FORMER Speaker Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez paid tribute to the late five-time Speaker Jose C. de Venecia Jr., calling him a unifier, a consensus-builder, a thinker, a visionary who was ahead of his time, and a global Filipino.
“There are moments in the life of a nation when words feel small before the magnitude of a life well lived. Today, we gather in this chamber not merely to mourn the passing of former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., but to honor a man whose name has become inseparable from the very story of this House,” Romualdez told his House colleagues led by Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III, who hosted a memorial service for De Venecia.
Romualdez, is president of Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats, of which the late Speaker was a founding father. The party started as Lakas-Tao, then Lakas-NUCD.
“He did not build a party for power. He built a movement for purpose. And in doing so, he helped shape a generation of leaders who believed that governance must be inclusive, reform-driven, and anchored in national unity,” Romualdez said in his eulogy.
He said under De Venecia Jr.’s stewardship for five terms, the House of Representatives “became what it ought to be: a forum where every legislative district—every island, every province, every city—had a voice at the table.”
“He believed that the strength of the Republic was measured not by the dominance of a few, but by the participation of all,” Romualdez added.
The former Speaker recalled that in his desire to unify the House, De Venecia Jr. founded the Rainbow Coalition, “a phrase that will forever belong to him.”
“But the Rainbow Coalition was not merely a political strategy. It was a philosophy of governance. It was the recognition that in a democracy as diverse as ours—Christian and Muslim, North and South, majority and minority—progress is achieved not by exclusion, but by consensus,” he stressed.
He pointed out that de Venecia “brought together representatives across party lines, across ideologies, across regions, and he forged agreements that allowed this House to enact reforms that shaped our economy, strengthened our institutions, and advanced social justice.”
Romualdez described De Venecia Jr. as “a consensus-builder in the noblest sense.”
“He did not silence dissent; he harmonized it. He did not diminish differences; he reconciled them. In an era when division often threatens institutions, he demonstrated that unity is not weakness—it is strength disciplined by wisdom,” he said.
“And yet, Speaker Joe’s vision did not stop at our shores. He was a global Filipino. A visionary who understood that the Philippines must not only participate in the international community, but help shape it,” he said.
He noted that long before interfaith dialogue became a global imperative, De Venecia Jr. was already advocating unity among Christians, Muslims and believers of all traditions.
“He initiated dialogues at the United Nations. He opened channels of communication between governments and insurgents. He believed that faith, properly understood, is not a source of conflict, but a bridge toward peace,” he said.
“In a world fractured by ideology and religion, he insisted that dialogue was not optional—it was necessary. And he carried that conviction not as rhetoric, but as mission,” the Leyte 1st district representative added.
Romualdez said he had the honor of being the principal author of House Resolution No. 247, which the House adopted, and which “formally expressed this institution’s gratitude for his lifetime of service.”
“I did so not only as Speaker of the House, but as President of Lakas-CMD—a party he helped found, nurture, and guide. It was my way of ensuring that history would remember what we all know: that he was one of the great architects of modern Philippine parliamentary leadership,” he said.
He said the Jose de Venecia Museum within the Batasan complex is “a living testament to his life of service.”
“It is not merely a collection of memorabilia. It is a reminder to every Member who walks these halls that leadership is stewardship; that office is temporary, but legacy is lasting; that titles fade, but integrity endures,” he emphasized.
He pointed out that HR No. 247 “records for history his distinguished service and significant contributions to the country.”
“But no resolution can fully capture what we who sat with him, debated with him, learned from him, and were guided by him, know to be true: that his leadership was grounded in respect—equal respect—for every Member of this House, regardless of affiliation,” he said.
“But beyond the titles, beyond the resolutions, beyond the museum, we remember the man. We remember his laughter in the corridors. We remember his patience during heated debates.
We remember his capacity to listen—truly listen—before deciding. We remember his steady presence when storms, political or otherwise, tested this institution,” he said.
Romualdez said de Venecia “taught us that power must be exercised with humility. That conviction must be tempered by compassion. That leadership must be anchored in faith—not just religious faith, but faith in the Filipino people.”
“Today, House Members from every legislative district, from every political persuasion, stand united in grief—and in gratitude. That unity, in this solemn hour, may well be his final gift to us,” he added.
He stressed that “Speaker Joe once proved that a rainbow is not made of one color. It is made beautiful precisely because of its diversity. The House he leaves behind reflects that truth. And the nation he served continues to strive toward that unity he so passionately believed in.”
Addressing himself to Speaker Joe’s wife Gina de Venecia, who currently represents the late House leader’s constituency, Pangasinan’s 4th district, and former Congressman Christopher de Venecia, Romualdez said: To Manay Gina, to Cong. Toff, to the entire De Venecia family: your loss is immeasurable. But so too is the nation’s gratitude.”
“Former Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. has taken his final bow. But the ideals he lived for—unity, peace, dialogue, reform—remain.
And as long as this House stands, as long as representatives gather here in pursuit of the common good, his spirit will not be absent,” he said.
“He built bridges. He built consensus. He built institutions. He built hope. And in doing so, he built a legacy that will endure far beyond his years. May we prove worthy of it,” Romualdez said.
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