Leyte Rep. Yedda inherits work load from hubby Martin

Last Saturday, former Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez and his wife Yedda invited movie writers to a Christmas party, along with representatives from the PWD (People With Disability) group, beneficiaries of a law authored by Martin.

Because it’s beauty-contest season, with beauty-watchers holding their breath in anticipation of the 2017 Miss Universe pageant’s staging here on Jan. 30 next year, movie writers 30 years old and below wondered if Yedda was ever a beauty queen. They were pleasantly surprised to learn that, yes, Yedda (full name: Yedda Marie Mendoza Kittilstvedt-Romualdez) was, indeed, a beauty queen who reigned as Bb. Pilipinas International in 1996, the same year she finished one of the Top 15 semi-finalists in that year’s Miss International pageant in Japan. (“Won by Portugal’s Fernanda Alves,” according to this corner’s “beauty expert” Celso de Guzman Caparas. “Yedda was also named Miss Pond’s Beautiful Skin during the Bb. Pilipinas finals; her co-winners were Aileen Damiles, Bb. Pilipinas Universe and Daisy Reyes, Bb. Pilipinas World.”)

Yedda replaced Martin as Leyte representative after Martin finished three terms and (unsuccessfully) ran for senator in last May’s elections. (He said he’s running again for the same position in 2019.) The couple has four children: Andrew, 16, and Marty, 15, who are home for the holidays from Switzerland where they are in boarding (high) school; and Bella, nine years old, a student at International School (IS) and Maddey, one year old.

“I’ve never met somebody who loves being a mommy more than she does,” Yedda quoted Martin as saying. “He’s right. I do love being at home, happy being in the sidelines helping Martin quietly. I’m comfortable with myself, happy being a wife to Martin and being a mom to our children who are all very smart.”

That was until Martin asked her to run, which surprised Yedda because, as Martin himself admitted, he’s the jealous type. During the Q&A, Yedda told the movie writers that when she dressed in something revealing (by Martin’s standard, that is), he would ask her to change to something more, well, “conservative.” But now that Yedda is in the political arena, Martin has “conceded” that she has become some kind of a public property.

“When Martin was courting me,” Yedda recalled good-humoredly, “he was really determined. His motto was ‘Akin ka; bahala ka kung ayaw mo.’” At a pre-election presscon, Martin confessed likewise. Asked how to win the attention and affection of a beauty queen, Martin told the amused crowd, “Don’t take no for an answer.”

Being a first-timer in Congress (where her good looks light up the usually drab halls, along with such beauties as Vilma Santos of Batangas, Lucy Torres of Ormoc, Baby Arenas of Pangasinan and Gwen Garcia of Cebu), Yedda learns, in a manner of speaking, the “tricks of the trade” mostly from Martin, from her colleagues and even from Tacloban City Mayor Cristina “Kring-Kring” Gonzalez-Romualdez who had served three terms as councilor. Kring-Kring is the wife of former Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez. Martin and Alfred are cousins, thus Yedda and Kring-Kring are cousins-in-law.

“I admire Cristina,” said Yedda. “She’s hardworking. She’s doing a lot in bringing Tacloban back to where it was before Yolanda happened. We are close because my sister Lily is married to Cristina’s brother Michael. They are living in the States.”

An RN (Registered Nurse), Yedda said that she inherited most of Martin’s work load — bills filed by Martin that didn’t reach third reading and which Yedda is refilling, including 1). The creation of a department that can address natural or man-made disasters (NDRRMC is only a coordinating body); 2). The creation of a National Cancer Center that can address the needs of cancer patients; and 3). The creation of an Alternative Learning System (ALS).

On behalf of their colleagues, the PWD present at the party were grateful to Martin for the Expanded PWD Benefits and Privilege Act authored by Martin and signed into law on March 23, 2016, “implementing the rules and regulations signed on Dec. 2, 2016, by DSWD Sec. Judy Taguiwalo,” including “additional 20 percent discount on specific goods and services, maximum of 32 percent discount on specific goods and services (including VAT exemption).”

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