Power in the bloodline: Martin, Yedda, and Andrew Julian Romualdez—photographed during the 2019 elections—now serve side by side in the 20th Congress, marking an unprecedented consolidation of political influence within a single family. (Photo: Tingog Party-list via Facebook)
MANILA — It’s not every day that a single family commands three seats in the Philippine House of Representatives. Then again, the Romualdezes are not just any family.
In the gleaming marble halls of Batasang Pambansa, where power is worn like a tailored barong and words are weaponized with grace, the Romualdez name carries an unmistakable weight. Martin, the Speaker—calculating, composed, and unfailingly courteous. Yedda, his wife—an elegant presence, with pageant queen poise and political precision. And now, Andrew Julian, their son—fresh-faced, camera-ready, and armed with both a surname and a mandate.
Together, they form something rare even in the Philippines’ dynasty-laden political theater: a father, mother, and son serving simultaneously in Congress. It is equal parts spectacle and strategy.
To understand the Romualdez rise, one must begin not in 2025, but in the palatial mansions of San Juan, where marble staircases once echoed with the click of Imelda Marcos’s stilettos. Martin Romualdez, nephew to the former First Lady, was born into the kind of privilege that comes preloaded with connections.
His father, the late Benjamin “Kokoy” Romualdez, served as Governor of Leyte from 1967 to 1986, and was later appointed Philippine Ambassador to China, Saudi Arabia, and the United States under the Marcos administration. A trusted lieutenant of his brother-in-law President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Kokoy was also Imelda Marcos’s younger brother.
Reputed as one of the wealthiest and most influential men in Asia during the Marcos years, Kokoy built a political legacy that would survive People Power, exile, and regime changes.
Martin Romualdez studied abroad—earning a Bachelor of Arts in Government from Cornell University, a Certificate of Special Studies in Administration and Management from Harvard University, and a law degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law. He returned to public life as a disciplined political tactician, rising to become Speaker in July 2022, and retaining broad support following the 2025 elections.
Lady of the house
(Photo courtesy of Tingog Party-list)
But a dynasty isn’t built alone. Yedda Marie Kittilstvedt Romualdez, the Norwegian-Filipina beauty queen-turned-congresswoman, has mastered the art of modern Filipina power—equal parts grace and grit.
Crowned Binibining Pilipinas–International 1996, trained as a nurse, and a mother of four, Yedda first entered politics as Leyte’s 1st District Representative (2016–2019) when Martin hit term limits. She later served as Tingog party-list’s first nominee (2019–2022).
In July 2025, she returned to the House as Tingog’s third nominee after several others withdrew. The substitution, fully in line with COMELEC succession rules, positioned her alongside her husband and son—firmly anchoring the Romualdez foothold in Congress.
Yedda Romualdez keeps a discreet public profile, issuing statements only when necessary—most recently to categorically deny speculation about a possible gubernatorial run in Cebu. She reaffirmed her commitment to her national mandate as Tingog representative and warned against the use of her name for political intrigue.
The heir apparent
At just 25 years old, Andrew Julian Romualdez represents the next generation of the dynasty.
He attended the prestigious Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland—known for educating European royalty—and graduated in 2022 from Cornell University with a degree in International Agriculture and Rural Development.
Prior to his election, Andrew Julian Romualdez served on the boards of family-affiliated firms, including Marcventures Holdings, Inc. and Bright Kindle Resources & Investments, Inc., stepping down from both roles in May 2025 ahead of his assumption of public office.
Sworn in as Tingog party-list’s first nominee on June 30, 2025, Andrew entered Congress with both political training and elite education under his belt.
If Martin is the tactician and Yedda the symbol, Andrew is the rebrand—a digital-native Romualdez who speaks in hashtags, wears crisp sneakers, and appeals to both legacy networks and a younger demographic.
A family affair
(Photo: House of Representatives of the Philippines)
Political dynasties are nothing new in the Philippines. From the Dutertes in Davao to the Estradas in San Juan, the architecture of power often resembles a family tree. But three simultaneous seats in Congress? That’s rare, even by local standards.
To critics, it signals the need for long-delayed constitutional reform. To supporters, it represents efficient alignment: “a family united in public service,” as one Tingog aide put it.
For some, it is continuity. For others, caution.
