Ferdinand Martin Romualdez

VIRTUAL REALITY

- TONY LOPEZ

Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, 62, is the most powerful Speaker of the House of Representatives ever. He is also the most controversial. And the most maligned.

As a lawyer, politician and businessman, Speaker Martin's power comes from the four essentials of what power means.

First is the power of relativity and political gravity. Martin is the first cousin and closest adviser of Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr., the 17th president. He is often viewed as the de facto prime minister helping Marcos Jr., 67, do visioning for the country and manage state affairs. Speaker Martin accompanied the President to the just concluded ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

The Philippines is the 12th largest nation on earth, with its 120 million population, and the 33rd largest economy, with a nominal GDP of $462 billion—bigger than Vietnam, No. 34, and Malaysia, No. 37.

The Philippines is Asia's second fastest-growing economy today. World Economics estimates the Philippines' 2024 GDP at $1.733 trillion in PPP (purchasing power parity) terms and an initial estimate of $1.839 trillion for 2025. This figure is 43 percent higher than the official estimate published by the World Bank.

Second, as the 24th Speaker of the land, Martin has excellent leadership and organization ability. He is able to reach out to nearly every one of the 313 members of Congress, considered the bigger house of the legislative branch.

Third, he is the heir to a large political power base, the clannish Eastern Visayas region around Leyte. He served as congressman of Leyte's first district, from 2007 to 2016, ran for senator but lost in 2016 and, since 2019, has been congressman again, serving as majority floor leader from 2019 to 2022, and speaker since July 2022.