Wikipedia

Elpidio Barzaga Jr.

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Frani and the surname or paternal family name is Barzaga.

Elpidio "Pidi" Frani Barzaga Jr. (March 25, 1950 – April 27, 2024) was a Filipino lawyer and politician. He was the representative of Cavite's 4th district in the House of Representatives of the Philippines from 2019 until his death in 2024 and had previously held the same position from 2010 to 2016. This district exclusively covers the city of Dasmariñas and was carved out from the 2nd district, which he represented from 2007 to 2010. In addition to his legislative roles, he served as the mayor of Dasmariñas from 1998 to 2007 and later from 2016 to 2019.[1]

The Honorable
Elpidio F. Barzaga Jr.
Official portrait, 2019
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Cavite
In office
June 30, 2019 – April 27, 2024
Preceded byJennifer Barzaga
Succeeded byVacant
Constituency4th District
In office
June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2016
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byJennifer Barzaga
Constituency4th District
In office
June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2010
Preceded byGilbert Remulla
Succeeded byLani Mercado
Constituency2nd District
Mayor of Dasmariñas, Cavite
In office
June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2019
Preceded byJennifer Barzaga
Succeeded byJennifer Barzaga
In office
June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2007
Preceded byRecto M. Cantimbuhan
Succeeded byJennifer Barzaga
In office
1986 (OIC) – 1987
Preceded byRecto M. Cantimbuhan
Succeeded byMariano Veluz
Personal details
Born
Elpidio Frani Barzaga Jr.

(1950-03-25)March 25, 1950
Dasmariñas, Cavite, Philippines
DiedApril 27, 2024(2024-04-27) (aged 74)
Stanford, California, U.S.
Nationality Philippines
Political partyNUP (2011–2024)
Other political
affiliations		Independent (before 2006)
Lakas–CMD (2006–2011)
SpouseJennifer Austria
ChildrenFrancisco A. Barzaga
Elpidio A. Barzaga III
Lorenzo A. Barzaga
Residence(s)Salawag, Dasmariñas
Alma materSan Beda College (BS)
Far Eastern University (LL.B)
OccupationPolitician
ProfessionLawyer

Education edit

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

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.[citation needed]

Political career edit

Mayor of Dasmariñas edit

Barzaga served as municipal mayor of Dasmariñas for nine years from 1998.[2] He was succeeded by his wife Jennifer in 2007.[3]

In 2016, the couple, both had served for three terms with Barzaga on his last term as district representative,[4] switched political posts, both running under the National Unity Party.[5] He replaced his wife, that time as city mayor.[5] He served until they replaced each other again in 2019.[6][7]

Congressman edit

In 2007, Barzaga, under Kampi which was then part of the ruling coalition (to be known later as Lakas–Kampi–CMD),[8] was elected representative of the Second District of Cavite,[9] defeating incumbent Gilbert Remulla.[10][3]

In the House of Representatives, Barzaga served as vice chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments, Local Government, and Revision of Laws and was 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.[11]

Barzaga figured prominently on issues concerning Meralco, Sulpicio Lines, the Impeachment Complaint, and Alabang Boys. He authored and sponsored several bills including an act converting Dasmariñas into a component city,[12] 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.

Barzaga, along with fellow provincial representatives Joseph Emilio Abaya and Jesus Crispin Remulla, authored House Bill 4254, which aimed for the congressional reapportionment of Cavite.[2] Approved into law in 2009, this increased the legislative districts of the province from three to seven.[13]

In 2010, Barzaga ran in the Fourth District, which covers Dasmariñas (which had became a city) following redistricting.[2] He won a landslide victory against his opponent Ramon Campos of the Nacionalista Party. In 2011, Barzaga bolted from Lakas–Kampi–CMD to join the newly formed National Unity Party, where he was named the party's vice president for external affairs.[14] He became the party's national president in August 2019.[15]

In the 2012 impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona, Barzaga became part of the ten-member prosecution panel, handling Article II which focused on Corona's alleged failure to disclose his statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth.[16][17] At a time, he engaged his former professor on remedial law at the Far Eastern University, retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Serafin Cuevas, who was the lead defense counsel,[16] in an argument.[18][19]

In 2013 elections, he successfully sought reelection for his last term under the National Unity Party. He was also nominated by the Liberal Party.

In 2015, he was criticized by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines for threatening to cite journalist Christine F. Herrera of The Standard in contempt, after the latter refused to disclose her sources regarding the alleged bribes provided to lawmakers to expedite the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law. Barzaga was one of the solons who voted "Yes" for the passage of bill at the committee level.

Barzaga supported the candidacy of Mar Roxas in the 2016 Philippine elections.[citation needed] Barzaga predicted that Grace Poe would 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 Poe-Escudero tandem.[20] Barzaga declined to run for Governor against Remulla, and instead ran for mayor of Dasmariñas.

Barzaga returned to the Congress, particularly in his legislative seat, after being elected in 2019;[6][21] he was re-elected in 2022.[7][22][23]

Barzaga opposed his political party's decision to back the presidential bid of Bongbong Marcos and later endorsed Vice President Leni Robredo.[24][25] Robredo would later lost to Marcos.[22]

In the 18th Congress, he was the chairperson of the House committee on natural resource.[7]

Denial of the renewal of ABS-CBN franchise edit

In 2020, Barzaga was prominently featured in the hearings for the renewal of ABS-CBN's congressional franchise when he cited Wikipedia as his source of information.[26] He was one of the 70 representatives who voted to deny the franchise renewal, in favor of the report from Technical Working Group.[27]

Awards and honors edit

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 Congressmen of 2008 by the Congress Magazine.[citation needed]

Personal life edit

Barzaga was married to Jennifer Austria Barzaga, a registered nurse[28] 25 years his junior. They had three sons – Francisco ("Kiko"), Elpidio III, and Lorenzo.

Jennifer has been serving as Dasmariñas mayor in 2007–2016 and since 2019;[6][21][28][23] while Francisco has been a city councilor since 2019.[6][21][23]

Illness and death edit

In October 2023, Barzaga announced that he was going to the United States for a major heart operation.[29] He died in Stanford, California on April 27, 2024, at the age of 74.[30]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. Passes Away In US, 74". Politiko. April 27, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c Tiongson–Mayrina, Karen (April 5, 2010). "Lawmakers running in new districts they created". GMA News Research. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Tiongson–Mayrina, Karen; Vallarta, Allan (June 29, 2007). "Clans rule: 76 percent of district reps in 14th Congress from dynasties". GMA News Research. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  4. ^ "Barzaga couple to switch places in 2016". Politiko (South Luzon). October 19, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Eleksyon 2016: Results, Dasmariñas City". GMA News Online. GMA Network. 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d Castro, Glenda Marie; Bueza, Michael (August 30, 2019). "MAP: Major political families in PH after the 2019 elections". Rappler. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Cervantes, Filane Mikee (October 6, 2021). "2 veteran lawmakers file COCs for reelection bid". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  8. ^ Diaz, Jess (June 30, 2009). "'Pacquiao can't run for Senate due to age'". The Philippine Star. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  9. ^ Depasupil, William (May 23, 2007). "GMA allies claim 195 seats". The Manila Times. pp. A1–A2. Retrieved April 28, 2024 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ Ronquillo, Marlen (May 27, 2007). "Why they won, why they lost". The Manila Times. pp. A1–A2. Retrieved April 28, 2024 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ "Member Information: Elpidio F. Barzaga Jr". House of Representatives of the Philippines. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  12. ^ "Republic Act No. 9723" (PDF).
  13. ^ "Republic Act No. 9727" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-02-21.
  14. ^ Diaz, Jess (February 4, 2011). "New party for Lakas turned LP lawmakers". The Philippine Star. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  15. ^ Abatayo, Rosalie (August 12, 2019). "PJ Garcia elected NUP's vice president for the Visayas". Cebu Daily News. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  16. ^ a b Ager, Maila (January 19, 2012). "Prosecution solon to face ex-professor Cuevas in Corona trial". Inquirer.net. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  17. ^ Tordesillas, Ellen (January 18, 2012). "Impeachment trial as comedy". Vera Files. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  18. ^ Esguerra, Christian (January 20, 2012). "Law school professor clashes with 'student'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  19. ^ "BT: Mga nakakaaliw na eksena sa impeachment trial" – via YouTube.
  20. ^ "Barzaga: PNoy is better to be Roxas Running mate". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
  21. ^ a b c "Eleksyon 2019: Results, Dasmariñas City". GMA News Online. GMA Network. 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  22. ^ a b dela Peña, Kurt (May 13, 2022). "All politics is local: Win, loss record of local backers of Marcos, Robredo". Inquirer.net. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  23. ^ a b c "Eleksyon 2022: Results, Dasmariñas City". GMA News Online. GMA Network. 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  24. ^ Talabong, Rambo (March 27, 2022). "After NUP backs Marcos Jr., its president endorses Robredo". Rappler. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  25. ^ Sarao, Zacarian (March 27, 2022). "NUP president Barzaga endorses Robredo's presidential bid". Inquirer.net. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  26. ^ 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.
  27. ^ Perez-Rubio, Bella (July 10, 2020). "List of lawmakers who voted for and against ABS-CBN franchise renewal". Philstar.com. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  28. ^ a b "Dasmariñas Mayor Jenny Austria-Barzaga seeking reelection in 2022 polls, vows continuity". Politiko (South Luzon). October 7, 2021. Retrieved April 28, 2024.
  29. ^ Quismorio, Ellson (October 30, 2023). "Barzaga due for open-heart surgery, but work still on his mind". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
  30. ^ Boledo, Jairo (April 27, 2024). "Cavite lawmaker Pidi Barzaga dies at 74". Rappler. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
Political offices
Preceded by
Recto Cantimbuhan
 Mayor of Dasmariñas, Cavite
1998–2007 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Mayor of Dasmariñas, Cavite
2016–2019
House of Representatives of the Philippines
Preceded by Member of the House of Representatives from the Cavite's 2nd congressional district
2007-2010 		Succeeded by
New district Member of the House of Representatives from Dasmariñas's lone district
2010–2016 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the House of Representatives from Cavite's 4th congressional district
2019–2024 		Vacant
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