Juan Edgardo Angara
Encyclopedia
Juan Edgardo M. Angara most widely known as Sonny Angara, is a Filipino
politician and lawyer. He was elected to the House of Representatives
in 2004, representing the Lone District of Aurora, re-elected to a second term in 2007, and a third term in 2010. He is a son of former University of the Philippines President, former Senate President, and incumbent Senator Edgardo J. Angara and Mrs. Gloria M. Angara, a former teacher and Chairperson of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He and his wife Elvira currently have three children.
He was first elected to public office in 2004 as the Representative to Congress for the Lone District of Aurora, where he succeeded his aunt, Bellaflor Angara-Castillo
, a three term representative and erstwhile Governor of Aurora Province. Elected at age 31, he was one of the youngest members of the 13th Congress. He was a member of the House Minority and served as House Deputy Minority Leader, thereby becoming an ex-oficio member of all standing and special committees of the 13th Congress. He authored a number of laws of national significance and was able to focus on work in his constituency, where he used the funds alloted to his office to build over 100 classrooms, and provide funds for indigent constituents in 12 government hospitals and hundreds of scholarships to deserving students at various state universities and colleges (SUCs). He also worked together with socio-civic groups on various projects, and funded the following: the creation of Gawad Kalinga villages for the homeless in three of Aurora province's municipalities; the provision of computers and Internet access to Aurora's public high schools together with the GILAS Foundation; and access to vocational, skills, and livelihood training through TESDA and other groups.
Angara was elected to a second term as Congressman in 2007, when he ran unopposed under the same political party as 2004, the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP). He served as Deputy Majority Leader and Vice Chairman of the Committee on Rules, also as an ex oficio member of all standing and special committees in the House during the 14th Congress (2007–2010). He authored several measures, many of which were enacted into law, in diverse areas such as women's rights, economic and fiscal reform, good governance and civil service reform, consumer welfare, environmental protection, tourism, health and education.
When a bomb was planted by still unknown suspects at the premises of the House of Representatives in 2008 which resulted in the death of Congressman Wahab Akbar
and the death and serious wounding of other Congressmen and congressional staffers, Angara was one of the remaining congressmen who offered aid to some of the wounded persons and personally brought some of the survivors to the nearby Far Eastern Hospital along Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City for treatment.
Angara was elected to a third term as Congressman for Aurora in May 2010.
, CNN Hero 2009 Efren Peñaflorida, and a cousin of President Benigno Aquino III
. Along with these other awardees, Angara received his trophy from President Aquino in a ceremony held at Rizal Hall of Malacañang.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
politician and lawyer. He was elected to the House of Representatives
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
in 2004, representing the Lone District of Aurora, re-elected to a second term in 2007, and a third term in 2010. He is a son of former University of the Philippines President, former Senate President, and incumbent Senator Edgardo J. Angara and Mrs. Gloria M. Angara, a former teacher and Chairperson of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. He and his wife Elvira currently have three children.
Education
Angara finished his grade school and high school studies at Xavier School in San Juan, Philippines. He finished his undergraduate studies at London School of Economics and Political Science in England. He took up and finished law at the University of the Philippines College of Law, where he was a member of the Editorial Board of the Philippine Law Journal, the Debate Society, and the Order of the Purple Feather. He graduated from UP Law in 2000 and passed the Bar Examinations in the same year. He continued his post-graduate legal studies and finished his Master of Laws at Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA in 2003.Professional Life
Angara worked as an associate attorney with the Angara Abello Concepcion Regala & Cruz (ACCRA) law firm, until he took a leave from the firm to pursue further studies. He apprenticed briefly after college with the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York, in addition to stints clerking at a bank, writing articles for newspapers, and researching.He was first elected to public office in 2004 as the Representative to Congress for the Lone District of Aurora, where he succeeded his aunt, Bellaflor Angara-Castillo
Bellaflor Angara-Castillo
Bellaflor J. Angara-Castillo is the incumbent Governor of the Philippine Province of Aurora. She was elected governor in 2004 and reelected in 2007 and 2010. She is Aurora's third woman governor. She was the first and so far the only woman in Philippine history to become House Majority Floor...
, a three term representative and erstwhile Governor of Aurora Province. Elected at age 31, he was one of the youngest members of the 13th Congress. He was a member of the House Minority and served as House Deputy Minority Leader, thereby becoming an ex-oficio member of all standing and special committees of the 13th Congress. He authored a number of laws of national significance and was able to focus on work in his constituency, where he used the funds alloted to his office to build over 100 classrooms, and provide funds for indigent constituents in 12 government hospitals and hundreds of scholarships to deserving students at various state universities and colleges (SUCs). He also worked together with socio-civic groups on various projects, and funded the following: the creation of Gawad Kalinga villages for the homeless in three of Aurora province's municipalities; the provision of computers and Internet access to Aurora's public high schools together with the GILAS Foundation; and access to vocational, skills, and livelihood training through TESDA and other groups.
Angara was elected to a second term as Congressman in 2007, when he ran unopposed under the same political party as 2004, the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP). He served as Deputy Majority Leader and Vice Chairman of the Committee on Rules, also as an ex oficio member of all standing and special committees in the House during the 14th Congress (2007–2010). He authored several measures, many of which were enacted into law, in diverse areas such as women's rights, economic and fiscal reform, good governance and civil service reform, consumer welfare, environmental protection, tourism, health and education.
When a bomb was planted by still unknown suspects at the premises of the House of Representatives in 2008 which resulted in the death of Congressman Wahab Akbar
Wahab Akbar
Ustadz Wahab M. Akbar was a Filipino politician who served three terms as governor of Basilan, during which time he was known for his "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth" policy for dealing with kidnappers and terrorists in the province...
and the death and serious wounding of other Congressmen and congressional staffers, Angara was one of the remaining congressmen who offered aid to some of the wounded persons and personally brought some of the survivors to the nearby Far Eastern Hospital along Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City for treatment.
Angara was elected to a third term as Congressman for Aurora in May 2010.
Recipient of the Ten Outstanding Young Men Awards for 2010
Representative Angara was among the recipients of the prestigious Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awards for 2010, along with Sen. Alan Peter CayetanoAlan Peter Cayetano
Alan Peter Schramm Cayetano is a senator from the Philippines.He was the congressional representative from the district of Taguig-Pateros for 9 years. He had a seven-point program for his Taguig-Pateros constituency in Metro Manila. He ran for senator on the May 14, 2007 Philippine elections under...
, CNN Hero 2009 Efren Peñaflorida, and a cousin of President Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III , also known as Noynoy Aquino or PNoy, is a Filipino politician who has been the 15th and current President of the Philippines since June 2010....
. Along with these other awardees, Angara received his trophy from President Aquino in a ceremony held at Rizal Hall of Malacañang.
Bills Authored and Enacted into Law
- PERA Law (Personal Equity Retirement Account - the Philippines version of the 401k)
- Magna Carta of Women
- Civil Aviation Act
- Pre-Need Code
- National Cultural Heritage Law
- University of the Philippines Charter
- Tourism Act
- Renewable Energy Law
- Credit Information System
- Tax Relief For Minimum Wage Earners Law
- Real Estate Investment Trust Law
- Creation of COMSTE (Congressional Commission to Review State of Competitiveness of Science, Technology and R & D in the Philippines)
- Juvenile Justice Law
- Salary Standardization Law
- Aurora Special Economic Zone
- Aurora Marine Research Center
- Creation of various National High Schools and State Universities
- Health Worker's Day
Bills Filed
- Preschool Act
- Freedom of Information Act
- Political Party System Act
- Schoolbuilding Act
- Mercury Regulation Act
- Cybercrime Act
- Marine Pollution Regulation Act
- Students Transport Discount Act
- Expanded Students Voucher System