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GMA News Research: RP presidents' kin thrive in politics

By KAREN TIONGSON-MAYRINA
and ALLAN VALLARTA, GMA News Research

Almost all 14 presidents of the Philippines generated political families. Malacañang's current resident is herself a daughter of a former President. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is the first child of a former president to become president. She is the second presidential child to be vice president, after Salvador Laurel. She is also the fifth presidential child elected to the Senate. The others are Sergio Osmeña Jr., Gerardo Roxas, Salvador Laurel and Ramon Magsaysay Jr. Among the presidential families, the Osmeñas of Cebu had the most number of members who served in government at 13. Excluding Sergio Sr., the family has four senators and four district representatives. The clan also produced a governor, vice governor, provincial board member, mayor, vice mayor and councilors. But the the Magsaysays take the lead in terms of staying power: Eight of them are still actively in public office, the incumbent governors of Zambales and neighboring Bataan. In total, eleven Magsaysay family members had elective posts--two were senators, four were district representatives and another was a party-list representative. Most of the presidential families have, in fact, continued to be in the political landscape. Members of at least 10 presidential families are still in government, with at least one of their members holding elective or appointive posts. Table 1. Incumbent government officials from presidential families

President Relatives holding incumbent posts
Name Relationship Position
Emilio Aguinaldo 1) Joseph Emilio Abaya Great grandson Representative, Cavite First District
2) Reynaldo Aguinaldo Grandson Vice Mayor, Kawit, Cavite
3) Emilio Aguinaldo IV Great grandson Councilor, Kawit, Cavite
4) Peter Anthony Abaya

 Great grandson President and CEO, Petrochemical Development Corporation-PNOC/Official Development Assistance Project
Sergio Osmeña 1) Sergio "Serge" Osmeña III Grandson Senator
2) Tomas Osmeña Grandson Mayor, Cebu City
3) Raul del Mar Grandnephew-in-law Representative, Cebu First District
Manuel Roxas Manuel "Mar" Roxas II Grandson Senator
Ramon Magsaysay

 1) Ramon "Jun" Magsaysay Jr. Son Senator
2) Antonio Diaz Nephew Representative, Zambales Second District
3) Albert Garcia Grandnephew-in-law

 Representative, Bataan Second District
4) Ma. Milagros Magsaysay Grandniece-in-law Representative, Zambales First District
5) Eulogio Magsaysay Nephew Party-list representative, AVE
6) Vicente Magsaysay Nephew Governor, Zambales
7) Enrique Garcia Jr. Nephew-in-law Governor, Bataan
8) Carla Magsaysay Grandniece

 Councilor, Castillejos, Zambales
Carlos P. Garcia Thomas Garcia Cornelio Nephew Councilor, Talibon, Bohol
Diosdado Macapagal/Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo 1) Juan Miguel "Mikey" Arroyo Grandson/son Representative, Pampanga Second District
2) Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo Jr. /brother-in-law Representative, Negros Occidental Fifth District
3) Carlos de Leon /cousin-in-law Special assistant, Office of the President, Malacañang
Ferdinand Marcos 1) Ma. Imelda "Imee" Marcos Daughter Representative, Ilocos Norte Second District
2) Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. Son Governor, Ilocos Norte
3) Angelo Marcos Barba Nephew Provincial board member, Ilocos Norte
4) Mariano Velez Marcos II Nephew Provincial board member, Ilocos Norte
5) Michael Keon Nephew Provincial board member, Ilocos Norte
6) Alfredo Romualdez Brother-in-law Mayor, Tacloban City
7) Tobias Reynaldo Tiangco Nephew-in-law Mayor, Navotas
Corazon Aquino

1) Agapito "Butz" Aquino Brother-in-law Representative, Makati City Second District
2) Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III Son Representative, Tarlac Second District
3) Jesli Lapus Cousin-in-law Secretary, Department of Education
4) Margarita "Tingting" Cojuangco

 Sister-in-law Undersecretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government
5) Paul Aquino Brother-in-law President and CEO, PNOC-Energy Development Corporation
Fidel Ramos 1) Hernani Braganza Nephew Mayor, Alaminos City, Pangasinan
2) Maria Angela Braganza Niece Councilor, Alaminos City, Pangasinan
Joseph Estrada 1) Luisa "Loi" Ejercito Estrada Wife Senator
2) Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada Son Senator
3) Jose Victor "JV" Ejercito Son Mayor, San Juan
4) Emilio Ramon "ER" Ejercito III Nephew Pagsanjan, Laguna
While many political families thrive in the place of origin, presidential families, owing perhaps to the legacy of their names, are able move past local politics and into national elective posts. Table 2. Presidential relatives in national and appointive posts
President Relative
Vice president Senator Appointive post (incumbent)
Emilio Aguinaldo Peter Anthony Abaya, President and CEO, Petrochemical Development Corporation-PNOC/Official Development Assistance Project (incumbent)

Cesar E.A Virata
(Prime minister, 1970-86; 1981-86)
Manuel L. Quezon 1) Manuel L. Quezon III, Presidential Assistant for Historical Affairs and Deputy Head of the Chancellery of Philippine Orders and State Decorations (Jan 2003-Feb 2004)

2) Maria Zenaida Q. Avancena, member, Presidential Committee on Human Rights (1986-87)

Sergio Osmeña 1) Esteban de la Rama (1941-46)

2) Sergio Osmeña Jr. (son) (1957-61)

3) John Henry Osmeña

(1972-73; 1987-95; 1998-2004)

4) Sergio Osmeña III (1995-present)

Jose P. Laurel Salvador Laurel (1986-92) Sotero Laurel (1987-92) Jose Laurel III, Ambassador to Japan
Manuel Roxas 1) Gerardo Roxas Sr. (1965-72)

2) Manuel “Mar" Roxas II (2004 to present)

Elpidio Quirino
Ramon Magsaysay 1) Genaro Magsaysay (1960-72)

2) Ramon “Jun" Magsaysay Jr. (1995-01; 2001-present)
Carlos P. Garcia
Diosdado Macapagal Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (1998-01) Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (1992-95; 1995-98)

 1) Cielo Salgado, Member of Board of Advisors, Philippine National Bank (incumbent)

2) Demetrio Macapagal, Judge, Quezon City Regional Trial Court (incumbent)

3) Anthony Cortes, Deputy executive director, Garments and Textiles Export Board (incumbent)

4) Carlos de Leon, Assistant court administrator, Supreme Court (incumbent)
Ferdinand Marcos 1) Imelda Marcos, minister of human settlements, 1978-85

2) Benjamin “Kokoy" Romualdez, special presidential ambassador, 1966-67; 1978-86

3) Eduardo Romualdez, ambassador to the United States, 1975-86; secretary of the Department of Finance under Presidents Garcia and Marcos

4) Dr. Pacifico Marcos, Philippine Medicare Commission commissioner, 1971-86
Corazon Aquino 1) Benigno Aquino Sr. (1928-34)

2) Benigno “Ninoy" Aquino Jr. (1968-72)

3) Tessie Aquino-Oreta (1998-04)

 1) Jesli Lapus, secretary of education (incumbent)

2) Jose “Peping" Cojuangco, presidential adviser on food security and jobs creation

3) Margarita “Tingting" Cojuangco, Undersecretary, Department of the Interior and Local Government (incumbent)

4) Paul Aquino, President and CEO, PNOC-Energy Development Corporation (incumbent)
Fidel Ramos Leticia Ramos-Shahani (1987-98)
Joseph Estrada 1) Luisa “Loi" Ejercito Estrada (2004-present)

2) Jose “Jinggoy" Estrada (2004-present)

TOTAL 2 vice presidents 16 senators
Descendants who bore the names of their grand ancestor had also been given posts such as Manuel L. Quezon III, whom Arroyo appointed presidential assistant for Historical Affairs and Deputy Head of the Chancellery of Philippine Orders and State Decorations, and Jose Laurel III, who was former ambassador to Japan. Indeed, a president's surname itself is considered a legacy that comes handy to descendants who want to continue the political reign. In most cases, the family name survives the onslaught of newcomers to win come election time. More than national posts, it was in the town or province where the president hailed from that election victory for descendants is almost always guaranteed. Presidential families were able to produce governors, vice governors, provincial board members, mayors, vice mayors and councilors. Table 3. Presidential relatives in local posts
President Province Number of relatives who held local post Relatives holding incumbent posts
Emilio Aguinaldo Cavite 4 (Cavite) 3 (Cavite)
Manuel L. Quezon Aurora 0 0
Sergio Osmeña Cebu 11 (Cebu, Iloilo) 2 (Cebu)
Jose P. Laurel Batangas 6 (Batangas) 0
Manuel Roxas Capiz 3 (Capiz) 0
Elpidio Quirino Ilocos Sur 1 (Ilocos Sur) 0
Ramon Magsaysay Zambales 7 (Zambales, Bataan) 6 (Zambales, Bataan)
Carlos P. Garcia Bohol 2 (Bohol) 1 (Bohol)
Diosdado Macapagal/Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Pampanga 5 (Pampanga, Pangasinan) 2 (Pampanga, Negros Occidental)
Ferdinand Marcos Ilocos Sur 12 (Ilocos Norte, Leyte) 7 (Ilocos Norte, Tacloban City, Navotas)
Corazon Aquino Tarlac 8 (Tarlac, Samar, Malabon-Navotas) 2 (Tarlac, Makati City)
Fidel Ramos Pangasinan 6 (Pangasinan) 2 (Pangasinan)
Joseph Estrada San Juan, Metro Manila 3 (San Juan) 2 (San Juan; Pagsanjan, Laguna)
A hundred years after Aguinaldo assumed the presidency in 1898, his descendant Plaridel Madarang Abaya served as congressman of Cavite's First District while another descendant, Reynaldo Aguinaldo, was vice mayor of Kawit. Namesake Emilio Aguinaldo IV is incumbent councilor of Kawit. Ferdinand Marcos' relatives rule in Ilocos Norte, his hometown. Twelve members of Marcos family held posts in the Ilocos Norte, five of them incumbent. Relatives of the late dictator also rule in Tacloban City, Leyte (home province of former First Lady Imelda Marcos), and Navotas. Butz Aquino is congressman of Makati City while his nephew Noynoy Aquino represents Tarlac. But Noynoy's relatives in the Cojuangco side are incumbent congressmen in Tarlac (Gilberto Teodoro Jr., First District), Negros Occidental (Carlos Cojuangco, Fourth District) and Pangasinan (Marcos Cojuangco, Fifth District). (View Cojuangco family tree) Owing to marriage, the "territories" of some of these families expanded to the husband's or wife's home province. The Magsaysays, for instance, extend their influence not only in Zambales but also in Bataan following a marriage to the Garcias of Bataan. The clan has six incumbent local officials. The presidents were not all the political patriarch or matriarch of the clan. For at least seven of our presidents, politics preceded them. Osmeña, Laurel, Garcia, Marcos, Aquino, Ramos and Arroyo all had political pedigree when they entered politics and become president. Table 4. Presidents with political pedigree

President

Ancestor

Name Relationship Position
Jose P. Laurel Sotero Laurel Father Member, Malolos Congress (1898)
Carlos P. Garcia Policronio Garcia Father Mayor
Ferdinand E. Marcos Mariano Marcos Father Representative, Second District of Ilocos Norte (1925-31)
Corazon C. Aquino Jose "Pepe" Cojuangco Father Representative, First District of Tarlac (1934-41; 1944-46)
Fidel V. Ramos Narciso Ramos Father Representative, Pangasinan (1934-46)
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Diosdado Macapagal Father President (1961-65)
Not all presidential families flourished in politics. Manuel L. Quezon III said apart from his grandfather, no other member of his clan sought an elective position. Nobody followed Quirino's brother Eliseo, who was Ilocos Sur governor in 1949 to 1953. Garcia's political bloodline sem to have ended with incumbent Councilor Thomas Garcia Cornelio of Talibon, Bohol . Likewise, the political reign of the Laurels is in a state of decline: eight members used to hold various national and local elective posts. The last Laurel to hold an elective post was Peter Laurel, who was Batangas vice governor in 2001 to 2004. --with a report from Richard Rodriguez, GMANews.TV
Tags: elections2007, gmanewsresearch, 14thcongress
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