Speaker Martin Romualdez | PHOTO: Official Facebook page of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
MANILA, Philippines — The possibility of Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez leading the House of Representatives again in the 20th Congress is up to his fellow lawmakers, he said on Wednesday.
In an interview with Teleradyo Serbisyo, Romualdez was asked again about his plans for the 2025 elections — which he answered previously by saying that he would seek reelection as Leyte 1st District representative.
READ: Romualdez won’t run for Senate in 2025 polls, eyes re-election in Leyte
When quizzed if he would aim for the speakership again in the 20th Congress, Romualdez said he is ready if lawmakers want him to lead the House anew.
“I would like to seek for my third term, there are a lot of things to do in Tacloban and for the municipalities within the first district of Leyte, I cannot just turn back on my duties, so maybe I will continue to serve my district,” he said in Filipino.
“Well, being the speaker depends on the lawmakers, my colleagues, on who they want to be speaker. But of course I am ready if ever,” he added.
For 2028 though, Romualdez said he might consider retirement.
“Maybe take a rest? We’re a senior citizen already, I’ll be almost 65 when 2028 comes,” he said.
“I don’t want to be caught having senior moments on TV, it’s shameful. Maybe Cong. Yedda will tell me to stop doing politics as I am already struggling,” Romualdez said, referring to his wife, Tingog party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez.
As House members are allowed to seek congressional seats for three successive three-year terms, Romualdez can still run for one more term as representative of his district, having started the first term of his second tour at Batasang Pambansa in 2019.
Romualdez was also representative of the same district from 2007 to 2016. In the 2016 elections, Romualdez ran for senator and eventually placed 15th — just three rankings shy of the last Senate seat.
READ: Romualdez eyes Senate seat in 2016