JV Ejercito
Joseph Victor Gomez Ejercito (Tagalog pronunciation: [ɛhɛɹˈsɪtɔ];[6] born December 26, 1969), also known as JV Ejercito Estrada,[4] is a Filipino politician who served as a senator from 2013 to 2019. He had also served as the representative of San Juan City from 2010 to 2013 and was the city's mayor from 2001 to 2010. He is a son of former Philippine president Joseph Estrada, and a half-brother of former senator Jinggoy Estrada.
JV Ejercito | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Ejercito in 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Senator of the Philippines | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office June 30, 2013 – June 30, 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from San Juan City | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2013 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Ronaldo Zamora | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Ronaldo Zamora | ||||||||||||||||||||
17th Mayor of San Juan City | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Jinggoy Estrada | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Guia Gomez | ||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Joseph Victor Gomez Ejercito December 26, 1969 Manila, Philippines | ||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | NPC (2018–present)[1] Hugpong ng Pagbabago (2018–present)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Other political affiliations | UNA (2012–2018)[3][4] PMP (2001–2018)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse(s) | Ma. Hyacinth Lotuaco
(m. 2007) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Parents | Joseph Estrada Guia Gomez | ||||||||||||||||||||
Relatives | Jinggoy Estrada (half-brother) E.R. Ejercito (cousin) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Alma mater | De La Salle University | ||||||||||||||||||||
Profession | Politician | ||||||||||||||||||||
Website | jvejercito |
Ejercito credits himself as the author of the Universal Health Care Act of the Philippines.[7]
Early life
Joseph Victor "JV" G. Ejercito was born December 26, 1969 to the then newly elected San Juan Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada and businesswoman and former mayor of City of San Juan, Guia Gomez.
Education
He attended Xavier School for his primary and secondary education and completed his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at De La Salle University.[8]
Political career
San Juan mayor
Ejercito served as mayor of San Juan City for three consecutive terms from 2001 to 2010.
House of Representatives
During the 2010 elections, Ejercito ran for the position of congressman for the lone district of San Juan. Over the course of his term, Ejercito authored and/or sponsored 161 bills and/or House measures, five of which were approved by the House and passed to the Senate for consideration:[9]
Senate
On October 1, 2012, Ejercito filed his certificate of candidacy for the 2013 Philippine senate elections, in which he won as the eleventh out of twelve of the senators elected.[15]
During his six years in the Senate, Ejercito filed a total of 140 bills and resolutions. Ejercito also chaired the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs and the Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement and the Health and the Demography Committee in the 17th Congress.
He was the principal sponsor of the Child Safety in Motor Vehicles Act (R.A. 11229), which requires children 12 years old and below and shorter than 1.50 m (4 ft 11 in) to sit on child safety seats when riding in a vehicle.[16]
On April 6, 2016, Sandiganbayan Fifth Division issued an arrest warrant against Ejercito and four other government officials, in connection with allegations on misuse of funds during his term as San Juan City mayor.[17] However, Ejercito was cleared of the charges because the case was dismissed.[18]
Ejercito ran and launched a campaign to secure a second consecutive-term in the 2019 Philippine Senate election, his candidacy was endorsed by President Rodrigo Duterte.[19] His brother, former Senator Jinggoy, who was previously jailed & charged with multiple counts of plunder in 2014, also sought a Senate return. During the campaign, the siblings had a disagreement[20] in the idea of them running at the same time, Ejercito expressed that Estrada running would "ruin his chances", he also threw shade against Estrada as he referred himself as "The Good One" in political ads. After conceding defeat, his brother Jinggoy wished that Senator Nancy Binay would make it over Ejercito, with both senators vying for the last spot in the partial and unofficial count, Ejercito responded by telling Estrada that he placed 13th in his own hometown, “Let him speak... It’s painful to accept that even in your own bailiwick you are unwanted,".[21] Eventually, the siblings both lost as Ejercito ended up in 13th place, just a spot outside the winning circle, while Estrada finished at 15th place.
Personal life
He is married to Hyacinth "Cindy" Lotuaco with whom he has a son, Julio Jose. He also has an older son, Jose Emilio. Joseph Victor is also a Commissioned Reserve Officer of the Philippine Marine Corps with the rank of Major. He is an adopted member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of '88, Maringal.
Ejercito has a tattoo on his right arm: A red eight-rayed sun with the baybayin character for ka at the center, and the phrase Para sa Bayan ("For the country") and the letter "K" on top of the sun.[22] He has also raced in the Toyota Vios Cup.[23][24]
References
- Ager, Maila (October 10, 2018). "JV Ejercito says father was hurt by his decision to join NPC". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 28, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- Ager, Maila (March 7, 2019). "Voting straight for 13 Hugpong bets worries JV Ejercito". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- Cepeda, Mara (November 16, 2016). "'Future' member JV Ejercito attends PDP-Laban dinner". Rappler. Archived from the original on November 8, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- Patinio, Ferdinand (October 15, 2018). "JV Ejercito uses 'Estrada' surname in COC for May 2019 polls". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on October 15, 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- "Security tightened for JV's wedding in San Juan". GMA News. June 9, 2007. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- JV Ejercito (March 20, 2019). "'The Source' speaks to JV Ejercito" (Interview). Interviewed by Pinky Webb. CNN Philippines. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- "UHC Act in the Philippines: a new dawn for health care". World Health Organization. March 14, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
- "JV Ejercito: San Juan's Son (AB Political Science)". Impak ng Sikat -DLSU Philippines. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
- "House Members of the 15th Congress of the Philippines". House Members of the Philippine Congress. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
- "HB 4225: Participatory Governance Through CSOs" (PDF). Philippine Congress. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 25, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
- "Mercury Exposure Information Act of 2011" (PDF). Philippine Congress. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 6, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
- "Local Housing Boards Act" (PDF). Philippine Congress. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 6, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
- "Cadastral Survey Act of 2012" (PDF). Philippine Congress. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 6, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
- "Domestic Workers Act of 2012 or Kasambahay Bill" (PDF). Philippine Congress. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
- "Rep. JV Ejercito visits Zambo, announces senatorial bid". zamboangatoday.ph. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
- Ramos, Christia Marie (February 2, 2021). "Ejercito, author of child car seat law, seeks deferment of implementation of law during pandemic". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- "Sandiganbayan issues arrest warrant for JV Ejercito". philstar.com. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
- Ayalin, Adrian. "Sandigan affirms dismissal of JV Ejercito firearms case". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
- Elemia, Camille. "Duterte officially endorses 11 chosen candidates for May 2019". Rappler.
- Torregoza, Hannah. "Senator JV Ejercito says plunder case against his father was more political than legal". news.mb.com.ph. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
- Esguerra, Christian V. "Jinggoy hails Nancy, mocks half-brother JV in battle for 12th spot". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
- Ballaran, Jhoanna (September 7, 2017). "In jest, Ejercito posts photo of own tattoo on Instagram". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
- Tulio, Jason (June 13, 2017). "Senator JV Ejercito wins his first-ever Vios Cup race". Top Gear Philippines. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
- "Vios Cup third and final leg at McKinley West". Philippine Daily Inquirer. October 18, 2014. Retrieved September 23, 2017.