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Martin Romualdez elected as House Speaker

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Leyte First District Rep. Martin Romualdez attends the opening session of the 19th Congress at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City on July 25, 2022. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/07/25/20220725-19th-congress-martin-romualdez-jc-1.jpg"/><figcaption>Leyte First District Rep. Martin Romualdez attends the opening session of the 19th Congress at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City on July 25, 2022. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Leyte First District Rep. Martin Romualdez, a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., was elected as leader of the House of Representatives on Monday. </p><p>Romualdez secured 280 votes from his colleagues in the first session of the 19th Congress, hours ahead of Marcos&#x27; maiden State of the Nation Address, according to the chamber&#x27;s official <a href="https://twitter.com/HouseofRepsPH/status/1551438837494059008">Twitter</a> account.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/07/25/20220725-romualdez.jpg" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/07/25/20220725-romualdez.jpg"/></figure></div><p>Romualdez is the president of Lakas-CMD, which now has 64 congressmen. Other political parties supporting him included PDP-Laban, the National Unity Party, the Nacionalista Party, the Nationalist People’s Coalition, and the Party-List Coalition.</p><p>Former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo backed Romualdez, despite reports she was eyeing the speakership. Arroyo served as Speaker under former President Rodrigo Duterte from 2018 to 2019.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/14/22/arroyo-backs-romualdez-for-house-speakership">Arroyo backs Romualdez for House speakership</a></li></ul><p>Arroyo had rallied support for Romualdez’s bid for the Speakership in the 18th Congress, but he became majority leader after Duterte brokered a term-sharing agreement between then Representative Alan Peter Cayetano and Lord Allan Velasco.</p><p>Romualdez first served as representative of his district from 2007 to 2016, then from 2019 to 2022, according to a resume provided by his office.</p><p>He won a second term in the May 9 polls and is eligible for another term in 2025. </p><p>Romualdez is married to fellow lawmaker Yedda Marie Romualdez, who represents Tingog Party-list. </p><p>He is also a cousin of Sen. Imee Marcos and a nephew of former First Lady Imelda Marcos. </p><p>Romualdez served as one of the main campaign managers of Vice President Sara Duterte in the 2022 elections.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/19/22/congress-should-spend-more-time-monitoring-budget-enforcement-solon">Congress should spend more time monitoring budget implementation vs creation: solon</a></li></ul><div><strong>— With reports from Kat Domingo and RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News </strong><br/> </div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pRX-u6LrZfw?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><div> <br/> </div>

Leyte First District Rep. Martin Romualdez, a cousin of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., was elected as leader of the House of Representatives.