Joel Villanueva

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Emmanuel Joel Villanueva (born August 2, 1975) is a Filipino politician who serves as a Senator of the Philippines.

Following the 2016 Philippine national elections, where he came in second place with 18,459,222 votes, he regained his senatorial position.

He served as the Philippine TESDA's Director General from 2010-2015 and as a three-term congressman from 2001 to 2010.

When he took office in February 2002, Villanueva became the youngest member of the House of Representatives. He is also a basketball player for the Senate Defenders in the UNTV Cup.

He has also competed for the Philippine national team and the University of Santo Tomas.

Early life

Joel Villanueva was born in Bocaue, Bulacan, on August 2, 1975. He is the second child of four children of Filipino Christian evangelist Eddie Villanueva and Adoracion "Dory" Jose-Villanueva. He obtained his Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree in 1996 with a major in Economics from Santo Tomas University. From 1996 to 1998, he attended Harvard University in the United States for graduate studies in Business Administration.

Personal life

On September 15, 2012, he was awarded the Gawad Dangal ng Lipi for Public Service Award by the Bulacan provincial government. On February 19, 2013, the Development Executive Group (DevEx), a United States-based company, awarded the DEVEX Manila 40 Under 40 International Development Leaders Award. He was named as the Most Outstanding Alumni Award by the University of Santo Tomas by a former undergraduate. On May 10, 2013, the Polytechnic University of the Philippines awarded him an Honoris Causa degree of Doctor of Humanities.

Jaden and Gwyn are Villanueva's two children. Villanueva is reportedly a Boston Celtics fan who plays basketball.

Villanueva was once the television presenter of Adyenda and now heads the Kristiyanong Kabataan, a youth group.

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Career

Villanueva was a student at University of Santo Tomas, and she competed with the varsity basketball team that won the UAAP Season 56 and 57, 1994-1995. Villanueva was a member of the Philippines national basketball team that competed in international basketball tournaments such as the inaugural 1994 SEABA Championship (coached by Virgil Villavicencio).

In 2013, he returned to competitive basketball for the Congress-LGU Legislators in the UNTV Cup. He was a member of the Malacaang Patriots in 2014. Villanueva, who gained a seat in the Senate, joined the Senate Defenders basketball team in preparations for Season 5 of the UNTV Cup. He was a member of the Defenders' championship team that captured the UNTV Cup Season 6 in 2018.

Villanueva was elected to the Philippine House of Representatives in 2001 as a party-list representative of the Citizens' Battle Against Corruption (CIBAC). However, his oath-taking stalled for seven months after learning that CIBAC was an extension of the Jesus Is Lord Church Worldwide, a Christian church established by his father, Eddie Villanueva. Villanueva took the oath of office in February 2002, becoming the youngest member of the House of Representatives (a distinction that previously was held by Felix William Fuentebella).

Villanueva served in Congress from the 12th, 13th, and the 14th Congresses, from 2001 to 2010. He became the first national representative and minority leader of the House's Commission on Appointments during the 12th Congress. He was also one of the key supporters of Republic Act 9485 (the Anti Red-Tape Law of 2007).

In 2010, President Benigno Aquino III appointed him as the TESDA chief. Villanueva began an investigation into the organization, which was resulting from a $2.4 billion sponsorship debt related to undocumented TESDA scholarships. Since eliminating "ghost schools" and "ghost scholars," the agency's debt decreased to 880 million.

He initiated the "Shoot for Your Dream" series as TESDA's chief, an aspirational campaign that involved exhibition games starring Philippine Basketball Association legends. Villanueva'sself participated in the basketball exhibition team, dubbed "Team Trabaho."

TESDA's central office, 17 regional offices, and 81 provincial offices have all been granted ISO certificates under his leadership. The office in Muslim Mindanao's Autonomous Region was among those that were granted such a certificate in Mindanao.

While in office as the Director General of TESDA, he completed an advanced culinary training course in Advanced Food and Beverage Services within the company for training as a barista.

He resigned from office on October 9, 2015, a few months before starting a senatorial campaign. His resignation went into operation on October 13, 2015, and President Benigno Aquino III appointed TESDA deputy general Irene Isaac as his successor.

In the 2016 senatorial election, Villanueva ran for senator under the Koalisyon ng Daang Matuwid. He was also a co-candidate in the late presidential candidate Miriam Defensor Santiago's 10-member senatorial field. On October 16, 2015, he obtained his certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections. He unexpectedly won the Senate nomination, ending in second place with 18,459,222 votes.

Villanueva's campaign is based on jobs, with "TESDA Man" (alternatively spelled as TESDAMAN). His website has also been extended to TESDA, which stands for Trabaho, Edukasyon, Serbisyo, Dignidad, and Asenso (Emplodement, Education, Dignity, and Progress).

Villanueva's termination from public service for "grave error, serious dishonesty, and conduct in the interest of the service" was ordered against by Ombudsman Conchita Morales on November 14, 2016, following allegations of misappropriation of his Priority Development Assistance Fund during his tenure as a congressman. Villanueva said that the incriminating documents were forged. The Ombudsman directed Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III to follow the order issued against Villanueva.

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