Romualdez seeks reelection as Leyte representative

MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez formalized his reelection bid as he filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for Leyte’s 1st District congressional seat on Tuesday.

In a statement after filing his COC at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office in Leyte, Romualdez said that he would continue to push for programs that would give better opportunities to province residents.

“Ang patuloy na suporta ng ating mga kababayan ang inspirasyon ko upang ipagpatuloy ang ating nasimulan. Isa pong malaking karangalan ang magsilbi sa Leyte at sa buong bansa,” Romualdez said.

(The continuous support of our people inspires me to work hard and continue what we have started.  It is an honor to serve Leyte and the entire country.)

“Patuloy nating isusulong ang mga programa na magbibigay ng mas maraming oportunidad hindi lamang sa mga Leyteños kundi pati sa lahat ng Pilipino, lalo na sa larangan ng agrikultura at turismo,” he said.

(We would continue to push for programs that would give more opportunities for Leyte residents and Filipinos, especially in agriculture and tourism.)

According to Romualdez, he and his office have fought for the welfare of Leyte residents, especially during calamities.

“Ang Leyte ay hindi natin pinabayaan sa gitna ng kalamidad, at patuloy nating ipaglalaban ang kaligtasan at kabutihan ng ating mga kababayan. Kapag may kalamidad naman sa ibang lugar, sinisiguro nating nakakapagpadala ng tulong sa mga nasalanta dahil kami sa Leyte ay naging recipient ng tulong noong panahon ng Yolanda,” he noted.

(We did not leave Leyte behind during calamities, and we would continue to fight for the safety and welfare of our fellow residents.  When there are calamities in other areas, we ensure that aid is being sent to those affected because we in Leyte were recipients of help during the time of Yolanda.)

If Romualdez wins, he would be on his third and last term as Leyte’s 1st District representative, as he started his second tourney at the House during the 18th Congress where he served as Majority Leader.

After winning in the 2022 elections, Romualdez was elected Speaker by a majority of House members.

READ: Romualdez ‘deserves the highest praise’ for leadership – House

During the filing of his COC, Romualdez was accompanied by province officials, such as Governor Jericho Petilla, Vice Governor Leonardo Javier, and 2nd District Rep. Karen Javier, as well as mayors from the 1st District.

Romualdez also touted his achievements from the time that he was part of the House’s 16th Congress, where he led the House Minority.  According to the Speaker, one of his achievements was the passage of Republic Act No. 10754, a law that grants persons with disabilities (PWDs) exemption from the value-added tax (VAT) as well as additional discounts and benefits during the Aquino administration.

“This is one of the laws that I am proud to have authored because it genuinely helps a sector of Philippine society. We aim to pass more laws like this if we are fortunate enough to get a fresh mandate from the people of Leyte,” he noted.

“During the pandemic, we worked tirelessly to pass laws that addressed the health and economic challenges brought by COVID-19. Our Bayanihan laws provided much-needed assistance to our people,” he added.

Romualdez said that under his leadership, the 19th Congress had approved nearly all the measures identified by the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council as priority legislation.

READ: Romualdez: House approves all Ledac-priority bills before June target