Jonvic Remulla | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2024 | |
| 42ndSecretary of the Interior and Local Government | |
| Assumed office October 8, 2024 | |
| President | Bongbong Marcos |
| Preceded by | Benhur Abalos |
| 31stGovernor of Cavite | |
| In office June 30, 2019 – October 8, 2024 | |
| Vice Governor | Jolo Revilla (2019–2022) Athena Tolentino (2022–2024) |
| Preceded by | Jesus Crispin Remulla |
| Succeeded by | Athena Tolentino |
| In office June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2016 | |
| Vice Governor | Recto Cantimbuhan (2010–2013) Jolo Revilla (2013–2016) |
| Preceded by | Ayong Maliksi |
| Succeeded by | Jesus Crispin Remulla |
| Vice Governor ofCavite | |
| In office February 6, 1998 – June 30, 2007 | |
| Governor | Bong Revilla (1998–2001) Ayong Maliksi (2001–2007) |
| Preceded by | Bong Revilla |
| Succeeded by | Dencito Campaña |
| Member of theCavite Provincial Board from the2nd district | |
| In office June 30, 1995 – February 6, 1998 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Juanito Victor Catibayan Remulla Jr. (1967-10-23)October 23, 1967 (age 58) |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Political party | NUP (since 2021) Partido Magdalo (local) |
| Other political affiliations | UNA (2014–2016) Lakas (2012–2014) Nacionalista (2009–2012; 2016–2021) LDP (before 2005) |
| Spouse | Agnes Tirona |
| Children | 6 |
| Parent |
|
| Relatives |
|
| Alma mater | University of the Philippines Diliman (AB) |
| Profession | Public servant,politician |
Juanito Victor "Jonvic"Catibayan Remulla Jr. ([ˈdʒɔnbɪkrɛˈmuljɐ]; born October 23, 1967) is a Filipino politician who has served as the 42ndsecretary of the interior and local government since 2024. He previously served as the 31stgovernor of Cavite from 2019 to 2024 and from 2010 to 2016, and had previously served as vice governor and as a member of theCavite Provincial Board. He is a son of former governorJuanito Remulla Sr. and sibling of fellow politiciansGilbert andJesus Crispin Remulla.
Remulla entered politics in 1995, when he won as board member of the second district of Cavite. Three years later, in 1998, he was elected as vice governor, a post he held for three terms and in 2010, he became governor. He became a governor again when he defeated former governorAyong Maliksi in the2019 elections.
Remulla was born on October 23, 1967, toJuanito "Johnny" Remulla, who was then a member of theCavite Provincial Board and later governor, and Ditas Catibayan. He is a member of the Remulla family, a known political dynasty in Cavite led by his father, who was later elected Cavite governor in 1979. He took up his elementary education atDe La Salle University before the school moved toGreenhills, then took secondary education atAteneo de Manila University.[1] In college, he studied at theUniversity of the Philippines Diliman, where he became a member of theUpsilon Sigma Phi fraternity in direct imitation of his father.[2] He graduated with a degree in philosophy.
In 1995, Remulla ran forboard member of Cavite in the second district and won. He ran for vice governor in 1998 and was elected. Three years later, in 2001, he sought reelection with 2nd District RepresentativeAyong Maliksi, a protégé of his family, as his running mate and their tandem won. The two would win again in the2004 elections.
Following the election, he broke ties with Maliksi when he filed an administrative case against Maliksi before theOffice of the Ombudsman in connection with an anomalous purchase of₱7.5 million (aboutUS$134,000) worth of rice in 2004. As a result, Maliksi was issued a six-month preventive suspension order on August 15, 2005, and he assumed office as acting governor.[3] Maliksi filed a petition and his suspension was lifted on October 24, 2005, when he was granted apreliminary injunction. Remulla would become acting governor again on April 4, 2006, when theCourt of Appeals lifted Maliksi's preliminary injunction.[4] Nine months later, on January 10, 2007, Remulla became acting governor for the third time when theDepartment of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) ordered the six-month preventive suspension order again on Maliksi.[5] In a surprise announcement the same month, he said he would not run as governor against Maliksi in theMay 2007 elections.[6] OmbudsmanMerceditas Gutierrez lifted the suspension order a month later for lack of merit.[7]
.png)
Remulla made a comeback in politics in 2010, when he ran for governor. In the race, he defeated Vice Governor Dencito Campaña, who had the backing of Maliksi.
Under his tenure, Cavite was cited as one of the top-performing provinces in the Philippines by theDepartment of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). Also, it is the first and only province to beISO 9001:2008 certified.[8]
In the2013 elections, Remulla sought a second term as governor, with actor and Cavite Liga ng mga Barangay (League of Barangays) PresidentJolo Revilla, son of SenatorBong Revilla and RepresentativeLani Mercado, as his running mate. Maliksi challenged him in the race. During the campaign, Remulla accused Maliksi of being involved in the anomalousLRT extension project, where ₱500 million (about US$11.162 million) was allotted for 2,000 housing units, road, lighting and water projects, relocation sites and payments for the residents directly affected by the development. Remulla even threatened to resign if his allegations are proven wrong. And he saidMas mabuti ang mamigay, wag lang magnakaw (transl. It's better to give, not to steal)[9] Despite most surveys showing Maliksi would beat him by a wide margin, Remulla went on to win the election by more than 50,000 votes. Jolo Revilla also won, beating Maliksi's running mate, Ronald Jay Lacson, son of SenatorPanfilo Lacson.
He was named as one ofPeople Asia magazine's "People of the Year" in 2013, along withMegan Young, who wonMiss World 2013.
In 2014, Remulla was assigned by Vice PresidentJejomar Binay as his new spokesperson.[10] Remulla was supposed to run for his last term as governor in2016 but he decided to quit as Binay asked him to becomesecretary of the interior and local government should Binay win the presidency. He also cited plans to pursue postgraduate studies as a reason for retiring from the governorship.[11] His brother,Jesus Crispin, ran in his stead and later won. However, as of April 29, 2016, Remulla was confirmed to have left Binay's camp in support of presidential candidateRodrigo Duterte.[12]
Remulla successfully sought a comeback as governor in2019, defeating former Governor Maliksi for the second time. He sought re-election2022 and won, this time withTagaytay councilorAthena Tolentino, the daughter of 8th district representativeAbraham Tolentino, as his running mate. He also supported the successfulcampaign of presidential candidateBongbong Marcos and vice-presidential candidateSara Duterte.[13]
Remulla initially intended to run for his third and last consecutive term as theGovernor of Cavite in2025, with incumbent Vice GovernorAthena Tolentino as his running mate. However, he and Tolentino withdrew their certificates of candidacy on October 7, 2024, six days after filing those, and he was appointed by PresidentBongbong Marcos as thesecretary of the interior and local government,[14] succeeding senatorial candidateBenhur Abalos. He eventually vacated the post of the Governor of Cavite, of which Vice Governor Tolentino would later assume the governorship to finish out his remaining gubernatorial term from October 8, 2024.[15] He was replaced in the gubernatorial race by his nephew,7th district Board MemberAbeng Remulla.[16]
Remulla took oath as secretary on October 8, 2024.[17][18]
Remulla is married to Agnes Tirona, aphysician, with whom he has five children.
Remulla is the team manager of theUP Fighting Maroons (Men's Senior Basketball Team) and was instrumental in recruiting and building the team which eventually ended a 32-year finals drought in theUniversity Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). In game 1 of the2018 Season 81basketball finals against top-rankedAteneo Blue Eagles, Remulla was handed atechnical foul in violation of the "cooling-off" period when he attempted to approach the game officials prior to the start of the 3rd quarter.[19][20]
Remulla is also a fan of South Korean entertainment, noting howKorean dramas andK-pop inspire Filipinos and strengthen cultural ties, as Koreans are also the top tourists in the Philippines. He believes in learning from Korea's achievements, seeing their success as a model Filipinos can aspire to.[21]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Vice Governor of Cavite 1999–2007 | Succeeded by Dencito Campaña |
| Preceded by | Governor of Cavite 2010–2016 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Jesus Crispin Remulla | Governor of Cavite 2019–2024 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Secretary of the Interior and Local Government 2024–present | Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| First | Nacionalista nominee for Governor of Cavite 2010,2019 | Most recent |
| First | NUP nominee for Governor of Cavite 2022 | Succeeded by Abeng Remulla |
| Order of precedence | ||
| Preceded byasSecretary of Environment and Natural Resources | Order of Precedence of the Philippines asSecretary of the Interior and Local Government | Succeeded byasSecretary of Tourism |