Bojie Dy

Faustino "Bojie" De Guzman Dy III (born August 31, 1961) is a Filipino politician who has served as the 29th speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines since 2025. A member of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, he has served as a representative for Isabela's sixth district since 2025. He previously served as the 32nd governor of Isabela from 2010 to 2019 and as vice governor from 2019 to 2025.

Born to a political family based in Isabela, Dy entered politics at the barangay level, holding various positions in Barangay District 1, Cauayan, Isabela, from 1980 to 1986 and from 1989 to 1992, when he assumed ex officio seats on the Cauayan municipal council and Isabela Provincial Board, respectively, before being appointed the then-municipality's vice mayor in 1992. He succeeded his brother, Benjamin, as mayor of Cauayan in 1992 and held that role until 2001, when he was elected as the representative for Isabela's third district, a position he would hold until 2010. That year, he was elected governor of Isabela.

During his governorship, he promoted policies related to agriculture and welfare. After leaving office in 2019, he served as vice governor under Governor Rodolfo Albano III, holding that role until 2025, when he successfully sought a return to Congress in Isabela's sixth district. Early in his second stint as representative, he was appointed deputy speaker. After the resignation of Speaker Martin Romualdez later that year, he was elected as speaker.

Early life and education Dy was born on August 31, 1961. He is the son of former Isabela governor Faustino Dy by his second wife, Natividad De Guzman. Dy took up Bachelor of Arts in economics at the University of Santo Tomas.

Early political career (1980–2010)

Barangay politics (1980–1992) Dy entered politics in 1980 as the Kabataang Barangay Chairman of Barangay District 1 in Cauayan, Isabela, and the Action Officer of the Kabataang Barangay for Region II. He later became an ex officio barangay councilor of the barangay in 1982. He was removed from his positions following the People Power Revolution in 1986. The latter earned him an ex officio seat on the Cauayan Municipal Council and eventually on the Isabela Provincial Board to represent the sector. During his final term, Cauayan was converted into a city on March 30, 2001, making him its first city mayor.

First stint in Congress (2001–2010)

Dy first entered the House of Representatives in 2001, being elected to represent Isabela's third district, succeeding Ramon Reyes. He was accused of committing electoral fraud by his rival, Grace Padaca, but was cleared by the House electoral tribunal in 2003. He held that seat until 2010, when he was term-limited and ran for governor of Isabela.

Governor of Isabela (2010–2019) Elections Dy first ran for the Isabela governorship in the 2010 election, seeking the office under the Nationalist People's Coalition banner. In that race, he defeated the Liberal Party incumbent Grace Padaca, who had served since 2004. In the 2013 election, he ran for reelection with Tonypet Albano as his running mate and defeated Padaca's elder brother Marlo Angelo by a landslide. He faced the younger Padaca again in the 2016 election and won a third and final term with a wide margin.

Tenure

Dy assumed the governorship on June 30, 2010. During his governorship, his administration promoted policies related to agriculture and welfare.

In the 2016 Philippine presidential election, he supported the candidacy of former Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas. At a campaign event for Roxas's rival Grace Poe, Dy and his family took offense at Poe after she questioned his presence at her sorties.

Vice Governor of Isabela (2019–2025) After being term-limited as governor, he sought the vice governorship in the 2019 election, where he defeated Padaca again. In that race, his brother Napoleon accused him of mishandling a road project as governor, a charge he denied before reconciling leading up to election day.

From October 7 to 13, 2019, Dy assumed the duties of the governorship as an officer-in-charge during which Governor Rodolfo Albano III attended a trade fair in Japan. In September 2020, former Angadanan Mayor Manuel Siquian filed a complaint-affidavit against Dy over an alleged anomalous rehabilitation and improvement project for the Ilagan–Divilacan Road, stating that no public bidding was conducted for the project.

Speaker of the House (2025–present) Dy (right) is sworn in by Javi Benitez (left) as the new speaker of the House on September 17, 2025.

District elections

In October 2024, Dy filed his candidacy to run for the House of Representatives in Isabela's sixth district, running to succeed his son Inno, who ran for mayor of Echague. Running under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, he was elected to the seat unopposed and took office on June 30, 2025.

Election as Speaker

Dy entered the 20th Congress of the Philippines as a deputy speaker under House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Months leading up to the height of the flood control projects controversy in the Philippines in September 2025, media speculation arose regarding a possible leadership change in the lower house, especially after contractor Sarah Discaya implicated Speaker Romualdez in the alleged anomalies. By September 6, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin rebuked Congress under Romualdez's speakership, urging the speaker to "clean up your house first".

On September 17, Romualdez formally resigned as speaker, a move Deputy Speaker Jay Khonghun described as one that aimed to allow Romualdez to better clarify his role in the allegations made against him. Leading up to Romualdez's resignation, media outlets reported that Dy was a leading candidate to replace the former as speaker. Dy was later elected as House Speaker that day, being the only member nominated for the role and receiving 253 votes.

Early speakership Upon assuming office, Dy cited regaining public trust in the lower chamber as a key agenda, acknowledging a negative reception to the House of Representatives following the flood control controversy. However, his ascension to the speakership drew criticism from Vice President Sara Duterte and her brother, Davao City 1st district Representative Paolo Duterte. Sara claimed that the move was a sham and a part of a plan by Romualdez and Majority Leader Sandro Marcos, who is Dy's party mate, while Paolo alleged that Dy was handpicked by Marcos and described the change as a mere “cover-up move” that failed to address corruption in the House.

Among his first directives to the chamber was for the members to coordinate with the ad hoc Independent Commission for Infrastructure created by President Bongbong Marcos in response to the scandal. Despite the leadership change, Dy retained the committee assignments present at the time of his election as speaker. On September 19, he had revoked the travel clearance of Ako Bicol Representative Zaldy Co, demanding his return to the Philippines from the United States within 10 days to answer for allegedly anomalous budget insertions and public works.

Personal life Dy is married to Mary Ann Arcega. Their son, Faustino V ("Inno"), has served as the mayor of Echague since 2025 and previously as representative of Isabela's sixth district from 2019 to 2025.

Electoral history