Philippine Star, Mar. 28, 2019, And Now, The Next Speaker.pdf

THURSDAY

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MARCH 28,2Ol9

FROM THE STANDS DOMINI M. TORREVILLAS

And now, the next Speaker... !

erdinard Martin G. Romualdez ii PhiliDpines in Diliman, Quezon Ciry' the "comeback kid" in the House. ir" nbiot a certificate for special studHe was Representative for three ies in administration and management terms - from 2007 to 2016. All congress- iiom Harvard University in Carnbridge, men, I believe, are angling for the pbst of Mass, USA. Speaker. So must have Romualdez at the start of the campaign period for the mid-

Martin, 46, tall, charming and accessible, continues to be inspired by simple

displays of malasakit and determined to'give back to others after having witnessed and been on the receiving end of

the cu-rrent president of the Pliilippine Constitution AssociaA iawver, he

is

the.monumental display of generosiry and chadry from donors ard sympathizers during his district's devastaLibn and

term elections this coming May. To his tion (PHILCONSA). pleasant surprise, Sara Duterte-Carpio, He served for tluee consecutive terms chair of the Hugpong ng Pagbabigo, as representative of the lst district of announced during a campaign caravan in I acloban Citv that she wasendorsing fum for the plum post. She sald he wiii be able to steer "a more productive and responsive" House of Representatives. There was no resistance from possible aspirants for the speakership. Rather t}re words of endorsement were aplenty. Former Speaker Feliciano beh'onte jr. cited Romualdez's good record as ,,a constructive critic" when he headed the independent bloc in Congress. ,,During

rny speakership, he headed the independent minority group. He proved to be:upportive ald helped me in pushing lmportant measures." Romualdez was then president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats. "UndoubteJly Romualdez is veiy competent to lead the House giveh his track record as lawyer and p"ublic servant," House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep.Danilo Suarez said.

"We need a competent and honest

man like Congressman Romualdez. He has good public relations and no derogaLory issue. Congress will be very iflteresting with his leadership. He is good, responsible, very brjght and in tel tig-ent,', Suarez continued. Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice supports Martin a5 the next House Speakir.

t'He has no corruption issue, and that will work to his advantage," Erice said. Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano said, "He is a good and brilliant lawyer who never losl a case. He is also fair and a charming gentleman." Those legislators know whereof they speak. Martin Romualdez has a good academic record. and a healthy lawyering career. He earned fus bachelor of arts- degree from Cor_nell University (this is confirmed) in Ithaca, New Yor( and studied law at the University of the

desolation from Yolanda.

Having finished his third ierm in

Levtd. Du rinq hjs nine-year term in Consr6ss he;as"the lead6r of the House's

Congress in 2016, his wife, former Bb.

spurred progress and development'

seat in the 17th Congress. She is rururing as the Tingog Party-list No. 1 nominee

International Yedda Marie Kittittildtvedt-Romualdez rary and won his

independent bloc. He supported mas,ive 'inuest-ents in infraitruchrre that

ri" .ha^bioied

small businesses and

in the coming midterm election.

inarrtrti"i in his district and the plight o{ disadvantaqed and vulnerable seci.,ti ot societi, PWDs (Persons with Disabilities), s'enior citizens, the sickly

Outstanding women leaders of Isabela were scheduled to be given awards Iast Monday for their contributjons in various fields. The awardees from the 4th District

and the poor

One af his benchmark legislations during the 16th Congress-was the passage of House BilJ 1039 a la\,v'exempting

persons with disabilities from paying value-added tax on certain goods and services. This bill was signed into law on March 23, 2016, and is now known as Republic Act 10754 or an act expanding thebenefits and privileges ofpeople with disabilities. He was the principal author of House Bill 103b, *h.ich sei,ks to promote the establishment of microbusiness enterprises (MBEs) by providing incentives and benefits to barangay

initiatives. His legislative record from the 14-16th Congress was a terstament to his compassion for public service and exernplified his malasakit tot the marginalized, Chairman of the board of several corporations, such as in banking and minin& Martin tumed to his own corporate and pdvate network for assistance to the Yolanda super typhoon-stricken areas across Central and Eastem Visayas. He corsiders the Yolanda disaster as

his most challenging and trying exper! ence and has taken a special interest in working towards reforms and legislative

measures to ensure that no one else will ever experience ihe tragedy they suffered.

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are: Laynie Panganiban for her exemplary performance in socio-civic work; Mayor Leticia Sebastian for her impeccable and selfless service in the government; Dr. Noime.Liangco for her undying passion for the protection of the environment and improvement in agriculture; and The 4th Impact composed of sisters Almira, Irene, Mylene, and Celina Cercado for thejr impressive i n terna t iona I participation in arts and drusic. The winners from the five otlrdr districts selected Ihrough Ihe lsabela province Gender and Development Committee

coordinated through its focal person Hortencia Gallapon are: Hon. Marilou Sanchez of San Guillermo; Maridee Belagan of Naguilian; ]ocelyn Tum to page 14

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oprnron TORREVILLAS

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Lennin of Roxasi Drolly Claravall of llagan City; and Rosa Baua of Reina Mercedes.

Thev were all honored

the province, was the special Buest sPeaker at the eve nt held at the orovincial capitol. dccording to UNESCO Artist for Peace and ITI Soci :rl Change

's.official Network prEsident Cecile Cuidote-Alvarez, this year

campaien'theme, "Balance For Better," envisions "a wor ld where

and gful can exercise her cltoice, be it to Part icipate in politics, get an edicatior! have an jncome, and to live irL societies iree of discrimination and bias." The recosnition ceremonv aimed to showcase tlre cotttinuous fisht of wo;en to end all forms of violence that confro nt them, #d celebrate their strength and perseverance to fight folvvomen's rishts and eender equaliW,

bV Earthsavers, a UNESCO Dream eacliwiman

Center'founded by former sinator and congressman Heherson Alvarez, in partnership with the Isabela provincial govemment led bv iov. taustino dv III, Intemationai Theatre Institute (ITI), Nati6nal Commission-for Culture and the Arts Gad committee headed bv executive director Rico Pableo, and the Supreme Master Chine Hai, TV and PIA Region 2 Office. The awardees and -ere endorsEd by the Philippine eommission on Women were awarded at'a program'itaged as a culminating activjty of lntemational Womeil's i'Ionth ott'uurch x in n"gaolsabela, and in the observance as well of World Theatre Week. President Mary Ann Arcega-Dy of the Isabela Green Ladies Organization 0GLOO), the primary organization ol women in

iThoawirdees -ill alsb be nominated for The Outtrtanding Women in The Nation s Service (TOI/!'NIS) 2019 Award chaired ' by former secretary of Health Esperanza Cabral. .EmatT:

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