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ENRILE:
A
solon for all seasons
“Poverty
is not a hindrance to one’s desire to achieve greatness and success.” This maxim
is best exemplified in Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile’s remarkable rise from
humble beginnings to a stature of prominence as a legal luminary, public servant, veteran legislator and Senate President - the third
highest official of the Republic of the Philippines. His years of distinguished service in
the government and his vital role in the 1986 EDSA Revolution influenced and changed the
course of Philippine history. A feat one can
attribute to his integrity of character, wisdom, determination and commitment to
excellence. As a senior member of the Commission on Appointments (CA), and now, its
Chairman, he vows to uphold with continuous dispatch, the mandate provided by the
Constitution, that is to scrutinize the integrity, fitness and competence of the
appointees to the Cabinet, military and foreign service.
Senator Enrile
was born on Valentine’s Day 1924, of a very poor family in a remote village of Gonzaga,
Cagayan. Taking his mother’s name, he was christened Juanito Furugganan. At a young
age, he worked as a servant to his mother’s relatives in order to be enrolled in
school. At the outbreak of World War II, he
joined the guerrilla movement, was captured, imprisoned and tortured. He was able to
escape and found employment in the U.S. Quartermaster depot in Aparri, Cagayan. After the
war, he set off from his province to look for better opportunities in Manila. There he met
his father, Don Alfonso, a lawyer, who gave him a new name, a name destined to become
famous one day — Juan Ponce Enrile.
In 1949, he
obtained his Associate in Arts degree, cum laude, from the Ateneo de Manila
University. He studied law in the University of the Philippines and graduated cum laude
and class salutatorian in 1953. In the bar examinations given that same year, he
ranked 11th with a rating of 91.72% and a perfect score of 100% in Commercial Law. He was
given a scholarship in Harvard Law School where he earned
his Master of Laws degree in 1955 with specialized training specialization
in taxation and corporate reorganization under the school’s premier International Tax
Program.
Returning to the
Philippines, he joined the Ponce Enrile, Siguion Reyna, Montecillo, Bello Law Offices as a
law partner where he practiced law for twelve
years from 1954 to 1966 emerging as a top corporate and litigation lawyer the course of
which, he never lost a case. He also served as
a Professor of Law at the Far Eastern University College of Law from 1956 to 1964. He has written and published papers on taxation,
his field of expertise.In January 1966, he entered the public service. He started as
Undersecretary of Finance at the beginning of 1966. Shortly thereafter, he was made
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Philippine National Bank. Then he was designated
as a concurrent Acting Commissioner of Insurance. As such, he revised many of the rules
and regulations in the Insurance Commission to make the insurance industry more reliable
and stable. In fact, many of these rules and regulations were included in the current
Insurance Code. After his stint in the Insurance Commission, he was moved to the Bureau of
Customs as concurrent Acting Commissioner of Customs until December 1968. While he was in
the Finance Department, he was appointed Acting Secretary of Finance and concurrent
Chairman of the Monetary Board of the Central Bank of the Philippines.
He was appointed
Secretary of Justice from December 1968 until February 9, 1970 where he concurrently held
the positions of Chairman of the Board of Pardons and Parole and the Anti-Dummy Board and
Peace and Order Council.
He held the
position of Minister, later Secretary of the Ministry/Department of National Defense from
1970 to 1986 and served as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the National Security
Council from 1972 to 1986. For two consecutive terms, he was elected as Assemblyman for
the Batasang Pambansa to represent Cagayan in 1978 to 1984 and 1984 to 1986.
February
1986 marked turning point in the history of the Philippines and in Enrile’s career.
Following the turbulent snap elections of February 7,1986, and amid the prolonged crisis
that gripped the country after the assassination of former Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr.,
Enrile withdrew his support for the Marcos government and led the revolt that triggered
what would be known as the People Power or EDSA Revolution which culminated in the fall of
the Marcos government.
In
1987, he ran for the Senate and won as lone opposition Senator. As Minority Floor Leader,
he was an ex-officio member of all the standing committees of the Senate. He was
also a member of the Senate Electoral Tribunal and the Commission on Appointments.
In
the May 11, 1992 elections, he won a seat in the House of Representatives by a landslide
representing the First District of Cagayan, his home province. He later on became a member
of the Liberal Party.
In
1995, he ran under the Lakas Coalition and was once again elected as Senator of the
Republic. Again he was a member of the Commission on Appointments and Chairman of the Senate
Ways and Means Committee and the Committee on Government Corporations and Public
Enterprises.
In
legislation, as taxation is his expertise, he authored Republic Act No. 8424 also known as
the Comprehensive Tax Reform Law, which exempted Overseas Contract Workers from paying
income taxes in the Philippines on their income earned abroad. In the same law, he also
exempted homeowners from capital gains provided they invest the proceeds from the sale of
their homes in buying or constructing other homes for themselves. He also sponsored the
provision exempting from Philippine income tax all Filipinos residing abroad on their
income earned abroad. He casted the lone dissenting vote against the Electric Power
Industry Reform Act, Republic Act No. 9136 or EPIRA, which institutionalized the
imposition of the Purchased Power Adjustment (PPA).
He
has held the position of Chairman in various public and private groups among which were
the Philippine National Bank, National Investment Development Corporation, National Police
Commission, Philippine Coconut Authority, united Coconut Planters Bank and PHILCOMSAT
Corporation. He was likewise member of the board of several government and private
corporations as well as civic and professional groups.
He
is a recipient of several awards which includes the Mahaputra Adipranada Medal
Award from the government of Indonesia, the Philippine Legion of Honor with the degree of
Commander, Doctor of Laws and Doctor of Humanities honoris causa from several
academic institutions.
In
the 2001 elections he lost in his bid to be reelected as senator for a 2nd term.
Nevertheless, his desire to serve the public did not wane. Even as a private citizen he
continued to advocate the rights of the burdened consumers. He opposed the PPA by filing
suits in court.
On
his return to the 13th Congress, Senator Enrile vows to concentrate his legislative
efforts at relieving the consumers of unjust burdens through genuine reforms in the power
sector as well as other public utilities and to pursue tax reforms with the end in view of
achieving justice and equity for Filipinos taxpayers. He intends to live up to the promise
he gave during the campaign period that is, “Problema Mo Sagot
Ko!”
He is at present the President of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) Party.
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ZIALCITA: Beaming voice in the name of public service
Singing is twice praying, as the saying goes. But to Rep. Eduardo C. Zialcita, whose golden voice
echoed with prominent conviction in the halls of the House of Representatives in the 12th
and 13th Congresses and still reverberates in the present 14th
Congress, the music he plays as a pro-people person and a man of God is not only meant for
praise but for an equal cause in the name of public service. This noble vocation to serve,
that is ingrained in his person, endeared him the love, admiration and trust of his
constituents – a manifestation of his passion to praise the Lord more, through the
Filipino people whom he desires to give more reasons to live for.
Born
in Sampaloc, Manila on December 15, 1950 to Dr. Benjamin Zialcita and Cristina Castro,
Congressman Zialcita, more popularly known as “Ed” or “EDZA”, is a
resident of Parañaque since 1978 and is now on his third term as its 1st
District Representative. The life of nationalism and calling for public service and
governance is not new to him, as it can, perhaps, be traced to have sprung early on from
his roots, being the great grandson of Don Agapito Zialcita, one of the original
signatories of the Declaration of the Philippine Independence in 1896. A consistent leader
standing tall with academic accolades, Congressman Zialcita studied elementary and high
school at San Sebastian College (SSC) and finished his Bachelor of Arts (AB) degree in
Mass Communication at the University of the Philippines (UP) where he was also hailed as
champion debater and orator. He, then, obtained his masters degree in Business
Administration (MBA) at the University of Asia and the Pacific and further pursued his
education as a government scholar in Georgetown University in the United States of America
(USA). He also completed his doctorate at the International Academy of Management and
Economics and was bestowed the Most Outstanding Alumnus Award by both the UP and SSC.
Congressman
Zialcita, is well known and respected as an efficient leader of various civic, political
and religious organizations. He was appointed to serve under different Presidential
administrations in various capacities where he became general manager/chairman of the
Public Estate Authority, deputy minister of the Ministry of Information, director of
Channel 9 during President Cory Aquino’s administration; and director of the PAG-IBIG
Fund and Presidential Management Staff under President Fidel V. Ramos.
He
also served either as president or vice president of several organizations, such as: the
Philippine Council of Management, Philippine Society of Training and Development, Manila
Jaycees, National Real Estate Association, Manila Board of Realtors, and Chamber of Real
Estate Builders Association (CREBA). He holds the distinction of being the first certified
International Jaycees trainor from the Philippines.
To
him, there is also a different picture that shows his inclination towards the Divine Ruler
of man in effecting good governance and public service. This is shown in his association
with various political movements with Christian democratic orientation in the Philippines,
such as the Party of Philippine Progress (PPP), Seahaus Christian Social Movement, among
others. He also served the Lord as faithful Navigator of Kagitingan Assembly (Parañaque)
and the Knights of Columbus.
In
August 2002, 12th Congress, Congressman Zialcita was voted as one of the
Outstanding Neophyte Legislators in the House of Representatives, which marked the start
of his dynamic and outstanding participation in legislating laws in the country.
A
prolific legislator, he authored or sponsored several bills of notable local and national
significance that have been enacted into law. Republic Act (RA) No. 9229 – the
re-districting of Parañaque into two (2) Legislative Districts was his idea of further
developing a more progressive city in the metropolis. Considered to be a milestone
accomplishment for Congressman Zialcita is the passage of RA 9257, where he principally
authored the Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2004 (Magna Carta for Senior Citizens) –
an act which provides more benefits and privileges to the senior citizens.
In the
13th Congress, Congressman Zialcita was the chairman of the House Committee on
Housing and Urban Development and Sub-Committee on Oversight (Committee on Population and
Family Relation). As chair of the Committee on Housing and Urban Development, he has
sought legislative solutions to the country’s problems of poverty and homelessness.
He cited key measures introduced by the House which he said can turn around the sorry
state of housing in the country.
His
continued outstanding performance in the House of Representatives earned him the Consumers
Union of the Philippines’ nod as Outstanding Legislator in August 2004 and
subsequently in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Given
a fresh mandate by the people in the 14th Congress, Congressman Zialcita has 12
committee memberships in the House of RepresentativesA member of the Lakas-CMD party, he
was elected by the House of Representatives, on the part of the Majority, as member of the
Commission on Appointments (CA). He sits as the majority floor leader, serves as chairman
of the Committee on Rules and Resolutions and is an ex officio member of all the other standing
committees in the Commission.
Aside
from his political savvy, Congressman Zialcita is a businessman, an avid golf player,
percussion enthusiast and a passionate singer and dancer. He is a member of the
“House Boys” Congressional Retro Band, produced his own CD entitled “EDZA
KANTA” and, at present, hosts a TV advocacy program at NBN every Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
entitled “The Young Once.” He is a loving husband to Claudine De Castro Zialcita
with whom he has four children named Paul, Carla, Nicole and Tanya.
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PLAZA: Prolific legislator, strong conviction
personified
Coming from a
prominent political family, Rep. Rodolfo “Ompong” G. Plaza of
the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) is now on his third and last term as
Representative of the lone district of Agusan del Sur.
A
scion of a prominent political family in Agusan del Sur, Congressman Plaza was born in Manila
on March 13, 1958 to the late Democrito Plaza and the former Valentina Galido. For
decades, his family is at the helm of political power in Agusan del Sur. His father was a
former three-term congressman and governor of Agusan del Sur while his mother, likewise,
served as governor of the province. His two
brothers, Adolph Edward “Eddie Bong” and Democrito Plaza II are also into
politics and each had their turn at the political seats in the province.
In his
earlier years, Congressman Plaza took up Bachelor of Science in Business Administration at
the Southwestern University in Cebu City and graduated in 1982. He also took two years of
law at the Facultad de Derecho Civil (Faculty of Civil Law) of the University of Santo
Tomas, wherein he is a founding member of the Blue Circle organization. In 1995, he earned
his Master’s degree in National Defense at the National Defense College.
Prior
to his stint as Representative to the lone District of Agusan del Sur, Congressman Plaza
has worked in the private sector managing real estate businesses and family-owned
companies. He was the assistant manager of Alpha Marketing Inc. from 1979-1983. He was
assistant to the president of D.O. Plaza Management Corp. from 1982-1991 until he became
the president in 1995-2000. He also became the president of the Regional Infrastructure
Development Corp. in 1999-2001 and currently, the president of Woodland Real Estate
Development Inc. He is also a trustee of the Northern Mindanao Institute of Science and
Technology.
Congressman
Plaza marked his previous term and period as legislator with his fiery tirades against the
administration. He was also known for his impassioned privilege speeches delivered in the
House of Representatives.
Proving
himself to be a prolific legislator, Congressman Plaza authored and sponsored numerous
bills of local and national importance. Some of which are: HB01831 – rationalizing
the manufacture, repair, requalification, sale and distribution of Liquified Petroleum Gas
(LPG) cylinders, providing penalties for violation thereof; HB01833 – elevating the
Philippine Normal University to become the country’s national university for Teacher
Education, establishing a system of National Teacher Training and Development,
appropriating funds therefore; HB01839 – establishing a Handicraft and Cottage
Industry Training Center in the province of Agusan del Sur and appropriating funds
thereof; HB02446 – providing for the establishment of National
Scholarship Program for college students in Science and Technology courses in every
municipality of every province of the country, and appropriating funds therefore.
Congressman Plaza was first introduced to the Commission on
Appointments (CA) on December 14, 2005 when he was elected by the House contingent
representing the Minority to the CA, replacing then Ilocos Norte Rep. Imee R. Marcos.
This
time around, in the 14th Congress, Congressman Plaza is the Assistant Majority
Floor Leader to the Commission. He also holds chairmanship of the Committee on Trade and
Industry and vice-chairmanship of the Committee on Constitutional Commissions and Offices,
and is an ex officio member of all other
standing committees.
Apart
from his political image, Congressman Plaza is also a devoted husband to former Shirley
Pelaez and a doting father to their children: Maria Isabel; Paula, Maria Rebecca; Rodolfo
Antonio and Paolo Rodolfo.
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BIAZON: An officer, gentleman, senator
Former
Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Sen. Rodolfo G. Biazon,
who successfully defended the Constitution of the Philippines from a record of seven coup
attempts is the Senate’s “authority” on national defense and security. He
became senator in 1992 and was reelected in 1998,2004 and 2007.
A PMA graduate Batch
‘61, the senator took up TOP Management Program at the Asian Institute of Management
and underwent other management and military training programs in the United States of
America and Japan.
For his meritorious service,
heroism, and gallantry in action, Senator Biazon received several awards and medals
including Bronze Cross, Gold Cross, Distinguished Conduct Star, Distinguished Service
Star, Philippine Legion of Honor, Outstanding Achievement Medal and 15 other individual
and campaign medals.
As a military officer,
Senator Biazon was a staunch proponent of the Armed Forces Modernization Program and the
redirection of the AFP’s role from internal conflict to external defense. He likewise
instituted morale-boosting programs such as the AFP Code of Conduct.
Moreover, he formulated
counter-insurgency strategies particularly in the volatile “laboratory of
insurgency” in Davao during the ‘80’s. His analysis on insurgency,
“Scrambling for Mass Support,” eventually led to new strategies adopted by the
AFP. Senator Biazon spent 18 years of his
military career in Mindanao defending the Republic from Muslim separatists and the
communist insurgents.
He became Senator in the Ninth
Congress from 1992 up to 1995. Paul Aquino, the brother of the late Senator Ninoy Aquino
was the one who convinced him to run for office. He was again elected as Senator in 1998
and continues to serve his term to date. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Senate
Committee on National Defense and Security and co-chairs the Legislative Oversight
Committee on the Visiting Forces Agreement along with Senator Santiago.
As a Senator, he authored bills which were enacted into law, some of which are: RA No.
9208 – Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, RA No. 9161 – Rental Reform Act
of 2002, RA 7835-Comprehensive and Integrated Shelter Finance Act, RA 7898-An Act
providing for the Modernization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, RA 7742-An Act
Amending PD1752 (Mandatory Pag-ibig Membership), RA 7901-An Act Creating the CARAGA
Region, RA 7889-An Act Establishing the University of the Philippines Mindanao, RA
7863-The Home Guaranty Corporation Law, RA 7691-Expanding the Jurisdiction of MTC’s,
MCTC and METC, Joint Resolution NO. 7-Increasing the Subsistence Allowance of Soldiers and
Policemen, RA 8763-Home Guarantee Corporation Act of 2000, RA 9040-An Act Exempting from
the Tax Certain Allowances and Benefits granted to the members of the AFP, and RA 9049-An
Act Granting Monthly Gratuity and Privileges to an Awardee of the Medal of Valor.
In the Commission on Appointments, 14th Congress, he is the chair of the
Committee on Agrarian Reform.
Senator Biazon, a
true-blooded Ilocano, was born on April 14, 1935 in Batac, Ilocos Norte to Rufino Biazon
and former Juliana Gaspar.
He is married to
Monserrat Narag Bunoan-Biazon and blessed with threechildren—Rita Rosanna, Rino
Rudiyardo, and Rozzano Rufino.
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ARROYO: Human
rights lawyer, freedom fighter
Rarely do we meet a Bicolano leader who has so much passion and
commitment both as a human rights lawyer and a freedom fighter.
These
traits best characterize Sen. Joker P. Arroyo, a graduate of the
UP College of Law and the Ateneo de Manila, whose meteoric rise to national consciousness
began during the reign of the Marcos dictatorship. He is credited to be the first lawyer
to challenge before the Supreme Court the constitutionality of Proclamation 1081 imposing
martial law.
Senator Arroyo demonstrated his brilliant skills as a trial lawyer when he defended
political detainees such as Ninoy Aquino, Eugenio Lopez Jr., Serge Osmeña III, Jose Maria
Sison, Jovito Salonga, Nene Pimentel, Eva Kalaw, Renato Tañada, Eduardo Olaguer, and many
others. Senator Arroyo has handled more human
rights cases than any other lawyer from 1972 to 1986.
As a freedom fighter, Senator Arroyo had his share of physical and mental tortures
having been incarcerated in a military stockade, gassed, injured, and hospitalized during
protest rallies.
A member of the American Bar Association, he co-founded MABINI and FLAG, groups of
human rights lawyers and served as counsel of Mrs. Cory Aquino in the 1986 Snap Elections.
Immediately after the EDSA revolt in 1986, Senator Arroyo was first to be appointed
in the Aquino cabinet as Executive Secretary. He also chaired the Philippine National Bank
from 1986 to 1990 and sat as Executive Director for the Philippines in the Asian
Development Bank in the same period.
Testaments to Senator Arroyo’s significant contributions are Senate Resolution
No. 100, commending him for his invaluable services to the Filipino People; and the
Philippine Bar Association’s recognition of him as a “Man beholden to no one
except to his country.”
In 1992, 80 percent of the votes from the first district of Makati brought forth
his bid to Congress where he served for three terms. For one who never travelled abroad on
government funds, he is also noted for his perfect attendance record in Congress for nine
years. He remained an independent throughout his three years in the Lower House and had
been consistently voted by media as “Outstanding Congressman of the Year.” He is
unforgettable as legal prosecutor at the impeachment trial of President Joseph Ejercito
Estrada.
Joker, as fondly called, was first elected senator in 2001 and chaired the Blue
Ribbon Committee and the Committee on Public Services.
As chairman of the blue-ribbon committee, he has shown undaunted determination to
dig deep into the bottom of questionable government activities. Yet, he has never allowed
his committee to be used as a tool for vendetta nor has he embarked on an investigation
that would only lead to witch-hunt.
There have been many occasions in the Senate when Joker stood up even ahead of the
minority in assailing some actions of the administration like the issuance of Executive
Order 464 prohibiting executive officials from appearing before Congress without the
Executive’s approval, and Proclamation 1017 declaring a state of emergency and
suspending some basic rights of the people.
Re-elected senator in 2007, he is also a distinguished member of the bicameral
Commission on Appointments.
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MADRIGAL: Staunch
crusader for socio-political
reforms
.
To work for the welfare
of one’s country is a tough job for all public servants, and even more, for the
leaders of the land. But for one courageous woman, who distinguished herself as one of the
leaders in the crusade for social reforms and against government corruption, public
service appears to simply come along as an ordinary task. She is Sen. Maria Ana
Consuelo Abad Santos Madrigal or “Jamby”. For her, public service is
already her passion – ingrained in her person that runs in her blood.
Though
a neophyte legislator, Senator M.A. Madrigal is not at all new to the call of public
service and atmosphere of Philippine politics. She comes from a family of nation builders
and public servants. She is the granddaughter of national hero and martyr, Supreme Court
Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos of San Fernando, Pampanga. Her granduncle, Assemblyman
Pedro Abad Santos, was the father and founder of the Socialist Party of the Philippines
and a well-known defender of the poor and the oppressed. Her paternal grandfather is
Senator Vicente Madrigal of Ligao, Albay, a businessman, industrialist and one of the
country’s elected senators in 1949. Her aunt, Senator Pacita Madrigal-Gonzales –
a senator during the Quezon and Magsaysay administrations, was the first administrator of
the Social Welfare Administration, the predecessor of today’s Department of Social
Welfare and Development (DSWD).
Before
her election to the Senate in 2004, Senator M.A. Madrigal has set up numerous foundations
for the welfare of her countrymen, specifically addressing children/youth and women’s
concerns. The Books-for-the Barangay Foundation Inc. has shipped more than P2.5 billion
worth of books for Philippine public elementary and high schools. The Abad Santos Madrigal
Foundation Inc. empowers women and children through relevant and accessible livelihood
programs. As of February 2006, its flagship project, the Basic Reflexology Training
Program has trained more than 10,000 reflexology therapists nationwide. Likewise, the ABLE
Foundation Inc. has provided scholarships to poor deserving youth for years now.
In
October 1999, Senator M.A. Madrigal was appointed by President Joseph Estrada as
presidential adviser for Children’s Affairs.
An
indefatigable and fearless social activist, Senator M.A. Madrigal’s legislative
agenda focus on the protection and conservation of the environment and the welfare of
women and children. In the Senate, she is the chairperson of the Committee on Youth, Women
and Family Relations as well as the Committee on Cultural Communities. She is also a
member of the following committees: Agrarian Reform, Blue Ribbon, Civil Service, Economic
Affairs, Education, Energy, Environment, Finance, Foreign Relations, Health, Justice,
Tourism, Trade and Commerce and Urban Planning. She has filed bills that zero-in on the
issues of anti-trafficking of women, child pornography, indigenous people’s rights,
and protection of the environment, especially concerning urban trees. Likewise, she
advocates for the advancement of national economy through her filed bills espousing the
cause to repeal the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998, as well as measures
seeking to place LPG under price control and for the recovery of PETRON and Malampaya. Her
deep concern for the protection of national patrimony also endeared her in filing a bill
repealing RA 7942, the “Mining Act of 1995” and a bill for the imposition of a
total log ban.
A
member of the Genuine Opposition (GO) Party, Senator M.A. Madrigal was elected by the
Senate, on the part of the Minority, as member of the Commission on Appointments vice
Senator Edgardo J. Angara (LDP) effective January 1, 2006. She sits as chairperson of the
Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, vice-chairperson of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs and a member of several standing committees in the Commission.
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SEN.
LACSON: The tough cop as a legislator
Filipinos came to know him for his
sterling and "no non-sense" leadership as Chief of the Philippine National
Police.
As chief
policymaker of the police organization, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson
was responsible for the serious reforms in the PNP that had won the confidence of
businessmen and foreign investors and the cooperation of the general public when he
initiated closer coordination with other law enforcement agencies, here and abroad, in the
fight against narcotics trafficking through supply constriction and demand reduction.
Born in Imus, Cavite on
June 1, 1948, Senator Lacson took up Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy at the Lyceum. He then
entered the Philippine Military Academy graduating with Batch ’71 and later pursued a
Master in Governmet Management at the Pamantasan Lungsod ng Maynila in 1995-1996.
He then joined the
Philippine Constabulary - Integrated National Police Anti-Carnapping Task Force in 1986,
and in 1988, be became the provincial commander of Isabela until 1989. That same year, he
became provincial director of Laguna and held the post until July 1992. He won a senate
seat in the May 2001 elections, his first stint, and immediately buckled down to work.
As a legislator,
Senator Lacson has learned fast and with certainty to carry the broad struggle of the
Filipinos by heart. As a public servant, he has faithfully observed a personal credo - What
is right must be kept right. What is wrong must be set right.
He primarily authored
the Anti-Money Laundering Control Act of 2001, the Alternative Youth Training Course, an
optional program for college students, and the Anti-Human Trafficking Act of 2001.
Re-elected senator in 2007, Senator Lacson chairs the Committee on Justice and
Judicial and Bar Council in the Commission on Appointments.
Senator Lacson is married to Alice de Perio with whom
he has three children: Ronald Jay, Panfilo Jr. and Jeric.
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ESTRADA: Senador, Anak ng Masa
A special place in the heart of Sen. Jinggoy
Ejercito Estrada belongs to the Filipino masses. Being the eldest son of
President Joseph Marcelo Ejercito Estrada and Senator Luisa Pimentel-Ejercito Estrada, no
wonder Senator Jinggoy has the genes and character of deep sense in public service, as
well as the support of the people who love them and believe in his family’s strong
advocacy for the welfare of the poor. Having witnessed the metamorphosis of San Juan into
a progressive town under the administration of his well-loved father, himself a
multi-awarded popular actor in his heyday, Senator Jinggoy knows that he is bound to
follow the footsteps that his father has carved in both public service and show business
Senator
Jinggoy finished his primary and secondary education at the Jesuit-run Ateneo de Manila
University. He finished his collegiate education at the University of the Philippines
where he earned a degree in A.B. Economics. Although preoccupied with his work then as
vice-mayor of San Juan, he found time to pursue a degree in Bachelor of Laws at the Lyceum
of the Philippines
In
1989, Senator Jinggoy married Ma. Presentacion “Precy” Vitug-Ejercito whom he
was blessed with four children, namely: Janella Marie, Joseph Luis Manuel, Julian Emilio
and Julienne.
In
his early 20s, Senator Jinggoy became an actor and won the Filipino Academy for Movie Art
and Science (FAMAS) Best Supporting Actor Award for his performance in the film
“Farita Punzalan Story”. In 1999, he hosted “”SaBayan”, a
television public service program that helped many Filipinos through its exposés.
In
1992, Senator Jinggoy was elected mayor of San Juan. For three (3) consecutive terms, he
administered the economic, social, political and cultural affairs of San Juan beyond
everyone’s expectations. Among his many infrastructure projects were the construction
of modernized Barangay Halls with Day Care Centers in all barangays, renovation of the now
San Juan National High School, the construction of the San Juan Medical Center and the San
Juan Municipal Gymnasium. San Juan gained the reputation of being one of the progressive
municipalities and adjudged the Most Peaceful Municipality of the Philippines during his
incumbency.
During
his last term as mayor, he was elected as the national president of the League of
Municipalities of the Philippines. He efficiently harnessed the potential of the local
government units (LGUs) as reliable partner of the national government in nation-building
through his programs on continuous empowerment of the LGUs by facilitating the delivery of
better service facilities to at least 1,525 municipalities.
In the national elections of May 2004, he won a seat in the Senate of
the Republic to serve for a six-year term. This gave him the opportunity to continue the
pro-poor programs that his father has started.
In
the Senate, Senator Jinggoy is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor, Employment
and Human Resources. He is immersed with the study and deliberations on measures relating
to labor; human resources development; maintenance of industrial peace; promotion of
employer-employee cooperation; labor education, standards and statistics; organization of
the labor market including recruitment, training and placement of workers and exports of
human resources; Foreign workers in the Philippines; promotion and development of
worker’s organization as well as employment-intensive technology. Concurrently, Sen.
Jinggoy chairs the Congressional Oversight Committee on Labor and Employment (COCLE). He
is also the vice-chairman of the Committee on Games, Amusement and Sports and the
Committee on Public Information and Mass Media.
Senator Jinggoy has introduced two hundred eighty nine (289) bills and resolutions,
two hundred forty-nine (249) of which were primarily authored by him. He ranks 4th
among Senators with the most number of proposed legislations filed. On the floor of the Senate, he
recently sponsored and steered the passage, on Third Reading, of the National Labor
Relations Commission (NLRC) Bill which rationalizes the composition and functions of the
NLRC to improve its administrative and operational efficiency, particularly the speedy
disposition of labor disputes.
On
December 12, 2005, Senator Jinggoy, a member of the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) Party
which was founded by his father in the early 90’s, was elected by the Senate, on the
part of the Minority, as member of the Commission on Appointments vice his mother, Senator
Luisa “Loi” P. Ejercito-Estrada (PMP). He is the chairman of the Committee on
Justice and Judicial and Bar Council, vice-chairman of the Committee on National Defense
and a member of several standing committees in the Commission.
Senator
Jinggoy is very much focused in keeping his commitment to the Filipino “masa”
to do his best as a public servant in securing a future far better than what we are all
made to contend with, today.
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VILLAR: MR “SIPAG AT TIYAGA”
Hard work,
persistence, perseverance. These are the guiding principles of this humble man that earned
him the title “Mr. Sipag at Tiyaga". A man of strong
determination, he managed to soar high, overcome challenges and hurdle the obstacles of
the course called life to become the third most influential person in the country.
Born to a simple family on December 13, 1949 in Moriones, Tondo, Manila, Sen.
Manny Villar, former Senate president and chair of the Commission on
Appointments (CA), received his lessons early in life on what it takes to achieve
one’s dreams. The finer things about entrepreneurship he obtained during his growing
years were handed down to him by his industrious and resourceful parents, Mr. Manuel
Montalban Villar, Sr, a government employee from Iloilo and the former Curita Bamba, a
seafood dealer. These two key figures in his life influenced him well to adopt the values
of sipag at tiyaga in pursuing his dream of
improving their quality of life.
This enterprising gentleman obtained his undergraduate as well as his master’s
degree in Business Administration & Accountancy at the University of the Philippines
while putting in hours of work, working as fish and shrimp trader at the same time to
support his studies. After graduation, he had a short stint as an accountant with the
Sycip, Gorres & Velayo (SGV), one of the largest accounting firms in the country.
Then, wanting to pursue his dream further, resigned, to venture into his own seafood
delivery business. He, then, worked briefly as a financial analyst with the Private
Development Corporation of the Philippines. Before he quit, however, he availed of one of
the loans it offered and with an initial capital of P10,000.00, started his sand and
gravel business in Las Piñas, Metro Manila.
This is how he started his real estate business – selling house and lot
packages first and then later, building on lots and selling them after. He then became the
housing industry leader and biggest homebuilder in Southeast Asia, initiating mass housing
projects to achieve economies of scale. His various innovations virtually paved for the
creation of the country’s mass housing industry. It is for this reason, that the
Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PJIC) gave him the title “Dean of the
Philippine real estate industry.”
After reaping success in the world of business, another milestone opened up to this
gentleman of quality. In a different light and in almost an antithesis of the first –
he was called to a vocation that would also call for his total being and, even more, yet
would require him to think less of himself - politics. Senator Villar made a stunning
political debut in 1992 garnering the highest number of votes among those who ran for
Congress in Metro Manila. He immediately put into use his economics and managerial
expertise as a key member of the economic team of the House of Representatives,
introducing economic reform measures such as the Foreign Investments Act and the
restructuring of the Central Bank of the Philippines, during the Ramos administration.
Likewise, he sat as the Congress’ representative in the government’s
negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington D. C. in 1992.
His first shot at public governance, as a congressman, was a work-filled tenure and
undeniably showed that his heart feels for his constituents. Being a developer, and even
before he threw his hat into the political arena, he has always envisioned Las Piñas and
Muntinlupa as the “Twin Cities of the South of Manila” and has considered them
as the two fastest growing communities in the country. That is why he immediately
endeavored to see these two communities become cities. Aside from this, he was able to
pass into law Republic Act 8003 “Declaring Certain Areas in Las Piñas as Tourist
Spots” which formalized his program of rehabilitating historical and cultural
landmarks there starting with the world-famous Bamboo Organ Church. Thus, the project
“Las Piñas Historical Corridor” was initiated covering the stretch of the Old
District that could even rival the Intramuros and Vigan restoration projects.
He did not regard his loving concern for his constituents as only part of his work
but more of a personal vow. He extended grants of home sites to some 10,000 poor families
in Barangay CAA, Las Piñas City. Likewise, he organized the “Manpower on
Wheels” Program, which is a livelihood training school housed in a van that makes the
rounds in the depressed areas to help those poor students who have no fare money to
acquire education. This program has since produced more than 5,000 graduates and whose
innovative scheme earned it various awards and accolades from many civic organizations.
He oversaw infrastructure projects in his districts such as the construction of
concrete roads and the Alabang-Zapote flyover. To help ease the traffic problems in
southern Manila,he introduced the “friendship route” persuading subdivision
owners to open up their routes to the general public. Two major roads were also opened;
the Sucat-Pulanglupa Link Road to Paranaque and the Zapote-Molino (Daang Hari) Link Road
to Cavite.
A faithful lover of the environment, he initiated a privately funded tree planting
drive in his district, developing a P10 Million tree nursery beside his own home. He,
then, quietly led the drive in his community by providing for the maintenance and watering
the tree seedlings planted in its open spaces.
All these good works remained in the hearts of his constituents so that when he ran for
re-election in 1995, he won with the highest number of votes for a congressman in the
entire country. Winning media acclaim as an outstanding congressman as well as the respect
and recognition of his colleagues, he was elected to chair the Committee on
Entrepreneurship and championed the cause of the small and medium-sized enterprises. He
authored and passed into law the landmark New Magna Carta for Small and Medium Enterprises
(RA 8289) and initiated legislation such as the establishment of the Small & Medium
Enterprises Stock Exchange and Business One-Stop-Shop centers, the latter he immediately
implemented in Las Piñas with the help of its local officials.
It did not come as a surprise, therefore, when he gained the most coveted post in the
august halls of Congress - that of the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 11th
Congress. He came in at a time when the country was still slowly recovering from a host of
economic and political crises and his election to the post signaled a turning point in the
Philippine political history since it ushered in a new idea of leadership based on
managerial skills and not simply on oratorical or rhetorical prowess.
During his first year as Speaker, Senator Manny Villar embarked on three path-breaking
reforms. First, he succeeded in reforming the “pork barrel” system by limiting
congressional discretion projects to set the parameters of the Executive’s
development policies. Second, he launched a revamp in the leadership by appointing at
least seven (7) neophyte congressmen to head powerful committees. And, third, he set a
strong and principled position on the protection of the environment with the passage of
the “Clean Air Act” which has remained pending for more than ten years and three
Congresses already. On his second year, he has, likewise, led the 11th Congress
in achieving significant legislations and economic reforms notably, the Retail Trade
Liberalization Act and the New Central Bank Act, the New Securities Code and the New
Banking Act.
On November 13, 2000, another important and unforgettable highlight in the life of this
gentleman, as well as in the history of Congress, took place during his term as Speaker.
This is the fact that he was the first Speaker to lead the House of Representatives to
elevate to the Senate the articles of impeachment of the President of the Philippines.
Armed with an impressive record of achievements in the lower house, he ventured into a
higher tier of public governance. In the national elections of May 14, 2001, he ran for a
seat in the Senate and won convincingly. He, again, made the unprecedented record of being
the first among neophyte senators to file bills on his first day in office (204) and the
third highest filer among the senators of the 12th Congress of the Philippines.
In the Senate, he was elected to the position of Senate President Pro-Tempore and chairman
of the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Public Order and Illegal Drugs, vice
chair of the Committee on Foreign Relations and Committee on Agriculture. He authored 44
laws during the 12th Congress, among them were: RA 9178 Barangay Micro Business
Enterprises Act, RA 9189, Overseas Absentee Voting Act, RA 9208, Anti -Trafficking of
Persons Act, RA 9257, An Act Granting Additional Benefits and Privileges to Senior
Citizens, and RA 9262, Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act. At present, he
now occupies the highest position in the Senate being its President and ex-officio Chair of the Commission on
Appointments (CA) resulting from a time-sharing agreement he forged with the former Senate
President Franklin M. Drilon at the start of the 13th Congress.
An entrepreneur through and through, Senator Manny Villar actively sponsors Sipag at
Tiyaga Caravan Kaalaman, a livelihood-training program in a caravan that travels all over
the country to provide skills and inspiration to people to enable them to put up their own
businesses.
Knowing him as a great achiever, it is a sure fact that he has garnered so many awards and
distinctions from all his outstanding deeds. In 1986, the Philippine Jaycee awarded him as
one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM). He received the Agora Award for Outstanding
Achievement in Marketing Management in 1989, the Most Outstanding CPA from the Philippine
Institute of Certified Public Accountants in 1990, the Most Outstanding UP Alumnus in
1991, and the Most Distinguished UP Alumnus by the UP Alumni Association for his exemplary
public service and achievements.
Despite all these accolades and honors, this man remains a simple and humble persona,
keeping his feet planted firmly on the ground. He still regards entrepreneurship and
housing as his twin passions, though, and can talk about them even forever since it is
from these fields that all his achievements have started. A very determined man, this
Senator, who would advise one to dream, said in one of his interviews, “You should
dream big but with your feet firmly on the ground. You should start with a small dream.
When you’ve achieved that, you dream a little bigger.”
On the personal side, he remains a very devoted family man, husband to Mrs. Cynthia A.
Villar, a public servant herself being the Representative of the Lone District of Las
Piñas City, and a loving father to sons Paolo and Mark and daughter Camille.
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GORDON: "Sultan of Subic"-Far
Eastern Economic Review (14 December 1995)
Once
called the “Flash Gordon of the Philippines” by the 27 May 1995 issue of the Hong
Kong Standard, Sen. Richard “Dick” J. Gordon is best known for
overcoming odds. In the 2004 national elections, despite the initial low public
opinion surveys, he ran for and won a seat in the Senate. His positive personality and
track record of achievements propelled him to win and received the fifth highest number of
votes sans sectoral and religious command vote support.
In 2001, as secretary of
the Department of Tourism, he launched a campaign dubbed "WOW Philippines! More Than
The Usual!" to promote the country as a premier tourist destination. It was
highlighted by an advertisement of the Philippine’s scenic places that was played in
the Cable News Network. His initiative transformed the moribund Philippine tourism
industry, which was then plagued by a negative image of kidnappings. It resulted in
increased tourist arrivals that rejuvenated the industry.
In 1992, upon the
rejection by the Senate of a treaty extension ending a century of U.S. military presence
in the country, he lobbied in Congress for the passage of a bill to convert the U.S. naval
and air force facilities in Subic and Clark, respectively, into economic enclaves by the
creation of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). As founding chair and
administrator of the SBMA, he successfully guided the transformation of Subic into a
premier investment hub that hosted the 4th APEC Leaders Summit in 1996. By the time he
left in 1998, SBMA hosted over 300 investors including Federal Express, Coastal Petroleum,
Enron, Shell Exploration, Acer Computers and Thompson Audio.
Senator Gordon was born
to James (deceased) and Amelia Gordon on 05 August 1945 in Castillejos, Zambales. His father was the first elected mayor of
Olongapo while his mother was the first elected city mayor of Olongapo. He graduated from
the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1975 and a Bachelor of
Arts (AB) degree in History and Government degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in
1966.
At 24 years old, he was
the youngest delegate to the 1971 Constitutional Convention of the Philippines.
During his tenure as the
youngest city mayor of Olongapo in 1980, he drafted a joint-use plan of Subic Bay by the
Philippine and U.S. governments with commercial enterprises that eventually phased in as
the U.S. Navy withdrew from the base. He also transformed Olongapo's "Sin City"
image into a model city through innovative programs involving an active citizenry in
solving crime, ensuring police accountability, efficient garbage collection, proper health
and sanitation and orderly public transport and traffic.
An active volunteer of
the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) for the last 25 years, he has recently been
elected member of the Governing Board of the International Federation of the Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies. He personally led relief, rescue and rehabilitation operations in
the aftermath of the 1990 earthquakes that hit Manila, Cabanatuan and Baguio cities in
Luzon; typhoons and floods in Silay and Ormoc cities in Central and Western Visayas;
volcanic eruptions of Mt. Mayon in 1993 and 2000 and the 1991 eruption of the century of
Mt. Pinatubo where he led thousands of Aeta aborigines to safety. Currently, he is engaged
in continuing rehabilitation of flash flood and landslide affected areas in Aurora and
Quezon in 2004 and in Ginsaugon, Southern Leyte in 2006. He initiated the PNRC Millennium
Fund in 2000 from corporate donors to sustain training of volunteers and for purchase of
necessary disaster and rescue equipment. As early as 1997, he initiated the creation of an
Asian Disaster Training and Logistics Center in Subic Bay to help plan, prepare for and to
mitigate calamities and disasters in the region.
In the Senate, he passed
the very first law in the 13th Congress, Republic Act (RA) No. 9333, fixing the regular
elections at the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), and several other important
laws, including RA 9369, the New Automated Election System law; RA 9334, the Sin Tax Law,
RA 9399 and 9400, fixing the tax regime in Special Economic Zones and Freeports in Clark
in Pampanga, Poro Point in La Union; and John Hay in Baguio; RA 9346, the abolition of the
death penalty law; and RA 9367, the Biofuels Act of 2007. As chairman of the Senate
Committee of Consitutional Amendements and Revision of Laws, he opposed the
unconstitutional People's Initiative. He also preserved the separation of powers in
government and asserted the Senate's constitutional right and duty to conduct inquiries in
aid of legislation against Executive Order No. 464 in Senate, et al. vs. Ermita (G.R. No. 169777, April
20, 2006), and Executive Order No. 1 in Sabio vs.
Gordon, et al. (G.R. No. 174340, October 17, 20060).
With his vast experience,
Senator Gordon has been invited to share his knowledge in bases conversion and
volunteerism with governments and communities abroad and by multilateral institutions like
the Asian Development Bank and World Bank to name a few that hosted or contained military
facilities.
For his efforts and
contributions to public service, Senator Gordon received numerous awards and recognition.
The PNRC conveyed to him the Silver Humanitarian Award in 2001 for voluntary efforts in
alleviating human suffering. The Philippines' premier state university -- U.P. recognized
him as an Outstanding Alumnus in Public Administration in 1984 and later bestowed him its
highest recognition as The Most Distinguished Alumnus for 1997. He was named one of the
Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) in 1982 and the youngest to be conferred as The
Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) in 1996.
As a member of the Senate contingent in the Commission on Appointments (CA) in the
14th Congress, he is the chairman of the Committee on Energy, sits as
vice-chair of the Committee on Tourism and Economic Development and a member of various
standing committees.
He is married to Katherine “Kate” H. Gordon, the
incumbent city mayor of Olongapo. They are blessed with three children: Marnie, Ali, and
LJ Brian.
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SANTIAGO: Weaving
the Miriam Magic
In today’s world where there is a predominance
of male leaders, there are only a few occasions that a country gets a chance to have a
lady leader of multi talents and intelligence personified. The Republic of Philippines is
one lucky nation to have this one rare character in the person of Sen. Miriam
Defensor Santiago.
Senator Defensor Santiago has a highly impressive scholastic record.
She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree, Magna Cum
Laude and Bachelor of Laws, Cum Laude, from
the University of the Philippines, and Master of Laws and Doctor of the Science of Laws
from the University of Michigan, as a Barbour Scholar and Dewitt Fellow. She has also done
postdoctoral studies in over a dozen countries in Asia, Australia, Europe and the United
States. She was the first female editor-in-chief of the venerable student newspaper of the
University of the Philippines - the Philippine Collegian, which shattered a 50-year old
record of male dominance of this school paper. She distinguished herself as the first
female to win the Best Debater Award in the law school of the same university, and a twice
recipient of the Vinzons Achievement Award for excellence in leadership and the Rotary
Award for most outstanding graduate.
Named by the Australian magazine
website as one of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World in 1996, Senator Defensor
Santiago was a U.S. Law doctorate graduate with an outstanding and exemplary record of
success in political leadership and administrative management in the Philippines and other
parts of Asia. She was once a legal officer of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland
and a consultant of the Philippine Embassy in Washington D. C.
Senator Defensor Santiago’s
academic laurels are equaled by her brilliant professional career both in private and
public offices. Starting at a very young age, she held key positions in all the three
branches of the government as well as in the private sector. She has been a presiding
judge at the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City, commissioner of the Bureau of
Immigration and Deportation and a member of the cabinet as secretary of the Department of
Agrarian Reform. In 1992, she entered the political arena with grandeur and raced to serve
as the chief executive of the land only to finish a close second. Undaunted by her
unfortunate finish in the presidential bid, she ran for and won a seat in the Senate in
1995 and 2004. She has envisioned an impressive agenda for her tenure in the public office
ranging from improvement of the quality of education, job creation and support to
entrepreneurs, strengthening of public order and laws on illegal drugs, promotion of
programs for the youth, women and family relations, and the promotion of justice and
protection of human rights.
She was also a professorial
lecturer in the U.P. College of Law and legal consultant of the University of the
Philippine Law Center. Likewise, she served as a legal officer in the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees in Geneva, Switzerland and was listed in the 2000 United Nations
roster of eminent and highly qualified experts in international law.
She has been invited to many
conferences here and abroad and has delivered meaningful papers in the process that earned
her honor and acclamation. Senator Defensor Santiago is a highly persuasive communicator,
particularly on television as she was adjudged winner by Metro Manila media in the 1992
televised presidential debates. Aside from being an eloquent speaker, another outstanding
quality of this lady senator is her prolific writing prowess. She has authored numerous
books mostly consisting of college textbooks including the best sellers, Political and
Governance and International Relations, as well as coming out with an autobiography titled
Inventing Myself, an Autobiography. She has also been an opinion columnist in the
Philippine Panorama Sunday magazine and the former Philippine Daily Express newspaper.
The magnetic power of
Senator Defensor Santiago transcends time and space for she has earned merits not only in
her home country but in other parts of the world as well. She was the recipient of the
Magsaysay Award for government service in 1988 - the Asian equivalent of the Nobel Prize
given by the Magsaysay Awards Foundation the TOYM (The Outstanding Young Men, opened to
women in 1984) award in 1985 given by the Philippine Jaycees, TOWNS (The Outstanding Women
in the Nation’s Service) Award for Law in 1986, the Celebrity Mother Award in 1991
given by the Gintong Ina Awards Foundation, and still many other international and
national accolades. She has also received honors from many schools and universities,
churches, government agencies and other civic groups and media here and abroad. All these
accolades, she brings to the august halls of the Senate.
In the Commission on Appointments,
she chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee since the start of the 13th Congress.
Truly, by this superb performance,
it can be said that her intelligence is as fierce as her passion for excellence. Along
with this fiber in her character, she maintained her moral courage in fighting the culture
of corruption and in defending the rule of law that earned her to be called the
“incorruptible lady,” “tiger lady,” and “iron lady of Asia,”
among others. To her followers, though, she is best known for her unique brand of
charismatic leadership style that is called “Miriam magic”.
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DIMAPORO: The
pride of Lanao del Norte
Lanao del Norte maybe known as the
cradle of art for it boasts of attractive sites and breathtaking scenery, but apart from
this, it may also be called as the cradle of distinguished statesmen. It certainly takes
pride in producing a good lineage of men and women committed to public service. One family
name that has achieved its fame in politics and has established quite a character is that
of the Dimaporos, from whose clan Rep. Abdullah D. Dimaporo came.
Congressman Dimaporo, “Bobby” or “Bob”, as he is fondly called, was
born on November 21, 1949 in Malaig, Balindong, Lanao del Sur. He started his political
career at a very young age of 29 when he represented Region XII as a member of the Interim
Batasang Pambansa from 1978 to 1984, being the Chairman of the subcommittee on
Organizational Matters and as a member of several other committees. He also served as the
Minister of State for the Muslim Affairs and the KBL Party Whip for Region XII, after
which he became a member of the Batasang Pambansa representing Lanao del Norte from
1984-1986. Gaining momentum in the political arena, he ran for Congress in 1987 and won a
seat for his constituents in the House of Representatives.
Having
had the opportunity to represent his people in Congress, he thought that it would be more
rewarding to work closely with his constituents so he ran as Governor of Lanao del Norte
in 1992 which he subsequently won. His term has been very well served that when he ran for
re-election his people chose him to stay for the second time.
Aside
from dispensing his duties as governor, he also served as Chairman of the Cagayan de
Oro-Iligan Corridor-SDP Steering Committee from July 1996-June 1997 and the Vice
President’s Adviser on Youth Welfare from 1998 to January 2001. It would seem that
his inner self really breathes politics, having been lured by it at a very young age, that
he found himself running again as Member of the House of Representatives and gaining anew
the trust and confidence of the Lanao del Norte’s people to make him again their
voice in Congress. This very same support never wavered and was once again manifested when
he was elected to office for two consecutive terms (12th and 13th Congress).
Congressman
Dimaporo’s charisma maybe attributed to the learned individual that he is. He has
attended very reputable schools here and abroad. Although he started his elementary
education in three schools - Bauyan Primary School in Malabang, Lanao del Sur, Cecilio Apostol
Elementary School and Iligan City Central School, both in Iligan, he finished it at Brent School
in Baguio where he continued to finish his secondary education. He proceeded to pursue his
college education in several schools abroad. He took up A.B. Economics first at Stanford
University In California, USA, then at the University of Washington and Whitman College,
both in Washington, USA.
While
abroad, he also attended special courses to add even more to his already rich scholastic
records. He took up a Summer Course on Japanese Culture & Economy at the Sofia University
in Tokyo, Japan; International Marketing in Wharton University and other various business
and management seminars. Having acquired a very substantive learning from these
institutions, he went back to the Philippines and took his Masters Degree in Business
Management at the Asian Institute of Management and Masters in Business Economics at the
Center for Research & Communications.
Apart from his stint in the government, he, likewise, tried his hand in the private
sector, mostly in the field of business management. He served as the Chairman and
President of Sultan Sa Masiu Realty Corporation and Chairman, President and General
Manager of the Rural Bank of Karomatan (Lanao del Norte), Inc. that he organized in 1974.
He was also the Executive Vice- President and Board Member of the Mindanao Coco Oil Mills,
Inc. which he helped to organize in 1975. Likewise, he served as either Consultant or
Operating Officer/Board Member in various corporations.
In
the 13th Congress, Rep. Abdullah D. Dimaporo serves as the Vice-Chairman of the Committees
on National Defense, Foreign Affairs and Agrarian Reforms, and a member of 15 other
committees in the Lower House. In the Commission on Appointments, he is currently the
Chairman of the Committee on Labor, Employment and Social Welfare; Vice-Chairman of the
Committees on Agrarian Reform, Foreign Affairs and National Defense; and member of several
standing committees.
He
has authored a total of 40 bills and co-authored 42 other bills, some of which were
already enacted, while others are still pending. Most of the bills he principally authored
pertain to the conversion of local roads into national highways and appropriating funds
therefor.
These outstanding and exemplary
qualities surely make him the pride not only of his Muslim brothers and sisters but most
of all of his own family, his wife, Imelda Dela Cruz Quibranza Dimaporo, and children
Mohammad Khalid, Fatima Aliah, Mohammad Nazrollah, Mohammad Abdulsalam and Sattie Aminah.
He surely makes his parents, Mohammad Ali Dimaporo and Hadji Jamela Dimakuta, equally
proud for his having gone this far in his political career and carrying on the Dimaporo
legacy.
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TALIÑO-MENDOZA:
Young blood, fearless, North Cotabato's pride
They say that a face of a woman
almost always speaks proud of her being and, definitely, not that, which points at it as
the weaker side of the sexes, but greatly of what might and power she could muster by that
amazing countenance. It may not be a face that may show the beauty of Venus personified,
or the face that they say could launch a thousand ships, but that which could very well
speak of a thousand voices.
This
gentle yet remarkable lady from North Cotabato carries not only a fascinating face but a
brainy head to go with it, considering her many accomplishments thus far. Rep.
EmmyLou “Lala” Jacolo Taliño-Mendoza has had her share of
distinction in the political arena at a very young age, having been elected member of the
Sangguniang Panlalawigan of the First District of Cotabato in 1998-2001. This twist of
fate seemed to have been foretold by her experience of the baptism of fire, so to speak,
way back in her elementary and secondary school years when she was elected as president of
the Student Supreme Council of Notre Dame of Kidapawan for girls, now St. Mary’s
Academy, where she earned her early education and graduated with honors. She was, then,
later elected as chairperson of the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) and, eventually, as the SK
Municipal Federation president that taught her the workings of public governance.
Lala,
as she is fondly called, hails from Makilala, Cotabato and came from a family of
politicians that could verily explain her love for public service. Her father, Romeo
Tamondong became the mayor of Carmen in 1988 and her mother, Noemi, who has, likewise,
been exposed to politics herself, ran for and won the mayoralty seat in the 2007
elections. Inspired by a sublime desire to serve the same way her parents did, she decided
to embark on this lofty calling on a larger measure.
In
2001, at the age of 29, she boldly entered a wider ring of politics when she ran as an
independent candidate and became one of the youngest members of the minority bloc at the
House of Representatives in the 12th Congress. She won again in 2004 retaining
her independent ticket but later joined the Nacionalista Party and became an
administration ally. During the 13th Congress, she was a member of the
Committees on Accounts, Rules, National Defense and Legislative Franchises to name a few,
and a member of the Legislative Oversight committee on the Visiting Forces Agreement
(LOVFA). She co-authored, among others, the Dangerous Drugs Act of 2001, the law against
trafficking of women and minors and bills on the Magna Carta for Day Care Workers and
reproductive health care.
This
brilliant Representative has shown the true fiber she is made of when she fearlessly took
over the position of chairperson of the Committee on Public Information that conducted the
investigation of the so-called “Hello Garci” wire-tapping incident. Despite the
controversy that surrounded the issue and its undeniably great magnitude and importance,
she managed to steer the investigation in aid of legislation to its proper direction
devoid of partisan colors and came up with a report, together with its recommendations,
within the limited time frame given to the committee. This feat added laurel on her
already becoming prominent name and earned her even more the respect and admiration of her
peers, both from her party and from the opposition, as well.
For
her third term, she ran as a member of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (KAMPI) and is
now considered as one of the senior members of the 14th Congress. In the House
of Representatives, she is the vice-chairperson of the Committee on Legislative Franchises
and member of the Committees on Dangerous Drugs, Inter-Parliamentary Relations &
Diplomacy, Labor and Employment, National Defense, Mindanao Affairs, Ways & Means and
Women. Likewise, as a member of the House contingent at the Commission on Appointments
(CA), she is the chair of the Committees on Ethics and Tourism & Economic Development,
sits as the vice-chair of the Committees on Energy and Foreign Affairs and is a member of
several other standing committees.
In
2004, as she was in the middle of fortifying her niche in politics and public service, a
cloud came over her personal life when death came upon her first husband, Mr. Allan H.
Santos, a civil engineer, and by whom she had a daughter named Ma. Alana Samantha.
However, Mother Fate seemed to glow over her and gave her a second chance at love. On
January 16, 2007, Lala married Atty. Raymond Democrito C. Mendoza of Lilo-an, Cebu, a
board member of the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) and son of Trade Union Congress
of the Philippines (TUCP) president, Atty. Democrito Mendoza. They have been blessed with
a son, Emilio Ramon.
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ENRILE | GULLAS | ZIALCITA | CAYETANO | PLAZA | YAP | VILLANUEVA
| ARROYO | BIAZON |
MADRIGAL | SEN. LACSON | ESTRADA
| HONASAN | VILLAR | GORDON | PANGILINAN | REVILLA
| SANTIAGO | ALBANO | ERMITA-BUHAIN |
ESTRELLA | DIMAPORO | UMALI | REP.LACSON | TALIÑO-MENDOZA |TOP |
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