MANILA — Thirty-nine lawmakers from the Visayas have thrown their full support behind Speaker Faustino “Bojie” G. Dy III, issuing a manifesto that aligns the bloc with his reform-oriented leadership in the House of Representatives.

Deputy Speaker Ferjenel Biron of Iloilo’s 4th District; Senior Deputy Majority Leader Lorenz Defensor of Iloilo’s 3rd District; and Reps. Alfredo “Albee” Benitez of Bacolod City and Vincent Franco “Duke” Frasco of Cebu’s 5th District led the signatories of the statement of support.

The Visayan bloc joins other major groupings that have earlier expressed backing for Dy, including 30 Metro Manila district representatives; 67 members of the Mindanao bloc headed by Senior Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez of South Cotabato’s 2nd District; the 39-member Northern Luzon Alliance led by House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos III of Ilocos Norte; and the 44-member Party-list Coalition Foundation Inc.

In their manifesto, Visayan lawmakers said the House is at a juncture that requires “moral recovery, humility, and the courage to confront uncomfortable truths.” They emphasized that Dy’s leadership—described as having “clean hands,” independence from ongoing controversies, and a firm stance on accountability—offers the stability needed to restore public trust following corruption scandals involving flood-control projects.

“Speaker Dy has no involvement, no stake, and no entanglement in the controversies that have shaken public confidence. His distance from these scandals is not merely a personal advantage—it is an institutional necessity,” they said. “The House cannot hope to regain credibility if the person leading its reforms is compromised by the very wrongdoing we aim to confront.”

They added that Dy has shown “the moral clarity required to lead reforms” in an institution that “must admit that mistakes were made, that systems were abused, and that the House must change if it hopes to serve the Filipino people with honor.”

“Speaker Dy has opened the doors to accountability. He has encouraged transparency. He has signaled that no one is above the process,” the lawmakers said. “These are not easy decisions. But they are the right ones—and the Visayan Bloc believes the House must stay on this path.”

The bloc said it stands united “for moral recovery, for accountability, and for a House worthy of the trust of our people,” declaring full support for Dy and the reforms he has initiated.

Other signatories included Reps. Francisco Miraflores (Aklan), Maria Vanessa Aumentado (Bohol), Jesus “Jesse” Marquez (Aklan), JC Rahman Nava (Guimaras), Anna Victoria Tuazon (Leyte), Julienne “Jam” Baronda (Iloilo City), Javier Miguel Benitez (Negros Occidental), Jane Castro (Capiz), Patricia Calderon (Cebu), Kathryn Gorriceta (Iloilo), Rachel Del Mar (Cebu City), Zaldy Villa (Siquijor), and Emmanuel Iway (Negros Oriental).

They were joined by Emmarie Ouano-Dizon (Mandaue City), Manuel Ko (Abang Lingkod), Edsel Galeos (Cebu), Mercedes Alvarez (Negros Occidental), Roger Mercado (Southern Leyte), James “Jojo” Ang Jr. (Uswag Ilonggo), Lolita Karen Javier (Leyte), Emilio Yulo (Negros Occidental), Sun Shimura (Cebu), Ma. Isabel Sagarbarria (Negros Oriental), and Eduardo Rama Jr. (Cebu).

Also signing were Alfredo Marañon (Negros Occidental), Carl Nicolas Cari (Leyte), Daphne Lagon (Cebu), Richard Gomez (Leyte), Howard Guintu (Capiz), Gerardo Espina Jr. (Biliran), Alexie Tutor (Bohol), Junard Chan (Lapu-Lapu City), Rhea Mae Gullas (Cebu), Antonio Legarda Jr. (Antique), and Christopherson Yap (Southern Leyte).