Feliciano Belmonte Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Feliciano R. Belmonte Jr.
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Belmonte in 2016
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| 18th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines | |
| In office July 26, 2010 – June 30, 2016 |
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| Preceded by | Prospero Nograles |
| Succeeded by | Pantaleon Alvarez |
| In office January 24, 2001 – June 30, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Arnulfo Fuentebella |
| Succeeded by | Jose de Venecia Jr. |
| Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Quezon City's 4th district | |
| In office June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Nanette Castelo-Daza |
| Succeeded by | Bong Suntay |
| In office June 30, 1992 – June 30, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Ismael A. Mathay Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Nanette Castelo-Daza |
| 9th Mayor of Quezon City | |
| In office June 30, 2001 – June 30, 2010 |
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| Vice Mayor | Herbert Bautista |
| Preceded by | Ismael A. Mathay Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Herbert Bautista |
| President of the Government Services Insurance System | |
| In office 1986–1992 |
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| Appointed by | Corazon C. Aquino |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Fernando Feliciano Racimo Belmonte Jr.
October 2, 1936 Tondo, Manila, Philippine Commonwealth |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Political party | Independent (2018–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Liberal (2009–2018) Lakas (1992–2009) |
| Spouse |
Betty Chua Go
(m. 1959; |
| Relations | Jose Christopher Belmonte (nephew) Dennis Belmonte (brother) |
| Children | 4 (including Joy) |
| Residence | Quezon City |
| Education | Lyceum of the Philippines University (LL.B) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Fernando Feliciano "Sonny" Racimo Belmonte Jr. (born October 2, 1936) is a well-known Filipino politician. He served as the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines twice. He was Speaker from January to June 2001 and again from 2010 to 2016. Mr. Belmonte also represented Quezon City's 4th congressional district in the Philippine House of Representatives for many years. Between his time in Congress, he was the Mayor of Quezon City.
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Early Life and Education
Feliciano Belmonte Jr. was born in Tondo, Manila, on October 2, 1936. His father was Judge Feliciano Belmonte Sr., and his mother was Luz Racimo. He started school at age seven in Baguio. He then finished high school at San Beda University in Manila.
Mr. Belmonte studied Law at the Lyceum of the Philippines University. While in law school, he worked as a reporter for the Manila Chronicle newspaper. He covered police news and events at the Philippine Commission on Elections.
Starting His Career
At 25, Mr. Belmonte became a lawyer after passing the bar exam. He began working for the government as an assistant to President Diosdado Macapagal. He also worked for the Commissioner of Customs and at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which is the central bank of the Philippines.
In 1986, President Corazon Aquino asked him to lead several government-owned companies that were having financial problems. He became the president of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). He also led the Manila Hotel and was chairman of the National Reinsurance Corporation of the Philippines. He even served on the boards of big companies like San Miguel Corporation and Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT). Later, he became the president and CEO of Philippine Airlines, which was owned by the government at that time.
Serving in the House of Representatives
Mr. Belmonte was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1992. He represented Quezon City's 4th congressional district. He served three terms in a row, from 1992 to 2001.
Speaker of the House in 2001
In 2001, Mr. Belmonte briefly became the Speaker of the House of Representatives. This is a very important role, as the Speaker leads the House of Representatives. He also served as the House Minority Leader, leading the group of representatives not in the ruling party.
During his time in Congress, Mr. Belmonte helped create several important laws. These included laws about the national budget and education. He also worked to improve salaries for government employees.
Mr. Belmonte became widely known when he led the effort to remove President Joseph Estrada from office. On January 20, 2001, President Estrada left the Malacañan Palace. Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo then became president. Four days later, on January 24, Mr. Belmonte was chosen as the new Speaker of the House.
Leading Quezon City
On August 4, 2000, Mr. Belmonte announced he wanted to become the Mayor of Quezon City. In 2001, he won the election and became mayor. He was re-elected in 2004 and 2007. Herbert Bautista was his running mate, serving as Vice Mayor.
Achievements as Mayor
As mayor for nine years, Mr. Belmonte managed Quezon City's money very carefully. He worked to collect taxes better and made the city government more efficient. Because of his efforts, Quezon City became known as one of the best-managed cities in Metro Manila. It was also ranked as the second most competitive city in the Philippines by business leaders.
Quezon City was praised for its strong local economy and good quality of life for its residents. The local government was also recognized for being helpful to businesses. In 2007, a survey by the London Financial Times ranked Quezon City as the No. 7 "Asian City of the Future." In 2008, it was ranked as the 21st best city globally for outsourcing services.
Mr. Belmonte was a member of the Lakas–CMD party for a long time, from 1992 until 2009. In November 2009, he and Vice Mayor Bautista joined the Liberal Party.
Back in Congress
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After serving as Mayor of Quezon City, Mr. Belmonte ran for the House of Representatives again in 2010. He won and was elected as Speaker of the House for the 15th Congress. He won with a large number of votes, becoming Speaker again. He was re-elected as a representative in 2013 and 2016.
In 2016, after being re-elected for his third term as a representative, Mr. Belmonte decided not to seek the Speaker position again. Instead, he supported Pantaleon Alvarez, who became the new Speaker for the 17th Congress.
In 2018, Mr. Belmonte left the Liberal Party. He retired from politics when his term in Congress ended on June 30, 2019. His daughter, Joy Belmonte, is currently the Mayor of Quezon City.
Family Life
Feliciano Belmonte Jr. was a member of several community organizations, including the Manila Jaycees and the Rotary Club of Manila. He was also the World President of Junior Chamber International in 1976.
He married Betty Go-Belmonte in 1959. Betty Go-Belmonte (1934–1994) was the founder of The Philippine Star newspaper. They had four children: Isaac, Kevin, Miguel, and Joy. His three sons have worked in leadership roles at The Philippine Star and its related newspapers. His daughter, Joy, became the Mayor of Quezon City in 2019. Mr. Belmonte also has a nephew, Kit, who served as a representative for Quezon City's 6th congressional district.
