Francis Escudero facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francis Escudero
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Official portrait, 2022
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| 25th President of the Senate of the Philippines | |
| Assumed office May 20, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Migz Zubiri |
| Senator of the Philippines | |
| Assumed office June 30, 2022 |
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| In office June 30, 2007 – June 30, 2019 |
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| Chair of the Senate Higher, Technical and Vocational Education Committee | |
| In office June 30, 2022 – May 22, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Joel Villanueva |
| Succeeded by | Alan Peter Cayetano |
| Chair of the Senate Education, Arts and Culture Committee | |
| In office February 27, 2017 – June 30, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Bam Aquino |
| Succeeded by | Win Gatchalian (as Chair of the Senate Basic Education, Arts and Culture) |
| Chair of the Senate Banks, Financial Institutions and Currencies Committee |
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| In office July 25, 2016 – June 30, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Sergio Osmeña III |
| Succeeded by | Grace Poe |
| Chair of the Senate Finance Committee | |
| In office July 22, 2013 – July 28, 2015 |
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| Preceded by | Franklin Drilon |
| Succeeded by | Loren Legarda |
| Chair of the Senate National Defense and Security Committee | |
| In office July 26, 2010 – July 22, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Rodolfo Biazon |
| Succeeded by | Antonio Trillanes |
| Chair of the Senate Justice and Human Rights Committee | |
| In office July 23, 2007 – July 22, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Juan Ponce Enrile |
| Succeeded by | Aquilino Pimentel III |
| House Minority Leader | |
| In office July 26, 2004 – June 30, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Carlos M. Padilla |
| Succeeded by | Ronaldo Zamora |
| Member of the House of Representatives from Sorsogon's 1st district | |
| In office June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Salvador Escudero |
| Succeeded by | Salvador Escudero |
| Governor of Sorsogon | |
| In office June 30, 2019 – June 30, 2022 |
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| Vice Governor | Manuel Fortes |
| Preceded by | Robert Lee Rodrigueza |
| Succeeded by | Boboy Hamor |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Francis Joseph Guevara Escudero
October 10, 1969 Manila, Philippines |
| Political party | NPC (1998–2009; 2018–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Independent (2009–2018) |
| Spouses | |
| Relations | Mart Escudero (nephew) |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents | Salvador Escudero (father) Evelina Escudero (mother) |
| Education |
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| Signature |  |
| Website | Official website: http://chizescudero.com |
Francis Joseph "Chiz" Guevara Escudero (born October 10, 1969) is a Filipino politician and lawyer. He is currently the 25th President of the Senate of the Philippines, a role he started on May 20, 2024. Before this, he served as a Senator from 2007 to 2019, and again since 2022.
Escudero was also the Governor of Sorsogon from 2019 to 2022. He was a representative for Sorsogon's 1st district from 1998 to 2007. During his time in the House, he was the House Minority Leader from 2004 to 2007. In the 2016 elections, he ran for vice president of the Philippines but was not successful.
Chiz Escudero comes from a family of politicians in Sorsogon. He studied at the University of the Philippines from kindergarten all the way through law school. He also earned a Master of Laws degree from Georgetown University in the United States. Before becoming a politician, he worked as a lawyer and a teacher.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Francis Joseph Guevara Escudero was born in Manila, Philippines, on October 10, 1969. He is the second of three children. His father, Salvador "Sonny" Escudero III, was a former Agriculture Minister and a representative for Sorsogon. His mother, Dr. Evelina B. Guevara-Escudero, also served as a representative. Chiz Escudero's family has a long history in politics in Sorsogon. His grandfather and great-grandfather were also involved in local government.
Escudero went to public schools in the Philippines. He attended the University of the Philippines Integrated School for elementary (1981) and high school (1985). He earned his bachelor's degree in political science from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1988. He then studied law at the University of the Philippines College of Law, finishing in 1993.
While at the University of the Philippines, Escudero was part of the Alpha Phi Beta fraternity. He was also on the Alpha Phi Beta Debating Team, which won the 1991 U.P. Open Debate Championship. He was a good student and a member of the U.P. Law Honor Society. He also served as the Secretary General of the Association of Law Students of the Philippines.
Career Before Politics
Before becoming a lawyer, Escudero worked as a teaching assistant at the University of the Philippines from 1988 to 1989. In 1989, he was a Junior Political Analyst for the Batangas Development Planning office.
After getting his law degree, Escudero joined a law firm in 1993. A year later, he became a legal consultant for a shipping company and a legal counsel for the Crusade Against Violence. By 1995, he became a partner in his own law firm, Escudero, Marasigan, Sta. Ana, Vallente and Villareal Law Office (EMSAVIL Law). He is still part of this firm today.
In 1996, Escudero earned his master's degree in International and Comparative Law from the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C..
Besides his law practice, Escudero taught at the College of Law at the University of the Philippines from 1996 to 1998. He also taught at the Graduate School of the Ateneo de Manila University in 2000.
Escudero also worked in media. From May to August 2000, he hosted a TV program called "Ngayon na Pinoy" on RPN. He also hosted radio programs like "Magandang Umaga Bayan" on DZAR 1026 AM, and "Usapang de Campanilla" and "Usapang Legal" on DZMM. He also wrote a column called "Usapang Legal ni Chiz Escudero" for two tabloids.
Political Journey
Starting in Politics
Escudero's interest in politics began in the 1980s when he helped with his father's local campaigns. He wanted to run for public office as a municipal councilor when he was 22, and then as mayor at 25. However, his family wanted him to finish his law studies first.
House of Representatives: 1998–2007
Escudero started his political career at age 28. He was elected as a representative for the first district of Sorsogon in 1998. He was one of the youngest lawmakers in the 11th Congress. He was a member of the Nationalist People's Coalition from 1998 to 2009.
He served as Assistant Majority Floor Leader and Second Deputy Majority Floor Leader in the 11th Congress. In his last term, he was the Minority Floor Leader from 2004 to 2007. While in Congress, Escudero worked to make Sorsogon a city. In 2000, a law was passed that merged the towns of Sorsogon and Bacon into the new Sorsogon City.
In 2004, Escudero was the campaign spokesperson for presidential candidate Fernando Poe Jr.. After the election, when there were claims of election fraud, Escudero supported efforts to remove President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo from office. He voted against dismissing the impeachment complaints, saying, "It is the truth that has lost. But the search for the truth does not end today."
Escudero also opposed attempts to change the Constitution, believing they were meant to keep the president and her allies in power.
Senate: 2007–2019
On January 30, 2007, Escudero ran for the Senate of the Philippines. He was elected with the second highest number of votes.
In the Senate, he chaired important committees such as Justice and Human Rights, Ways and Means, National Defense, Environment and Natural Resources, and Finance.
In 2009, Escudero left the Nationalist People's Coalition and became an independent politician. He was expected to run for president but did not. Instead, he supported the team of Senator Benigno Aquino III and Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay.
In 2012, Escudero ran for reelection as senator. He was part of the administration-backed coalition "Team PNoy" and won another term. In the 16th Congress, he became the chairman of the powerful Finance Committee.
2016 Vice Presidential Campaign
On July 28, 2015, Escudero resigned as chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance. He did this because he was considering running for a higher office in the next elections.
On September 15, 2015, Escudero officially announced his candidacy for Vice President of the Philippines. He ran as the running mate of presidential candidate Grace Poe. Many political groups and party-list groups showed their support for the Poe-Escudero team.
Initially, Escudero led in vice presidential opinion polls. However, his numbers dropped closer to the election. On May 10, 2016, after the election, Escudero conceded the race. He placed fourth among the six candidates.
Governor of Sorsogon: 2019–2022
Escudero was elected Governor of Sorsogon and served one term from June 30, 2019, to June 30, 2022.
Return to the Senate: 2022–Present
In the 2022 Philippine general election, Escudero was endorsed by then-President Rodrigo Duterte. He campaigned for stronger local government units. Escudero was elected again as senator, finishing fifth with over 20 million votes.
President of the Senate: 2024–Present
On May 20, 2024, Escudero was elected the 25th President of the Senate of the Philippines. He replaced Juan Miguel Zubiri. Senator Mark Villar swore him in, and his wife Heart Evangelista was with him. As Senate President, he oversaw the election of other senators to important positions, like Senator Jinggoy Estrada becoming the President pro tempore of the Senate. The next day, President Bongbong Marcos supported Escudero's new role.
Important Political Ideas
South China Sea Dispute
Escudero has spoken about the disputes in the South China Sea. After Chinese ships used water cannons against Philippine vessels, he suggested building permanent structures for soldiers and fishermen on Second Thomas Shoal. He believes this would help protect the area.
Relations with China
Escudero has also shared his thoughts on diplomatic relations with China. He disagreed with the idea of recalling the Philippine Ambassador to China after water cannon incidents. He argued that such an action could make the South China Sea conflict worse.
Department of Disaster Resilience
After the 2022 Luzon earthquake, Escudero proposed creating a new government agency. This agency would focus on disaster resilience and response. Its goal would be to better coordinate help and funds during natural disasters. He noted that as Governor of Sorsogon, he saw how existing rules made it hard to deliver aid quickly.
Personal Life
Escudero is married to actress and TV host Heart Evangelista. They got married on February 15, 2015, on Balesin Island. He has two children, fraternal twins named Quino and Chesi, born in 2007, from a previous marriage. He has custody of his children.
On February 15, 2024, Escudero and Evangelista renewed their wedding vows on Balesin Island to celebrate their 9th wedding anniversary.
Awards and Recognition
Escudero has received several awards for his work:
- 1999: Youth Achiever in Government
- 2000: Most Outstanding Congressman and Outstanding Public Servant of the Year
- 2005: One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) of the Philippines for his youth leadership.
- 2007: Named one of Asia's Idols by Asia's News Network.
- 2008: Received the Anak TV Seal as the Most Admired TV Personality.
- 2008: Honored by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader.
- 2012: Received the Rotary Golden Wheel Award for Political Governance and Legislation.
Books
- Orteza, Bibeth. (2009). Say ni Chiz (Autobiography of Senator Francis Escudero). ICatcher Productions, Inc. ISBN: 978-971-94579-1-6
See also
In Spanish: Francis Escudero para niños
