Succeeded by Irene Isaac Website joelvillanueva.ph TV shows Adyenda | Preceded by Augusto Syjuco, Jr. Political party CIBAC (2001–present) Spouse Gladys Cruz-Villanueva | |
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Full Name Emmanuel Joel Villanueva Children Jaden Villanueva, Gwyn Villanueva Similar Win Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Ralph Recto, Franklin Drilon, Francis Pangilinan Profiles | ||
Emmanuel Joel Villanueva (born August 2, 1975) is a Filipino politician and a Senator of the Philippines. He recently won the 2016 Philippine election, ranked second with 18,459,222 votes. He was a former Director General of the TESDA from 2010-2015 and a three-term congressman from 2001-2010. Villanueva became the youngest member of the House of Representatives when he took his oath of office on February 2002.
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Early life
Joel Villanueva was born in August 2, 1975 in Bocaue, Bulacan. He is the second of four children of Eddie Villanueva and Adoracion "Dory" Villanueva. He attended the University of Santo Tomas where he graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree, with a Major in Economics. He then went to Harvard University in the United States where he took graduate studies in Business Administration from 1996 to 1998.
While in the office of the director general of TESDA, he also completed a 124-hour course in Advanced Food and Beverage Services at the agency to acquire vocational skills as a barista.
Sports
Villanueva was part of the UST Growling Tigers varsity basketball team that won the UAAP Season 56 and 57 of 1994-1995. Villanueva was part of the Philippines national basketball team that competed in international basketball competitions in Taiwan and Malaysia in 1995.
He returned to competitive basketball in 2014 playing for the Malacañang Patriots in the UNTV Cup. After winning a Senate seat, Villanueva joined the Senate Defenders basketball team, in preparations for the opening of Season 5 of the UNTV Cup.
CIBAC
Villanueva was elected as a member of the House of Representatives in 2001 as a party-list representative of the Citizens' Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC). His taking the oath of office was delayed for seven months following accusations that CIBAC was an extension of the Jesus is Lord Church, a sect founded by his father, Eddie Villanueva. At age 26, Villanueva took his oath of office in February 2002, becoming the youngest member of the House of Representatives, a distinction previously held by Felix William Fuentebella.
He was part of the 12th, 13th, and 14th Congresses spanning from 2001-2010. At the 12th congress he became the first party-list representative and minority leader of the House's Commission on Appointments. He was also among the principal sponsors of Republic Act 9485 (the Anti Red-Tape Law of 2007).
TESDA
He was appointed as TESDA chief in 2010. Upon taking his post as head of TESDA, Villanueva performed an audit of the government agency's debt after learning that the previous leadership asked for ₱2.4 billion in expenses for sponsoring TESDA scholars. The result of the audit concluded that the actual debt was only ₱880 million after discounting "ghost schools" and "ghost scholars".
As TESDA chief, one of his pet projects was the "Shoot for your Dream Program" which involves organizing exhibition games featuring Philippine Basketball Association Legends team dubbed as "Team Trabaho" as an awareness campaign to counter misconceptions that technical vocation are low-paying courses. Villanueva himself played as part of Team Trabaho.
Under his watch, TESDA's central office as well as 17 regional offices and 81 provincial offices were granted ISO certifications. This include the office at the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which was the first office to receive such certification in Mindanao.
Prior to launching a senatorial bid, he tendered his resignation from the post in October 9, 2015. His resignation went effective in October 13, 2015 and President Benigno Aquino III named TESDA deputy director general, Irene Isaac as his successor.
Senate
Villanueva is running for senator under the Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid at the 2016 senatorial elections. He is also a shared candidate in the 10-member senatorial slate of Miriam Defensor Santiago. He filed his certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections in October 16, 2015. He unexpectedly won the Senate race, landing in second place.
Campaigning under the moniker "TESDA Man" (alternatively spelled as TESDAMAN) alluding to his previous experience as head of TESDA, Villanueva's platform is focused on employment. His platform is likewise abbreviated into TESDA – which stands for Trabaho, Edukasyon, Serbisyo, Dignidad and Asenso (Employment, Education, Service, Dignity and Progress).
On November 14, 2016 Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales ordered the dismissal from the public service of the Senator for "grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and conduct prejudicial to the interest of the service" over alleged misuse of his Priority Development Assistance Fund during his tenure as a congressman. Villanueva alleged that the incriminating documents were forged. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III was directed by the Ombudsman to implement the order imposed against Villanueva.
Personal life
He was given the Gawad Dangal ng Lipi for Public Service Award by the Bulacan provincial government in September 15, 2012. The Development Executive Group (DevEx) an organization based in the United States gave him the DEVEX Manila 40 Under 40 International Development Leaders Award in February 19, 2013. A former student of the University of Santo Tomas, he was named as Most Outstanding Alumni Award by the university. He was granted a Honoris Causa degree of Doctor of Humanities by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines in May 10, 2013.
Villanueva has two children, Jaden and Gwyn. As a basketball enthusiast, Villanueva reportedly is a fan of the Boston Celtics of the NBA.
Villanueva is a former host of the television program Adyenda and leads the Kristiyanong Kabataan para sa Bayan Movement, a youth organization.