Rene Espina[1] | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait | |
| 18thGovernor of Cebu | |
| In office 30 December 1963 – 30 December 1969 | |
| Vice Governor | Priscillano Almendras (1963–1967) Osmundo G. Rama (1968–1969) |
| Preceded by | Francisco Remotigue |
| Succeeded by | Osmundo G. Rama |
| Secretary of the Public Works, Transportation, and Communication | |
| In office November 1968 – 24 September 1969 | |
| President | Ferdinand Marcos |
| Preceded by | Antonio Raquiza |
| Succeeded by | Manuel Syquio |
| Senator of the Philippines | |
| In office 30 December 1969 – 23 September 1972 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 December 1929 |
| Died | 13 September 2019 (aged 89)[1] |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Party | KBL (1978-1986) Nacionalista (1969-1972) Liberal (1963-1969) |
| Alma mater | University of Southern Philippines |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Jesus Marino "Rene" Gandiongco Espina[1] (26 December 1929 – 13 September 2019[1]) was aFilipino lawyer, legislator, and politician. He served as Governor of the province ofCebu,Philippines (1963–1969) andSenator (1970–1973).
Rene Espina was born to Rafael Webb Espina and Tarcela Veloso Gandiongco inCebu City, Cebu on 26 December 1929. He earned his law degree from the University of Southern Philippines and was one of the top passers from the bar exams when he became lawyer on 22 January 1955. The family's old house was located along Gervasio Lavilles Street, Cebu City. His marriage to Rufinita de Leon Remollo fromNegros Oriental bore three children, including Rene Mari, Jean Franco, and Cebu City councilor Erik Miguel Espina,[2] who was appointed by Rodrigo Duterte to replace dismissed councilor James Anthony Cuenco.[3]
Espina was appointed Social Security System chair by then PresidentDiosdado Macapagal[4][5] from 1962 to 1963.[6]
He received the endorsement of Macapagal as the official candidate for governor of theLiberal Party on 9 September 1963.[7][8] On 12 November 1963, he defeated incumbent governor Francisco "Kikoy" Remotigue of theNacionalista Party by over 73,000 votes and was electedGovernor of Cebu. Priscillano Almendras was voted Vice Governor and the members of the Provincial Board were Nazario Pacquiao, Salutario Fernandez and Isidro Escario. Espina switched to Nacionalista Party during his campaign for reelection as governor in 1967, and won over Priscillano Almendras of the Liberal Party.[8]
Then President Ferdinand Marcos appointed him as Secretary of the Public Works, Transportation, and Communication in November 1968, serving as both governor and member of the Cabinet. It was during this time that the plans for theMactan Bridge were initiated,[9] and Espina oversaw the completion of its construction when he became part of the advisers of Marcos afterCongress was dissolved on the establishment ofmartial law in the country in 1972.[10]
He resigned from the Cabinet post to run for theSenate under the Nacionalista Party in September 1969, and he was succeeded by Antonio Syquio. On 11 November 1969,[9] he was voted Senator of the7th Congress and served from 1970 to 1973.[11] He crafted the country's first anti-drug law, Republic Act 6425 otherwise known as the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972.[8][12]
During the 1978 election for theInterim Batasang Pambansa, he was one of the 13 candidates together with Eduardo Gullas, Ramon Durano III, Tito Calderon, Emilio Osmeña andAntonio Cuenco for the Marcos-backed political partyKilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) to representRegion VII.[13] However, none of them were elected and instead, all 13 candidates from the local political party,Pusyon Bisaya that includedNatalio Bacalso and which received widespread support, were voted to represent all seats for the region.[14]
Espina was a columnist for theManila Bulletin.[15]
On 11 April 2019, 110 farmers were installed as agrarian reform beneficiaries by theDepartment of Agrarian Reform (DAR) on the 150-hectare land owned by Espina in Polo,Tanjay City, Negros Oriental.[16]
Governor Espina died on 13 September 2019, at a private hospital in Cebu City due to an untreated infection brought about by dialysis. He was already undergoing dialysis thrice a week due to his previous untreated pneumonia that affected his kidneys. He was 89 years of age.[1]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)| Spanish Colonial Period |
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| See also | ||
1 Disputed inaugural Governor 2 Appointed 3 Appointed OIC 4 Acting Governor | ||