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 as 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.
In 1989,he was elected as the barangay captain of Barangay District 1,Cauayan and was later named Director of the Kapisanan ng mga Barangay ng Pilipinas (present-day President of the Association of Barangay Captains).[5] The latter earned him an ex officio seat on the Cauayan Municipal Council and eventually on the Isabela Provincial Board to represent the sector.[4][6]
Cauayan politics (1992–2001)
On January 20,1992,he was appointed vice mayor of Cauayan,Isabela,succeeding Leoncio Dalin,who had resigned five days prior. Just two months later,on March 18,1992,he was elevated to mayor of Cauayan,succeeding his brother Benjamin,who resigned to run for governor of Isabela. He was later elected to a full term as mayor later that May,serving three more consecutive terms ending in 2001.[7] During his final term,Cauayan was converted into a city on March 30,2001,making him its first city mayor.[6]
First stint in Congress (2001–2010)
Official portrait,2004
Dy first entered the House of Representatives in 2001,being elected to represent Isabela's third district,succeeding Ramon Reyes.[8] He was accused of committing electoral fraud by his rival,Grace Padaca,but was cleared by the House electoral tribunal in 2003.[9] He held that seat until 2010,when he was term-limited and ran for governor of Isabela.[7]
In August 2018,Dy expressed his willingness to participate in localized peace talks with the New People's Army.[19]
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.[20][21] 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.[22][23][24]
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.[25] 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.[26]
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.[31] By September 6,Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin rebuked Congress under Romualdez's speakership,urging the speaker to "clean up your house first".[32]
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.[33] Leading up to Romualdez's resignation,media outlets reported that Dy was a leading candidate to replace the former as speaker.[34] Dy was later elected as House Speaker that day,being the only member nominated for the role and receiving 253 votes.[35]
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.[36] 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,[37] 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.[38]
Among his first directives to the chamber was for the members to coordinate with the ad hocIndependent Commission for Infrastructure created by President Bongbong Marcos in response to the scandal.[39] Despite the leadership change,Dy retained the committee assignments present at the time of his election as speaker.[40] 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.[41]
Personal life
Dy is married to Mary Ann Arcega.[42] 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.[27] Another son,Francis Faustino ("Kiko"),has served as the vice governor of Isabela since 2025.[43]
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