Norberto Romuáldez

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Norberto L. Romualdez

Associate Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court
In office November 1, 1921 – April 1, 1932
Appointed by	Warren Harding
Preceded by	Manuel Araullo
Succeeded by	Jose Abad Santos

Born	June 6, 1875(1875-06-06) Burauen, Leyte
Died	November 4, 1941 (aged 66) Palapag, Samar

Norberto Romuáldez y López (June 6, 1875 - November 4, 1941) (often referred to as Norberto Romuáldez, Sr. to distinguish him from his son with the same name) was a Philippine writer, politician, jurist and statesman. He was the first Romuáldez to attain national prominence, and is deemed the "Father of the Law on the National Language".^[1] He was the uncle of Imelda Marcos, the daughter of his youngest brother Vicente Orestes.

Romuáldez grew up in Leyte and first achieved status as a writer in the Waray-Waray language. His first Waray zarzuela was An Pagtabang ni San Miguel (The Aid of Saint Michael).

In 1908, Romuáldez wrote Bisayan Grammar and Notes on Bisayan Rhetoric and Poetic and Filipino Dialectology, a grammar about the Waray-Waray language. The following year (1909) he founded the Sanghiran san Binisaya ha Samar ug Leyte (Academy of the Visayan Language of Samar and Leyte) for the purpose of promoting and intellectualizing the Waray-Waray language. Romuáldez was also fluent in other languages like Spanish, English, and Cebuano.

Romuáldez served as an Associate Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court during the American Period. He was also a participant in the 1934-1935 Constitutional Convention which resulted in the 1935 Constitution for the Philippine Commonwealth.

Romuáldez died in 1941 after an undisclosed illness.