House leaders paid tribute to Speaker Faustino ‘Bojie’ G. Dy III on his 65th birthday on Tuesday, praising his ‘steady, inclusive, and results-driven leadership’ in strengthening and restoring public trust in the lower chamber.
In a surprise birthday activity organized by House officials and staff, Senior Deputy Speaker Rep. Ferdinand ‘Dinand’ Hernandez of South Cotabato praised Dy, saying: ‘I have always believed in your sincerity, determination, and unwavering commitment to introduce meaningful change in Congress, even when the decisions were difficult, and the challenges seemed overwhelming. You stood your ground, ushered in a new normal, and helped restore the public’s trust in the institution.’
‘You have quietly and steadily done the job, never seeking the spotlight, and let the results speak for themselves – Congress has delivered a remarkable performance and continues to do so under your watch,’ Hernandez added.
Hernandez also thanked Dy for the trust and friendship they developed in Congress.
‘I’m proud to call you my Speaker, my boss, my mentor, and most importantly, my friend. I will always be grateful for your friendship, guidance, and most of all, the trust you have placed in me. God bless you always! Together with my constituents from the 2nd District and the Province of South Cotabato, we wish you a happy birthday, Boss Bojie!’ he added.
Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander ‘Sandro’ Marcos of Ilocos Norte also thanked Dy for his leadership and for helping him fulfill his responsibilities.
Marcos credited the speaker for rallying members of the House and keeping the chamber united and focused on performing its constitutional mandate for the people.
For Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan, Dy’s ability to work with lawmakers across political lines is rooted in both his character and his long experience in public service.
‘Napakabuting tao,’ Libanan said of Dy.
(‘A very good person.’)
Libanan noted Dy’s being in public service for four decades, beginning as a barangay chair and eventually rising to become House speaker, attributing his longevity to ‘competence, hard work, and humility.’
He also credited Dy with taking the helm of the House at a difficult period when public ratings of the institution had declined, and successfully steering the chamber toward improved public trust and approval ratings.
Meanwhile, House Secretary General Cheloy E. Velicaria-Garafil called Dy ‘the best Speaker in the history of the House,’ citing in particular his genuine concern for the welfare of House employees.
Visibly moved by the surprise celebration, Dy thanked his House colleagues and staff for their support, saying: ‘Sa amin sa probinsya, laging pinagmamalaki namin yung unity – pagkakaisa natin – regardless kung ano yung paniniwala natin, kung ano yung ating posisyon sa buhay… pero pagdating sa trabaho, pagdating sa kabutihan ng mas nakakarami, nagsasama-sama tayo para diyan.’
(‘In our province [Isabela], we’ve always been proud of unity – our unity – regardless of what we believe, of what our station in life is… but when it comes to work, when it comes to what’s good for the majority, we joined together for that.’)
‘Palakasin pa natin yung ating paniniwala na kayang-kaya nating ibangon ang Bagong Kongreso,’ he added.
(‘Let us strengthen our trust that we can easily raise the Bagong Kongreso [New Congress],’)