Ramon Mitra Jr. | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Mitra in 1986 | |
| 16th Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives | |
| In office July 27, 1987 – June 30, 1992 | |
| Preceded by | Nicanor Yñiguez (as Speaker of the Regular Batasang Pambansa) |
| Succeeded by | Jose de Venecia Jr. |
| House Minority Leader | |
| In office June 12, 1971 – January 24, 1972 | |
| Preceded by | Justiniano Montano |
| Succeeded by | Ramon Felipe Jr. |
| Minister/Secretary of Agriculture | |
| In office March 25, 1986 – March 9, 1987 | |
| President | Corazon Aquino |
| Preceded by | Salvador Escudero |
| Succeeded by | Carlos Dominguez III |
| Member of theRegular Batasang Pambansa | |
| In office June 30, 1984 – March 25, 1986 | |
| Constituency | Palawan |
| Member of theHouse of Representatives fromPalawan | |
| In office June 30, 1987 – June 30, 1992 | |
| Preceded by | District established |
| Succeeded by | Alfredo Amor Abueg Jr. |
| Constituency | 2nd district |
| In office December 30, 1965 – December 30, 1971 | |
| Preceded by | Gaudencio Abordo |
| Succeeded by | District abolished |
| Constituency | at-large district |
| Senator of the Philippines | |
| In office December 30, 1971 – September 23, 1972[1] | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ramon Villarosa Mitra Jr. (1928-02-04)February 4, 1928 |
| Died | March 20, 2000(2000-03-20) (aged 72) |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Party | LDP (1988–2000) |
| Other political affiliations | LnB (1987–1988) PDP–Laban (1983–1987) Laban (1978–1983) Liberal (1965-1978) |
| Spouse | Cecilia Aldeguer Blanco |
| Children | 7, includingRamon III,Abraham andRaul |
| Alma mater | San Beda College (LL.B) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Ramon Villarosa Mitra Jr. (February 4, 1928 – March 20, 2000) was a Filipino statesman, diplomat, and pro-democracy activist. He served asspeaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from 1987 to 1992. Prior to that, he wasCorazon Aquino's firstminister of Agriculture from 1986 to 1987, a member of theBatasang Pambansa from 1984 to 1986 and a senator during the7th Congress.
Mitra was born on February 4, 1928, inside theIwahig Penal Colony inPuerto Princesa,Palawan to Ramon Mitra and Purification Villarosa.[2] At the time of his birth, his father was the superintendent of the penal colony.[3] He attended public school for elementary education and took his secondary education inSan Beda College. He finished his degree inliberal arts inBaguio and obtained hisBachelor of Laws in San Beda College.[2]
Mitra was a foreign service officer inWashington, D.C., and at theUnited Nations from 1954 to 1961. In 1961, he was special assistant to theOffice of the President. He then became a senior technical assistant to theManilamayor's office from 1962 to 1965.[2]
Mitra's political career began when he ran and won a seat in theHouse of Representatives representingPalawan's at-large congressional district during the1965 general election. He ran again for a second term in 1969 and won again, but resigned before completing his term to run for theSenate in 1971. During his first stint in the House, he was the minority leader for five years.
Mitra was one of the eight candidates fielded by theLiberal Party for the1971 Senate election. In August 1971, during a campaign rally held inPlaza Miranda to proclaim their candidacies, a deadlybombing occurred which caused 9 deaths and injured 95, including Mitra. He acquired 32 shrapnel wounds and 13 shrapnel buried in his body.[4]
He won sixth place in the election with around 3 million votes. In September 1972, his term was cut short bymartial law and was subsequently arrested. He was one of the first arrested and jailed whenFerdinand Marcos declared martial law.
In 1978, Mitra unsuccessfully ran for theInterim Batasang Pambansa together with former SenatorNinoy Aquino. In 1984, he was elected as an assemblyman to theRegular Batasang Pambansa. After thePeople Power Revolution in 1986, Mitra joined the Aquino administration and was appointed as Agriculture Minister.
After the restoration of theHouse of Representatives, he ran for the second district ofPalawan. He was eventually elected as Speaker of the House at its inaugural session. During his sterling leadership of the House, major bills were passed into laws of the country and instituted policies,[specify] aimed at enhancing the functions of the House as a legislative institution.
In 1991, Mitra, who was also the party president of theLDP, was selected at a party convention as the candidate forPresident of the Philippines, defeatingDefense SecretaryFidel V. Ramos for the nomination. Ramos left the LDP and formed his own party, theLakas ng Tao. Mitra's bid was difficult because he was branded as a "traditional politician"[5] and suffered many controversies, including the alleged use of the congressional printing press for his election materials. Mitra ultimately lost the1992 presidential election to Ramos.
Atelevision film based on Mitra's life was planned to be directed by Lupita Kashiwahara, written by Baby Nebrida, and starCesar Montano.[6]
In 1995, he agreed to create a coalition with Ramos and formed theLakas-Laban Coalition. In the1995 Philippine general election, he ran forsenator but lost. In the1998 general election, he returned to the political spotlight as a key supporter ofJoseph Estrada's successful presidential campaign. Estrada rewarded Mitra by naming him president of the state-ownedPhilippine National Oil Corporation.
Popularly known as "Monching", he married Cecilia Aldeguer Blanco in April 1959 and had six sons. The third son,Ramon III, graduated from thePhilippine Military Academy in 1988 and served in thePhilippine Marine Corps before running for senator in the2010 elections. The fourth son, Bernardo, has been working for government in various capacities since 1989. The youngest son,Abraham Kahlil, was the governor of Palawan from 2010 to 2013. He had an illegitimate son,Raul, who is a composer and songwriter.[7]
During a night rally of farmers and fishermen in the midst of the 1992 presidential elections, he told his story about his poor life:
All candidates say they're going to do something about poverty, I don't doubt the sincerity of their words. But do they really know how it is to be poor? Do they really know how it is to be hungry, really hungry? I do. Do they know how to throw a fishing net, how to fish from a boat through the long night? I do. The farmer who follows the carabao, what he thinks and what he feels, is something I know very well.[8]
With that, Mitra confessed he was born out of wedlock, reared barefoot and hungry, who caught crocodiles as a youth and was shunned by his affluent father.[9]
He had a lifelong involvement with cattle. He was chairman of the Farm Management Enterprises Corporation which owned and operated farm cattle ranches and was a breeder of gamecocks, thoroughbred horses, and cattle. When he conceded defeat in the 1992 presidential race, he found solace within the fences of his ranch and after which, continued to live his life as a farmer.
Mitra died at theMakati Medical Center fromliver cancer on March 20, 2000, at the age of 72. One of his last requests was to be buried beside a lighthouse inPalawan with simple funeral rites. In one of his last interviews, he said"the lighthouse overlooks the ocean where all boats entering and leaving Puerto Princesa Bay pass by. By making that my final resting place, I can continuously guide and protect my people."
A building was named after him serving as the West Wing in theBatasang Pambansa Complex inQuezon City.
| House of Representatives of the Philippines | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Gaudencio Abordo | Representative Palawan'sat-large district 1965–1972 | Vacant District dissolved Title next held by HimselfasMambabatas Pambansa (Assemblyman) |
| Preceded by | Minority Floor Leader 1971–1972 | Succeeded by Ramon Felipe Jr. |
| Recreated Title last held by Himselfas Representative | Mambabatas Pambansa (Assemblyman) Palawan'sat-large district 1984–1986 | District dissolved |
| New district | Representative Palawan's2nd district 1987–1992 | Succeeded by Alfredo Amor Abueg Jr. |
| Recreated Title last held by Nicanor Yñiguez | Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines 1987–1992 | Succeeded by |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by | Minister and Secretary of Agriculture 1986–1987 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| First | LDP nominee forPresident of the Philippines 1992 | Vacant SupportedJoseph Estrada (LAMMP) Title next held by Panfilo Lacson |
| Malolos Congress |
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| Philippine Assembly |
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| House of Representatives | ||
| National Assembly | ||
| House of Representatives | ||
| Batasang Pambansa |
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| House of Representatives |
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