She was Commissioner-at-Large of the National Youth Commission from 2005 to 2009 before joining the Ponce Enrile Reyes and Manalastas law firm as a litigation lawyer, handling high-profile criminal and civil cases.

Asked if her term will go beyond the 19th Congress which officially ends on June 13, Abante said it is likely.

“Right now, we are still working in the 19th Congress, but I am looking forward to working with all of you as we transition to the 20th Congress,” Abante said. 

The House leadership is currently led by Speaker and Leyte Representative Martin Romualdez, the President of the ruling party Lakas-CMD. 

Just two days ago, House Deputy Speaker and Quezon Representative Jay-jay Suarez said that Romualdez's re-election bid as Speaker will be supported by at least 275 House members, or more than the majority number needed. 

“Speaker Romualdez has earned the trust of the current and incoming members of the House through principled, results-oriented leadership,” he added. “What we are witnessing is no longer just support from traditional allies—it’s a political groundswell cutting across the entire spectrum." 

The 20th Congress starts ahead of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28. — BM, GMA Integrated News