Roy Ada
PRECINCT 1 Rep. Roy A. Ada is the new House minority leader.
The assistant minority leader is Precinct 2 Rep. Daniel I. Aquino, and the other members of the minority bloc are Rep. Patrick H. San Nicolas of Tinian, Precinct 1 Rep. Joseph Flores and Precinct 3 Rep. Elias M. Rangamar.
San Nicolas was the minority leader in the previous House.
In a joint letter last week, Ada and the other minority bloc members formally informed Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez that they had duly organized in accordance with the House rules.
They also told the speaker that they are “fully prepared to take on our legislative responsibilities and are eager to engage in meaningful collaboration with the leadership of the House.”
Their goal, the minority bloc members said, “is to collaborate seamlessly in order to advance and fulfill the best interests of our Commonwealth and its citizens.”
“We believe that by joining forces, we can address the challenges facing our constituents and implement policies that will enhance the quality of life for all residents,” the minority bloc members said.
Ada and San Nicolas are Republicans while Rangamar, Aquino and Flores are independents, who are not part of the independent-Democratic House leadership.
Precinct 5 Rep. Thomas John Manglona, who was a Republican in the previous House, ran as an independent candidate last year and has joined the House leadership to chair the House Committee on Commerce. Precinct 1 Rep. Raymond U. Palacios ran as an independent but did not sign the House minority bloc’s joint letter to the speaker.
During the House session on Friday, Aquino said the minority bloc should have equal representation on the House Ways and Means Committee. He emphasized that budget deliberations require more discussions, with the minority bloc actively involved. “There is a need for more transparency,” Aquino added.
The Ways and Means Committee, chaired by independent Precinct 2 Rep. John Paul Sablan, consists of 15 members, three of whom are from the minority: Ada, Flores and San Nicolas.
The House of Representatives has 20 seats: 18 from Saipan and one each from Tinian and Rota.
