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Martin Romualdez

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In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Gomez and the surname or paternal family name is Romualdez.

Martin Romualdez
Official portrait, 2022
24th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 25, 2022
Deputy
See list
Preceded byLord Allan Velasco
House Majority Leader
In office
July 22, 2019 – June 30, 2022
Preceded byFredenil Castro
Succeeded byManuel Jose Dalipe
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Leyte's 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office
June 30, 2019
Preceded byYedda Marie Romualdez
In office
June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2016
Preceded byRemedios Petilla
Succeeded byYedda Marie Romualdez
Personal details
Born
Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez[1]

(1963-11-14) November 14, 1963 (age 60)
Philippines
Political partyLakas–CMD
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1999)​
Children4
Parent(s)Benjamin Romualdez (father)
Juliette Gomez-Romualdez (mother)
Alma mater

Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez (Tagalog pronunciation: [ˈgɔmɛs ɾoˈmwɐldɛs], born November 14, 1963) is a Filipino businessman, lawyer and politician serving as the Speaker of the House of Representatives since 2022. He is also serving as the representative for the 1st district of Leyte since 2019 and previously from 2007 to 2016. He formerly served as the House Majority Leader from 2019 to 2022, and unsuccessfully ran for senator in the 2016 elections.[2] He is a first cousin of President Bongbong Marcos. Since May 17, 2023, he has been widely considered to be the country's de facto "Prime Minister" (a position abolished by the 1987 Constitution) after the ouster of Senior Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, becoming the main catalyst to the 2024 Philippine political crisis.[3]

Romualdez is the owner of the newspaper companies Manila Standard and Journal Group of Publications and the mass media firm Philippine Collective Media Corporation.[4] He is the national president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats political party.[5]

Early life and education

[edit]
Romualdez (right) and his first cousin, President Bongbong Marcos (left), during the latter's official state visit to Washington, D.C. in April 2024

Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez is the third child of former Leyte Governor and Ambassador to the United States Benjamin Romualdez and Juliette Gomez-Romualdez.[6][7][8] His father was once named by Forbes as the 30th richest man in the Philippines with a net worth of ₱3.3 billion, which the Presidential Commission on Good Government claimed was ill-gotten.[9] He is the nephew of former first lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos and former President Ferdinand Marcos, while incumbent President Bongbong and Senator Imee Marcos are his cousins.[6][7]

Romualdez attended Cornell University in the United States from 1981 to 1985, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in government.[6][7][10] In 1988, he earned a Certificate of Special Studies in Administration and Management from Harvard University. He later enrolled at the University of the Philippines College of Law in 1988, becoming a Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity member. He earned his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1992.[6][7][11] He was admitted to the bar in 1993.

In 1992, Romualdez was appointed as concurrent trustee and president of the Doña Remedios Trinidad Romualdez Medical Foundation and Dr. Vicente Orestes Romualdez Educational Foundation, both of which are owned by his family.[12]

In 1995, he started work as a director and legal counsel for the CARPA Realty Development Corporation. Prior to his political career, Romualdez served as chairman of the board for Equitable PCI Bank.[13]

Political career

[edit]

Romualdez was first elected as representative of Leyte's 1st congressional district in 2007. He was re-elected in 2010 and in 2013.

Romualdez authored House Bill No. 1039, which was enacted into law by President Benigno Aquino III as Republic Act No. 10754, or An act on expanding the benefits and privileges of people with disabilities.[14]

In April 2014, Romualdez expressed interest in running for senator in the 2016 elections.[15] He filed his certificate of candidacy for senator on October 13, 2015.[2] On November 7, 2015, Romualdez declared his support for presidential candidate Jejomar Binay.[16] In 2016 Davao City Mayor and presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte also endorsed the candidacy of Romualdez.[17] He ran under the Lakas–CMD party, which he is the national president of, but ultimately failed to win a senate seat, placing 15th.

In the 2019 elections, Romualdez again won as representative of Leyte's 1st congressional district. Romualdez was later elected House Majority Leader of the 18th Congress.

On July 10, 2020, Martin and his wife Yedda Marie Romualdez were among the 70 congressmen who voted to reject the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN.[18]

In December 2021, Romualdez became the campaign manager of Sara Duterte's vice presidential campaign alongside Davao Occidental Governor Claude Bautista.[19][20][21]

House Speaker (2022–present)

[edit]
Romualdez (right) during President Bongbong Marcos's first State of the Nation Address

Romualdez was elected in July 2022 as Speaker of the House of Representatives by 284 House members.[22] During his speakership, Romualdez also assumed legislative caretaker roles for the majority of the vacated districts during the 19th Congress, such as Cavite–7th (later filled by Crispin Diego Remulla),[23] Negros Oriental–3rd, Batangas–6th, Palawan–3rd, Palawan–1st, Cavite–4th, and Negros Occidental–3rd.[24][25]

In November 2022, Romualdez, along with six other lawmakers, filed House Bill No. 6398 proposing the creation of the Maharlika Investment Fund, a sovereign wealth fund for the Philippines inspired by South Korea's Korea Investment Corporation.[26][27] The proposal drew mixed reactions from economists and mostly negative reactions from the general public.[28][29]

Role in the Marcos-Duterte rift

[edit]

Romualdez was instrumental in the deepening rift between the Marcos and Duterte families.[30] Under Romualdez watch, the House denied Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte's requests for confidential funds that could be used for the Education department's proposed Reserve Officers' Training Corps program[31] but swiftly passed the same funds for the Office of the President;[32] this led Sara's father and former President Rodrigo Duterte to allege a connivance between Romualdez and the leftist Makabayan Bloc in stripping Sara of confidential funds.[31] Rodrigo Duterte criticized the House as the "most rotten institution" in the country[33] and demanded an audit of the House under Romualdez;[34] Duterte's comments offended some House members[35] including Romualdez,[36] prompting the House to issue a loyalty check resolution in support of Romualdez. Shortly after, the House expelled Duterte's political allies former President and Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Congressman Isidro Ungab as Deputy House Speakers for failing to sign the resolution.[37] Several House members of Duterte's party, PDP-Laban, later party-switched, mostly to the Romualdez-led Lakas-CMD,[38] In late November 2023, reports circulated that some House members want Vice President Sara impeached.[39] The House later began tackling at least three house resolutions filed separately by the Makabayan Bloc, House Human Rights Panel chairperson Bienvenido Abante Jr. and 1-Rider Partylist Rep. Ramon Rodrigo Gutierrez, and Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman[40] urging the Marcos administration to cooperate with the International Criminal Court's investigation into Duterte's war on drugs; Romualdez denied prioritizing the measures.[41]

A month later, the National Telecommunications Commission imposed a 30-day suspension on SMNI, a media network which hosted Rodrigo Duterte's platform Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa, after the House adopted a resolution filed by PBA Partylist Representative Margarita Nograles, who claimed that the network was propagating false information.[42] Two hosts of another SMNI talk show, Laban Kasama ang Bayan, were detained and cited in contempt by the House after one of its hosts–Jeffrey Celiz–refused to reveal his source for his claim that Romualdez had ₱1.8 billion worth of travel funds.[43]

Amid the feud of the Marcos and Duterte clans in late April 2023, Romualdez said the House will probe into an agreement Duterte made during his presidency with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Under the agreement, Duterte agreed to maintain the "status quo" in the South China Sea to avoid escalating a war. Political analyst Ronald Llamas said the probe was engineered by President Bongbong Marcos as a "political payback" to Duterte's verbal attacks and to reduce Duterte's political influence ahead of the 2025 midterm elections.[44]

Charter change attempts

[edit]

Efforts to amend the Constitution intensified in January 2024 after pro-Charter change group, People's Initiative for Reform Modernization and Action (PIRMA), admitted talking with Romualdez and claimed responsibility for a signature drive campaign that attempted to start a People's Initiative.[45] The proponents proposed that both chambers of the Congress—the House of Representatives and the Senate—vote jointly on the proposed amendments in a constitutional assembly; consequentially, the 24-member Senate unanimously rejected the proposal since its vote would be overpowered by the 316-member House.[46] The signature drive has been marred by allegations of vote-buying,[47] and by evening of January 23, the proponents claimed to have achieved the required minimum 12 percent of national voters threshold.[48] Romualdez denied spearheading the initiative, although a video evidence showing the opposite was later disclosed by Senator Francis Escudero.[49]As of December 2023, Romualdez is the president of the Philippine Constitution Association.[50]

Personal life

[edit]
See also: Romualdez family
Romualdez with his wife Yedda in 2011

Romualdez married Yedda Marie Kittilstvedt, who represented the Philippines at Miss International 1996, in civil rites in Hong Kong in November 1999, with a church wedding following at Santuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park, Makati on February 4, 2001.[51] They have four children.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Martin Romualdez and wife Yedda: A love built on helping others". Manila Standard. February 17, 2016. Archived from the original on October 19, 2019. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Romualdez files COC for senator; mum on presidential pick". Philippine Daily Inquirer. October 13, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  3. ^ "Imee on Cha-cha: Someone wants to be Prime Minister". GMA Network. December 13, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
  4. ^ "Razon sells Manila Standard Today to Romualdez group". The Philippine Star. April 16, 2010. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  5. ^ "Lakas–CMD chief: In democracy, anyone can run". Philippine Daily Inquirer. May 25, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d "Who is Martin Romualdez?". ABS-CBN News. August 18, 2009. Archived from the original on April 30, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c d Tan, Kimberly Jane; Calonzo, Andreo (November 20, 2009). "'Lavish dinner' host is chief fund raiser of Arroyo party". GMA News. Archived from the original on November 29, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  8. ^ Ong, Czarina Nicole (June 25, 2018). "Sandiganbayan junks forfeiture case against Imelda's late brother". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on November 29, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  9. ^ "Romualdez: My father was not a Marcos crony". ABS-CBN News. February 15, 2016.
  10. ^ Wilensky, Joe (November 14, 2013). "Alumni, students aid the Philippines". Cornell Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 3, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  11. ^ "CEU Law dean leads Upsilon UNO awardees". Manila Bulletin. April 9, 2017. Archived from the original on April 18, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  12. ^ Gabieta, Joey A. (February 26, 2012). "Leyteños pay their last respects to Romualdez". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  13. ^ "Who I Am : Martin Romualdez". August 21, 2015. Archived from the original on August 21, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  14. ^ "Aquino signs into law Romualdez's PWD bill". Philippine Daily Inquirer. March 30, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  15. ^ "Romualdez eyes Senate seat in 2016". Philippine Daily Inquirer. April 1, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
  16. ^ "Romualdez cousins supporting Binay in 2016". Rappler. December 7, 2015. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  17. ^ Ponce Pacpaco, Ryan (May 7, 2016). "Vote for Romualdez –– Duterte". Journal Online. Archived from the original on May 7, 2016. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  18. ^ Perez-Rubio, Bella (July 10, 2020). "List of lawmakers who voted for and against ABS-CBN franchise renewal". Philstar.com. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  19. ^ Quismorio, Ellson (January 26, 2024). "'I was her campaign manager': Martin responds to claim that he had no hand in Sara's VP bid". Manila Bulletin. Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  20. ^ Atienza, Kyle Aristophere T. (December 14, 2021). "Duterte abandons ambition to become a senator". BusinessWorld Online. BusinessWorld Publishing. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  21. ^ Quismorio, Ellson (June 15, 2022). "VP-elect Duterte tells funny story about Romualdez's dedication as her campaign manager". Manila Bulletin. Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  22. ^ Gregorio, Xave (July 25, 2022). "Marcos cousin Martin Romualdez is new House speaker". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on July 25, 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  23. ^ Galvez, Daphne (July 26, 2022). "Speaker Romualdez becomes caretaker of Cavite's 7th district". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  24. ^ Quismoro, Ellson (April 30, 2024). "Romualdez tapped as caretaker of late Barzaga's district". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  25. ^ Pedrosa, Merlinda A.; Ellera, Teresa D. (August 18, 2024). "Speaker Romualdez temporary caretaker of 3rd District of Negros Occ". SunStar. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  26. ^ "Romualdez, Sandro Marcos file bill creating PH sovereign wealth fund". Rappler. November 29, 2022. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  27. ^ Cigaral, Ian Nicolas (December 3, 2022). "Does the P250-B Maharlika Wealth Fund make sense?". Philstar.com. Retrieved December 3, 2022.
  28. ^ Lacsamana, Brontë H. (December 5, 2022). "Maharlika Wealth Fund: Cheers and fears". BusinessWorld Online. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  29. ^ de Guzman, Chad (December 16, 2022). "Why the Philippines' Sovereign Wealth Fund is Controversial". Time. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  30. ^ Morella, Cecil (January 28, 2024). "Marcos, Duterte supporters rally in Philippines as family rift deepens". ABS-CBN News. Agence France-Presse. Archived from the original on January 28, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  31. ^ a b Regalado, Edith (October 12, 2023). "Duterte defends Sara on confidential funds". The Philippine Star. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  32. ^ Cruz, RG (September 5, 2023). "House panel OKs Marcos office's budget with no questions asked; surveillance funds intact". ABS-CBN News. Archived from the original on September 5, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  33. ^ Banzuelo, Neil (October 11, 2023). "Duterte hits House after OVP is stripped of confidential funds". BusinessWorld. Archived from the original on October 12, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  34. ^ Quismorio, Ellson (November 14, 2023). "Lakas-CMD membership in House continues to grow at the expense of PDP-Laban". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on November 24, 2023. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  35. ^ Lalu, Gabriel Pabico (October 16, 2023). "House reps find Duterte's tirades offensive, a serious attack – secretary general". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  36. ^ LLanesca T., Panti (November 6, 2023). "Speaker vows fight vs. those who malign House; deputy tags Duterte". GMA News Online. Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  37. ^ Galang, Bamba (November 9, 2023). "Political analyst: More 'tectonic shifts' seen in House as 2025 polls approach". CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  38. ^ Panti, Llanesca T. (November 14, 2023). "7 lawmakers from Duterte-chaired PDP-Laban defect to Romualdez-led Lakas CMD". GMA News Online. Archived from the original on November 15, 2023. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  39. ^ Mangaluz, Jean (November 21, 2023). "Ex-President Duterte: I'll run for senator or VP if Sara is impeached". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  40. ^ Lalu, Gabriel Pabico (November 22, 2023). "Lagman on reso urging PH cooperation with ICC: We're not putting anyone on trial". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on November 24, 2023. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  41. ^ Cervantes, Filane Mikee (November 23, 2023). "House tackling ICC resolution just 'a matter of course'". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on November 23, 2023. Retrieved November 24, 2023.
  42. ^ Sarao, Zacarian (December 21, 2023). "NTC suspends SMNI operations for 30 days". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 21, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2023.
  43. ^ "MTRCB suspends SMNI shows hosted by ex-Pres. Duterte, Badoy, Celiz". CNN Philippines. December 19, 2023. Archived from the original on December 19, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  44. ^ Robles, Alan (May 1, 2024). "South China Sea: probe into Duterte-Xi pact sparks rumours of political payback". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on May 1, 2024. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  45. ^ Galang, Bamba (January 15, 2024). "Pro-Cha-cha group admits initiating signature drive, talking with Romualdez". CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  46. ^ Ordoñez, John Victor D. (January 23, 2024). "Senate rejects efforts to dilute vote on 'Cha-cha'". BusinessWorld. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  47. ^ "PIRMA denies vote buying to push for Cha-cha via people's initiative". CNN Philippines. January 15, 2024. Archived from the original on January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  48. ^ Garner, Jom (January 4, 2024). "People's initiative has reached required number of signatures — Salceda". Daily Tribune. Archived from the original on January 24, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
  49. ^ Torregoza, Hannah (January 28, 2024). "'May resibo': Escudero shows proof of Romualdez's Cha-cha plans via People's Initiatives". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on January 29, 2024. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  50. ^ Porcalla, Delon (December 13, 2023). "Speaker: House to push for Cha-cha next year". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
  51. ^ Ramirez, Donnie C. (February 11, 2001). "Fullest blessing on fullest love". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. F1. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
[edit]
House of Representatives of the Philippines
Preceded by
Remedios Petilla
 Member of the House of Representatives from Leyte
2007-2016 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the House of Representatives from Leyte
2019-present 		Incumbent
Preceded by House Majority Leader
2019–2022 		Succeeded by
Manuel Jose Dalipe
Preceded by Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
2022–present 		Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded byas President of the Senate of the Philippines Order of Precedence of the Philippines
as Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines 		Succeeded byas Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
Lines of succession
Preceded byas President of the Senate of the Philippines Philippine presidential line of succession
as Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines 		Last
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