Binigyan pugay ng Kamara ang 74 na graduating congressmen, kabilang na si outging Speaker Gloria macapagal-Arroyo, na magtatapos ang termino sa Hunyo 30.
Binigyan ng plaques of appreciation ang lahat ng outgoing House members habang sina Arroyo, Deputy Speakers, Minority Leader Danilo Suarez ng 3rd district ng Quezon, atMajority Leader Fredenil Castrong 2nd district ng Capiz ay nakatanggap naman ng iba’t ibang mementos mula sa empleyado ng Kamara, kabilang na ang isang congressional sash at replicas ng House mace at gavel.
Sa kanyang farewell speech, pinuri ni Arroyo ang mga kapwa niya mambabatas para sa walang kapagurang pagtatrabaho at dedikasyon na siyang naging dahilan para sa pagsasabatas ng 250 House Bills magmula noong Hulyo 23, 2018.
Bagamat siya ang may pinaka-kaunting termino bilang ika-25 speaker, binigyan diin ni Arroyo ang kanyang naging pangunahing misyon bilang lider ng Kamara na suportahan ang legasiya ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.
“My concern has not been on my legacy as Speaker – my concern as Speaker was to support President Duterte’s legacy in the year that I had as the head of this House,†ani Arroyo.
Sa pamamagitan ng House Resolution 2600, pinapurihan nina Majority Leader Fredinil Castro at Minority Leader Danilo Suarez si Arroyo sa pagkakapasa ng ilang “vital socio-economic measures,” kabilang na ang ilang priority measures na inilahad ni Duterte sa kanyang State of the Nation Address (SONA) noong 2018.
Kabilang sa mga ito ay ang Republic Act (RA) 1105 o ang Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (House Bill 6475), RA 11203 o ang Act Liberalizing the Importation, Exportation and Trading of Rice, Lifting for the Purpose the Quantitative Import Restriction on Rice (HB 7735), at RA 11223 o ang Universal Health Care Act (HB 5784).
Samantala, hiniok naman ng outgoing speaker ang Kamara na patuloy na tulungan si Pangulong Duterte sa pag-ani sa bunga ng pagsisikap ng administrasyon sa ilalim ng termino nito,
“In the first three years of President Duterte’s Administration, many good seeds were planted by way of Executive decisions, the legislative agenda, strategic foreign engagements, and bold reforms. In the remaining years of his term, we just all need to help in the implementation to harvest the fruits of those seeds within President Duterte’s term,†saad ni Arroyo.
Pinapurihan naman din ng lider ng Kamara ang mga batang mambabatas dahil sa nakakabilib na work attitude na ipinamalas ng mga ito sa Kongreso.
“I am also very gratified that as House Speaker, I was given more opportunity to work with our younger politicians. From what I have seen of them, their generation will serve our country very well indeed when their time comes. Congratulations, young ones!†saad nito.
“We are all on a journey together. As our nation moves forward, let us all join hands in unity and walk confidently towards a better tomorrow. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for giving me the honor and privilege of serving you,†dagdag pa ni Arroyo.
