House Speaker Martin Romualdez takes oath of office

House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez. Inquirer file photo

TACLOBAN CITY – House Speaker Martin Romualdez officially started his third and last term as congressman representing Leyte’s first district as he took his oath of office on Sunday, June 29.

Romualdez took his oath of office at around 3 p.m. before Court of Appeals Associate Justice Justice Bautista Corpin at the historic Price Mansion in Tacloban.

He was joined by his sons, Andrew Julian,and Ferdinand Martin Jr.

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Andrew Julian also took his oath of office as congressman, being the first nominee of the Tingog party-list group. The other congressman of the party-list, Jude Acidre also took his oath of office.

Ferdinand Martin Jr., meanwhile, took his oath after being elected as a councilor of Tacloban City, part of the first congressional district of Leyte.

Also taking his oath was Speaker Romualdez’s nephew, Raymund Romualdez, who was elected as vice mayor of Tacloban City.

The House Speaker later administered the oaths of the mayors, vice mayors, and councilors of Leyte’s first congressional district.

His cousin, Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez, who was reelected to his post for the third time, was not present.

Speaker Romualdez was first elected as a congressman in 2007 and served for nine years.

After finishing his third term in 2016, he was replaced by his wife Yedda Marie Romualdez to the same post.

He then returned to the same post in 2019.

In an earlier interview, Speaker Romualdez vowed to bring in more projects and services to the first district of Leyte which is composed of Tacloban City and the towns of Alangalang, Palo, Babatngon, Tanauan, San Miguel, Santa Fe, and Tolosa. /mr