SENADO 2016, sino nga ba?
STAND ON ISSUES
Poverty Reduction: provide assistance to cooperatives
Cybercrime Law: it limits the freedom of expression
Bangsamoro Basic Law: wants to amend BBL
Reproductive Health Law: anti-abortion, pro-contraceptives, doesn’t want sex education for 10-year-old children
Spratlys: use diplomacy with China
Freedom of Information Bill: co-author of the bill
Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri
Independent
Born: April 13, 1969
Juan Miguel Zubiri, better known as Migz Zubiri, has helped pass more than 600 bills as Senate majority floor leader from 2007 to 2010.
Some of the most well-known laws of the 14th Congress are: the CARPER Law, Anti-Camcording Act, Expanded Senior Citizens Act, Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, Magna Carta of Women, Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act, Renewable Energy Act, Mindanao Development Authority, Cheaper Medicines Act, Bataan Freeport Area Act, Free Legal Assistance Act, and Anti-Child Pornography Act.
Zubiri has had wide experience in public service. He has been a public official of the Philippines for 18 years.
In 1998, he ran as a representative for the third district of Bukidnon like his father, Jose Zubiri Jr., who held the post before him, was a member of the 1984 Batasang Pambansa and was the former governor of Bukidnon. Support from Zubiri’s district was strong; Migz served for three consecutive terms – the longest a district representative could stay in power – which lasted until 2007.
As a member of the House of Representatives, Zubiri’s combined efforts of sponsoring, authoring and co-authoring bills exceeded those of other representatives who were planning to run for a senatorial position. He was named “Most Prolific Lawmaker” by the Philippine Star in 2007.
He authored the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 to help prevent drug abuse among individuals, especially the youth, and rehabilitate victims.
He also supported environmental causes and authored the Biofuels Act of 2006, which promoted the use of local resources of sustainable energy, and the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, which maintained habitats and regulated wildlife trade.
Social welfare was one of the foci of his laws. He pushed for affordable housing for the poor in the Rental Reform Act and increased the salaries of soldiers in the Armed Forces of the Philippines Rate Pay Base Increase Act.
In 2007, Zubiri stepped up to the Senate as part of then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s political party.
As senator, he authored or co-authored even more laws, such as the Philippine Disaster Risk Management Act, which was the basis for the creation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council we have today.
He supported the Home Development Mutual Fund Law of 2009 or the Pag-IBIG Fund which offered housing loans for Filipinos, the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 which promoted the use of “biomass, solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and ocean energy sources,” the establishment of the Philippine Red Cross, and Republic Act 9850 or Declaring Arnis as the National Martial Art and Sport.
With his community in Mindanao in mind, he headed the declaration of Eidul Adha as a national holiday. Moreover, he wrote or co-wrote the Mindanao Development Authority Act of 2010, aiming for peace and development in the area.
Zubiri has contributed more than 20 laws and several bills on social security, the environment, disaster management and local government units.
He was also chairman of several committees, including the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and the Committee on Cooperatives.
Though he won in the 2007 senatorial elections, an information officer of the Ampatuans claimed that Arroyo’s party committed electoral fraud by rigging the votes from Maguindanao to favor them. As a member of this party, Zubiri’s name was dragged into the discussion. Zubiri resigned in 2011.
“I am resigning because of these unfounded accusations against me and these issues has systematically divided our nation and has casted doubts in our electoral system which has affected not only myself, this Institution but the public as well,” he said in his privilege speech the same year.
He firmly stated that “no amount of power, position or wealth is worth sacrificing one’s honor and integrity.”
Because of these allegations, he lost in the 2013 senatorial elections.
Today, he brands himself as the “Trabahador ng Senado,” and says that hard work breeds progress. He campaigns for health, the environment, education, food security, and peace and development.
Zubiri took up Agri-Business Management in the University of the Philippines Los Baños and earned his master’s degree in Environment and Natural Resources Management from the University of the Philippines Open University.
As of March 2016, he ranks sixth among other senatoriables, according to a Social Weather Stations survey.
Profile written by Maisie Joven
Photo source: politics.com.ph
References:
http://pcij.org/stories/bukidnons-nontraditional-dynasty/
http://www.ivoteph.com/senator/juan-miguel-zubiri-profile-2013/
http://halalan.up.edu.ph/candidates/for-president/21-fact-check/125-zubiri-and-the-600-bills
http://interaksyon.com/article/10012/honor-and-integrity-sen--miguel-zubiris-resignation-speech
https://www.senate.gov.ph/publications/Update_on_Laws_14_15th_Congress.pdf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCQ7a4IvvMo