Led by Speaker Martin Romualdez
Martin Romualdez
TACLOBAN CITY – All five representatives from Leyte’s congressional districts have officially filed their certificates of candidacy (CoCs), signaling their intent to seek re-election in the upcoming May 12, 2025 polls.
The filing period, which ran from October 1 to October 8, was set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), and the race is shaping up to be both competitive and familiar, with several incumbents facing challengers while others remain unopposed.
1st District: Speaker Martin Romualdez
House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, representing Leyte’s 1st district, is running for his third term. He was the first candidate to file his CoC at the Leyte provincial Comelec office, demonstrating his intention to continue his leadership role in the district.
Romualdez, a key ally of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., his cousin, has been instrumental in securing national-level projects for Leyte and has enjoyed widespread support across the province.
However, Romualdez will not go unchallenged.
Two other candidates—Raymundo Junia and Danilo Chua—filed their CoCs on October 4, setting the stage for a three-way race in the district. Both Junia and Chua are relatively lesser-known figures compared to Romualdez.
2nd District: Lolita Karen Javier
In the 2nd district, incumbent Rep.Lolita Karen Javier is seeking her third and final term. As of October 7, no one has filed to challenge her, making her bid for re-election seem secure, at least for now.
Javier, who is also the wife of Leyte Vice Governor Leonardo Javier, has built a strong political base in the district, with her advocacy focused on education, health, and infrastructure development.
3rd District: Anna Veloso Tuazon vs. Emmanuel Veloso
The race in Leyte’s 3rd district presents an interesting family dynamic.
Incumbent Rep. Anna Veloso Tuazon filed her CoC on Oct. 4, seeking a second term. However, her bid for re-election will face a challenge from within the family. Emmanuel Veloso, a relative and former political figure in the district, filed his CoC on October 3, just a day before Tuazon.
The race between the two could lead to an intriguing contest, with both candidates likely to draw on family ties and local political alliances.
4th District: Richard Gomez vs. Vicente Veloso
Leyte’s 4th District will see a high-profile contest between incumbent Rep.Richard Gomez and former Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals, Vicente Veloso.
Gomez, a former actor and mayor of Ormoc City, is seeking his second term as the district’s congressman.
His challenger, Vicente Veloso, is a seasoned politician and legal expert who previously represented Leyte’s 3rd district.
The 4th district race is likely to be one of the most closely watched contests in Leyte.
5th District: Carl Cari
In Leyte’s 5th district, incumbent congressman Carl Cari is running for his second term.
As of October 7, Cari is unopposed, indicating strong support from his constituents.
Cari has expressed his gratitude to the people of the 5th district, emphasizing that he seeks re-election to continue the projects and programs initiated during his first term.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
