The Honorable
JV Ejercito
Ejercito in 2022
Senator of the Philippines
Assumed office
June 30, 2022
In office
June 30, 2013 – June 30, 2019
Senate positions
Senate Deputy Majority Leader
Assumed office
August 2, 2022
Serving with Mark Villar
LeaderJoel Villanueva
Chair of the Philippine Senate
Local Government Committee
Assumed office
July 26, 2022
Preceded byFrancis Tolentino
Chair of the Philippine Senate
Health and Demography Committee
In office
February 27, 2017 – June 30, 2019
Preceded byRisa Hontiveros
Succeeded byBong Go
Chair of the Philippine Senate
Urban Planning, Housing
and Resettlement Committee
In office
July 22, 2013 – June 30, 2019
Preceded byBongbong Marcos
Succeeded byFrancis Tolentino
Member of the
Philippine House of Representatives
from San Juan
In office
June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2013
Preceded byRonaldo Zamora
Succeeded byRonaldo Zamora
Mayor of San Juan
In office
June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2010
Vice MayorLeonardo "Boy" Celles
Preceded byJinggoy Estrada
Succeeded byGuia Gomez
Personal details
Born
Joseph Victor Gomez Ejercito

(1969-12-26) December 26, 1969 (age 54)
Manila, Philippines
Political partyNPC (2018–present)[1]
Other political
affiliations		PMP (2001–2018)[1]
UNA (2012–2018)[2][3]
Hugpong ng Pagbabago (2018–present)[4]
Spouse
Ma. Hyacinth Lotuaco
​
​
(m. 2007)​
[5]
Children2
Parents
RelativesEjercito family
ResidenceSan Juan, Metro Manila
Alma materDe La Salle University (BA)
ProfessionPolitician
Websitejvejercito.com

Joseph Victor Gomez Ejercito (Tagalog pronunciation: [ɛhɛɹˈsɪtɔ];[6] born December 26, 1969), also known as JV Ejercito Estrada or simply JV Ejercito,[3] is a Filipino politician and businessman serving as a Senator since 2022 and previously from 2013 to 2019. He had also served as the representative of San Juan from 2010 to 2013 and was the city's mayor from 2001 to 2010. He is a son of former president Joseph Estrada, and a half-brother of Senator Jinggoy Estrada.

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, in Manila to actors Joseph Ejercito Estrada, the then Mayor-elect of San Juan (then a municipality of Rizal), and Guia Gomez, who is also a businesswoman. His given name Joseph Victor is derived from his father and the latter's electoral protest victory to become San Juan mayor in the same year, respectively.[8]

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.[9]

Political career

San Juan mayor

On February 27, 2001, Ejercito filed his candidacy to run for mayor of San Juan. Despite his father's removal from office as President of the Philippines due to the Second EDSA Revolution a month prior, Ejercito stated that in San Juan, "there is still a strong clamor for me to run."[10] He eventually served as mayor for three consecutive terms from 2001 to 2010. It was during his term when San Juan was converted into a highly urbanized city in 2007. He was succeeded by his mother Guia Gomez.

House of Representatives

During the 2010 elections, Ejercito ran for the position of representative 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:[11]

Senate

Ejercito presiding over a Senate session in 2017

On October 1, 2012, Ejercito filed his certificate of candidacy for the 2013 Philippine Senate election, where he won as the 11th placer out of 12 winning senators elected.[17]

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.[18]

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 mayor.[19] However, Ejercito was cleared of the charges because the case was dismissed.[20]

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.[21] His half-brother, former Senator Jinggoy, who was previously jailed and charged with multiple counts of plunder in 2014, also sought a Senate return. During the campaign, the siblings had a disagreement[22] 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. Eventually, the half-siblings both lost as Ejercito ended up in 13th place, just a spot outside the winning circle, while Estrada finished at 15th place. After conceding defeat, Estrada 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,".[23]

Ejercito sought for a comeback to the Senate in 2022 and won as the 10th placer, earning his second nonconsecutive term.[24] His half-brother Jinggoy Estrada was also successful as he placed 12th.[25] In August 2022, he was elected Deputy Majority Leader and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Government and the Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing and Resettlement.[26]

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.[27] He has also raced in the Toyota Vios Cup.[28][29] He is also an avid cyclist, having received attention for biking from his residence in San Juan to the Senate building in Pasay,[30] and for an incident where he fell off his bike after tripping on a pothole along Roxas Boulevard a year prior.[31]

References

  1. ^ a b 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.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ a b 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.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ "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.
  6. ^ JV Ejercito (March 20, 2019). "'The Source' speaks to JV Ejercito" (Interview). Interviewed by Pinky Webb. CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  7. ^ "UHC Act in the Philippines: a new dawn for health care". World Health Organization. March 14, 2019. Retrieved September 9, 2019.
  8. ^ Fonbuena, Carmela (March 28, 2013). "The 4th Estrada gears up for the Senate". Rappler. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  9. ^ "JV Ejercito: San Juan's Son (AB Political Science)". Impak ng Sikat -DLSU Philippines. November 22, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  10. ^ Donato, Agnes E. (February 28, 2001). "JV bent on getting elected despite pa's downfall". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A25. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  11. ^ "House Members of the 15th Congress of the Philippines". House Members of the Philippine Congress. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  12. ^ "HB 4225: Participatory Governance Through CSOs" (PDF). Philippine Congress. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 25, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  13. ^ "Mercury Exposure Information Act of 2011" (PDF). Philippine Congress. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 6, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  14. ^ "Local Housing Boards Act" (PDF). Philippine Congress. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 6, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  15. ^ "Cadastral Survey Act of 2012" (PDF). Philippine Congress. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 6, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  16. ^ "Domestic Workers Act of 2012 or Kasambahay Bill" (PDF). Philippine Congress. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 22, 2012. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  17. ^ "Rep. JV Ejercito visits Zambo, announces senatorial bid". zamboangatoday.ph. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ "Sandiganbayan issues arrest warrant for JV Ejercito". philstar.com. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
  20. ^ Ayalin, Adrian. "Sandigan affirms dismissal of JV Ejercito firearms case". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
  21. ^ Elemia, Camille (February 14, 2019). "Duterte officially endorses 11 chosen candidates for May 2019". Rappler.
  22. ^ Torregoza, Hannah. "Senator JV Ejercito says plunder case against his father was more political than legal". news.mb.com.ph. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  23. ^ Esguerra, Christian V. "Jinggoy hails Nancy, mocks half-brother JV in battle for 12th spot". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  24. ^ Ranada, Pia (September 29, 2021). "House of Estrada seeks comeback: JV, Jinggoy running for senator in 2022". Rappler. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  25. ^ "Together again: Siblings JV Ejercito, Jinggoy Estrada make it to Senate 'Magic 12'". Rappler. September 29, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  26. ^ Bordey, Hana (August 2, 2022). "Ejercito, Mark Villar named Senate deputy majority leaders". GMA News. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  27. ^ Ballaran, Jhoanna (September 7, 2017). "In jest, Ejercito posts photo of own tattoo on Instagram". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  28. ^ Tulio, Jason (June 13, 2017). "Senator JV Ejercito wins his first-ever Vios Cup race". Top Gear Philippines. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  29. ^ "Vios Cup third and final leg at McKinley West". Philippine Daily Inquirer. October 18, 2014. Retrieved September 23, 2017.
  30. ^ Tamayo, Bernadette (July 27, 2022). "JV Ejercito bikes from home to work". The Manila Times. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  31. ^ Madarang, Catalina (November 22, 2021). "JV Ejercito's minor accident in Manila triggers calls for safer bike lanes". InterAksyon. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
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