MANILA, Philippines - Two Liberal Party congressmen-elect are willing to challenge President Gloria Mapacagal Arroyo for the House of Representatives' speakership, an LP official said Thursday.

Re-elected Quezon 4th District Rep. Lorenzo Tañada III of the Liberal Party (LP) said he is "offering my services to the party for consideration" as candidate for the speakership.

Tañada added that Mayor Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte, who has been proclaimed as representative of Quezon City's 4th District, may also be willing to run for the House speakership. Belmonte was Speaker of the House in 2001.

"From the LP, I have heard that Rep-elect Sonny Belmonte is interested to become Speaker," Tañada said in a text message to ABS-CBN News correspondent RG Cruz.

Tañada, however, admitted that the LP may not have enough numbers to win the speakership against Mrs. Arroyo because of the strong number of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD at the lower chamber.

He said that there are at least 50 LP congressional candidates who have been proclaimed or waiting to be proclaimed.

To challenge Mrs. Arroyo for the House speakership, he said the LP would need to coalesce with other parties.

"Even with defections to the LP after proclamation, there will not be enough representatives from the LP alone to elect a Speaker," he said.

He said he is hoping that the LP can triple its number at the House to prevent Mrs. Arroyo from taking the House speakership.

Tañada said that after all the new members of the 15th Congress have been proclaimed, the LP would have to immediately convene and choose its candidate for the speakership.

1st woman House speaker

Malacañang on Wednesday finally admitted that Mrs. Arroyo may be planning to run for House speaker.

If she wins the speakership, she would be the first woman speaker of the House.

Mrs. Arroyo has already made history by becoming the first President to run for a lower elective post.

Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza said the president has a lot to share to the next administration in her new role in government.

"Of course, alam mo, ang talent ni presidente is always there. Yung economic background or as president for almost 10 years, malaking mabibigay na tulong sa next administration as congressman or maybe as speaker," Mendoza said.

Once she steps down from the presidency, Mrs. Arroyo will become the congressional representative of the 2nd district of Pampanga.

Previously, her allies in Congress had said that Mrs. Arroyo, once elected congresswoman, will pursue an economic legislative agenda that could include pushing for amendments to the economic provisions of the constitution.

But critics have said this may just be her way to amend the political provisions of the constitution, and push for a shift to a parliamentary form of government,

If Charter change succeeds, it could allow Mrs. Arroyo to once again be chief executive as Prime Minister, and save herself from prosecution for scandals that hounded her 9-year stay in Malacañang. -- Report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News