Romualdez spouses win in Tacloban, Leyte’s first district

TACLOBAN CITY, May 10 (PNA) -– The Board of Canvassers declared Councilor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez as winner early Tuesday in the Tacloban mayoralty race, garnering 72,077 votes as against Councilor Neil Glova of the Liberal Party, who only got 23,612 votes.

Cristina, a former actress, is the wife of outgoing Mayor Alfred Romualdez, the nephew of former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos.

The lady mayor-elect promised to sustain recovery efforts of the city razed to the ground by the monster typhoon in 2013 and help improve the lives of the poor.

Cristina served as city councilor for nine years and instrumental in pushing for livelihood programs.

In Leyte’s first congressional district, Yedda, the wife of Rep. Martin Romualdez, won the race as against Lawyer Fiel Clemencio. Martin, a senatorial candidate who ranked 15th in vote count, is Alfred’s first cousin.

The incoming solon is a former beauty queen, having been crowned Binibining Pilipinas-International in 1996.

Data from Commission on Elections server shows that Yedda garnered 144,371 votes as against Clemencio’s 49,873 votes.

The Romualdez political dynasty in Leyte started in 1949 when Daniel Z. Romualdez, first cousin of Imelda was elected as representative of then Leyte’s fourth district. He later served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1957 to 1962.

From 1995 to 1998, Imelda served as representative of Leyte’s first congressional district before transferring to Ilocos Norte. Her return to Leyte perpetuated the Romualdezes’ political clout in the province, notably by his brother, Bejo, who ruled the city starting in 1998.

Bejo ruled the city from 1998 to 2007 before turning over the leadership to his son, Alfred. (PNA)

FFC/SARWELL Q. MENIANO