Third Romualdez joins House after party-list shakeup

Metro Manila, Philippines - House Speaker Martin Romualdez’s wife, Yedda Marie Romualdez, is set to join him and their son in Congress as a Tingog Party-list representative, following the resignation of three nominees.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruled on Wednesday, July 16, that Yedda – originally Tingog’s sixth nominee – is now qualified to assume the third congressional seat won by Tingog in the May midterm elections, following the resignations of the group’s third, fourth, and fifth nominees. Comelec Chairman George Garcia released a copy of the resolution on Friday.

On Monday, Marie Josephine Diana Calatrava resigned as the party’s third nominee, prompting her removal from the House of Representatives. House Secretary General Reginald Velasco immediately informed the Comelec and requested a certificate of proclamation for the next qualified nominee.

The fourth and fifth nominees, Alexis Yu and Paul Richard Muncada, resigned on July 10 after being elected as Tingog’s Executive Vice President and Vice President for Internal Affairs, respectively.

“[T]hus, based on the list submitted, Tingog Nominee No. 6, Yedda Marie K. Romualdez, may be certified as the next qualified nominee,” the Comelec law department ruled.

The department also recommended that Garcia issue the necessary certification, a recommendation unanimously approved by all seven members of the poll body.

Yedda previously served two terms as Tingog’s representative from 2019 to 2025. She was originally listed as the party’s first nominee for the May elections but was replaced by her son, Andrew Julian Romualdez.