HOUSE Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on Sunday chooses to respect the institution’s gift policy in light of the recent speculations regarding his alleged $2 million donation to Harvard University.
“Harvard has already communicated that they “do not discuss the terms or specifics of individual gifts,” and I stand by that principle. More importantly, I’d like to redirect our attention to the significant milestone achieved — the introduction of the Filipino language course at Harvard,” said Romualdez in a statement released on Sunday.
As mentioned by Mr. Jose Marco C. “Marcky” Antonio II ’25, co-president of the Harvard Undergraduate Philippine Forum, the focus should be on celebrating this achievement, added the Speaker as this is a remarkable acknowledgement of our culture and heritage on a global platform.
“I firmly believe in promoting and preserving our Filipino identity, and this step by Harvard is a testament to that effort. Let’s embrace this moment of pride and unity for our country and our language,” said Romualdez.
The supposed donation was first reported in August by New York-based The FillAm magazine, which said attendees of an alumna-hosted dinner in April “were clearly told that Romualdez was the donor but were asked by organizers of the dinner that this not be revealed to others.”
