NUP may leave House majority, says Puno

The National Unity Party (NUP) is considering moving to the minority in the House of Representatives due to its growing dissatisfaction with the leadership of Speaker Faustino Dy III, Deputy Speaker Ronaldo Puno, the party’s chairman, said Monday.

In a press conference, Puno said the NUP’s 41 members will discuss the possible shift during the upcoming six-week Lenten recess.

“This recess, we’ll be holding meetings and discussions about it because, you know, hopefully he (Dy) is our leader and he should lead, right? But it seems that the members of Congress are not being consulted about the problems we keep encountering,” Puno said.

The Antipolo lawmaker said some congressmen feel the House leadership has become increasingly detached from the concerns and challenges they are facing.

“It seems like they are distancing themselves from the situation that congressmen are facing right now. I hope it’s not like that. After all, he is our Speaker, right?” he said.

Despite this, Puno emphasized the NUP has consistently backed the House leadership.

“For the past few months, you haven’t heard anything from us except full support for them. They don’t even need to ask us twice. Whenever they ask for help from our party, we extend it,” he said.

However, he said, the party will reassess its position during the recess.

“But during this upcoming recess, we will hold meetings again. We will assess whether we should remain with the majority or move to the minority,” Puno said.

The NUP is currently the second-largest political party in the House, next to the Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats, making any potential shift significant for the chamber’s political balance.

Puno clarified that the issue is not personal, noting that he has been friends with Dy and his family for a long time. He also dismissed speculation that the party is planning to push for a new House Speaker.

Puno said the lawmakers remain focused on representing their constituents and ensuring that their concerns are heard within the chamber.

The development comes amid broader political tensions in the House, including debates over key legislative issues and internal party positions on matters such as the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, where the NUP previously said it would carefully evaluate the evidence before taking a unified stance.