About Ferdinand Martin Romualdez
Filipino businessman, lawyer and politician serving as the Speaker of the House of Representatives since July 25, 2022. He is also serving as the representative for the 1st district of Leyte since 2019 and previously from 2007 to 2016.
Early life and education
Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez[1] (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 July 25, 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.
Romualdez is the owner of the newspaper companies Manila Standard and Journal Group of Publications and the mass media firm Philippine Collective Media Corporation.[3] He is the national president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats political party
Romualdez is the owner of the newspaper companies Manila Standard and Journal Group of Publications and the mass media firm Philippine Collective Media Corporation.[3] He is the national president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats political party
Political Career
Romualdez authored House Bill 1039, which was enacted into law by President Benigno Aquino III as Republic Act 10754, or An act on expanding the benefits and privileges of people with disabilities.[13]
In April 2014, Romualdez expressed interest in running for senator in the 2016 elections.[14] 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.[15] In 2016 Davao City Mayor and presidential aspirant Rodrigo Duterte also endorsed the candidacy of Romualdez.[16] He ran under the Lakas–CMD party, which he is the national president of, but ultimately failed to win a senate seat.
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.[17] In November 2022, Romualdez, along with six other lawmakers, filed House Bill 6398 proposing the creation of the Maharlika Investment Fund, a sovereign wealth fund for the Philippines inspired by South Korea's Korea Investment Corporation.[18][19] The proposal drew mixed reactions from economists and mostly negative reactions from the general public.
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.[17] In November 2022, Romualdez, along with six other lawmakers, filed House Bill 6398 proposing the creation of the Maharlika Investment Fund, a sovereign wealth fund for the Philippines inspired by South Korea's Korea Investment Corporation.[18][19] The proposal drew mixed reactions from economists and mostly negative reactions from the general public.