Elpidio Barzaga Jr.

Elpidio F. Barzaga Jr.
Elpidio F. Barzaga Jr.
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Cavite's 4th District ; (also known as the Lone District of Dasmariñas City)
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; June 30, 2019
Preceded by	Jennifer Barzaga
	In office; June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2016
Preceded by	Office established
Succeeded by	Jennifer Barzaga
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from the Cavite's 2nd District
	In office; June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2010
Preceded by	Gilbert Remulla
Succeeded by	Lani M. Revilla
Mayor of Dasmariñas, Cavite
	In office; June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2019
Preceded by	Jennifer Barzaga
Succeeded by	Jennifer Barzaga
	In office; June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2007
Preceded by	Recto M. Cantimbuhan
Succeeded by	Jennifer Barzaga
Personal details
Born	Elpidio Frani Barzaga Jr.; March 25, 1950; Dasmariñas, Cavite
Nationality	Filipino
Political party	Independent (before 2006) ; KAMPI/Lakas Kampi CMD (2006–2011) ; Liberal Party (2007; 2012–present) ; NUP (2011– present)
Spouse(s)	Jennifer Barzaga
Children	Francisco A. Barzaga ; Elpidio A. Barzaga III ; Lorenzo A. Barzaga
Residence	Salawag, Dasmariñas City
Alma mater	Far Eastern University ; San Beda College
Profession	Politician, former University Professor

Elpidio "Pidi" Frani Barzaga Jr. (born March 25, 1950) is a Filipino politician from the province of Cavite. He is the incumbent Congressman for Dasmariñas and also served as mayor of that city. He is a congressmen under National Union Party (NUP). Barzaga is one of the 70 representatives who voted to reject the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN.

Education

Barzaga graduated as valedictorian of the Class of 1966 of Immaculate Conception Academy. After earning a Bachelor of Science degree cum laude from the San Beda College, he completed his Bachelor of Law degree from the Far Eastern University magna cum laude.

After college, he taught law at the Far Eastern University Institute of Law from 1976 to 1992 and was a Bar Reviewer in Civil Law from 1983 to 1992.

Political career

Mayor of Dasmariñas

Barzaga was elected Municipal Mayor of Dasmariñas in 1998 and served in that office for nine years. On 2007, he defeated incumbent representative Gilbert Remulla for the House of Representatives seat for the Second District of Cavite. His wife Jennifer succeeded Barzaga as mayor of Dasmariñas.

Congressman

In the House of Representatives, Barzaga serves as vice chairman the Committees on Constitutional Amendments, Local Government, and Revision of Laws and is a member of the Committees on Appropriations, Civil Service and Professional Regulation, Good Government, Human Rights, Justice, Population and Family Relations, Public Works and Highways, Science and Technology, Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, Transportation, Veteran Affairs and Welfare and the Special Committee on Southern Tagalog Development.[1]

He figured prominently on issues concerning Meralco, Sulpicio Lines, the Impeachment Complaint, and Alabang Boys. He has authored and sponsored several bills including an act converting the Municipality of Dasmariñas into a component city,[2] a resolution requesting an investigation into oil prices, a resolution requesting an investigation into bidding on updating the Subic Bay Freeport Zone master development plan, and a resolution requesting an investigation of environmental issues during the construction of a casino in Subic Bay Freeport Zone.

In 2009, along with fellow representatives of Cavite Joseph Emilio Abaya and Jesus Crispin Remulla, Barzaga co-authored an act, unofficially titled The Cavite Congressional Reapportionment Act of 2009, bringing the representatives of Cavite from three to seven.[3]

In 2010 congressional elections he was won via landslide victory against his close opponent Ramon Campos of the Nacionalista Party.

Serving as part of the House Prosecution panel, Barzaga was responsible for Article II of the 2012 Impeachment of SC Chief Justice Renato Corona. Ironically, he is paired against his Remedial law professor from his law school days, former Assoc. Justice Serafin Cuevas, who is serving as lead defense counsel.

In 2013 elections, he will run again for his last term under the National Unity Party as well to Liberal Party.

In 2015, he was criticized by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines for threatening to cite Christine F. Herrera of The Standard in contempt, after the latter refused to name her sources of the alleged payola given to solons to railroad the passage of the controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law or BBL. Barzaga is one of the solons who voted "Yes" for the passage of BBL in committee level.

He supported the candidacy of Mar Roxas in the 2016 Philippine elections. Barzaga predicted that Grace Poe-Llamanzares will not run as the running mate of Roxas, and instead will run under the Nationalist Peoples Coalition, with the idea of a Roxas-Aquino tandem to challenge the Grace-Chiz tandem.[4] Barzaga declined to run as Governor against Remulla, and instead ran again as Mayor.

In 2020, Barzaga is prominently featured in the ABS-CBN franchise renewal controversy when he cited Wikipedia as his source of information.[5] He is one of the 70 representatives who voted "yes" to "kill" (deny) the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN, in favor of the report from Technical Working Group.[6]

Awards and honors

In 2008, he was the recipient of the Outstanding Alumnus Award from the Far Eastern University on the celebration of its 80th Founding Anniversary and the Most Distinguished Bedan Award from the San Beda College. He was acknowledged as one of the Most Outstanding Congressman of 2008 by the Congress Magazine.

Personal life

He is married to Jennifer Austria Barzaga, a registered nurse. They have three sons – Francisco, Elpidio III, and Lorenzo. His son, Francisco, was the councilor of the city since 2019.

References

"Member Information: Elpidio F. Barzaga Jr". House of Representatives of the Philippines. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
"Republic Act No. 9723" (PDF).
"Republic Act No. 9727" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-21.
"Barzaga: PNoy is better to be Roxas Running mate". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Acosta, Zofiya (2020-07-02). "I can't use Wikipedia as a source in class, but politicians can use it at a hearing?". Preen.ph. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
Perez-Rubio, Bella (July 10, 2020). "List of lawmakers who voted for and against ABS-CBN franchise renewal". Philstar.com. Retrieved July 22, 2020.

House of Representatives of the Philippines
Preceded by Newly Created	Member of the House of Representatives from the Lone District of Dasmariñas City 2010–present	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Gilbert Remulla	Member of the House of Representatives from the 2nd District of Cavite 2007-2010	Succeeded by district defunct starting 15th Congress (next title held to Lani Mercado-Revilla)
Political offices
Preceded by Recto Cantimbuhan	Mayor of Dasmariñas, Cavite 1998-2007	Succeeded by Jennifer A. Barzaga

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[HOROTP-1] "Member Information: Elpidio F. Barzaga Jr". House of Representatives of the Philippines. Retrieved 2008-03-19.

[2] "Republic Act No. 9723" (PDF).

[3] "Republic Act No. 9727" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-21.

[4] "Barzaga: PNoy is better to be Roxas Running mate". Philippine Daily Inquirer.

[5] Acosta, Zofiya (2020-07-02). "I can't use Wikipedia as a source in class, but politicians can use it at a hearing?". Preen.ph. Retrieved 2020-07-03.

[6] Perez-Rubio, Bella (July 10, 2020). "List of lawmakers who voted for and against ABS-CBN franchise renewal". Philstar.com. Retrieved July 22, 2020.