1. 18th Congress of the
Philippines
MARTIN ROMUALDEZ

2. Martin Romualdez
Ferdinand Martin Gomez
Romualdez[1] (Tagalog pronunciation: [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 newspaper companies Manila
Standard and the Journal Group of Publications and mass media
firm Philippine Collective Media Corporation.[3] He is also the national
president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats political party.

3. Early life and education
• Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez is the third child of
former Leyte governor and ambassador to the United
States Benjamin Romualdez and Juliette Gomez-
Romualdez.[5][6][7] His father was once named
by Forbes as the 30th richest man in the Philippines with
a net worth of P3.3 billion, which the Presidential
Commission on Good Government claimed was allegedly
ill-gotten.[8] 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.

4. • Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez is the third child of
former Leyte governor and ambassador to the United
States Benjamin Romualdez and Juliette Gomez-
Romualdez.[5][6][7] His father was once named
by Forbes as the 30th richest man in the Philippines with
a net worth of P3.3 billion, which the Presidential
Commission on Good Government claimed was allegedly
ill-gotten.[8] 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.

5. • Ferdinand Martin Gomez Romualdez is the third child of
former Leyte governor and ambassador to the United
States Benjamin Romualdez and Juliette Gomez-
Romualdez.[5][6][7] His father was once named
by Forbes as the 30th richest man in the Philippines with
a net worth of P3.3 billion, which the Presidential
Commission on Good Government claimed was allegedly
ill-gotten.[8] 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. • 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.[11]
• In 1995, he started work as 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.

7. Political career
• 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.[13]
• In April 2014, Romualdez expressed his interest to run as 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, of which he is the national president,
but ultimately failed to win a senate seat.

8. • 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 Romualdez were
among the 70 congressmen who voted "yes" 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 from South Korea's Korea Investment
Corporation.[18][19] The proposal drew mixed reactions from
economists and mostly negative reactions from the general public.

9. Personal life
• Romualdez is married to Yedda Marie M. Kittilstvedt, who
represented the Philippines for Miss International 1996.
They have four children together.

10. References
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. ^ Jump up to:a b "Romualdez files COC for senator; mum on presidential pick". Philippine Daily Inquirer. October
13, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
3. ^ "Razon sells Manila Standard Today to Romualdez group". The Philippine Star. April 16, 2010. Retrieved April
29, 2016.
4. ^ "Lakas–CMD chief: In democracy, anyone can run". Philippine Daily Inquirer. May 25, 2015. Retrieved April
29, 2016.
5. ^ Jump up to: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.
6. ^ Jump up to: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.
7. ^ 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.
8. ^ "Romualdez: My father was not a Marcos crony". ABS-CBN News. February 15, 2016.
9. ^ Wilensky, Joe (November 14, 2013). "Alumni, students aid the Philippines". Cornell Chronicle. Archived from the
original on September 3, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2019.
10.^ "CEU Law dean leads Upsilon UNO awardees". Manila Bulletin. April 9, 2017. Archived from the original on April
18, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2019.

11. 1. Gabieta, Joey A. (February 26, 2012). "Leyteños pay their last respects to Romualdez". INQUIRER.net.
Retrieved March 19, 2023.
2. ^ "Who I Am : Martin Romualdez". web.archive.org. August 21, 2015. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
3. ^ "Aquino signs into law Romualdez's PWD bill". Philippine Daily Inquirer. March 30, 2016. Retrieved April
29, 2016.
4. ^ "Romualdez eyes Senate seat in 2016". Philippine Daily Inquirer. April 1, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2016.
5. ^ "Romualdez cousins supporting Binay in 2016". Rappler. December 7, 2015. Retrieved February 18, 2016.
6. ^ Ponce Pacpaco, Ryan (May 7, 2016). "Vote for Romualdez –– Duterte". Journal Online. Archived from the
original on May 7, 2016. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
7. ^ Perez-Rubio, Bella (July 10, 2020). "List of lawmakers who voted for and against ABS-CBN franchise
renewal". Philstar.com. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
8. ^ "Romualdez, Sandro Marcos file bill creating PH sovereign wealth fund". Rappler. November 29, 2022.
Retrieved December 3, 2022.
9. ^ Cigaral, Ian Nicolas (December 3, 2022). "Does the P250-B Maharlika Wealth Fund make sense?". Philstar.com.
Retrieved December 3, 2022.
10.^ Neil (December 5, 2022). "Maharlika Wealth Fund: Cheers and fears". BusinessWorld Online. Retrieved March
19, 2023.
11.^ "Why the Philippines' Sovereign Wealth Fund is Controversial". Time. December 16, 2022. Retrieved March
19, 2023.