Cayetano, Velasco's birthdays influenced speakership deal

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Marinduque Representative Lord Allan Velasco's birthdays played a role in their term-sharing deal for the Speakership.

Cayetano revealed during a privilege speech on Wednesday that both he and Velasco wanted to be Speaker on their respective birthdays.

President Rodrigo Duterte brokered the deal, asking Velasco to let Cayetano remain as Speaker until December to avoid delays in passing the 2021 budget.

Velasco initially refused to move the term-sharing turnover but eventually agreed after Duterte's request.