THE 24th House of Representatives, dominated by independent members, held its inaugural session on Monday with Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang joining them as special guests.
Prior to the organizational session, Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez, Vice Speaker Diego Vincent F. Camacho, House Floor Leader Marissa Flores and the 17 other members of the 24th House were sworn in by CNMI Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexandro Castro at 10 a.m. in the House chamber, in the presence of their families, friends and members of the community.
The 24th House has only two Republicans, Tinian’s Rep. Patrick San Nicolas and Precinct 1 Rep. Roy Ada, and two Democrats, Vice Speaker Camacho and Precinct 3 Rep. Denita Yangetmai. The 16 other members are independents.
The House Democrats and majority of the independents are allies of the Palacios-Apatang administration.
Speeches
Precinct 1 Independent Rep. Raymond Ulloa Palacios, a new member, said that with God on his side, he will serve his people with transparency, fairness, empathy, dedication, and respect.
“I will ensure that the people’s voices are heard and their needs are addressed,” he added.
Another freshman member, Precinct 3 Independent Rep. Elias Jerome M. Rangamar, is a long-time leader of sports organizations in the CNMI.
“Our island is more than just a place. It is a home, a heritage and a vision of what we can achieve together,” he said as he thanked the people for placing their trust in him.
Rangamar said that when a traditional canoe sets sail, “the journey depends on the collaboration to propel and guide the canoe toward the destination. It requires a sail, ropes, a master navigator, dedicated crew and most importantly, the unwavering support of the community.”
In much the same way, he said, “our island relies on the collaboration between the executive, the legislative and the judicial branches as well as the active participation of the community. It is in the spirit of working together that we can navigate the challenges and charter a course towards progress.”
Five pins
Precinct 2 Rep. Daniel I. Aquino Jr., an independent, wanted everyone to notice that he had five different pins on his suit jacket. One is the CNMI seal, which signifies love and respect for the Commonwealth and its people. He said it is a reminder of the promises he made to each voter, to always work hard to find solutions to improve the livelihood of the people he represents in Precinct 2.
The second one is President-elect Donald Trump’s pin, which signifies his hope, trust and confidence in the 47th president of the U.S., that the CNMI would benefit economically and prosper as part of Trump’s vision of building a stronger economy, military and a better America.
The third pin is the U.S. Army veteran pin signifying his love and respect for all military branches, all his fellow veterans and their families.
“I am committed and stand to support and assist military veterans,” he said.
The fourth pin is the Army Engineer pin, which signifies “coming together collaboratively to bring our resources together to help our community as a whole.”
The fifth pin is the Judiciary pin, which signifies his support for the judicial branch, Chief Justice Alex Castro and law enforcement.
“I was told that my path to victory was near to impossible. And that I had no chance of winning because my opponents locked in key endorsements. But the truth is, only God could make anything possible through prayer,” said Aquino, who was fired by the Palacios-Apatang administration after he declared his Precinct 2 candidacy.
Aquino’s message to the voters who supported him: “As long as we stand united together, our numbers will continue to grow in size and strength.”
Challenging
For his part, Speaker Villagomez thanked God for the gift of life and all the blessings that he has achieved in his life, including the gift of family, parents, siblings, his wife and children. He also thanked his colleagues for their help and support. “I look forward to working with all of you,” he added.
This will be Villagomez’s third term as speaker.
Vice Speaker Camacho pledged to continue working for the community. He noted that during the inauguration of the 23rd House, the most common word used by members in their remarks was “challenging.”
“Indeed, it was. With limited resources this past two years, we were able to keep our government afloat, and sacrifices were made. Nonetheless, we ended the term in better financial standing and we must maintain the momentum by controlling government expenditures and introduce sensible legislation to make way for new industries and private sector stability and expansion,” Camacho said.
Precinct 1 Independent Rep. Roman Benavente said, “All of us who are here today are chosen ones. We are not going to be here if we don’t get the [people’s] blessings. And we are all blessed to be here to represent the people of the CNMI. So let’s…not throw away that opportunity. If our hearts are for the people, then, let’s move forward.”
The CNMI, he added, continues to face challenges.
“Sometimes, here in the Legislature, we don’t see each other eye to eye. It’s good that we have our own opinions, but for the sake of the people and the challenges we have, we have to work together cohesively and assure the people of our efforts to address these challenges,” he said.
The newly sworn in members of the 24th House of Representatives pose for a group photo.
Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez presides over the inaugural session of the 24th House of Representatives on Monday.
Rep. Daniel I. Aquino Jr. delivers his remarks.
Rep. Elias Jerome M. Rangamar, second right, delivers his remarks. Also in photo: Reps. Vincent Aldan, John Paul Sablan, and Denita Yangemai.
House Floor Leader Marissa Flores and Rep. Patrick San Nicolas shake hands during the 24th House of Representatives inaugural session on Monday in the House chamber on Capital Hill.
Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, second right, and Lt. Gov. David M. Apatang, center, with Reps. John Paul Sablan, left, Joseph Flores, second left, and Roman Benavente, right, during a break from the organizational session on Monday.
