Lord Allan Velasco

Lord Allan Jay Quinto Velasco (born November 9, 1977) is a Filipino politician and lawyer serving as the Speaker of the House of Representatives since October 12, 2020.[3] He is concurrently serving as the Representative of Marinduque's lone district since 2016, and previously from 2010 to 2013.[4] He previously served as the Marinduque chapter president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, and Marinduque provincial administrator under Governor Jose Antonio Carrion.

The Honorable Lord Allan Jay Velasco
27th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
Incumbent
Assumed office October 12, 2020
Preceded by	Alan Peter Cayetano
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Marinduque's lone district
Incumbent
Assumed office February 1, 2016
Preceded by	Regina Ongsiako Reyes
In office June 30, 2010[1][2] – June 30, 2013
Preceded by	Carmencita Reyes
Succeeded by	Regina Ongsiako Reyes
Provincial Administrator of Marinduque
In office January 2008 – December 1, 2009
Governor	Jose Antonio Carrion
Personal details
Born	November 9, 1977
Political party	PDP–Laban (2016–present)
Other political affiliations	NUP (2011–2016) Lakas-Kampi-CMD (2009–2011)
Spouse(s)	Rowena "Wen" Amara ​ (m. 2012)​
Children	5
Parents	Presbitero Velasco Lorna Quinto Velasco
Residence	Mogpog, Marinduque Torrijos, Marinduque
Alma mater	De La Salle University (BS) University of Santo Tomas (LLB)
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Lawyer

Personal life

Early life and family

Velasco was born on November 9, 1977.[5] His father is lawyer Presbitero Velasco Jr., who served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court from 2006 to 2018, and has been governor of their home province Marinduque since 2019.[6][7] His mother, Lorna Quinto Velasco, originally a nurse, ventured into politics: first as the Representative of Ang Mata'y Aalagaan (AMA or MATA) party-list from 2013 to 2016, and from 2016 onwards as mayor of Torrijos, Marinduque.[6][8][9] His sister, Tricia Nicole Velasco-Catera, is also a lawyer. Velasco-Catera was their father's judicial staff head in the Supreme Court, and their mother's chief of staff in the House. She was AMA/MATA party-list's representative from 2016 to 2019.[8][10][11]

Velasco was educated in Manila, earning his Bachelor of Science in business management from De La Salle University, and his Bachelor of Laws from the University of Santo Tomas.[5][6] He was admitted to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in 2005.[12]

Velasco married Rowena "Wen" Amara on September 21, 2012. They have five children: Sophia, Bella, Ramon, Sara, and Lord Jose Maria.[5][12] Wen chairs the Pilipinong May Puso Foundation, a charity launched in 2016 in honor of Soledad Duterte, President Rodrigo Duterte's late mother.[12][13] Several high-profile personalities attended the baptism of their daughter Sara in September 2019: President Duterte, businessman Ramon Ang, senators Bong Go and Sonny Angara, former senator Bongbong Marcos, Secretary of Public Works and Highways Mark Villar, and Quezon City mayor Joy Belmonte.[13]

Friendship with the Dutertes

The Velascos grew close to Rodrigo Duterte when they supported his presidential campaign.[14] On Christmas of 2016, the Velascos celebrated at the Duterte family's house in Davao City.[15] The Velasco couple also organized celebrations for the President's birthday in 2017 and 2018.[14][16] The President and his daughter, Davao City mayor Sara Duterte, were also guests at Velasco's 2018 birthday party.[16] Velasco considers Sara Duterte his "big bike riding buddy".[13] In the 2019 election, the President endorsed the Velasco family, who were running for various offices in Marinduque.[16]

Political career

Provincial Administrator of Marinduque (2008–2009)

Early in his law career, he served as the chapter president of the IBP in Marinduque.[6][12][17] In January 2008, he was appointed as the provincial administrator of Marinduque by Governor Jose Antonio Carrion.[18] He also headed the Provincial Tourism Council where he focused on "sports adventure and community-based tourism".[6] He resigned as provincial administrator on December 1, 2009 to file his candidacy for the province's lone House seat.[19]

House of Representatives (2010–present)

In the 2010 elections, running under Lakas–Kampi, Velasco defeated Edmundo Reyes, the son of then-incumbent representative Carmencita Reyes.[6][12][20] Velasco became the first elected government official in his family.[8]

Velasco was defeated in his bid for re-election in 2013 by Regina Ongsiako Reyes, daughter of incumbent Governor Carmencita Reyes, but Velasco disputed Reyes' victory by noting that Reyes was a United States citizen during the election and was thus ineligible to hold the office. Both the Supreme Court and the COMELEC upheld Velasco's protest. Despite this, House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte maintained that a decision to remove Reyes from her seat is up to the House Electoral Tribunal, where Velasco's case to remove her was still pending. Velasco was later proclaimed as the legitimate representative of Marinduque's lone district and assumed office on February 1, 2016.

He is the incumbent representative of the Lone District of Marinduque and chairman of the House Committee on Energy. He is also the chairman of the Oversight Committee on Solid Waste Management Act and co-chairman of the Joint Congressional Power Commission.

Speaker (2020–present)

Velasco taking his oath of office as House Speaker on October 12, 2020

With Cayetano's refusal to honor the term-sharing agreement after 184 representatives rejected his offer of resignation on September 30, 2020[21][22] and abruptly suspending the House's session on October 6, 2020,[23] Velasco called on Cayetano to resume the House's session before November 16, 2020.[24] He and his allies also affirmed their intent to conduct a session on October 14, 2020 to formalize his assumption as Speaker of the House of Representatives.

During a gathering of 186 representatives at Celebrity Sports Complex in Quezon City, Velasco was elected as House Speaker on October 12, 2020, two days before the term-sharing agreement that he and Alan Peter Cayetano agreed upon in July 2019[25] went into effect.[3] However, Cayetano disputed Velasco's election and called the gathering a "fake session."[26]

On October 13, 2020, Cayetano tendered his "irrevocable resignation" as Speaker through a Facebook live stream,[27] as 186 representatives formally ratified Velasco's election as the new Speaker in the Batasang Pambansa during the start of their special session.[28]

On November 18, Velasco was appointed by the House as legislative caretaker of Cebu City's 1st district after the death of representative Raul del Mar two days earlier.[29]

References

1. Obligacion, Eliseo J. "VELASCO DID IT; THE NANAY RETURNS". marinduquegov.
2. Obligacion, Eliseo J. "P.A. Velasco proclaimed Congressman". marinduquegov.
3. Mercado, Neil Arwin (October 12, 2020). "Velasco installed as new Speaker in session outside House". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
4. Vitug, Marites Dañguilan (December 3, 2009). "SC justice in partisan politics?". ABS-CBN.
5. "Who Is Lord Allan Velasco, the Man Expected to Be Named House Speaker?". Esquire Philippines. Summit Media. September 30, 2020. Archived from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
6. Mercado, Neil Arwin (October 12, 2020). "From quiet Marinduque to raucous speakership trek: Who is Lord Allan Velasco?". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
7. Buan, Lian (May 20, 2019). "Ex-SC justice Velasco is new Marinduque governor". Rappler. Archived from the original on October 5, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
8. "Supreme Court justice's family building a political dynasty?". Rappler. February 27, 2016. Archived from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
9. "2016 Election Results: Mayor, Torrijos". Rappler. May 19, 2016. Archived from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
10. Bueza, Michael (March 15, 2016). "2016 party-list nominees: Taking a 'shortcut' to Congress?". Rappler. Archived from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
11. "PRC probe, disqualification sought against Ang Mata party-list". GMA News. September 18, 2018. Archived from the original on September 19, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
12. Gavilan, Jodesz (September 30, 2020). "Who is Marinduque's Lord Allan Velasco, Cayetano's nemesis?". Rappler. Archived from the original on October 5, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
13. Ranada, Pia (September 23, 2019). "Duterte attends baptism of Lord Allan Velasco's daughter Sara". Rappler. Archived from the original on October 5, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
14. Cepeda, Mara (April 19, 2017). "Lawmakers throw belated birthday bash for Duterte". Rappler. Archived from the original on October 16, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
15. Macas, Trisha (December 26, 2016). "Duterte spends Christmas at home with family". GMA News. Archived from the original on August 12, 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
16. Buan, Lian (May 11, 2019). "Will the Duterte-backed Velascos prevail in Marinduque?". Rappler. Archived from the original on October 5, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
17. Rosario, Ben (October 12, 2020). "Velasco chooses loyalty over fame and power". Manila Bulletin. Archived from the original on October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
18. Cruz, Neal. "Abolish the pork barrel and save tax money". As I See It. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 26, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
19. "SC justice files libel case vs veteran journalist". ABS-CBN News. March 15, 2010. Archived from the original on March 17, 2010. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
20. Obligacion, Eli J. (April 16–22, 2013). "Marinduque local elections, 2013". The MIMAROPA Sunrise. 10 (25). p. 2. ISSN 0116-5343 Check |issn= value (help). Retrieved October 20, 2020.
21. Galvez, Daphne (September 30, 2020). "184 lawmakers reject Cayetano's offer to resign as Speaker". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
22. Quismorio, Ellson (October 7, 2020). "Cayetano's fresh mandate scraps term-sharing deal — Gonzales". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
23. Dela Cruz, Divina Nova Joy (October 7, 2020). "Cayetano suspends session until Nov 16". The Manila Times. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
24. Galvez, Daphne (October 8, 2020). "Velasco joins calls to resume House sessions: 'Time to set aside political differences'". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
25. Ranada, Pia (July 8, 2019). "Duterte says Cayetano is next House Speaker, to share term with Velasco". Rappler. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
26. Gotinga, JC (October 12, 2020). "Cayetano rejects Velasco election, slams 'fake session' at Celebrity Club". Rappler. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
27. "Cayetano concedes to Velasco, resigns as House Speaker". CNN Philippines. October 13, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
28. Cepeda, Mara (October 13, 2020). "It's official: Lord Allan Velasco is new Speaker of the House". Rappler. Retrieved October 13, 2020.
29. Letigio, Delta Dyrecka (November 18, 2020). "Speaker Velasco is now caretaker of Cebu City North District". Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on December 2, 2020. Retrieved December 16, 2020.