Joel Villanueva | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Official Senate portrait, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senate Deputy Minority Leader | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office September 9, 2025 Serving with Rodante Marcoleta | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Leader | Alan Peter Cayetano | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Juan Miguel Zubiri | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senate Majority Leader | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office July 28, 2025 – September 8, 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | JV Ejercito Rodante Marcoleta | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Francis Tolentino | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Juan Miguel Zubiri | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office July 25, 2022 – May 20, 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy | JV Ejercito Mark Villar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Migz Zubiri | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Francis Tolentino | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senator of the Philippines | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Assumed office June 30, 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Director General of theTechnical Education and Skills Development Authority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office June 30, 2010 – October 13, 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Benigno Aquino III | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Augusto Syjuco, Jr. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Irene Isaac | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Member of theHouse of Representatives forCIBAC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office February 6, 2002 – June 30, 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Emmanuel Joel Jose Villanueva (1975-08-02)August 2, 1975 (age 50) Bocaue, Bulacan, Philippines | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Political party | Independent (2013–2015; 2019–present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations | Liberal (2015–2019)[1] Bangon (2004–2013) CIBAC (2001–present) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Gladys Cruz | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parents |
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| Alma mater | University of Santo Tomas (BS) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | Official website | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Basketball career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College | UST | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Congress-LGU Legislators | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| c. 2014 | Malacañang Patriots | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016-present | Senate Defenders | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Emmanuel Joel Jose Villanueva[2] (/vɪljɑːnuːwɛbɑː/, born August 2, 1975), nicknamed "Tesdaman",[3] is a Filipino politician andpastor who has served as senator of the Philippines since 2016 as an independent politician. He previously held the position ofSenate majority leader from 2022 to 2024 and again from July 2025 to September 2025.
A son of evangelist and politicianEddie Villanueva, founder ofJesus Is Lord Church Worldwide, he is a graduate of theUniversity of Santo Tomas. He initially dreamt of becoming a professional basketball player[4] before starting his political career in theHouse of Representatives, representingCIBAC party-list from 2002 to 2010. Entering the chamber at the age of 26, he was the youngest member of the House when he assumed office. From 2010 to 2015, he served as the Director General of theTechnical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) from 2010 to 2015 in theadministration of PresidentBenigno Aquino III.
Joel Villanueva was born on August 2, 1975, inBocaue,Bulacan. He is the second of four children of thePhilippine Christian evangelistEddie Villanueva and Adoracion "Dory" Jose-Villanueva.[5] He attended theUniversity of Santo Tomas where he graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree, with a Major in Economics. He attendedHarvard Extension School in the United States for Special Studies in Business Administration from 1996 to 1998.[6]
Villanueva has claimed that he was among the people who initiated theSecond EDSA Revolution against PresidentJoseph Estrada in January 2001, alleging that he blockedEpifanio de los Santos Avenue with his car in protest of Estrada's corrupt administration.[4]
Villanueva was elected to the PhilippineHouse of Representatives in 2001 as aparty-list representative of theCitizens' Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC).[7] However, his oath-taking was stalled for seven months following issues that CIBAC was an extension of theJesus Is Lord Church Worldwide, a Christian church founded by his father,Eddie Villanueva. At age 26, Villanueva took his oath of office in February 2002, becoming the youngest member of the House of Representatives (a distinction previously held by Felix William Fuentebella).[8]
Villanueva was a member of the12th,13th, and14th Congresses spanning 2001 through 2010. At the 12th Congress, he became the first party-list representative, minority leader of the House'sCommission on Appointments, and assistant majority leader in the House. He was also among the principal sponsors of Republic Act No. 9485 (the Anti Red-Tape Law of 2007).[7] In the 13th Congress, he served as a deputy minority leader in the House.[9][10]
He was appointed by PresidentBenigno Aquino III as TESDA chief in 2010.[11] Upon assuming his post as head of TESDA, Villanueva initiated an audit of the agency stemming from a₱2.4 billion sponsorship debt related to undocumented TESDA scholarships. The audit reduced the agency's debt to₱880 million after eliminating "ghost schools" and "ghost scholars".[12]
As TESDA chief, he initiated the "Shoot for your Dream" series, an aspirational program which involved exhibition games featuringPhilippine Basketball Association legends.[13] Villanueva himself played as part of the basketball exhibition team, named "Team Trabaho".[11]
Under his watch, TESDA's central office, as well as 17 regional offices and 81 provincial offices, were grantedISO certifications. Among these certifications included the office at theAutonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the first TESDA office to receive such a certification in Mindanao.[14]
While in office as Director General ofTESDA, he completed an extensive vocational course in Advanced Food and Beverage Services within the agency for training as abarista.[7]
In August 2016, the National Bureau of Investigation filed graft and corruption charges against Joel Villanueva, SenatorGregorio Honasan, and other lawmakers in relation to thepork barrel scam.[15]
Prior to launching a senatorial bid, he tendered his resignation from the post on October 9, 2015.[16] His resignation became effective on October 13, 2015, and President Benigno Aquino III named TESDA deputy director general Irene Isaac as his successor.[17]
Villanueva ran for senator under theKoalisyon ng Daang Matuwid in the2016 senatorial elections. He was also a shared candidate in the 10-member senatorial slate of the late presidential candidateMiriam Defensor Santiago.[18] He filed his certificate of candidacy at theCommission on Elections on October 16, 2015.[19] He unexpectedly won the Senate race, landing in second place with 18,459,222 votes.[20]
Campaigning under the moniker "TESDA Man"[21] (alternatively spelled asTesdaman) alluding to his previous experience as head of TESDA, Villanueva's platform is focused on employment. His platform is likewise abbreviated into TESDA – which stands forTrabaho, Edukasyon, Serbisyo, Dignidad and Asenso (Employment, Education, Service, Dignity and Progress).[22]
On November 14, 2016, OmbudsmanConchita Carpio Morales ordered Villanueva's dismissal from public service for "grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and conduct prejudicial to the interest of the service" over alleged misuse of hisPriority Development Assistance Fund in 2008 during his tenure as a CIBAC representative amounting to 10 million pesos. Villanueva claimed that the incriminating documents against him were forged.[23][24] The Commission on Audit ordered the disallowance of the P10-million transaction in 2014.[25] According to the Ombudsman, funds were released through bogus NGOs for an agricultural and livelihood "ghost project".[23] The Ombudsman also flagged other irregularities, such as how the list of beneficiaries was bogus and the fact that the beneficiary towns were not suitable for farming.[25] Other supporting documents were allegedly fabricated, including liquidation, disbursement records, and accomplishment reports.[25] The Ombudsman directed Senate PresidentKoko Pimentel to implement the order against Villanueva.[26] Amid the administrative charged filed after a series of in-depth Ombudsman investigations, criminal charges were also filed against Villanueva in the Sandiganbayan, which include two counts of violation of the Anti Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and one count of malversation through falsification of public documents.[23]
In July 2019, OmbudsmanSamuel Martires granted Villanueva's motion to reconsideration against Morales' 2016 decision.[27] This decision was not widely known to the public until only October 2025, when Martires' successorJesus Crispin Remulla planned to communicate to the Senate urging them to implement the 2016 decision. Remulla cited what he called was Martires' "secret order" to abort his plan to write to the Senate, previously oblivious to the existence of the 2019 decision.[27][28]
Villanueva earlier called Remulla's bid as "harassment" and has documents dated September 10, 2025 from both the Sandiganbayan and the Office of the Ombudsman that he is not facing any pending cases.[29]
Villanueva ran for re-election in the2022 senatorial elections. Running as an independent candidate, he was named as a guest candidate of theLacson–Sotto,MP3 Alliance, andTRoPa slates.[30] According to data from Nielsen, Villanueva was among the biggest campaign spenders in the Senate race, having spent₱1.73 billion during the pre-campaign period and₱1.05 billion during the campaign period.[31] He was successful, landing ninth place with 18,539,537 votes. He was later namedSenate majority leader at the opening of the19th Congress.[9][10]New San Jose Builders gave Villanueva a campaign donation of₱20 million, which was biggest corporate donation to a senatorial aspirant in the 2022 elections.[32] ThePhilippine Center for Investigative Journalism noted that the donation constitutes a possible election violation of the ban on giving or receiving donations from corporations with active government contracts.[33]
Upon the opening of the19th Congress on July 25, 2022, Villanueva regained his title as theSenate majority floor leader. He would serve in this capacity until leadership changes on May 20, 2024, when SenatorFrancis Escudero became theSenate President, replacing SenatorMigz Zubiri. He was succeeded byFrancis Tolentino.
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In September 2024, the House Committee on Appropriations plans to cut₱1.29 billion to the proposed₱2 billion budget of the Office of the Vice President in 2025. According to the said committee, this was due to the "lack of information" given from Vice PresidentSara Duterte. Villanueva questioned the budget cut and treatment made by the House committee on the OVP. He cited some "inconsistency" and encourage that the committee must continue tradition of implementing the rules regardless of the officials involved.[34]
In June 2025, during theimpeachment trial of Vice PresidentSara Duterte, Villanueva was caught on video coaching SenatorImee Marcos to interrupt and derail the manifestation speech of SenatorRisa Hontiveros. In the video, Villanueva stated to Marcos, "Go to the microphone. Say that the point of order takes precedence.Para tumigil sya (transl. so she will stop talking – referring to Hontiveros)." Political experts note that the video seems to show a conspiracy of senators, namely Villanueva, Marcos, Ejercito, and Dela Rosa, attempting to cut off an incumbent senator's speech on impeachment procedure. Villanueva was among the 18 senators who voted to "return" the articles of impeachment to the House of Representatives.[23] The return has been called "illegal" by various political and law experts.[35]
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Upon the opening of the20th Congress on July 28, 2025, Villanueva regained his title as theSenate majority floor leader, as Francis Tolentino was not re-elected in theMay 2025 election. On September 9, 2025, a day afterTito Sotto replacedFrancis Escudero as theSenate President, Villanueva became aSenate deputy minority floor leader, alongside SenatorRodante Marcoleta.[36]
In September 2025, Villanueva was alleged to have used₱600 million for anomalous flood control projects inBalagtas,Bulacan, and received 30% or₱150 million in kickbacks.[37][38] Department of Justice SecretaryBoying Remulla said that the National Bureau of Investigation is set to file charges of indirect bribery and malversation against Joel Villanueva and fellow senatorJinggoy Estrada.[39] Joel's father,Jesus Is Lord Church founderEddie Villanueva, using the name of God, afterwards threatened investigators and the public for investigating the corrupt practices of his son.[40]
While he was a student of the University of Santo Tomas, Villanueva played with theUST Growling Tigers varsity basketball team, that won theUAAP Season 56 and57 of 1994–1995.[13] Villanueva was part of thePhilippines national basketball team that competed in international basketball competitions[11] such as the inaugural 1994SEABA Championship (coached byVirgil Villavicencio).[41]
He returned to competitive basketball in 2013, playing for the Congress-LGU Legislators in theUNTV Cup. In 2014, he played for theMalacañang Patriots.[42] After winning a Senate seat, Villanueva joined the Senate Defenders basketball team, in preparations for the opening of Season 5 of the UNTV Cup.[43] He was part of the Defenders' championship team that won theUNTV CupSeason 6 in 2018.[44]
Villanueva was given the Gawad Dangal ng Lipi for Public Service Award by the Bulacan provincial government on September 15, 2012. The Development Executive Group (DevEx) an organization based in the United States gave him the DEVEX Manila 40 Under 40 International Development Leaders Award on February 19, 2013. A former student of the University of Santo Tomas, he was named as Most Outstanding Alumni Award by the university.[6]He was granted anHonoris Causa degree of Doctor of Humanities by thePolytechnic University of the Philippines on May 10, 2013.[7]
Villanueva has two children, Jaden and Gwyn.[11] As a basketball enthusiast, Villanueva is reportedly a fan of theBoston Celtics of theNational Basketball Association.[12] He formerly hosted the television program,Adyenda, and leads the Kristiyanong Kabataan para sa Bayan Movement, a youth organization.[7]
Villanueva is a member of apolitical family. His father, Jesus Is Lord (JIL) founder Eddie Villanueva is a congressman representing CIBAC Party-list. His brother Jonjon is mayor of Bocaue in Bulacan and his sister Joni was the former mayor of Bocaue whose husbandSherwin Tugna is the incumbent vice mayor of Bocaue. The family has been described as an "obese dynasty". Addressing the critical label of "political dynasty" to the Villanuevas, his father Eddie Villanueva stated that the term is "not applicable" to them and that they are "here for advocacy".[23]
| Year | Office | Party | Votes received | Result | ||||
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| Total | % | P. | Swing | |||||
| 2001 | Representative (Party-list) | CIBAC | 323,810 | 4.96% | 5th | — | Won | |
| 2004 | 495,193 | 3.89% | 6th | -1.07 | Won | |||
| 2007 | 755,735 | 4.72% | 3rd | +0.83 | Won | |||
| 2016 | Senator of the Philippines | Liberal | 18,459,222 | 41.04% | 2nd | — | Won | |
| 2022 | Independent | 18,486,034 | 33.28% | 9th | -7.76 | Won | ||
"You can file a resolution, you can investigate on the confidential funds. That's what I mean. If you do that as well, well if you do that, that is your decision then, do it consistently do it in other agencies. Hindi lang naman Office of the Vice President ang may kwestyon sa (not only the Office of the Vice President has questions on its) confidential funds," Villanueva explained.
Senatorial history of Joel Villanueva | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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