ZUBIRI, JUAN MIGUEL “Migz” FERNANDEZ DAPAT ILAGAY NATIN SA SENADO

SENATE STINT

During the 14^th Congress, he served as the Senate Majority Leader.

During the 15^th Congress, he was the chairman of the following committees at the Senate:

Committee on Environment and Natural Resources

Committee on Cooperatives

3 Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act; Joint Congressional Committee on Clean Air Act; and the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Cooperatives.

He was also a member in 20 other Senate committees

OTHER PREVIOUS POSITIONS

·         Governor of the Philippine National Red Cross

·         Member, Rotary Club of Makati

·         Governor, Ranchers’ Club Philippines 1989- University of the Philippines Los Banos chapter

·         Chairman, Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines Bukidnon Chapter

·         Chairman, Paglaum Foundation

·         Member, Upsilon Phi Sigma Fraternity and Sorority (founded 1935)

·         President of the KATALA Foundation

·         President of the Philippine Deer Foundation

Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri was a three-term congressman, representing the third district of Bukidnon, before he joined the senate race in 2007. He wasone of the youngest congressmen when he first got elected in 1998. During his stint at the House of Representatives, Zubiri was known as one of the “Spice Boys,” a group of young legislators who opposed the administration of then President Joseph Estrada.

At the Senate, he became the youngest to be elected ever as Majority Leader since the first Congress in 1946.

Zubiri was known for being a hardworking and diligent legislator both in his stints as House Representative and later on, as Senator.  He was among the few legislators who registered perfect attendance in sessions. 

He was also credited for either being the principal author or sponsor of more than 20 major laws. One of the notable measures that he sponsored was Republic Act 9153 or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 and RA 9367 or the Biofuels Act of 2006, earning him the moniker Mr. Clean Energy.

Other significant laws he sponsored, principally as authors or co-authors were:

§  RA10068 – Organic Agriculture Act of 2010;

§  RA 9147 – Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act;

§  RA 10121 – Philippine Disaster Risk Management Act;

§  RA 9165 – Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002;

§  RA 9679 – the Home Development Mutual Fund Law of 2009 (Pag-IBIG Fund);

§  RA 9653 – the Rent Control Act of 2009;

§  RA 9997 – the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Act of 2009;

§  RA 9996 – the Mindanao Development Authority Act of 2010;

§  RA 9904 – the Magna Carta for Homeowners and Homeowners’ Associations;

§  RA 9903 – Condonation of Penalties on Delinquent Social Security Contributions;

§  RA 9507 – the Socialized and Low-Cost Housing Loan Condonation Program;

§  RA 9850 – Declaring Arnis as the National Martial Art and Sport;

§  RA 9500 – UP Charter Amendments;

§  RA 9163 – National Service Training Program;

§  RA 9166 – Armed Forces of the Philippines Rate Pay Base Increase Act;

§  RA 10072 – the New Charter of the Philippine Red Cross;

§  RA 9645 – Declaring July 27 of Every Year as ArawngIglesia Ni Cristo and as Special Working Holiday; and

§  RA 9849 – Declaring EidulAdha as a National Holiday.

His stellar performance as legislator, however, was marred with controversy when Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III accused Zubiri of snatching from the 12^th seat in the 2007 senatorial race.

A close ally of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Zubiri reportedly benefited from the massive cheating in Mindanao particularly the ARMM areas. Zubiri garnered 11,005,866 votes, a slim advantage over Pimentel’s 10,987,347 votes.Zubiri, at that time, was a senatorial candidate of then former President Arroyo’s Team Unity.

Maguindanao Massacre suspect and suspended Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor ZaldyAmpatuanclaimed that in the 2007 polls, former President Arroyoherself ordered votes for three opposition senatorial candidates in Maguindanao be transferred to Zubiri.

Pimentel contested Zubiri’s victory before the Supreme Court and sought the High Tribunal’s injunction to the swearing in of Zubiri.  Pimentel lost but again contested his defeat, this time before the Senate Electoral Tribunal.  The out of the recount was in favour of Pimentel.

But Zubiri, without admitting any fault or denying the alleged electoral fraud, resigned as senator. He is the first-ever sitting senator to resign from the Philippine Senate.

Zubiri will again face Pimentel in the upcoming mid-term elections set on May 13.  He is running under the opposition United Nationalist Alliance.  Pimentel, on the other hand, accepted the invitation of President Aquino to run under the Administration Coalition despite the fact that PDP-Laban, the party headed by his father, groomed him to be its candidate.  PDP Laban is among the parties that formed UNA.

In the latest survey conducted by SWS, Zubiri and Pimentel are again at a very close fight with Pimentel leading by onely one percent.