Tingog Party-list second nominee and community volunteer Jude Acidre takes pride in the character and achievements of outgoing Leyte First District Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez who now stands as the party’s first nominee in the May 13 elections.
“Having worked with Rep. Romualdez closely in the past three years, I personally saw her work so hard to serve her constituents in the First District of Leyte. Just like many other members of the House of Representatives, it is always a challenge juggling her legislative duties in Congress, and ensuring that her priority projects are implemented in the district,” said Acidre, youth leader and political consultant from Barugo, Leyte.
On her first term in Congress, Romualdez authored 59 and co-authored 43 bills where a good number of them were passed into law while others made to third reading in the lower house.
“Among her significant proposed legislation includes the Disaster Resilience Act and the Alternative Learning System Act, of which she is the principal author,” Acidre said in a press statement.
A nurse by profession, Romualdez successfully pushed for the inclusion of senior citizens in the free college education program and championed the cause of PhilHealth coverage for Persons with Disabilities.
Also, she authored the bills recognizing the civil effects of church annulments and declaring Nov. 8 a non-working holiday in Eastern Visayas, both of which were passed in the lower chamber of Congress.
Acidre said Romualdez “has not [been remiss in] her duties to her constituents.”
While Romualdez continued her medical assistance and scholarship programs, she was not one to be content with stop-gap projects but instead she spearheaded the pilot implementation of the Department of Health-proposed Service Delivery Network Public-Private Partnership which provided for the integration of government and private healthcare facilities and made available free hospital care for indigents.
According to Acidre, Romualdez also focused on ensuring quality primary healthcare is made available at the barangay level by providing Technical Education and Skills Development Authority training in basic health services for barangay health workers.
Romualdez also rolled out business mentoring programs for more than a hundred women livelihood associations and started Product 8, a social enterprise which showcased local products and food delicacies, he added in his statement.
“As an affirmation of her competence and leadership qualities, she probably became the first neophyte congresswoman to be elected to the very important position of chairperson of the powerful Committee on Accounts, which manages the internal affairs of the House of Representatives. Being one of the top leaders of the House, she became an ex officio member of all House committees,” Acidre said.
Acidre expressed confidence that Romualdez and the rest of the Tingog nominee “can achieve so much more for Eastern Visayas.”
“If in three years, Yedda Romualdez has accomplished so much for the First District of Leyte, think of what more she can do for the entire Eastern Visayas region? Together, we will deliver,” he said.
The other nominees of Tingog are Jaime “Boy” Go, entrepreneur and community volunteer from Javier, Leyte, as third nominee; Alexis Yu, pharmacist and community leader from Basey, Samar, as fourth nominee; and Jenifer Padual, community leader and human resource management professional from Guiuan, Eastern Samar, as fifth nominee.
Tingog, which means “voice” is a regional political party based in Eastern Visayas that aims to be a champion for regional development.