Former Vice President of the Republic of the Philippines. He is a human rights lawyer, a civic leader, an author, a public servant, and currently, the Dean Emeritus of the University of Makati, College of Law.
As a human rights lawyer, he was a founding member, along with Senators Joker P. Arroyo and Rene A.V. Saguisag of the Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity and Nationalism, Inc. (MABINI) that fearlessly fought for victims of Martial Law. He also became Chairman – Manila Chapter of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) and served as Legal Counsel of the August Twenty One Movement (ATOM).
As a civic leader, he has been the National President of Boy Scouts of the Philippines since 1998; Chairman, Finance Sub Committee, and Treasurer, Scout Foundation Management Committee, of World Scout Organization-Asia-Pacific Region; Chairman (1992-1993, 1995-1998) of the Metro Manila Mayors’ League; Vice-President (1993-1997), Executive Committee, of the Network of Local Authorities; Member of the Rotary Club of Makati; Member, Board of Trustees of the Jeepney Drivers’ Foundation, Inc.; President of the Naval Reservists of the Phils. (NAVRESPHIL); Founding Member and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Makati Fire Safety Foundation, Inc.; Charter Member and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Construction Safety Foundation, Inc.; Chairman of the Philippine Tuberculosis Society- Metro Manila Cities & Mun. Division; and Chairman of the Bagong Katipunan Foundation, Inc.
As an author, he published the books Rambotito, Basurero, Usisero, Atbp. in 1993 and Governance Matters (Selected Writings and Speeches) in 2005. His life as a public servant began when he was the first local executive appointed by President Corazon Aquino after the EDSA Revolution. He also held the position of Governor of the Metropolitan Manila Commission prior to his election as Mayor of Makati. He served as Mayor of Makati for six (6) terms from 1988 to 2010. He also served as Chairman of the Metro Manila Peace and Order Council (1990-1992) Metro Manila Development Authority (1998-2001). He is a Colonel (0-125795) (Reservist) of the AF Philippine Navy (Marines); Commanding Officer of the 202nd Philippine Marine Reserve Battalion; and Co-Chairman of the Task Force on Traffic Improvement and Management for Metro Manila and Suburbs (TRAFFIM) and the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC).
For his years in service, he was a recipient of numerous awards and commendations. Among them, the Silver Lion Award by His Excellency, S. R. Nathan, President of the Republic of Singapore and Chief Scout of Singapore Scouts Association on May 08, 2008 during the Good Service Awards 2007 Investiture; 2008 People of the Year Awardee of the People Asia Magazine on January 15, 2009; Distinguished Achievement Award by the National Defense College of the Philippines and NDCP Alumni Association, Inc. on August 10, 2007; Outstanding Public Official and Great Achiever by the Consumers Union of the Philippines on October 28, 2005; Centennial Medal of Honor by the Rotary International June 4, 2005; and Leadership Award (Presidential Citation) by Alpha Phi Omega International Philippines, Inc. on 6 October 2002.
His penchant for public service is perhaps a product of his molding as a scholar of the Filipino people. He graduated high school and obtained his BA Political Science degree in the University of the Philippines. He finished his Bachelor of Laws degree in the same university as a working student. He is also a holder of a Master’s degree in National Security Administration (Graduated with Honors) from the National Defense College of the Philippines; Master’s in Management from the Philippine Christian University; Diploma in Land Use Planning from University of the Philippines School of Urban and Regional Planning; Diploma in Environment and Natural Resources Management from the UP-Open University. He also finished the Senior Executive Fellows Program in Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government 1992; and the Top Management Program of the Asian Institute of Management in 1996. He was also able to academically complete his Master’s in Public Administration, Major in Local Government Management in the University of the Philippines and his Master of Laws in the University of Santo Tomas.