VICE PRESIDENT Noli De Castro will enjoy more powers than what he is enjoying right now as soon as the interim unicameral parliament opens.

This was revealed Saturday by House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., squelching reports that the vice president would have no role in the unicameral parliamentary government to be set up soon in place of the bicameral presidential government.

He told newsmen in an interview at his residence here before flying back to Manila that on the contrary, the position of Vice President de Castro will be upgraded under the new set up.

De Venecia explained that the term of de Castro, together with that of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, will continue up to June 2010 under the unicameral parliamentary government that will initially adapt the unified French parliamentary model.

“At the same time, I confirm he (Vice President de Castro) will have a seat in the interim parliament and at the same time, he’ll have a cabinet ministry to handle,” de Venecia stressed. He also said that de Castro will preside at the opening of the interim parliament, explaining that it will not be the Speaker who will preside but the Vice President.

He said the vice president’s term, together with that of President Arroyo’s, will come to an end after 2010.

To date, Vice President de Castro holds the position of coordinator on housing with a cabinet rank but technically, in the strict sense of the word, does not have a cabinet post, de Venecia explained.

Branding as pure and simple intrigues certain reports that he feels insecure of de Castro, de Venecia retorted by saying that he is the one creating “all these beautiful positions for him” in the interim parliament.

“We have a good deal of respect, we have a good working relationship with Noli de Castro,” de Venecia affirmed, denying that he has a clash with the vice president.